E-learning system design with the focus on knowledge flows and learning objects

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to propose an e-learning system architecture integrating knowledge flows. Our motivation is to provide the user with some intelligent possibilities of the learning environment used. This could be fulfilled using knowledge management at the operational level. Knowledge management should be a fundamental objective of any educational institution, as learning is its core function and should be reflected in how the organisation operates. In the academia environment, knowledge management and e-learning represent a substantial tuple for distance form of education. For e-learning method, heterogeneous and distributed architecture is one of the most prominent features. In a learning environment, different kinds of information resources are shared. Its demands can be fulfilled by means of local intelligence using multi-agent systems. This paper presents a layered multi-agent architecture of e-learning system including basics of its implementation. Learning objects and learning objects repositories are used for facilitating intended learning outcomes, and can be extracted and reused in other learning environments. Agent structure, general framework and workflow were designed in order to simplify information and knowledge flows with the aim to keep system overhead as low as possible.