Reusing IMS-LD formalized best practices in collaborative learning structuring

Abstract

Designs of CSCL (Computer Supported Collaborative Learning)/nactivities should be flexible, effective and customizable to/nparticular learning situations. On the other hand, structured/ndesigns aim to create favourable conditions for learning. Thus,/nthis paper proposes the collection of representative and broadly/naccepted (best practices) structuring techniques in collaborative learning. With the aim of establishing a conceptual common ground among collaborative learning practitioners and software/ndevelopers, and reusing the expertise that best practices/nrepresent, the paper also proposes the formulation of these techniques as patterns: the so-called CLFPs (Collaborative/nLearning Flow Patterns). To formalize these patterns, we have/nchosen the educational modelling language IMS Learning Design (IMS-LD). IMS-LD has the capability to specify many of the collaborative characteristics of the CLFPs. Nevertheless, the language bears limited capability for describing the services that mediate interactions within a learning activity and the specification of temporal or rotated roles. This analysis is/ndiscussed in the paper, as well as our approaches towards the/ndevelopment of a system capable of integrating tools using IMSLD/nscripts and a CLFP-based Learning Design authoring tool.