ReLOAMS

Towards a community authored, reusable learning objects management system

Abstract

As e-learning environments become more popular, many studies have been proposed to provide adaptive environments offering learners and educators customised courses for more effective learning and course construction. Some solutions are aimed at helping learners, while others are aimed at helping educators and course designers/developers. However, a serious lack of conceptual clarity of definitions and uses of learning objects, could have resulted in design and usability problems in current e-learning systems. This paper describes on-going work in developing ReLOAMS, a Reusable Learning Objects Authoring and Management System, prototype to address the seemingly lack of reusability of LOs in current e-learning systems. Through shared workspaces (or group workspaces) for learners who have similar learning interests to use, share and rate LOs, this paper describes the design rationale and philosophy of ReLOAMS, being implemented to promote an environment supporting community-authored and rating of learning objects. The paper then describes the systems architecture, and development of ReLOAMS concluding with recommendations and implications for the design of e-learning systems.