Title :
Decision support models for composing and navigating through e-learning objects
Author :
Knolmayer, Gerhard F.
Author_Institution :
Inst. of Inf. Syst., Bern Univ., Czech Republic
Abstract :
Libraries of learning objects may serve as basis for deriving course offerings that are customized to the needs of different learning communities or even individuals. Several ways of organizing this course composition process are discussed. Course composition needs a clear understanding of the dependencies between the learning objects. Therefore we discuss the metadata for object relationships proposed in different standardization projects and especially those suggested in the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative. Based on these metadata we construct adjacency matrices and graphs. We show how Gozinto-type computations can be used to determine direct and indirect prerequisites for certain learning objects. The metadata may also be used to define integer programming models which can be applied to support the instructor in formulating his specifications for selecting objects or which allow a computer agent to automatically select learning objects. Such decision models could also be helpful for a learner navigating through a library of learning objects. We also sketch a graph-based procedure for manual or automatic sequencing of the learning objects.
Keywords :
computer aided instruction; decision support systems; graph theory; integer programming; meta data; object-oriented databases; software agents; teaching; Dublin Core Metadata Initiative; Gozinto-type computations; adjacency matrices; automatic sequencing; computer agent; course composition process; course offerings; decision models; decision support models; e-learning object composition; e-learning object navigation; graph-based procedure; instructor support; integer programming models; learning communities; learning object libraries; manual sequencing; object relationship metadata; object selection; standardization projects; Computer aided instruction; Documentation; Electronic learning; Information systems; Libraries; Linear programming; Navigation; Organizing; Packaging; Standardization;
Conference_Titel :
System Sciences, 2003. Proceedings of the 36th Annual Hawaii International Conference on
Print_ISBN :
0-7695-1874-5
DOI :
10.1109/HICSS.2003.1173694