A mixed XML-JavaBeans approach to developing t-learning applications for the multimedia home platform

Abstract

E-learning technologies have developed greatly in recent years, with considerable success, which has suggested extending distance education to other mediums. This paper studies the possibilities of Interactive Digital TV to provide educational services (t-learning) and analyzes the support offered by the Multimedia Home Platform standard (MHP). We also present an approach to developing interactive t-learning courses and a tool, based on public and well-known technologies, that implements our proposal over the MHP technological framework. Our approach is remarkable for being flexible, extensible and easy to integrate with existing standards for the management of learning content, thus promoting interoperability and content reuse. In addition, applications can be developed with no need of programming knowledge. This is essential to free designers from technological details, so that they can concentrate on the broadcast contents, their sequence, interrelations and every aspect that makes up a value-added application. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003.