SIMAS:
A functionally dynamic platform for the use of e-learning tools

phd-student: Ivar Tormod Berg Ørstavik
Supervisors: Lars S. Evensen
Geir Maribu
Rolv Bræk

Synopsis

This interdisciplinary project will work on a new method to develop better e-learning tools, focusing on the problem of utilizing "shareable content objects" (SCO) in functionally dynamic run-time environments (RTE). The project is based on a completed interdisciplinary master's project between applied linguistics and computer science at NTNU. This previous project has established a platform of interdisciplinary competence, created a new programming method (implemented as a prototype of a new programming language) and produced two master's thesis (Ørstavik 2003, Strømhylden 2002) which both received the grade A.

The main research problem for our project is to develop methods and tools to model dynamic functionality in e-learning tools that meet both individual and social needs in e-learning. Through our work with this problem the project will form a unique position to tackle several important academic and practical problems. First, the project will deliver a new method for the development and use of e-learning tools (and distributed systems in general) implemented in the form of a new programming language. This method and associated tools will provide HiST and NTNU with a tangible platform to utilize communication intensive RTEs in their efforts to better incorporate existing SCOs in future e-learning systems. Second, the project will have a genuine interest in examining the problems and conditions for interdisciplinary work in the humanities/informatics. The project will therefore also deliver empirically based contributions to interdisciplinary research methods. In addition, the project will have to solve several structural problems associated with today's programming languages and programming practices, language and practices used in f.ex. SCORM based systems. This makes it necessary to apply linguistic insight in a new academic setting, and this work will contribute to linguistic theory development by re-examining dialogical theories for language and communication (Bakhtin 1981, 1998, Rommetveit 1974, Evensen 2002) on programming.

1 - Introduction: My interdisciplinary approach to e-learning.

Didactic researchers views learning as both a social and a complex phenomenon. This perspective is highlighted by their focus on the interaction and communication in learning and through the respect they show the complex cognitive and linguistic activities involved. This social and deferential perspective is a result of extensive, empirically-based research, and I will therefore bring this perspective into my approach to e-learning.

E-learning is learning using ICT, and thus e-learning is dependent on the same human processes which didactic research traditionally has been deliberating. But e-learning is also dependent on technical tools and platforms, and the systems involved in e-learning are as much a part of the research problem as they are the practical solution. Thus, technical tools and platforms can be viewed as equally crucial as any other social or communicative process. My position is therefore that system tools and platforms should be given as much attention and respect such as cognitive or linguistic processes in e-learning research.

Therefore, e-learning research demands an interdisciplinary perspective where both didactic and technical theories and methods contribute to each other. But such mutual attention and respect for phenomena that transcends established disciplinary boundaries, are not without their problems. Based on my own experiences from interdisciplinary work on the frontier between the humanities and informatics (Ørstavik 2003: kap.1), it is often problematic to split problems and tasks in line with the disciplines. Thus, a discipline-constrained approach cannot contribute to solving such highly interwoven problems and tasks, and since there are many such complex problems involved in e-learning, such an approach would be incomplete.

In my view it is therefore a methodical advantage to use a synthetic interdisciplinary approach. Such an approach requires that attention, respect and interest is directed towards both didactic and technical problems and solution alternatives at the same time, and that the individual researcher combines both didactic and technical methods and theories to solve tightly interwoven interdisciplinary problems (op.cit.). This double approach often crosses over the individual researcher's knowledge barriers and disciplinary barriers and should therefore be considered highly ambitious and demanding. But, on the plus side, this synthetic approach will also produce a favourable position from which to form empirically based methods for inspired, interdisciplinary research.

2 - Benefits from using distributed, agent-oriented methods in e-learning tools

In the article "Learning through dialogue" Rommetveit (1996) stresses the central role communication and social interaction plays in all learning. Within such a "socio-cultural and socio-cognitive approach to knowledge and learning" (op.cit.) interaction and communication between the participants is understood as underlying forces in all learning processes. But a socio-cultural approach to learning illuminates the individual's preconditions for learning and their numerous qualitative ways to go about it: Social interaction and communication form a learning environment, a scaffold, in which the individual can learn and grow based on their 1) subjective condition and 2) qualitatively varied learning activities and practices (Hoel 1995).

In the area of e-learning this socio-cultural approach to learning can be used to expose some fundamental technical needs. First, the social forces in learning create a need for e-learning tools that particularly emphasize interaction and communication between distributed, independent actors. This need is especially visible in net-based learning tools. Second, the individual forces create a need for tools that support the subjective, qualitatively varied situations and approaches of the individual actors. And, e-learning tools should consider both these needs at the same time.

According to a socio-cultural tradition it would be beneficial to use technical models and methods that comply with the needs given above when developing form and content of e-learning tools. However, previous studies of net-based learning tools at NTNU show that not all systems and technical approaches manage to meet both these needs simultaneously: "En stiller seg tvilende til om det er realistisk å tro at et nettbasert learningssystem av typen Coursekeeper, som et generelt verktøy, kan møte de ulike spesifikke krav til funksjonalitet og drift som en stor og kompleks institusjon som NTNU krever. De ulike administrative og faglige miljøene etterspør kanskje heller en rekke spesifikke verktøy med potensial for å støtte løsning av spesifikke arbeidsoppgaver" (Håland 2002: 23). My main research problem is therefore to develop methods and tools to model dynamic functionality in e-learning tools that meet both the varied functional approaches of individual, situated actors and the social need of interaction between these actors in e-learning systems simultaneously.

Systems that consist of independent units (agents) with qualitatively varying functionality and content are often perceived as agent-oriented systems within computer science. Furthermore, when such systems base themselves extensively on agent interaction and communication, it becomes beneficial to approach them using models of so-called "multi agent systems" (MAS) (O'Hare 1996, Jennings 2000). In our context of e-learning, MAS can be viewed as a method that accommodates individual, qualitative differences in content and function in autonomous agents through comprehensive interaction and communication among the agents.

In combination with socio-cultural, didactic theory, MAS will offer several useful synergy effects when developing form and content in e-learning systems. First of all, the fundamental modularization of MAS takes into account the participant's individual situation. Secondly, this model uses both communication and these differences to coordinate the different approaches of the individual actors so they enhance each other. As an approach to the learning process, MAS will thereby be able to capitalize on the social and individual forces among the participants to form a functionally rich and dynamic RTE. Such an approach would greatly benefit e-learning systems. My main theoretical and methodical approach will therefore base itself on an interdisciplinary synthesis of "a socio-cultural and socio-cognitive approach to knowledge and learning" (Rommetveit 1996) and a technical perspective on multi agent systems.

3 - Strategy for the development of methods for dynamic interaction in e-learning systems: SIMAS.

In the interdisciplinary master's project we developed a new method for the development of distributed, agent-oriented systems (Ørstavik 2003). This method, called SIMAS, is based on a synthesis of precisely socio-cultural and dialogical models for communication (Bakhtin 1981, Rommetveit 1974, Nystrand 1989) and multi agent system (Jennings 2000, O'Hare 1996). The SIMAS method realizes interaction based collaboration between different and independent agents by having each agent interpret utterances sent among themselves based on their individual state.

In line with the general approach to MAS, the SIMAS method meets the social and individual needs as described above. But contrary to many existing MAS methods, we were also able to develop tools to implement SIMAS systems. These tools were created out of existing object-oriented tools, but in order to realize the interpretative position in each agent and at the same time get these positions to work together, we had to develop a new syntactic structure. This new syntactical structure has already been implemented and tested out in a small scale application, and promises to provide radically new opportunities to system developers (cf. attachment).

While working with this method to enhance interaction in e-learning systems, I will incorporate existing content resources being developed or used at HiST and NTNU, focusing especially on content resources aggregated as SCOs. Using these resources and the results from my master's project, I will explore the problem of dynamic functionality and interaction between actors and inside future e-learning systems.

4 Empirical work: Applying the SIMAS method to e-learning.

The empirical focus in this project is to further develop the SIMAS method so as to apply this method in the development of dynamic interaction in e-learning applications (0). To date the SIMAS method consists of: 1) A collection of perspectives, conventions and metaphors for problem and solution design inspired by theories from both the humanities and the technical sciences (tools for system design), 2) a new syntactical structure for referencing between different program units based on object-oriented programming languages (cf. attachment), and 3) a prototype of a new programming language comprised of a run-time environment and a design-time environment for practical deployment of SIMAS programs (tools for system implementation).

As part of the process of applying the SIMAS method to the development of e-learning tools, it is necessary to perform these subtasks: First, in order to combine the SIMAS method with SCOs and other existing e-learning systems, it is necessary to further develop the SIMAS method (1, 2) and the design-time and run-time environment (2, 3). Second, these resulting methodical and technical tools will be applied to design, analysis, implementation and use of e-learning tools (0). In this work the existing content resources (primarily SCOs) will be given top priority and used to examine whether or not the SIMAS method can function as a platform for both functionally dynamic e-learning systems supporting extensive interaction. Both the empirical work with developing the SIMAS method and synthesizing these methods with existing e-learning resources will support each other to yield mutual benefits and will therefore be conducted in parallel.

As mentioned in the introduction these empirical tasks will form a basis for several significant research problems. Most importantly, the work on design and implementation will create an empirical foundation on which the problem of dynamic functionality and interaction in e-learning systems can be understood. The creation of this foundation will also rely on an attention to the conditions and problems facing interdisciplinary research. In this manner analysis, theory and method development will be woven into the practical, problem-driven and solution-oriented work. In addition, work on methods for developing e-learning systems can potentially function as a laboratory for testing linguistic and technical theories and methods on communication studies in general and programming in particular.

5 Time schedule

6 References

Bakhtin M. M. 1981: The Dialogic Imagination. Texas: The University of Texas Press.

Bakhtin M. M. 1998: Spørsmålet om talegenrane. Bergen: Ariadne Forlag.

Håland E., Bostad F. 2002: "Innføring and bruk av Coursekeeper ved NTNU: Statusrapport 3". NTNU, http://www.ntnu.no/lms/docs/Rapport3.pdf, sist lest 17.2.2004.

Evensen L. S. 2002: Convention from below: Negotiating interaction and culture in argumentative writing. Written Communication 19(3), 382-413.

Hoel T. L. 1995: Elevsamtalar om skriving. Responsgrupper i teori and praksis. Avhandling for graden dr.art., NTNU.

Jennings N. R. 2000: On agent-based software engineering. Artificial Intelligence (117), 277-96.

Nystrand M. 1989: A Social-Interactive Model of Writing. Written Communication 6(1), 66-85.

O'Hare G. M. P. & Jennings N. R. 1996: Foundations of Distributed Artificial Intelligence. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Rommetveit R. 1974: On message structure. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Rommetveit, R. 1996: "Learning gjennom dialog" i Dysthe, Olga (red.): Ulike perspectiv på learning and learningsforskning. Oslo: Cappelen Akademisk forlag.

Strømhylden A. 2002: Interactionistic agents: …a fresh perspective on multi agent systems. Upubl. Diplomoppgave ved IDI, NTNU, Trondheim.

Ørstavik I. T. B. 2003: Interdisciplinaryhet and programmering som språkbruk: Et sosio-interactionistisk multi agent system and ubestemte referanser. Hovedoppgave i anvendt språkvitenskap, NTNU, Trondheim.