Architecture for Learning Resources

1
Architecture for Learning Resources

• Ed Walker
• Joseph Hardin
• Vijay Kumar
• NAE Worksop, Nov 8, 2002

2
Architecture for the Commons

• What are the critical elements of an enabling
  architecture?
• Developing and distributing educational resources
  for meaningful use
• Building a sustainable commons of quality
  educational resources

3
A Sea Change Occurred in 2000/1
Mainstream
Uses
Demonstrations
Unique
Standard
Architecture
4
Questions besides Functionality

• Scalability
• Evolvability
• Sustainability
• Adoptability

5
Unifying Assumptions

• Interoperable components
• standards for services,structures, behaviors,
  practices
• Layered framework
• separated services, educational services,
  application frameworks, and componentized
  learning applications
• Decomposable assets and experiences
• re-usable aggregations and activities
• Independence from implementations
• multiple realizations, multiple domains

6
Method Discover, Evolve, Sustain
Define
Test
Refine
Specifications, Practices
New Products, Pilot Projects, Labs and Testbeds
Applications Products Services Institutions Open
Frameworks
7
Some Interesting Problems

• Coordinating distributed, multi-source RD
• Realizing open source models, potentials
• Collaboration among individualists
• Multiple consortia on the Commons
• Integrating component progress
• Developing succeeding visions for technology,
  teaching and learning, business

8
Architecture Provides the Commons
Labs, Test-beds
Content Providers
Domain Consortia
Government Agencies
Researchers
Institutions
Standards Bodies
Technology Vendors
9
Big Pieces - SCORM
Interactive Environments
Digital Libraries Simulations Remote Devices
Software for Teaching and For Learning
Networked System Services
10
Services Soup - OKI
Browser, PDA, Desktop, etc.
Open Frameworks
Educational Software
Educational Component APIs
Educational Service Implementations
Common Service APIs
AuthN
GUID
File
DBMS
AuthZ
Rules
User Messaging
Logging
Etc
Common Service Implementations
Common Objects
Institutional Infrastructure
11
Return on Architectural Investment

• Impact of innovation
• Faster, further diffusion
• More efficient evolution
• New capabilities
• Scope of RD
• Better metrics
• Multiplicative invention and experimentation
• New questions

12
Checkpoint on Progress
UKeU
W3C
Spec Consortia
Testbeds, Markets
Standards Bodies
Ufi
SIF
JCP
ALIC
oclc
COLIS
CP LIP QTI Enterprise
SCORM OKI SIF-ZIS ICP
LOM CMI
13
A Commons is Not Unidimensional
Apparatus
Plan
Capability
14
A Commons is Not a Blank Slate

• Labs, test-beds, tools, case data, content
  resources, tests
• Standards, application profiles, use scenarios,
  guidelines
• Implementer/User/Buyer SIGs
• Communication
• Documentation
• member services

15
Final thought

• This has happened before
• ARPAnet -gt NSFnet -gt Internet
• FTP-gt Gopher-gt WAIS -gt Web
• Neuroscience
• ADA