Instructional architecture for collaborative e-learning

• US 7,369,808 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2003
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Gerteis, Wolfgang, Wessner, Martin, Leidig, Torsten, Altenhofen, Michael, Theilmann, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): JONES, SCOTT E
• Application Number:
  US10/359,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20030194690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,916 Days
• Field of Search: 434/118, 434/362, 434/350
• US Class Current: 434/350
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F

Abstract

A learning system, method, and data structure provides collaborative activities between learners. The system includes an interface to receive a learning strategy selected by a learner. A content management system stores content and one or more collaboration elements associated with a course. A learning management system determines the learning content and the one or more collaboration elements to present to the learner based on the selected learning strategy. The learner participates using the collaboration element at a time of the learner'"'"'s choosing while taking the course. The collaboration activity may be based on one or more collaboration scenarios including a brainstorming activity, a cooperative text processing activity, an explanation discourse activity, an answer-to-tutor activity, and a pro-contra dispute. The collaboration element may be provided as an intentional point of collaboration.

Claims

1. A method performed in an electronic learning system, the method comprising:

organizing content associated with an electronic course into two or more structural elements, at least one of the structural elements comprising a collaboration element that defines a collaboration activity;

the collaboration activity including (i) a collaboration process that defines a way to accomplish a goal associated with the electronic course, (ii) participant information that defines who may participate in the collaboration process, and (iii) dataflow information that defines how data is to be transferred in the collaboration process;

storing, separate from the structural elements, a collaboration pool identifying points of collaboration defined in structural elements of the electronic course, including a point of collaboration corresponding to the collaboration activity, the collaboration pool comprising, for the collaboration activity;

information including a type of collaboration, a state of collaboration, and availability of participants for the collaboration;

aggregating the structural elements into two or more levels, where a higher level structural element refers to a lower level structural element; and

assembling the structural elements into the electronic course.

2. The method system of claim 1, further comprising receiving a selection to participate in the collaboration process while taking the electronic course.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the collaboration activity comprises one of a brainstorming activity, a cooperative text processing activity, an explanation discourse activity, an answer-to-tutor activity, and a pro-contra dispute.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the collaboration activity is configured to be implemented between two or more learners.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a structural element comprising the collaboration element comprises a knowledge item.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the structural elements do not enforce a sequence of content or collaboration elements used to traverse the electronic course.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising associating metadata with the structural elements.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating a competency with the collaboration element.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining how to present course material using the competency.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating a collaboration property with the collaboration element.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising associated one or more intentional points of collaboration with the collaboration activity.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a collaboration property for a learner, the collaboration property corresponding to a role previously performed by the learner in a previous point of collaboration; and

using the collaboration property to assign the role to the learner in a subsequent point of collaboration.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the collaboration activity is configured to be performed by two or more learners.

13. A machine-readable medium for storing course data for access by an application program, the course data comprising:

a course data structure comprising information for use by the application program to present an electronic course, the course data structure comprising;

structural elements aggregated into two or more levels, where a higher level structural element refers to a lower level structural element, at least one of the structural elements comprising a collaboration element that defines a collaboration activity;

the collaboration activity including (i) a collaboration process that defines, a way to accomplish a goal associated with the electronic course, (ii) participant information that defines who may participate in the collaboration process, and (iii) dataflow information that defines how data is to be transferred in the collaboration process;

metadata to describe the structural elements; and

relations to indicate dependencies between the structural elements; and

a collaboration pool, that is separate from the structural elements, for identifying points of collaboration defined in structural elements of the electronic course, including a point of collaboration corresponding to the collaboration activity, the collaboration pool comprising, for the collaboration activity;

information including a type of collaboration, a state of collaboration, and availability of participants for the collaboration.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the collaboration activity comprises an intentional point of collaboration.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the collaboration activity comprises one of a brainstorming activity, a cooperative text processing activity, an explanation discourse activity, an answer-to-tutor activity, and a pro-contra dispute.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the at least one structural element comprises a knowledge item.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the structural elements do not enforce a sequence of content or collaboration elements to traverse the electronic course.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein a competency is associated with the collaboration element.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the competency may be used to determine how to present course material from the electronic course.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein a collaboration property is associated with the collaboration element.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising instructions to, store a collaboration property for a learner, the collaboration property corresponding to a role previously performed by the learner in a previous point of collaboration;

and

use the collaboration property to assign the role to the learner in a subsequent point of collaboration.