1. A Technical Architecture for Implementing Apps in Learning Design Systems
James Dalziel & Ernie Ghilgione
Macquarie E-Learning Centre Of Excellence (MELCOE)
Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
Presentation for ICEM 2013 & 8th International LAMS & Learning Design Conference, October 3rd, 2013

2. Overview Apps and Learning Design LAMS Tools Contract
Architectures for App to LD integration
Example – iLecture at NTU LKC
Conclusion

3. Apps and Learning Design
Many great educational apps, but mostly stand-alone
Also consider app store policies
How would you create a sequence of different apps to achieve a “larger” pedagogical goal (eg, PBL)
That is, a learning design made up of apps
What architecture is needed for apps to integrate with a Learning Design authoring tool & sequencing engine?

4. LAMS Tools Contract
A key architectural innovation of LAMS V2 was the “Tools Contract”
Specifies the way an activity tool (eg, forums, wiki, quiz, etc) integrates into the LAMS environment
Lots of technical integration issues, but for today we leave aside any for tool integration in typical LMS
So… what are the unique integration requirements for a Learning Design system, eg:
Authoring process that allows for sharing of designs
Tools that are “sequencing aware” (ie, understand “finish”)
Tools that can be dynamically configured by sequencing engine at run-time

5. LAMS Tools Contract My LAMS Tool LAMS Core Author Admin Learner
LAMS V2 Tool as “almost” independent web applications.
Set of expected behaviours, registered URLs and API calls that a LAMS Tool has to implement to "talk" to LAMS Core.
Clear separation between Design and Tool Content.
Stores and manages Designs
My LAMS Tool
Manage its own content
LAMS Core
Author
Admin
Tool Contract
Learner
Monitor
Services

6. LAMS Tools Contract: External Wrappers
External tool can be used as normal LAMS Tools using the tool wrapper. Effectively, Moodle tools or apps could be used as native LAMS tools (potentially including advanced features as groupings, branching, etc)
External Tool Wrapper
Author
External
Tool
Admin
Learner
Tool Contract
Tool Contract
Monitor
Services

7. LAMS Tools Contract
Various tools integrated with LAMS V2 over recent years: some are “full” integrations, some only a subset
Eg, Wookie widget tool, e-Adventure, Pixlr, Big Blue Button
In the wider LD system world, there are less “intensive” requirements for LD tool integration
Most basic: LD system “points” to tool in “blank state”
Eg, may be appropriate for a web conferencing tool
Teacher hand configures an instance of a tool, then “points” to this instance at the appropriate point in a sequence
LD system may provide extra button to indicate “finished”
Authoring interface for tools, captures configuration information, later “injects” this information into configurable tool at runtime

8. Architecture of App to LD Integration
Potential for apps – while all features would be great, what is a practical subset for initial exploration?
No LD (base case): Just launch app in basic state (plain URI)
Eg: Load an iTunes app itms://itunes.apple.com/usr/app/<app-name>/  
Hand configure app before, get an “instance” ID, add ID to URI
Eg: VoIP client callto://
App previously setup (including personal account) + “injection” of run-time configuration information to URI
Eg: Skype skype:SKYPEUSERNAME?call

9. Architecture of App to LD Integration
Example of potential education app URIs
Forum app with injection of forum topic <app invocation>/<topic to discuss>
Voting app with injection of voting topics <app invocation>/<voting topics 1, 2, 3, 4>
Content app with selected resource to view <app invocation>/<content unique ID>
Content app with selected resource & comment feature <app invocation>/<content unique ID>&<use comment feature>

10. Example
iLecture app at NTU Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (with many thanks to guest presenter Paul Gagnon)

11. Conclusion
Educational apps have become a major part of the recent technology landscape; yet stand-alone use is quite pedagogically limiting
Bringing Learning Design sequencing and apps together has significant potential to expand the pedagogical range of app usage
Lessons learned from the LAMS V2 Tools Contract can guide a new architecture for integration of apps & LD
Especially authoring for injection of run-time configurations