Abstract:

In our oral presentation, we will focus on a dynamic representation of e-learning contents as a net-work for e-science and e-business and illustrate our ideas and approaches with a best-practice example of an e-learning solution in the German Grid Initiative (D-Grid). In a user- or learner-centric model, where the needs and in particular the limitations (of time, interests etc.) which learners undergo play an important role, we use a high degree of contextualization of e-learning contents and networked learning in several ways to stimulate the efficiency of learning processes and to match the requirements of learners.
SuGI (Sustainable Grid Infrastructures) is a gap project of the D-Grid. Its major task is to disseminate the knowledge of grid technology and to enhance its use. Therefore, SuGI addresses all academic computing centers as well as enterprises, which still have not adopted grid technology. They will be supported in providing and using grid resources and services. During the project, research experiences gained in the D-Grid projects will be made available to these institutions. Thus, SuGI creates and assimilates a large variety of e-learning contents and provides these online via a scaling training infrastructure which is primarily represented by the SuGI portal (http://sugi.d-grid.de/).
In developing, implementing, and evaluating the SuGI portal, we follow an iterative and recursive generation-based model. This model focuses on a process consisting of a development of a strategy, and formulation of a catalogue of specifications, including the identification of target groups which may be placed out of or across institutional borders. Further steps are a technical and a visual design of the portal, its implementation accompanied by different steps of quality management as well as an introduction and evolution. All steps are iteratively repeated for each generation of the portal. Results of the evaluation will pour in the development of any new generation which leads to a higher use of evaluation results and enables a scientifically well-founded monitoring in the process of building up the portal. Target groups for the SuGI portal are experts of the D-Grid communities, organizers of training events, multipliers in computing centers (commercial and non-commercial) as well as scientific users. All members of these highly heterogeneous target groups are still or need to be networked with each other or with the respective communities.
The result of these efforts is a portal solution enabling users to administer contents of manifold for-mats like e.g. texts, hyperlinks, videos in different file formats, strong or weak interactive learning modules, virtualized training systems etc. At the same time access to all provided information is easy and open-access. Supervision, support, and mentoring are fully community-driven. Thus, invested work coming along with the arrangement of e.g. workshops, conferences, and summer schools etc., is integrated directly in e-learning contents, that will be provided sustainable to an extended community during a longer time span. This leads to a significantly better protection of investments.

Keywords:

e-learning, network, contextualization, grid computing, constructionism.