Developing a Learning Management System Based on the IMS Learning Design Specification

The IMS Learning Design Specification creates a standard XML format for modeling units of learning, which allows sharing of learning plans between educators using different learning management systems. This paper describes the implementation and formative evaluation of a prototype learning management system Voyager, which implements the data model and workflow of the IMS Learning Design Specification as closely as possible. Perceived benefits of such a system include the pedagogical benefit of a focus on learner activities rather than knowledge transfer, the ability for interaction between multiple learners and educators, and the flexibility of the IMS Learning Design model for different pedagogical approaches and differing levels of use. Problems encountered include the lack of specification and difficulty designing runtime functionality, the increased cognitive load of the unfamiliar theatre model for both educators and learners, and the complexity of the data model which lead to data redundancy and large amounts of data being created for even simple learning designs.