Harnessing Scalable and Future Proof Teachware for Existing Learning Management Systems by Providing a Service Based Middleware

Abstract

For e-learning initiatives, the ability for delivering high-quality, customised teaching and learning material is a crucial factor for success. XML based document description languages play a key role for the development of user adaptable teachware. Appropriate methods, devices and tools in combination with such a language offer a maximum of scalability, flexibility, reusability as well as layout independency. Unfortunately, current e-learning systems are not able to harness all the material's potentialities and to deliver it in an adequate way. For these reasons, a service based middleware solution was developed that is presented here. It enables a lot of existing e-learning systems to handle the management, storage and maintenance of such documents properly without the necessity of considering technical details for resource specific workflows.