On the specification of learning objectives for course configuration

In this paper we present a method for the formal specification of learning objectives, which is intended to enable their management and use in the automated construction of personalized courses. Such a specification is also intended to be sufficiently simple and flexible to allow for the (non automatic) specification of teaming objectives starting from their textual ("verbose") definition. We firstly define a set of learning objective "templates" by which the cognitive levels defined in the Model Curriculum and Guidelines [8] can be rendered. Then we sample the use of such templates in the expression of several teaming objectives, whose textual definition is taken from an introductory unit on programming described in the Computing Curricula [4]. This method of specification of learning objectives is used to extend a framework for course configuration coming from our previous work. In the resulting framework, the learning material is made by a set of learning components, whose metadata specification is based on the use of learning objectives. Given starting learner's knowledge and target knowledge (specified by learning objectives as well) a personalized course can be configured by automatically selecting and sequencing needed learning components. A Prolog implementation under development is discussed.