Designing an MOOC as an agent-platform aggregating heterogeneous virtual learning environments. Issue 11 (1st November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wautelet, Yves; Heng, Samedi; Kolp, Manuel; Penserini, Loris; Poelmans, Stephan
• Is Part Of: Behaviour & information technology. Volume 35:Issue 11(2016)
• Page Start: 980
• Page End: 997
• Publication Date: 2016-11-01
• Subjects: Multi-agent systems -- organisational patterns -- social patterns -- joint venture; Electronic data processing -- Periodicals; Human engineering -- Periodicals; Information technology -- Periodicals; 303.4833
• DOI: 10.1080/0144929X.2016.1212095
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0144-929X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: With the emergence of cloud technologies, on the one hand, and social networks, on the other hand, the possibilities for e-learning have been drastically enhanced in the latest years. Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) can now indeed contain a huge amount of learning resources; in parallel, large user communities are available in social networks. These nevertheless remain different systems but, by using these heterogeneous software environments together, the possibilities for interaction could be multiplied. That is why, this paper suggests to build a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) environment through a Multi-Agent System (MAS) working as a virtual abstraction layer over heterogeneous software platforms. The idea is to aggregate different traditional VLE to dispose of the learning objects they own as well as other platforms such as social networks to furnish an easy access to the MOOC of their large user communities. The MAS design has been architectured around a real-life organisational pattern – the joint venture – allowing one to deal with the complexity of heterogeneous software environments in a manner that real-life companies set up joint governance. Communication scenarios issued of a field analysis are pointed out in the paper; these are supported by the MOOC platform in the native environment as well as in Facebook. The proposal is indeed validated through the development of a prototype using Facebook as a case study for third-party platform interfacing. We finally highlight the benefits for the user experience.