Learning Process Models as Mediators Between Didactical Practice and Web Support

Within the last decade the introduction of technology- enhanced learning (“e-learning”) has become a focal strategy in several universities and organizations. While much research has been devoted to producing e-content, describing it with metadata, and to constructing e-learning platforms, relatively little attention has been paid to using patterns and conceptual modeling techniques as a means of knowledge development and communication serving to improve the learning process in terms of depth, scope, and effective tool support. Our research is targeted at filling this gap by considering conceptual models of learning processes as mediators between rich didactic elements and Web service modules that closely match students' and instructors' demands on effective support. In this paper we illustrate our pattern-based research framework by giving an example, discussing the driving role and merits of conceptual modeling, providing an overview of our pattern knowledge base, and sharing our vision for future development.