Learning Objects Paradigm Research Articles

Cloud Computing and Multi Agent System to improve Learning Object Paradigm

The paradigm of Learning Object provides Educators and Learners with the ability to access an extensive number of learning resources. To do so, this paradigm provides different technologies and tools, such as federated search platforms and storage repositories, in order to obtain information ubiquitously and on demand. However, the vast amount and variety of educational content, which is distributed among several repositories, and the existence of various and incompatible standards, technologies and interoperability layers among repositories, constitutes a real problem for the expansion of this paradigm. This study presents an agent-based architecture that uses the advantages provided by Cloud Computing platforms to deal with the open issues on the Learning Object paradigm.

From SCORM to Common Cartridge: A step forward

Shareable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) was proposed as a standard for sharable learning object packaging, delivering and sequencing. Several years later, Common Cartridge (CC) is proposed as an enhancement of SCORM offering more flexibility and addressing needs not originally envisioned, namely assessment and web 2.0 standards, content authorization, collaborative forums, outcomes reporting, accessibility. Educational policy makers, specialists responsible for learning systems deployment, educational content authors and teachers committed to the learning object paradigm must opt for or coexist with two different, partially overlapping proposals for content packaging. While SCORM was conceived for self-paced computer based learning, Common Cartridge attempts at providing support for all forms of teaching and learning with a stress on interactive and collaborative environments. Variety of content, distributed content, discussion forums, assessment, student’s tracking, interaction with external tools and authorization to access resources are listed as its main enhancements. This article reviews and compares SCORM and Common Cartridge from an educational perspective, seeking to provide some ground and guidelines on how to stand before these proposals. A simple process for authoring a Common Cartridge is described, as well as testing and conversion from SCORM. Suggestions are made to education practitioners on learning objects standards adoption in the most common scenarios.

ONTOLOGY-BASED LEARNING OBJECTS SEARCH AND COURSES GENERATION

Learning objects paradigm is widely adopted in e-learning environments. Learning objects management can be improved using semantic technologies from ontology engineering and the semantic web. In this article we use a semantic model of the repository to improve both learning objects retrieval and composition. The use of domain knowledge enables automatic reasoning and makes the system able to import new domain models and use them to interrogate the repository (Arrigoni Neri 2005). Learning objects composition is one of the main challenges in e-learning management systems and can be improved exploiting ontological reasoning. The building of a course can be carried out in two phases, in the first phase we compose concept level entities to obtain an outline of the course, then we fill the outline with actual resources from the repository. Both phases can use ontology-based models to capture specific domain knowledge (Arrigoni Neri 2006). In order to provide an intuitive and expressive ontology representation, we briefly propose a graphical syntax for the well-known ontology web language (OWL).

The Open Learning Object model to promote Open Educational Resources

<div class="abstract_container"> In this paper we present the results of research work, that forms part of the activities of the EU-funded project SLOOP: Sharing Learning Objects in an Open Perspective, aimed at encouraging the definition, development and management of Open Educational Resources based on the Learning Object paradigm (Wiley, 2000). We present a model of Open Learning Object (OpenLO) for a greater awareness in the use of LOs by teachers, giving them a more active role in the evolution of educational resources; the OpenLO model extends the concept of reusability, providing pedagogical sustainability. Moreover, we compare FreeLOms, a Learning Object Management System that implements the proposed OpenLO model, to traditional tools for handling LOs. </div> <p class="editors_container"><strong>Editors:</strong> Patrick McAndrew (Open University, UK). <p class="reviewers_container"><strong>Reviewers:</strong> Anonymous Review (Anonymous) and Patrick McAndrew (Open University, UK).

Enhancing educational portals through capturing collective knowledge of web-based learning communities

Since the early stages of the World Wide Web, web-based learning communities have been constantly developed online. Among the primary objectives of their members has been to share digital learning resources and increase the community's collective knowledge by communicating and collaborating online. In this paper, we discuss how the learning object paradigm can be exploited to support web-based learning communities and online communities of practice, as a means to enhance the services already provided by Educational Portals (EP). It is claimed that this can be achieved by motivating the active interaction of community members with the EPs' resources and at the same time allowing the dynamic update of the available resources taking into account the community's collective knowledge on the real use of the resources. To this end, we present the ASK e-Educational Communities Environment (ASK e-EDCOM), a web-based environment for the empowerment of online educational communities.

Implementation and Deployment of the IMS Learning Design Specification

Knowledge management in organizations, the learning objects paradigm, the advent of a new web generation, and the “Semantic Web” are major actual trends that reveal a potential for a renewed distance learning pedagogy. First and foremost is the use of educational modelling languages and instructional engineering methods to help decide how to aggregate learning objects in learning and knowledge management environments. This article proposes a set of tools under implementation, such as a graphic Learning Design Editor and a delivery system, using learning object repositories to create IMS-LD online environments. We also propose a strategy for the deployment of learning design tools and methods in learning organizations.

Problematiche non risolte e nuove prospettive dei Learning Object

The Learning Objects (LO) model has been around for ten years. Despite the lack of a commonly accepted definition, the LO paradigm still depicts great initial expectations and a few unresolved problems. The debate around the pedagogic neutrality, the search of the right level of granularity and the discussion about the lack of an accurate and easy way to use the system to define metadata are briefly introduced. Recent works try to show how uses of LOs can also be made in collaborative learning activities and, more generally, in learning activities, grounded in Constructivistic learning theory. The main idea is to reuse, not only the content, but also the instructional strategies that guide the choice and the use of the LOs.In that case, we define them as Learning Activities rather than LOs.Furthemore, new developments in the Semantic Web area offer new opportunities for learners and teachers, through various systems such as resource profiles and distributed repositories.