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3. The Web Based Solution<br />

Most CBT applications rema<strong>in</strong> monolithic long after the emergence of client-server technology. The<br />

emergence of the Web opened up a complete new universe of opportunities for CBT. First, it no longer matters<br />

which platform learners use for learn<strong>in</strong>g s<strong>in</strong>ce standard, off-the-shelf Web clients are available at reduced or<br />

no cost. Once the Web's client software is <strong>in</strong>stalled, users can immediately start learn<strong>in</strong>g. Second, the<br />

difference between local and distance learn<strong>in</strong>g was significantly shortened by the Web and related<br />

communication facilities. On the server side there is also an enormous potential to explore.<br />

Moreover, the rapid evolution of Web application tools is already provid<strong>in</strong>g most of the tools needed to build<br />

next generation Distance Learn<strong>in</strong>g CBT systems capable of satisfy<strong>in</strong>g the requirements of tomorrow's learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />

scenarios. Issues like security and account<strong>in</strong>g are already f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g applicable answers from tools that are less<br />

than one year old. On another side, the Web makes it possible to build courseware co-operatively with<br />

geographically separated authors contribut<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> real time <strong>in</strong> courseware development. We may say that the<br />

Web and its developments have created the ideal environment for the development and deployment of the next<br />

generation of CBT systems.<br />

4. The IDEALS Approach<br />

IDEALS is a project of the Education strand of the Telematics Programme sponsored by the European Union.<br />

It targets at produc<strong>in</strong>g and demonstrat<strong>in</strong>g an advanced, Web aware Distance Learn<strong>in</strong>g CBT system that meets<br />

the tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g needs of organizations and universities <strong>in</strong> tomorrow's learn<strong>in</strong>g scenarios. Project demonstration<br />

will take place <strong>in</strong> Small and Medium Enterprises and Universities across Europe. Courseware developed with<br />

the IDEALS CBT system will be delivered to tra<strong>in</strong>ees at the workplace, home and learn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>stitutions.<br />

IDEALS CBT system, the Modular Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g System (MTS) <strong>in</strong>tegrates Web tools and other learn<strong>in</strong>g oriented<br />

tools developed with<strong>in</strong> IDEALS. MTS is a server that supports all learn<strong>in</strong>g oriented operations requested to it<br />

by a normal Web server.<br />

Authors selected from the best experts <strong>in</strong> each field are contribut<strong>in</strong>g to build courseware. Each contribution is<br />

locally stored at the site of the contribut<strong>in</strong>g author and l<strong>in</strong>ked to the other contributions to make up a complete<br />

course. All sites are sites of a common distributed database and l<strong>in</strong>ks between courseware material parts can be<br />

virtual l<strong>in</strong>ks. Authors need not know the exact reference to any other module (e.g., URL). Courseware modules<br />

posses a characterization that is stored together with each modules <strong>in</strong> the database.<br />

S<strong>in</strong>ce IDEALS MTS assumes the fact that courses are build from modular courseware material, it allows the<br />

creation of complete new courses on the fly, from the material already present <strong>in</strong> the database. All the course<br />

author needs to do is to create a higher level course module, called course node, which refers lower level<br />

course modules, the course units. Course nodes list and specify the sequence of modules <strong>in</strong> a course. Of<br />

course, the references to other modules are virtual.<br />

At course runtime, IDEALS MTS will <strong>in</strong>quire the distributed courseware database to f<strong>in</strong>d the course units that<br />

best fit virtual references specified by authors <strong>in</strong> course nodes. This operation is IDEALS Mapp<strong>in</strong>g. IDEALS<br />

MTS takes <strong>in</strong>to account that learn<strong>in</strong>g is a personal activity and, consequently, each person has his/hers<br />

personal learn<strong>in</strong>g profile, speed and performance. IDEALS design had all the time <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d the notion of<br />

constant adaptation to the user. MTS measures and records learn<strong>in</strong>g speed and success as well as other factors<br />

(e.g., learner background knowledge). Virtual references are only mapped when so needed, never <strong>in</strong> advance.<br />

Therefore, MTS has the possibility to adapt course flow to actual learner state. With IDEALS MTS the two<br />

above learners would still study the same subjects but would proceed through different course units selected<br />

dur<strong>in</strong>g runtime accord<strong>in</strong>g to each person's specific learn<strong>in</strong>g profile and degree of success <strong>in</strong> successive course<br />

steps.<br />

IDEALS evolved from early experiments and research projects as DEDICATED project, which was an<br />

extension of the classic electronic classroom located <strong>in</strong> a tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g center where to learners needed to go. The<br />

concept of locations for tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g purposes (Local Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Centers) was extended by <strong>in</strong>terconnect<strong>in</strong>g them and

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