Combining individualization and intuitive guided learning through compound learning resources

Individualized teaching approaches try to find the best sequence of learning resources capable of satisfying individual goals and preferences. On the other side, intuitive guided learning approaches see the learning experience as "non-linear": each learner can chose a personal path across the material according to his/her interests and preferences. In this paper we present a method and a prototype able to combine the advantages of both approaches by introducing the concept of "compound learning resource": a complex didactic artifact bringing together multiple semantically connected learning resources that can be freely browsed by the learner. Included semantic connections have a twofold function: from one side they guide the learners' navigation, from the other side they allow the dynamic reconfiguration of the resource according to learners' needs and preferences (individualization). Experimental results with real users in a University context are also presented. © 2012 Crown Copyright.