Curriculum
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# 5. Future Developments

The Curriculum module described in this text is the first development phase, or iteration, in a planned series. The visions for the future development of the Curriculum package are grand; eventually Curriculum is to become a tool for adaptive learning, working in concordance with IMS and SCORM standards. This entails a move away from a static and manual traversal of a curriculum to a dynamic and automatic ditto. This is realized by introducing branching of the curriculums and a conditioned sequencing of them. Assessment of users' understanding of the learning resources and exporting of courses (curriculum sequences and learning objects) will make Curriculum a full-fledged course management system.

## 5.1. Second Iteration - Simple Sequencing

Implementation of rule-based sequencing of a branched curriculum, following the IMS Simple Sequencing Specification. This iteration involves:

- Designing curriculum sequences as activity trees.

- Implementing conditional (rule-based) sequencing.

- Extending the user interface to fully manage the activity trees.

- Modifying the curriculum bar to reflect the branched sequencing.

- Adapting OpenACS terminology to IMS terminology.

- Writing documentation for this version of Curriculum.

## 5.2. Third Iteration - Mastery Testing

Implementation of user mastery tests, in cooperation with the Assessment module, to control the user's level of attainment. This iteration involves:

- Authoring service contracts with the upcoming Assessment module.

- Modifying the curriculum bar to show any tests connected to elements.

- Extending admin and index pages to inform users of test result details.

- Beautifying the UI and revising the general usability.

- Writing documentation for this version of Curriculum.

## 5.3. Fourth Iteration - LMS Interoperability

Implementation of IMS (and SCORM) standards for packaging simple sequences into XML files for external LMSs to import. This iteration involves:

- Enabling packaging of simple sequences into standard XML files (manifests) for export, following IMS specifications, using the Learning Object Repository.

- Facilitating translation of internal terminology to external terminology.

- Creating a user interface for easy exportation of curriculum sequences.

- Revising the UI and curriculum bar behavior to provide true adaptive learning.

- Writing documentation for this version of Curriculum.

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