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Different types of digital learning environments have evolved over the years and there is an ongoing evolvement of different concepts and technology. During the last 10-15 years Learning Management Systems have dominated. In recent years there has been a development of concepts like Personal Learning Environments using mashup technology. This paper presents a study of a mashup approach to the digital learning environment using web widgets. A prototype was developed and tested, covering some technological aspects such as modularity, integration and adaptability as well as pedagogical aspects, such as pedagogical flexibility, technological responsiveness and pedagogues roles and attitudes. The study shows that widgets and mashup technology can be used to construct digital learning environments that have the potential to replace traditional LMSes and that pedagogues are positive to the adaptive learning environments and flexibility that they represent.

”En effektiv skolutveckling med digitala verktyg förutsätter en ökad tillgång och användning av nätbaserade resurser för lärande.” Den snabba utveckling som just nu sker på skolområdet med ökad tillgång till datorer, surfplattor och trådlösa nät gör det möjligt att på allvar kunna använda digitala resurser i undervisningen. Det innebär ökade krav på digitala och nätbaserade resurser avsedda och användbara för skolan. I syfte att underlätta för leverantörer att erbjuda nätbaserade resurser och för beställare att efterfråga digitala resurser startade SIS TK 450 våren 2011 arbetet med denna vägledning. Utgångspunkten är följande fyra perspektiv:

● Att det ska bli enklare att hitta resurser och att de ska kunna presenteras för pedagoger och elever på ett funktionellt sätt

● Att det ska vara enkelt att länka in digitala resurser i de plattformar och planeringsverktyg som skolorna använder

● Att det ska var enkelt att komma åt resurserna på nätet med en nationell struktur för identifiering och inloggning

● Att resurser och plattformar ska vara tillgängliga för alla användare

I Sverige betonas ofta behovet av kompetens bland pedagoger och skolledare, och initiativ som PIM har på många håll lyft kompetensnivån, men behovet av stöd för det dagliga IT-användandet kopplat till kursplaner och annan planering är fortfarande stort. Här har skolledare och arenor för erfarenhetsutbyte en viktig roll. Den tekniska utbyggnaden av trådlösa nät och en omfattande ökning av antalet personliga datorer ger en bra grund för en utveckling av skolan, men bristerna när det gäller tillgången till digitala resurser och digitalt innehåll hämmar arbetet. Trenderna i vår omvärld pekar tydligt ut just digitalt innehåll som centralt, antingen genom att som i Danmark ställa upp långtgående mål för att öka tillgång och användning, eller som andra länder betona arbetssätt och arbetsformer som förutsätter tillgång till ett rikt och varierat utbud av resurser. Individuell anpassning, flexibilitet och föräldrars delaktighet bygger på att det finns ett bra innehåll att arbeta med.

Different types of Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) have evolved and there is a steady ongoing progression of different concepts. During the last 10-15 years Learning Management Systems have dominated. Learning Management Systems are often presented as the solution for a range of educational needs. This paper presents a study of a mashup approach to the VLE using web widgets. A prototype was developed and discussed, covering technological aspects such as modularity, integration and adaptability as well as some pedagogical aspects, such as pedagogical flexibility and technological responsiveness.

A general SOA framework for Virtual Learning Environments, based on the VWE Learning Object Taxonomy, is suggested in this chapter. Five basic and general services are suggested for implementation of modular Virtual Learning Environments. The design of the service framework was tested by implementation in two prototypes, using two different approaches where a Java-RMI based implementation was compared to a Web Service (SOAP) based implementation. By implementing the VWE Learning Object Taxonomy and the VWE SOA framework, the prototypes showed that a level of modularity, similar to the level of modularity of Learning Objects, could be achieved for the Virtual Learning Environment as well. Using the VWE Learning Object Taxonomy, this was accomplished by including the learning content and the Virtual Learning Environment into the same conceptual space. The comparison of the prototypes showed that the Web Service approach was preferred in favor of the Java-RMI approach. This was mainly due to platform neutrality and the use of the http-protocol. The study was supplemented by an analysis of the two approaches in relation to a third, REST-based approach.

This conceptual paper describes challenges in the field of Interactive Media and Learning (IML), striving towards a research and teaching field for mobile learning. The theoretical background is provided and arguments are listed, specifically what challenges researchers, practitioners (e.g., teachers, employers, employees) and designers face today on the way to mobile learning. This will be done from an educational perspective, in particular from Educational Technology from a Scandinavian community. The leading issue is how to educate the Homo Interneticus? Is learning supported by mobile devices one option? Is there a need to rethink the learning spaces of today? The paper provides answers by illustrating challenges in research and teaching with regard to mobile learning.

The CEN Workshop Learning Technologies (WS/LT) kicked off this project on “Interoperability of registries” in January 2010. The Project Team for Interoperability of Registries was appointed in April 2010 and started to work in May 2010. Work in progress was presented at several CEN WS/LT plenary meetings in 2010 and 2011. The draft CWA includes comments received during meetings.

Contributions from the following partners are acknowledged: CEN WS/LT, ARIADNE, European Schoolnet, ASPECT, ICOPER, IMS, GLOBE, Learning Registry, Share.tec, Organice Edunet, Natural Europe, etc.

The public comment period for this CWA run from 10 August 2011 until 10 October 2011. Comments were integrated in this final document. 

The rapid growth of digital learning resources has brought forward a number of issues concerning availability, distribution and use. Altogether, the issues are a mix of interplaited technological and pedagogical considerations. Some of those issues, mainly related to repositories and the distribution of digital learning resources, are examined and described in this article. A particular focus is put on how resources can be described and indexed using metadata, and on how access to digital learning resources can be improved and facilitated through federation and/or harvesting of metadata in order to tie several repositories together to provide a service that offers one single access point. The study also examined how this single point of access can be moved closer to the user (i.e. to the environment where digital learning resources are used) through simple federation of the service, enabling access to the network of repositories from any virtual learning environment. The study was carried out by experiments connected to a real-life case. The study concludes in several suggestions for how access to digital learning resources can be enhanced, as well as in the identifications of a couple of new issues that need to be addressed by future research.

A general SOA framework for Virtual Learning Environments, based on the VWE Learning Object Taxonomy, is suggested in this chapter. Five basic and general services are suggested for implementation of modular Virtual Learning Environments. The design of the service framework was tested by implementation in two prototypes, using two different approaches where a Java-RMI based implementation was compared to a Web Service (SOAP) based implementation. By implementing the VWE Learning Object Taxonomy and the VWE SOA framework, the prototypes showed that a level of modularity, similar to the level of modularity of Learning Objects, could be achieved for the Virtual Learning Environment as well. Using the VWE Learning Object Taxonomy, this was accomplished by including the learning content and the Virtual Learning Environment into the same conceptual space. The comparison of the prototypes showed that the Web Service approach was preferred in favor of the Java-RMI approach. This was mainly due to platform neutrality and the use of the http-protocol. The study was supplemented by an analysis of the two approaches in relation to a third, REST-based approach.