From Content Management to E-Learning Content Repositories

Abstract

The concept of content in an educational context is very different from the one in other fields such as publishing or electronic newspapers, for example. From textbooks to exercises, from software simulations to data sets containing educational data, it is necessary to rethink the way these educational resources or "learning objects" are managed. One of the major concerns for teachers using e-learning environments is the availability of the appropriate structures and tools for organizing such learning resources and making them accessible to learners. This is especially true for e-learning virtual environments where learners have access to both digital libraries and also to any other Web resource, through Google or other conventional search engines. Nevertheless, these systems are usually not directly integrated in the learning process and content and metadata management requires the use of different tools. Furthermore, new pedagogical approaches consider the learner as an active element in the learning process, promoting the acquisition and development of competences through activities which involve the use and creation of learning resources. This chapter explores the relationship of traditional content management systems and the broader scope of virtual learning environments, including aspects of metadata standards, content personalization, the use of semantic web techniques and ontologies, the use and annotation of learning resources and the possibilities offered by the use of Web 2.0 technologies. At the end of this chapter, the possible learning scenarios that will be derived from all the changing forces, combining methodological, technological and organizational issues will be described.