LVOT: The Design of an Intelligent System for Building and Using Learning Virtual Objects

Abstract

This paper presents the design of an intelligent IMS-based architecture called Learning Virtual Object Tool (LVOT) to facilitate the creation and manipulation of objects in largescale, cooperative eLearning environments. The research work brings three contributions to knowledge: a) the analysis of a Generic eLearning Environment (GeLEnv), b) the definition and use of LVO Structures and, c) the design of the LVOT Architecture. We apply a top-down analysis process (inspired by [Gonzalez-03d]) to describe the GeLEnv following three levels of abstraction. The first level of abstraction represents a top knowledge-oriented model with eLearning entities and cooperative links. In the second level of abstraction, we analyse these elements in more detail introducing sub-entities and interactions. The third level of abstraction corresponds to a set of integrated operational LVOT sub-entities that we use as the final result of the analysis process. The last part of the paper summarises some of our explorations with learning objects and software arquitectures. We define three types of LVOs: basic, composite and cooperative. Finally, we present the high and low level design of our LVOT platform