Elearning in the semantic age : Emerging web technologies provides exciting new posibilities. : Standards focusing on semantics rather than syntax provides durable and extensible methods for data integration. : Open source and open standards, reuse and evolution will given time and a framework to compete in give rise to a rich learning environment.

Our vision Lerner motivation is crucial, a learning environment need to be inspiring and trigger curiosity. : Content management Course/content creation, portfolios, profiles, annotations, etc. : Knowledge navigation Separation of content and context : Experience-oriented environments V irtual communities, 3D-environments

Three problems with current approaches : Teaching models remains unchanged • Canned books / taped lectures • correspondence school • Multiple choice test : Perspective on metadata is too limited. • Definitive instance • Diversity : Monolithic proprietary systems will not easily adapt to new standards

Proposed solutions : Learner-centric educational architectures Knowledge Manifold / Conceptual Web Interest-based knowledge pulling : Semantic Web layer A distributed metadata language RDF. Achieving semantic interoperability, extensibility and reusability are some of the goals. : A Learning Framework A layered open architecture where independent but cooperating applications present the user with a smorgosbord of learning offerings.

Anyone can say anything about anything : SW-techniques allow you to add metadata to distributed resources just like html allows you to link to such resources. : Metadata is not bound to a fixed description format (schema), i.e. you may invent a description format of your own.

Things you can do with SW : Express metadata about remote resources : Add personal annotations : Extend content, versions may split, evolve and merge : Certify resources

Introducing the Learning Framework : Not monolithic • Layered open Architecture • Pluggable architecture • Open Standards • Open source : Simplify • Metadata exchange • Application development

Physical and Transport layer Framework Main Control Handles registration and searches for available modules in each layer. Uses WSDL or similiar Exchange layer JXTA COREWebDAV HTTP JDBC Semantic layer RDF model store Schema store Application layer Conzilla OLR Portfolios Textual annotation tool Collaboration tool Metadata editor Service layer Search Personal profiles service APIs for metadata Mappings to XML Directory services, URN resolving etc. Mapping Replication

Some examples : Edutella Basic infrastrucutre for metadata exchange : Conzilla Our conceptbrowser : Portfolios

Edutella : PADLR project KTH, Stanford, Uppsala, L3S, Karlsruhe : Technology • P2p technology (connecting providers and learners) • Exchange of metadata (expressed in RDF) • Services / Search / Map / Replicate