Abstract:

Thanks to new technologies, e/m-Learning scenarios are quickly evolving and becoming more and more difficult to control. A modern e/m-Learning system must take into account services, kinds of devices and aspects related to the network. In fact, both learning conditions and activities at disposal depend on many factors, such as the network load of the location from where the user has logged on. Furthermore, not only has the nature of e-learning material changed deeply over time, but so have devices and connection technologies for their fruition, especially in context of mobile learning based on multimedia broadband services.
Learning paths themselves are developing: teaching is not an univocal process anymore, with fixed steps and tasks, since modern technologies make many alternative choices possible. Such tasks can also be fulfilled or not on the basis of personal and environmental conditions. For instance, a lesson in videoconference can be followed or not depending on the kind of device and network load.
This scenario requires a constant monitoring of the user’s conditions: as a matter of fact, some tasks can be feasible or not depending on network load conditions and devices as well. This means that such factors become an integrant part of teaching modalities and offers.
This variety can be a positive issue in many situations: for instance, if network overload makes a videoconference impossible, the student can be suggested to make exercises on his own. In the same way, broadband services allow to cooperate or use didactic structures and instruments otherwise inaccessible.
In this work, these features and their relationships are analysed and an architecture is proposed for reaching a good compromise between quality of learning and studying conditions.
The proposed architecture consists of a user interface, a module for providing services, a decision engine for evaluating students’ improvements and consequently deciding learning paths and a database storing learning and assessment contents. Due to the use of different devices and to the presence of different network conditions, the database stores contents in scaled formats, or ready to be scaled on the fly.
The system can be described by means of a 5-layered architecture and consists of five main blocks: the Query Layer, the Data Adaptation module, the Testing and Path Decision block, the Services and the Database.
The Query Layer allows the user to interact with the system, accessing services and contents scaled on the basis of the user’s technology.
The Data Adaptation layer allows to adapt the data format and consequently optimise response time.
Given a knowledge level, the Testing and Path Decision module returns learning steps. In this module the first approach to the use of Petri Nets is defined. In this context, variables are didactic prerequisites.
The Services level indicates which multimedia broadband services are at disposal, such as booking of experiments, etc.
The Database level highlights the presence of three groups of information: testing and assessment material; learning material; user’s data, bookings and access to services.

Keywords:

e/m-learning, network aspects, integrated architecture.