A metadata based distance learning platform

Distance learning is acquiring a role that becomes more and more important with the huge diffusion of the Internet and related technologies. Consequently, the investigation for adequate architectures and platforms supporting flexible distance learning engines and solution is nowadays of great interest in the scientific community. The paper introduces a platform based on the adoption of metadata concepts and on the use of a "processor-like" behavior of the Web Course Delivery engine that appears to be a good solution when different and heterogeneous modules have to be integrated in the platform. The proposed system is currently under development and test in the framework of a European Esprit Project.