to formulate more precise queries in search engines.
Queries like "Find a concept map in English
classifiying birds of prey and containing pictures of
them" are no longer but a futuristic dream. (Google's
Knowledge Graph is evidence of this trend).
Secondly, linking content components across
web sites may be done in more explicit and
principled ways. A hyperlink may denote an
ideational relation between two domain entities
(person A is the brother of person B) or a textual, or
communicative, relationship (paragraph A is a
summary of section B). And if global identiers are
used, this is effectively tantamount to exposing, or
attaching, learning objects to the Web of Data using
linked data (see Heath and Bizer, 2011).
Thirdly, the reuse of embedded content
components is also likely to become easier as these
will be "unbundled" to a greater extent.
Fourthly, embedded semiotic annotation may
provide an additional affordance, which has to do
with the learning potential of learning objects, rather
than just their retrieval, linking or reuse. The reason
is that such metadata may be construed, and utilized,
as what we may call semiotic enzymes, hidden
elements enabling learning designs to be
(dynamically) altered in various ways to cater for
different user preferences, learning styles, rendering
devices, etc. (see Johnsen, 2012). As an example,
inline semiotic markup may be used to actively
support one or more of Mayer's principles of
multimedia learning (Mayer, 2009), in particular his
"principle of signalling", i.e. the guideline
advocating the use of conceptual structure markers
in learning materials. Embedded semiotic tags could
be used, say, as source data for dynamically creating
graphic organizers, spatial arrangements intended to
visually map the conceptual or narrative structure of
a piece of text and hence facilitate its comprehension
(see Stull and Mayer, 2007).
And since semiotic encoding can be done using
standards like Microdata and RDFa (Lite), reusable
style sheets, templates or widgets processing these
semiotic metadata can be developed and shared on a
global scale, especially for widely used categories
like events, persons and places. For example, a
college professor publishing a history textbook on
the web might link the document to an external
widget creating a visual timeline based on the events
mentioned in the text. Or a learner might download a
browser plug-in to flag all occurrences of concepts
of interest when surfing the web.
This affordance opens a whole set of
opportunities that could, for lack of a better term, be
called "Learning Content Design as a Service"
(LCDaaS). The idea itself is simple: content
providers like professors and teachers will only have
to concentrate on constructing structured materials
("basic content") but will be able to link these
materials to (dynamic) designs and in this way
create richer and more engaging learning resources.
And users will have a greater say in deciding what
design options they want for the materials they study
(visual support, interactivity, etc.).
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