Presentation at the Linked Learning Workshop of the WWW 2013 conference.

1. Interactive Learning Resources and
Linked Data for Online Scientific
Experimentation
Alexander Mikroyannidis & John Domingue
Knowledge Media Institute, The Open University, UK

2. Agenda
• Background & motivation
• The FORGE project
• The FORGE approach
– Linked Data
– Pedagogical approach
– Interactive learning
resources

3. FIRE (Future Internet Research and
Experimentation)
• A European initiative to ensure that “the
European Internet Industry evolves towards a
Future Internet containing European
technology, services and values.”
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ict/fire/
• A variety of facilities have been developed:
– Cloud computing services
– Wi-Fi and sensor network test-beds
– Infrastructures for High Performance Computing
– …and more

4. BUT…
• Costs both for the establishment and operation
of these facilities are not to be neglected!
• Optimal usage of the FIRE facilities is desired by
its owners, a goal which has NOT been yet
achieved.

5. New trends in education online

6. FORGE is a step towards turning FIRE into a pan-
European educational platform for Future Internet
through Linked Data.

7. FORGE objectives
• Study and develop new processes and
approaches to online learning based on the
integration of FIRE facilities and eLearning
technologies.
• Inject into the higher education learning sphere
the FIRE portfolio of facilities and tools.
• Introduce the learning community to the
concepts of Experimentally Driven Research.
• Increase the overall usability and take-up of
FIRE facilities through the layering of how-to-
use resources over the FIRE platforms.

8. Adaptation
plugin
eLearning
Widget
eLearning
Widget
LMS and ebook content
The federation of
FIRE facilities
FIRE
federation
APIs

9. Project partners

10. Linked Data in FORGE
• Delivery and navigation of learning materials
Semantic links and a uniform data format enable
heterogeneous resources to be easily combined into a
single space or page. Linked Data will enable us to
combine data and services from multiple FIRE facilities
into a single easy-to-navigate place.
• Discovery and recommendation of learning
materials
Using semantic links we can highlight related
resources. Linked Data will provide support for
discovering FIRE facilities related to course materials
and vice-versa.

11. Pedagogical approach
• Constructivist or learning-by-doing approach
• FORGE will contribute to fostering constructivist
learning by turning learners into active
scientific investigators, equipped with world-
class experiment facilities.

12. Pedagogical approach
FORGE will promote Self-Regulated Learning by
enabling learners to take control over their
learning journey.

13. Interactive learning resources

14. Conclusion
• FORGE aims at complementing online learning
initiatives with laboratory courses for an in-
depth and hands-on educational experience.
• Constructivist and Self-Regulated Learning
approach based upon the notion of the
experiment.
• Targeting the application of Linked Data in the
delivery and discovery of online learning
resources.

15. Thank you!
Dr. Alexander Mikroyannidis
Knowledge Media Institute, The Open University, UK
www.alexmikro.net