ConKMeL: a contextual knowledge management framework to support intelligent multimedia e-learning

Current multimedia information retrieval technologies to support e-learning can only provide basic low-level single type media retrieval services to common users, hence current e-learning services still lack intelligence and context-awareness. Much of the desired intelligent e-learning functionality needs further research and technical developments. The proposed framework ConKMel is expected to improve the current isolated learning information management status, by making the most use of related learning information, and enabling flexible knowledge communication and transfer between instructors and learners. To work with related existing e-learning content description standards and enable a semantic-based interactive learning environment, we explore a set of novel knowledge management techniques from a contextual knowledge engineering point of view. Based on knowledge communication model analysis, a contextual knowledge representation model is presented. Corresponding knowledge retrieval techniques are discussed afterwards to support modern learning approaches such as scenario-based learning.