Learning design and run-time resource binding in a distributed e-learning environment

Nowadays, the need for e-learning systems supporting a rich set of pedagogical requirements has been identified as an important issue in the field of distance learning. Several initiatives take place in order to meet this need. Maybe, the most important of these initiatives is IMS Learning Design that provides a framework to depict pedagogies. Furthermore, we are aware that the provision of different learning paths tailored on learner’s characteristics and preferences guarantees the learner to reach a cognitive excellence. In this paper, we first illustrate an extension for IMS Learning Design in order to overcome its limitations forcing instructional designers only describing domain-dependent pedagogies. Then, we propose a mechanism to build units of learning by merging domain-independent pedagogies with educational objectives selected by teachers inside a specific didactic domain modelled by a graph structure called ontology. Finally, we illustrate a delivery networked infrastructure able to execute units of learning in a personalized way based on learner preferences.