Towards developing the Unified Bank of learning objects for Electronic Educational Environment and its Protection Sergey Sychov Alexander Chirtsov Department of Physics University ITMO LETI University, University ITMO St-Petersburg Russian Federation St-Petersburg Russian Federation sergey.v.sychev@gmail.com alex_chirtsov@mail.ru ABSTRACT The article deals with the ways of developing the Electronic 1 Introduction: Education as a strategic Educational Environment (EEE) based on a set of learning resource objects constituting the Unified Bank of Learning Objects. The The rapid growth of the "digital" component in all spheres of algorithms of functioning for learning objects and the network human activity emphasizes the importance of industries related formed from them are considered. The concept of the core of to knowledge [1]. In turn, the development of the Internet, as knowledge is introduced as a system of established and accepted well as the availability of e-communication, led to the emergence scientific ("textbook") knowledge used by the “educational of distance education as independent industry that demonstrates community” for developing the theoretical foundations of the explosive growth assisting transformation of education, into educational courses. primary sector of the economy. In monetary terms, for example, Taking in account the information explosion happening now the global e-Learning market is forecast to surpass 243 billion which leads to erosion of knowledge, the issue of protecting of U.S. dollars by 2022 [2]. the core of fundamental scientific knowledge and the world An example of effective approach to e-education policy at the cultural heritage from destruction and unauthorized change with state level is the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) [3] the use of permitted blockchain algorithm is considered. initiative. It is supported by USA government and US Department of Defense. This fact demonstrates that the US CCS CONCEPTS considers the problems of education and distance learning as an important element of national security. Education (and, above • Applied computing → Education; Redundancy; • Computer all, technical education) is a strategic resource and an important systems organization → Dependable and fault-tolerant competitive advantage of the state. The necessity of such an systems and networks → Reliability approach is mentioned recently by the number of authors demonstrating that the tendency is global [4], [5], [6], [7]. The KEYWORDS attitude towards education as a strategic resource leads to the knowledge transfer, core of knowledge, MOOC, Educational need not only to assess the quality of electronic information and System, blockchain, erosion of knowledge, network of educational resources but also to set and develop their standards knowledge, epistemology, learning object at the state level. At the same time, developing such standards in a global scale is an effective base for international collaboration ACM Reference format: that implies answering the following questions: Sergey Sychov and Alexander Chirtsov. 2018. Towards developing the Unified Bank of learning objects for Electronic Educational Environment • What is knowledge? and its Protection. In Proceedings of the 2018 Workshop on PhD Software • What knowledge should we transfer? Engineering Education: Challenges, Trends, and Programs (SWEPHD2018). • How to regulate the transfer of knowledge? St. Petersburg, Russia, 6 pages. • How to transfer knowledge effectively? • How to ensure an undistorted transfer of knowledge? • How to minimize costs when organizing the transfer of Copyright © 2018 for the individual papers by the papers' authors. Copying knowledge? permitted for private and academic purposes. This volume is published and copyrighted by its editors. The 2018 Workshop on PhD Software Engineering Education: Challenges, Trends, and Programs, September 17th, 2018, St. Petersburg, Russia 2 Knowledge Objects and Knowledge Network The problem of the definition of the term of knowledge refers to the field of epistemology and until now had no final solution. The original definition was given by Plato and examined by him St-Petersburg, September 2018, Russian Federation S.Sychov and A.Chirtsov in Dialogues [8]. However, for our purposes, the concept known core. Its dependence on interpretation by the social environment as pragmatism [9],[10] is more satisfactory. This conception is reduced, as there is a consensus of responsible experts proclaims that the result that we want to obtain by applying concerning the content and nature of well-established objects of definition of knowledge is essential for constructing the knowledge. definition body. Thus, we interpret knowledge as the system of information objects, systematic study of which allows us to understand a scientific picture of the world, implement competencies related to technological literacy, correctly interpret the world cultural heritage and restore them in the event of unforeseen damage to these information phenomena. With such an approach, it is essential that transferred knowledge be an integral part of scientific and technological literacy [11]. Generally, knowledge possesses the following features [12]: • Knowledge has a practical aspect • Knowledge can be personal or group • Knowledge has a regulatory structure • Knowledge has an internal network structure • Knowledge has an external network structure • Knowledge is dynamic Figure 1: The scheme representing the relative • Knowledge is related to public institutions arrangement of knowledge units belonging to the core of Using these characteristics, we can define a unit of knowledge, special courses, and scientific frontiers knowledge (object of knowledge, knowledge object) as a structural information object associated with specific skills and There were researchers [14], [15] who tried to determine the practice of testing and evaluation. The simplest examples of such standard knowledge core for science, mathematics, and a unit, is the Pythagorean Theorem, force diagram or calculation technology that would be optimally useful for every high school of interest, etc. In turn, knowledge units are connected both with graduate, and not just for those who aspire to a scientific or each other and with the subject of knowledge - man and the technical career. For this purpose, a team of scientists from the object of knowledge the outside world. field of chemistry and physics found that few college students Understanding of knowledge as a system of interconnected understand the nature of the particles and the significance of the knowledge units is now presented in the works of a number of periodic table, not to mention the importance of the standard authors, for example [13]. The effect resulting from particle model. Thus, despite the apparent need to define the representation of knowledge in the form of a "knowledge core of knowledge, the difficulties concerning this process are network", as a result of interconnectedness of knowledge units obvious. There is an evaluation of the number of educational [14] defined as "connectivism". The knowledge network is objects in the physics course for secondary school [16]. The further immersed in a network of relationships with the outside modeled structure contained 24 thematic blocks, approximately world. In accordance with this approach, learning is a process of five educational objects in each. Thus, about 100 educational study of this network. The result of changing the subject's objects per school subject. An alternative evaluation made in relationship with the outside world after mastering knowledge is [17] explores ~ 600 objects of knowledge (and, accordingly, the effect of a particular value. learning objects) for the course of algebra (however, the authors, in this case, used smaller objects). 3 The Core of General Science Knowledge Knowledge objects representing the most loaded nodes of the 4 Micro-Modular Architecture Approach for network of knowledge constitute the core of knowledge - the MOOC Design most valuable objects of general scientific knowledge and of the Now, the dominant approach in e-education is developing of world cultural heritage. Their correct understanding ensures MOOC (massive open online courses). Examples of publicly both the communication integrity of the community (society) accessible portals that allow training in a large number of that has mastered these objects of knowledge, and the effective disciplines using MOOC are “Coursera” [18], and “Open use of other knowledge objects. Education” [19], (however, the actual number of such portals is The core of knowledge undoubtedly refers to explicit more extensive). There is a large number of approaches in the knowledge, as opposed to an implicit knowledge ("tacit classification of MOOC and methods of design, described in knowledge"), "hidden," for example, in the teacher-student numerous studies and reviews, for example: [20], [21], [22]. relationship. Additionally knowledge objects can be separated However, the universally recognized MOOC standard has not into "universally recognized" and those that are in the stage of yet been fully developed, and a significant number of authors development. Only "universally recognized" objects refer to the and teams use their own standards for designing courses. Towards developing the Unified Bank of Learning Objects for St-Petersburg, September 2018, Russian Federation Electronic Educational Environment and its Protection Nevertheless, it is possible to divide MOOC into those that are centered around the concept of large-block modules (the Bologna system, up to the conglomeration of training courses), and build on the basis of a micro-modular architecture. This approach, which advocates organizing MOOC as a system of micromodules of shared access, has a significant historical perspective. His first formulation could be attributed to Figure 2: The scheme representing the relative 1967 [15]. Further development of the concept and its arrangement of knowledge units belonging to the core of popularization was provided by the head of the committee on knowledge, special courses, and scientific frontiers the standards of educational technologies IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) H. Wayne Hodgins. 5 A General Scheme of Work and Integration Following the proposed [20] concept of epistemic atomism, the of the Learning Object optimal learning object is an integral educational unit that is self-sufficient for the study of a particular knowledge object and The sequence of transitions between learning objects is corresponding to a single issue of a school or university determines the sequence of the course. curricular. In Fig. 3 shows the scheme of the functioning of the learning A learning object is a means of studying an object of object with the minimum necessary configuration, containing knowledge that constitutes a single concept [20]. It can also be the following components: defined as the smallest independent structural element • preliminary testing unit containing three components united by a single goal of learning: • resulting testing unit • educational materials (demonstrate and explain the • reference to the previous course object knowledge object) • reference to the subsequent course object • training exercises (allow achieving the learning goal) • evaluation system (allows assessing the degree of • reference to the objects necessary to understand this achievement of the learning goal) learning object Thus, the learning object differs from the object of • educational material knowledge, in that it not only contains the object of knowledge, but also contains means of explaining and verifying the degree of understanding of the given object of knowledge. In addition, a learning object is characterized by the following parameters: •training time is usually from 2 minutes to 15 minutes. •is self-sufficient - each learning object can be taken independently •is reusable: one learning object can be used in several contexts for several purposes •can be aggregated - learning objects can be grouped into larger collections of content, including traditional course structures Figure 3: General scheme of the organization of a •contains metadata - each learning object has descriptive learning object information that makes it easy to find it by searching The Pythagorean Theorem, for example, can be integrated The relationship between primary learning materials, into the course of teaching school geometry, locksmith, joiner, learning objects and the training courses built on them is and tin works, into the initial course of physics, astronomy and illustrated by a diagram constructed following Autodesc's geography (Fig. 4). ideology [23] (Fig. 2). By this scheme, objects can be combined with increasing degree of generalization: Primary media and text files -> Information objects -> Learning objects -> Sections -> Courses and modules St-Petersburg, September 2018, Russian Federation S.Sychov and A.Chirtsov Figure 5: The general structure of the unified Figure 4: An example of integration for the training educational environment module - "The Pythagorean theorem" (illustrative) The presence of learning objects of several levels of 7 The Problem of Knowledge Erosion complexity and the possibility of additional "settings" and When developing electronic educational resources, authors adaptation: the possibility to connect additional content and and developers pursue very diverse goals. Along with solving comments - can meet the specific requirements of specific urgent problems of transferring knowledge to students and courses using a set of approved training facilities. establishing a basis for further research in developing areas of knowledge, there are negative trends in the growth of the 6 Unified Bank of Learning Objects and number of information resources. Sometimes the content and Educational Environment style of presentation do not meet the criteria for education These learning objects may compose a bank of learning quality. Multiple interpretations of the basic part of knowledge objects and assignments with open (free) access for being used as inevitably lead to its distortion, involuntary or deliberate bricks in the construction of the MOOC. In order to develop mistakes, and inaccuracies. At the same time, there is a process learning objects in a quick manner, the texts of existing of erosion of knowledge associated with a general information textbooks, supplemented with audio, video, and testing elements explosion and the emergence of an excessive number of may be used. Further, they can be edited with regularity every interpretations of the established theories and concepts [13], as two years, by the appropriate commissions. well as their active replicating in the media and information Efforts concentrated on educational objects evaluating and networks . This leads to the effect denoted by the term "erosion designing will allow developing of the core around which the of knowledge" [45]. Unified Electronic Educational Environment may be centered. On the mathematical level objects of knowledge being Public modules exclude charging. At the same time, they information packages undergo distortion in accordance with C. should be protected from plagiarism by automatic content Shannon theory [27], on the sociological level this phenomenon checking. Educational objects of third-party authors after was mentioned by Umberto Eco [28] , M. Fucko [29] and other certifying can be paid elements in different MOOC. In this case, authors. The easiness of digital form of knowledge replication it is reasonable to organize - a distributed system of leads to the fact that numerous distorted forms of original micropayments based on Smart Contracts using permitted conceptions infest accessible e-resources and increase risk their blockchain [24],[25], [26] in which part of the payment is sent to incorrect understanding. In case the distorted conceptions the rights holder of the learning object in the case when during belong to the core of knowledge, the practical consequences may the completion of the MOOC the user addressed the special paid be strikingly destructive. module. In IBM presentation, it is estimated that every 18 months Mechanisms mentioned above provide the base foe “structured data are growing at 32%, unstructured data are developing Unified Electronic Educational Environment. It may growing at 63% and replicated data are growing at 49%” [30], solve the following tasks: that means that proportion of unstructured data in the total amount of data is constantly increasing. • organize an accessible Unified Bank (repository) of The core of knowledge becomes hidden with irrelevant and learning objects imperfect information that in turn leads to the disintegration of • ensure the safety of educational objects related to the the integrity of the scientific picture of the world, its core of knowledge fragmentation. Fragmentation of the scientific picture of the • ensure the possibility of developing MOOC with the world, leads to the impossibility for a subject to derive clear use of certified learning objects causal relationships and understand scientific (and cultural) • ensure the possibility of testing with the use of landmarks. learning objects Within the framework of the described approach, the following urgent tasks have to be solved: Towards developing the Unified Bank of Learning Objects for St-Petersburg, September 2018, Russian Federation Electronic Educational Environment and its Protection • protecting the core of general scientific knowledge spontaneous distortion and requires a complete, guaranteed from the deformation of meaning; undistorted transferring to the trainees as representatives of the • avoiding unnecessary duplication when using online following generations. Effective protection of the core of courses of concepts related to the core of general knowledge from unqualified audits should be combined with a scientific knowledge. regulatory mechanism that provides the possibility of its editing • ensuring the formulation of the main cultural, only in case of a steady consensus of experts. historical and ideological concepts in accordance with Thus, the Electronic Educational Environment due to its the requirements and position of the scientific and importance should be implemented in the form of a distributed educational community database, allowing recovery in case of damage, and edited by • saving the world's cultural heritage in undistorted consensus experts. form. The educational environment presented above, should have the following properties: • providing a possibility of flexible design for 1. be distributed educational courses, which will combine, protection of 2. consist of a sufficient number of synchronized copies meanings and concepts related to the general scientific core of knowledge as well as the cultural heritage, and 3. be resistant to unauthorized changes and partial the possibility of personalized presentation of these destruction of media concepts. Blockchain as a means of record keeping, ensuring the preservation of records and preventing unauthorized changes to 8 The SCORM Standard in Developing them, was introduced into the modern appeal by Satoshi Learning Objects Nakamoto [37]. The concept of Blockchain is now primarily associated with crypto-currencies [38], [25] but on the other Educational objects developing has to take advantage of hand this algorithm allows strong protecting of a valuable base. already existing concepts such as metadata and SCORM. Stratification of Knowledge areas and access to their change will Metadata are described in accordance with the standard specified ensure that only the experts admitted to this field will be able to by IEEE [31]. They obey the standards developed for SCROM edit a certain area of the records, and a wide range of people, [32] (Sharable Content Object Reference Model ). including from other areas of knowledge, can use them in SCORM is the set of specifications and standards developed building the MOOC. in organizations such as IMS, AICC, ARIADNE and IEEE LTSC and then merged into a single SCORM system and finally presented by the ADL collaboration. 10 Conclusions Such objects have the properties of the Sharable Content Summarizing the previously identified priorities in the Object (SCO) [5]). That is, they have communication capabilities development of the Unified Electronic Educational Environment, within the framework of the LMS (Learning Management we can formulate the following conclusions: System) in accordance with the SCROM RTE standards and Developing UEEE based on learning objects and following correspond to a structurally small object of knowledge internationally developed and approved standards may save (corresponding to the concept of Knowledge Node - knowledge recourses and ensure mutual understanding of scientific core units [33], [34].) Compliance with this standard, developed by knowledge. the international consortium ADL (Advanced Distributed Compatibility of learning objects with the international Learning) [3 allows to include modules and knowledge objects standard SCORM enable a possibility to include into courses developed by third parties in the MOOC. It is important, since various modules developed by international developers, as well the ADL, which unites dozens of laboratories in the field of as the possibility local modules to be connected to international electronic communications, artificial intelligence, and cognitive courses. The Open Education platform currently being developed psychology, employing thousands of specialists, carries out work in the Russian Federation [19] uses the Open edX standard [35], that can not be done by specialists of any separately considered that supports converters [11], which allow loading modules country. created in accordance with a standard for SCORM modules. Currently, open edX [35] and Lectora[36] are successful Thus, compliance with the SCORM standard will automatically examples of available online services for creating objects under lead to the ability to use the module in the Open edX system. SCORM standards and organizing them in MOOC. UEEE should have the capabilities of being a national educating center and an open depository for designing training 9 Permitted Blockchain as a Way to Protect courses. In this case, this structure will become a center around which e-education will develop. and Certify the Core of General Scientific Significance of such a base implies necessity to protect it Knowledge from distortion and damage. For this purpose permitted Given current well-seen processes of information explosion blockchain algorithm can provide balanced solution for and avalanche-like replication of "garbage information," the core accessibility and strong protection. of general scientific knowledge have to be protected from St-Petersburg, September 2018, Russian Federation S.Sychov and A.Chirtsov REFERENCES [36] Lectora 1999, https://www.trivantis.com/products/inspire-e-learning-software/ . [1] Guo, S., Ding, W. and Lanshina, T. Global Governance and the Role of the G20 [37] Nakamoto, S. 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