Implementation of a Learning Design Run-Time Environment for the .LRN Learning Management System

Abstract

Abstract:The IMS Learning Design specification aims at capturing the complete learning flow of courses, without being restricted to a particular pedagogical model. Such flow description for a course, called a Unit of Learning, must be able to be reproduced in different systems using a so called run-time environment. In the last few years there has been several tools implementing such functionality, but most of them are standalone and do not benefit from the integration with a Learning Management System. This paper describes GRAIL, an IMS Learning Design run-time environment supporting all three levels of the specification and fully integrated with the .LRN Learning Management System. The paper describes its functionality, explains how each level is implemented, shows the differences with other CopperCore based environments, and analyzes its integration with the rest of .LRN services and other specifications such as QTI and SCORM.

User identity issues in mashups for learning experiences using IMS Learning Design

“…GRAIL belongs to the latter category, although it provides some edition capabilities [6]. The IMS LD specification does not define a way to interact with external services, an analysis in depth of this problem and a proposed solution for it are presented in [12].…”

Generic service integration in adaptive learning experiences using IMS learning design

“…The data model included in the specification allows its usage as a pure modelling language. The publication of the XML binding for this data model and the consequent implementation of several run-time engines, such as CopperCore or GRAIL (Escobedo-del-Cid, de-la-Fuente-Valentín, Gutíerrez, Pardo, & Kloos, 2007) turned IMS LD into a tool to create and deploy learning flows in on-line, blended and face-to-face scenarios. IMS LD is said to be "pedagogically neutral", that is, the vocabulary is not tied to a particular learning theory, but instead allows the definition of a wide range of pedagogical models.…”

“…In the pilot experience, instructors without prior knowledge of the IMS LD specification were presented with a Unit of Learning with adaptation based on third party services embedded in the flow. The experience used GRAIL (Escobedo-del-Cid et al, 2007), the IMS LD engine integrated in the .LRN (http://www.dotlrn.org) Learning Management System, as supporting software. This engine includes a module implementing the exchange of information between the engine and generic external services as described in the GSI architecture (Frias-Martinez et al, 2009).…”

Technological support for the enactment of collaborative scripted learning activities across multiple spatial locations

“…This specification released in 2003 [25] is used to formalize a sequence of activities, called a Unit of Learning (UoL), that can be deployed and enacted several times in a compliant platform such as GRAIL [26]. Section 3.2 details how the learning flow of the experience has been formalized with IMS LD.…”