Home // International Journal On Advances in Software, volume 2, numbers 2 and 3, 2009 // View article

Educational Content Creation and Sharing in a Technology-rich Environment

Authors:
Bernd J. Krämer
Peng Han

Keywords: Learning object; configurable learning object; cognitive taxonomy; didactic scenario, didactic parameterization; content reuse; IPR; licensing.

Abstract:
The componentization and reuse of topical information and the organization of learning processes according to pedagogical theories have long been discussed separately in elearning literature. The former was led under the buzzword ”learning object”, the latter focussed on learning activity sequencing and culminated in the Learning Design standard. This paper sketches a methodological framework and an e-learning portal that reconcile both strands of discussion in a comprehensive support in digital learning content production, adaptation and reuse. It presents an approach towards developing and reusing interactive learning objects relying on software design principles and adaptation mechanisms such as late composition and parameterization. Topical information like facts, concepts, procedures, processes or principles of a knowledge domain can be flexibly combined with learning objectives and activities supporting the learning process of an individual or group of learners. It suggests keeping information and educational context separate at design time and connecting both facets of learning objects only at reuse time. Parameterization is a software design principle used here to facilitate the adaptation of a learning object to different themes and didactic contexts. These design principles are illustrated for Java applets and for interactive Flash animations. This paper also illustrates facilities to adapt predefined didactic scenario templates, design new scenarios and update them with reusable learning objects from a repository or from the author’s workspace.

Pages: 188 to 201

Copyright: Copyright (c) to authors, 2009. Used with permission.

Publication date: December 1, 2009

Published in: journal

ISSN: 1942-2628