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The future of E-learning: E-Learning ecosystem

Conference Paper · March 2007

DOI: 10.1109/DEST.2007.371955 · Source: IEEE Xplore

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 2007 Inaugural IEEE International Conference on Digital Ecosystems and Technologies (IEEE DEST 2007)

The future of B-learning: B-learning ecosystem

Loma Uden Ernesto Damiani
and Ince Trisnawaty Wangsa Department of Information Technology
Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Technology University of Milan, Via Bramante 65
Staffordshire University, The Octagon, Beaconside 26013, Crema (CR) IT
Stafford, ST18 OAT, UK Email: damiani@[Link]
Email: [Link]@[Link]

Abstract- E-learning is learning through the use of technolo- . Subject matter skills - learners need to have some pre-
gies. It is growing at a rapid pace. Today more organizations are requisite skills to benefit from the course.
taking up e-learning. While e-learning technology has matured . Support - there has to be a mechanism to get support
considerably since its inception, there are still many problems
that practitioners find when come to implementing e-learning. when learners run into problems.
One of the main problems is the complexity of integrating these . Content - must be designed for interaction.
systems with content and with other business systems. If e- . Instructor - aware of learners' needs/concerns and in-
learning is to be successful, it is important that we must provide volvement levels, attempts to draw learners into discus-
greater access to education and support educational programs sion early, organises schedule, provides resources for
that reflect broader strategic business goals. It is our belief that
the e-learning industry should learn key lessons from e-business. learners in need of additional learning (remedial).
This paper discusses the limitations of current e-learning systems . Technology - should play a servant role.
and how an e-learning ecosystem can help organizations to . Organisation - focused on learning, time and resources
achieve the benefits of an integrated approach to develop e- made available, learners supported through help-desk.
learning systems.
To Cowley and others [2], these elements belong to e-learning
I. INTRODUCTION ecology or ecosystems that lead to the emergence of a second
In recent years, we have witnessed significant growth and generation of e-learning. These applications are less content
massive changes in the e-learning industry. Dondi and Delrio intensive and more context based, less pioneeristic and more
[1] expressed concerns about first generation e-learning as aware of learners' needs and early adopters' experiences.
follows: Dondi and Delrio [1] suggest that the emergence of second
. Isolation of learners, lack of teachers' feedback, student generation e-learning is made possible because of:
collaboration and campus social context. . The worldwide diffusion of online courses in blended
. Uncertainty of costs for institutions and learners. formats.
. Uncertainty about e-learning quality (resources, technol- . Greater attention to the emotional side of e-learning
ogy and support services) and e-learning evaluation. experience.
. Vista of diminishing the teacher's role, suspicions by . Growing awareness of the different styles of potential e-
students about disengagement of teachers. learners.
. Loss of learning context and national/local organisational . Emergence of adaptive hypermedia and the growth of
specifities, especially on cultural grounds. open source software (OSS) and open content for learn-
. Shortage of competencies required for e-learning im- ing.
plementation among teaching staff, technical staff, and . Peer to peer learning and support.
students. . User centred services increased attention to quality of e-
. Uncertainty and lack of competence about the manage- learning provision.
ment of IPR issues. . Pursuit of better learning via ICT for lifelong learning.
. Domination of technology and market forces over educa- . Emergence of different modes of learning access and
tional aims and institutional development strategies. delivery.
According to Cowley and others [2], a successful e-learning Because of the emergence of this second generation of e-
course requires taking the following contextual elements into learning, a new role for e-learning is needed.
consideration: How can e-learning improve an organization's ability to
. Environment - learners need a certain environment (PC, solve business issues? It is our belief that e-learning Ecosystem
Connection, software) and some preparation needs to be is the solution. Despite the maturity of e-learning since its
done to make sure that the student has that. inception, many practitioners remain frustrated that the cost
* Teach skills - learners need to know something about how and complexity of integrating these systems with content and
to use whatever learning system exists. with other business systems detracts from a greater vision

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 2007 Inaugural IEEE International Conference on Digital Ecosystems and Technologies (IEEE DEST 2007)

for online-learning [3]. A natural ecosystem is a biologi- species which are extinct or close to extinction because of
cal community of interacting organisms and their physical little or no demand.
environment. Conversely, extending it to e-learning defines The digital ecosystems infrastructure is a pervasive digi-
an e-learning ecosystem as the learning community, together tal environment, which is populated by digital components
with the enterprise, united by a learning management system that evolve and adapt to local conditions thanks to the re-
(LMS). If e-learning is to be effective in providing greater combination and evolution of its digital components. Dig-
access to education and support educational programs that ital components can be software components, applications,
reflect broader strategic business goals, it is important that the services, knowledge, business processes and models, training
e-learning industry learns key lessons from its early adopters modules, contractual frameworks, law. A digital component
from business such as customer relationship management, or is any useful idea, expressed by a language (formal or
CRM, and enterprise resource planning, or ERP. The paper natural), digitalized and transported within the ecosystem,
begins with a brief review of a digital ecosystem. This is and which can be processed by humans or by computers.
followed by discussion of e-learning ecosystems. Section The digital ecosystem infrastructure supports the description,
three then describes how an e-learning ecosystem should be compositions, evolution, integration, sharing and distribution
developed. The paper concludes with recommendations for of the digital components and of knowledge [6]. The digital
further research. ecosystem is populated by many digital species. These species
can be software components, services, knowledge, applica-
A. Digital ecosystem tions, business models, contractual framework, laws, training
As stated, a natural ecosystem is a biological community modules etc. Like life species, these species interact, express
of interacting organisms and their physical environment. Con- an independent behaviour and evolve or become extinct,
versely, a business ecosystem is network of buyers, suppliers following laws of market selection. A digital ecosystem has a
and makers of related products or services and their socio- certain characteristics [4]. It:
economic environment that includes institutional and regu- . Has a strong information infrastructure that extends be-
latory framework. A digital ecosystem is a self-organizing yond the original closed walls of the individual organi-
digital infrastructure aimed at creating a digital environment zation.
for networked organizations that supports the cooperation, the . Is a domain-oriented cluster, which forms an interactive
knowledge sharing, the development of open and adaptive community that attracts similar digital species, which
technologies and evolutionary business models. challenge and support each other to survive; it contains
The digital ecosystem approach transposes the concepts to rich resources that can offer cost-effective digital services
the digital world, reproducing the desirable mechanisms of and value-creating activities for the participants.
natural ecosystems. As several interacting natural ecosystems . Utilizes new forms of electronic interaction, through the
exist, several digital ecosystems exist due to differentiation provision of digital services, it carries high connectivity
and the development of endemic product and services tailored and electronic handling of information of all sorts includ-
to specific local needs. Similar to a natural ecosystem, a ing data and documents.
digital ecosystem consists of species analogous to biological . Offers multiple channels for buying and selling of ser-
species, which create and conserve resources that humans find vices, captures and utilizes business intelligence from
valuable. The software, databases, applications or software data, documents and other agents and has smart infor-
services in digital ecosystems are referred to as digital species. mation use.
Economic species, in analogy with biological species, can be . Is also an integration of business and human endeavors
business entities, which together form a dynamic and inter- and advanced information systems within the digital
related complex ecosystem [4]. According to these authors, ecosystem, it facilitates close interaction between partic-
a digital ecosystem is defined as a composition of mixed ipants and cross fertilization and nourishment of each
multiform, heterogeneous entities participating in a digital other, and supports different needs within the digital
domain and carrying out cross-disciplinary interaction and ecosystem and between different digital ecosystems
engagement. . Is a cross-disciplinary interaction and engagement, which
An ecosystem is a system whose members benefit from offers a mix of expertise that preserves and enhances
each other's participation via symbiotic relationships (positive productivity, prosperity and international competitiveness.
sum relationships. Conversely, a digital ecosystem, a digital There is an underlying knowledge base available to
environment populated by "digital species that can be soft- support information communication that enables shared
ware components, applications, online services, information, understanding of concepts. These authors also suggested
business models, etc." [5]. Digital species, like living species, that Ecosystem participants or agents are autonomous,
interact, express an independent behavior, and evolve - or highly interrelated and dynamic and able to coordinate
become extinct - following the laws of market selection. among themselves. It is a self-organizing digital in-
New, more evolved, innovative digital species continuously frastructure aimed at creating a digital environment for
appear, often originated by the combination of simpler species networked organizations that support cooperation, knowl-
and decree the obsolescence of the other less adapted digital edge sharing, and development of open and adaptive

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 2007 Inaugural IEEE International Conference on Digital Ecosystems and Technologies (IEEE DEST 2007)

a model and tailor it to the specific circumstances. They

are usually very good at the process of designing a new e-
learning structure, but weak when it comes to implementing it.
Compensation Consultant specializes in developing compen-
sation strategies designed to ensure employees are motivated
to achieve business goals. Although compensation is often
not directly linked to the other parts of the ecosystem, it
should be reviewed to ensure people are motivated to help
meet business goals. For example, an organization may have
a strategy for developing and launching new products, but
compensate employees on their ability to manage costs and
assets. Information Technology Consultants help organizations
set up the infrastructure required to perform e-business and the
processes to operate efficiently and seamlessly. Implementa-
tion consultants help organizations put new systems, strategies
Fig. 1. Components of an e-learning ecosystem
and plans in action. They work with IT teams and strategy
groups to successfully implement a new system.
3) Infrastructure: Brodo [7] defines infrastructure as the
technologies and evolutionary domain knowledge rich "plumbing" for the management, delivery and tracking of e-
environments. Learning. It consists of learning content management system;
content delivery system and tools. A learning content man-
II. E-LEARNING ECOSYSTEM agement system (LCMS) is a software solution that enables
E-Learning ecosystem is the term used to describe all the organizations to efficiently manage the process of training
components required to implement an e-learning solution. and development. The benefit of LCMS is its ability to
These components fall into three categories: content providers, be online, providing instant access to data and information
consultants, and infrastructure, as shown in Figure 1 from regarding the usage and effectiveness of training. The LCMS
Brodo [7]. also allows organizations to generate reports specifying who
1) Content Providers: Content providers offer content for has been to what programs, how they did it, what else they
learning solutions that is typically linked to competency are signed up for, and much more. A good LCMS must be
development, personal development, or a critical business able to manage all forms of learning, including instructor-led,
issue requiring improvement. The learning can be delivered asynchronous and synchronous e-learning. A content delivery
through different methods, such as classroom-based, syn- system (CDS) is online software that allows training to be
chronous online-learning and asynchronous online learning. delivered over the Internet. The two types of content delivery
The term Blended Learning is used to describe a combination systems are asynchronous and synchronous. Asynchronous
of these methods. According to Brodo [7], there are three types content delivery systems use open platforms and develop-
of content providers: Branded Content Provider; Commodity ment standards to physically design and deliver the content
Content Provider and Custom Content Provider. Many e- for anytime access. Asynchronous content delivery systems
learning solutions utilize a combination of all three. A brand provide many interactive features that leverage the full power
name content provider that is typically associated with a of the Internet, such as chats, peer counseling, communities,
leading publisher or business school. A Commodity Content coaching and document sharing. Synchronous content delivery
Provider is content aggregator that offers hundreds of titles, systems enable the simultaneous online delivery of content
courses and modules in a variety of formats. Custom Content to a group of people at a specified time. Tools transfer core
Provider is an organization that will tailor internal content intellectual property into a learning object. For example, Flash
and/or develop new content based on a specific requirement. is an authoring tool from Macromedia that is used to develop
Each group of content providers provides a different value interactive online content. These tools are used to create
proposition. There really is no right or wrong way to choose content that fully engages the learner and increases memory.
one of these groups. Your decision to choose a company Digital ecosystem varies distinctively in a different context. In
from one or more of the groups should be based on your an educational context, digital learning content is produced,
strategy, budget, organizational structure and size, overall administered and manipulated in an intricate and changing
training direction, and the relationships and confidence you environment [8].
have in the content provider.
2) Consultants: Brodo [7] suggested that there four dif- A. Benefits of E-Learning Ecosystems
ferent types of consultants in the e-learning ecosystem (some E-learning ecosystems offer many benefits to organizations.
companies perform more than one of the following functions). A fully developed e-learning ecosystem can include a human-
A strategy consultant helps an organization to develop a new resources-integrated, Web-based portal where employees can
business strategy. Strategy consultants typically begin with also check their benefits, make changes to medical plans

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 2007 Inaugural IEEE International Conference on Digital Ecosystems and Technologies (IEEE DEST 2007)

and access learning programs that teach competencies that define the selection process and determine criteria. Begin
tie to business objectives and personal career aspirations. by identifying all of the organizations we know within the
Training officers can access data that helps them integrate ecosystem and determine where we think they belong. Identify
their programs to corporate goals, empower line managers and establish e-learning goals and outline the steps necessary
to recommend and track training activity, and apply business to achieve those goals before simply buying and deploying
discipline to help manage the learning assets and activity of technology and hoping it resolves a business challenge.
the entire enterprise. 2) Constructing the technology solution: selecting the right
Organizations with a systematic approach to rolling out LMS: The second step is to construct the technology solution.
these programs will ultimately benefit from a return on invest- Whatever the requirements, a critical factor is to interface the
ment (ROI), increased productivity and improved employee new e-learning applications with many of the existing systems.
performance. However, the design of e-learning ecosystems is It is important to make sure that integration is achieved with
still in its infancy. Subsequent sections of this paper propose the legacy systems in the organizations. It is useful to ask
an approach to designing an e-learning ecosystem. colleagues about their experiences with e-learning, including
the vendors they have used and their success rate. The e-
B. Components in an E-learning ecosystem learning industry keeps evolving. To help one to keep abreast,
Digital ecosystems are based on an evolutionary systemic we need to constantly upgrading with the latest information
process; they may be composed of three different layers [9]: about the emerging technologies. An e-learning ecosystem
* The ecosystem infrastructure: a common support environ- must be built with the correct technology solution - one that
ment and a generic basic infrastructure which includes ba- cost-effectively automates and integrates training features with
sic services components, generic integrated solutions and other systems in order to be successful. Companies need to
infrastructure components. It includes the mechanisms for protect their investments. They want to know their content can
the composition, the evolution and the migration of the play on different systems. They want to use, reuse and combine
digital components among the different habitats. content objects. Companies need to invest in learning solutions
. The sector-specific ecosystems: services, solutions and that offer tight integration and do not want to be constrained
components tailored for a specific sector (e.g. agro-food, by any proprietary systems. [3].
tourism, and manufacturing) or transversal applications 3) Pedagogical design: The design of e-learning should
(e.g. logistics). These use the services of the common be based on sound principles from instructional and learning
environment. theories. According to Gagn (1985), there are different types of
. Local ecosystems: local implementations of the sector- learning outcomes, each requiring different strategies. Besides
specific ecosystem in nodes and networks of innovation. the technologies that should be considered, the design of e-
These networked instances could be linked together to learning should be pedagogically sound.
form Europe-wide business excellence networks. 4) Content in an Ecosystem: The development of learning
An e-learning ecosystem includes the owners and other stake- technology standards has been a key driver in creating content
holders, such as government agencies, regulators, associations, interoperability that allows the mixing and matching of content
standard bodies and representatives of the host communities. from multiple vendors, as well as interchangeable content that
can be reused, assembled and disassembled quickly and easily.
C. Approach to developing an e-learning ecosystem IMS Global Learning Consortium is leading in this. It is a col-
It is our belief that the best solution is to take a holis- laborative group of affiliates, including hardware and software
tic approach to e-learning integration, because it takes an vendors, educational institutions, publishers, government agen-
enterprise view of the environment that ensures an end-to- cies, systems integrators and multimedia content providers.
end solution, achieving the integration of legacy and latest The goal of IMS is to promote widespread adoption of
technologies. True integration is the key to ensuring that specifications that will allow distributed learning environments
infrastructure; content providers, consultants and others are and content from multiple authors to work together. SCORM
aligned for optimum performance. is a reference model that defines a Web-based learning content
1) Identify needs of organization: The first step in the model. It contains a set of interrelated specifications designed
creation of an e-learning ecosystem is the planning process that to enable interoperability among various content providers,
is designed to map an organization's information technology combining features from other specifications, SCORM enables
(IT) infrastructure and assess its development environment, reuse of Web-based learning content across multiple environ-
organizational structure, technology dependencies and overall ments and products. Progress on standards will facilitate the
architecture [10]. The process should start with the devel- integration imperative to a successful, real-world e-learning
opment of a macro-level e-learning strategy that provides ecosystem - integration among content and technology sys-
a roadmap for adopting e-learning. This can be achieved tems, as well as integration across a learning management suite
by considering the current position in the market including and other back-office corporate operations.
opportunities and challenges posed by e-learning. 5) Continual improvement of applications and infrastruc-
To obtain the best e-learning solution to meet our require- ture: It is important to make sure that the e-learning ecosystem
ments it is important to identify the needs of the organization, is managed and optimised. After construction of the e-learning

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 2007 Inaugural IEEE International Conference on Digital Ecosystems and Technologies (IEEE DEST 2007)

ecosystem, systems need continual attention to adapt to the [1l] Syntel (2006). Building your own digital ecosystem: a holistic approach
changing e-learning environment. to enterprise integration.
III. CONCLUSION
While e-learning technology has matured rapidly, there
is still a problem with integrating e-learning systems with
context and other business systems. A fully-fledged e-learning
ecosystem should include a human resources integrated, web-
based portal that allows employees to check benefits, access
to medical plans, learning programs that teach skills and
knowledge tied to their business needs and personal career
fulfilments. It should also allow the integration of learning
with various systems, business processes and the context
where learning actually occurs. An e-learning ecosystem must
support overall business strategies. As e-learning technology
continues to mature, this would provide a foundation for the
integration of e-learning ecosystems that enables enterprises
to reap better ROI by aligning the workforce to improve
skills, productivity and satisfaction. It is important that we
develop the ICT-enabling technologies and paradigms that
are needed to support the emergence and sustainability of e-
learning ecosystems In order to realize the potential of this
vision, a multi-disciplinary approach is needed to specify,
design and, implement the building blocks of an e-learning
ecosystem infrastructure. The main task is to translate what
we know about learning in a social environment. It is then
possible for us to convert this into a set of appropriate concepts
and operative models for the development of the e-learning
ecosystems. Activity theory as a social cultural theory can be
used to study the design of such system. We are currently
working on research in this area.
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