Authoring tools for adaptive learning designs in computer-based education

Abstract

A challenging topic in computer-based education is to develop authoring tools that support the creation of personalized learning designs that, on one hand, do not prescribe any learning approach and, on the other, guarantee the reusability and exchangeability of those learning designs. In this paper we argue that Adaptive Educational Hypermedia Systems (AEHS) can employ the IMS Learning Design (IMS LD) specification as a notational method. In such way, that teachers and designers will have freedom for designing personalized learning flows that are interoperable and reusable. To support our reasoning, first, we briefly explain AEHS and their characteristics. Then, we introduce the learning design concept and the IMS LD specification. Subsequently, we present an authoring tool we are developing to define learning designs with adaptive characteristics for AEHS and, subsequently, we illustrate their definition by means of a study case. Afterwards, we point out the strengths and weakness of utilizing IMS LD in AEHS, and finally, we expose conclusions and further work.