Prolix graphical learning modeller

Draft

Introduction

Prolix GLM (graphical learning modeller) is an IMS Learning Design editor.

“Adequate use of the language provided by IMS LD is not trivial as an elaborate amount of technical and programming knowledge is needed (Heyer, Oberhuemer, Zander & Prenner 2007). The tools currently available to create IMS LD conformant units of learning require that learning designers know the syntax and semantics of the IMS LD specification, or they only allow modeling within a set of pre-defined templates. [..] The goal of [GLM] is to provide comprehensive and intuitive modeling software, which reduces the complexity of the IMS LD specification to a degree, where teaching practitioners are enabled to build IMS LD conformant units of learning. A subsidiary goal thus was to create translation mechanisms that interpret a graphical representation of a learning design and convert it to the required eXtensible Markup Language (XML)-format. These goals were achieved by viewing the activities of learners and instructors as the modeling core around which to build other aspects covered by the IMS LD specification. The activities are graphically displayed and may be freely defined and arranged by the learning designer.” (Neumann & Oberhuemer (2008)

This project (like all typical EU-sponsored e-learning projects) seems to be quite dead. However, the GLM software is available is still available from source forge and updates were made in sept. 2010. - Daniel K. Schneider 18:44, 24 March 2011 (CET).

Followup project ?

There is a new project on sourceforge called OpenGLM and that involves the persons involved in the initial project. It's labelled alpha and we don't know more about its status. The project page (march 2011) says that “OpenGLM is an eclipse-based rich-client application allowing the graphical design of IMS Learning Design compliant learning and teaching flows by encapsulating the complexity of the IMS LD specification in a coherent user interface. OpenGLM accesses.”. This software seems to be connected to the ICOPER project.

Software

We tested OpenGLM on June 17 2011 under Ubuntu (Versions for other systems exist)

Download: http://sourceforge.net/projects/openglm/files/

Installation

• Downloaded version 1.1.106 from Source forge
• Unzip archive in a directory
• Type

./oglm

• Type

./oglm

Use it.

Overview

Screenshot of Prolix GLM 0.4.7.2

Links

The prolix project

• http://www.prolixproject.org/ (stale pages)
• http://www.cs.univie.ac.at/prolix (dead page)

Download and manuals

• Download or Prolix GLM (source forge)
• OpenGLM (this is a new version and probably just made another sourceforge in order to have a new name and to add/remove people - last updated feb 2011 as of 19:03, 24 March 2011 (CET))
• Manual

Other

• Susan Neumann's scientif blog

Bibliography

• Neumann, Susanne and Petra Oberhuemer (2009, to appear). User Evaluation of a Graphical Modeling Tool for IMS Learning Design, International Conference on Web-based Learning (ICWL) 2009. To be published in: Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer. Preprint PDF

• Neumann, Susanne; Oberhuemer, Petra; Derntl, Michael (2009). Visualizing learning designs using IMS Learning Design: the position of the Graphical Learning Modeller. Proceedings of the 9th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies. July 14-18, 2009, Riga.

• Neumann, Susanne; Zander, Stefan; Oberhuemer, Petra (2008). Der Graphical Learning Modeller: Eine intuitive Modellierungsumgebung zur Erstellung IMS Learning Design konformer Lehr-/Lernabläufe (in German). In S. Seehusen, U. Lucke & S. Fischer (Eds.), DeLFI 2008: Die 6. e-Learning Fachtagung Informatik (pp. 353-364). Bonn: Gesellschaft für Informatik. PDF

• Neumann, Susanne; Oberhuemer, Petra (2008). Supporting Instructors in Creating Standard Conformant Learning Designs: the Graphical Learning Modeler. Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications (ED-MEDIA), June 30 - July 4, 2008, Vienna. PDF