Exploros
is focused on collaboration and personalization. It was founded on the idea that collaboration is a key ingredient
to learning and that e-collaboration has the potential of breaking the dichotomy between formal and informal learning
environments.
By facilitating immediate and constant feedback from instructors and peers, Exploros attempts to recreate the group
learning experience in a virtual setting.
The instructional tools are designed to encourage peer instruction and a joyful human interaction.
Exploros collects and analyzes fine grained performance data. While currently it is only used to drive performance
dashboards, content recommendations and alerts, the premise is that with enough diverse data, interesting patterns will
emerge and serve as the foundation for personalization of both instruction and content.
Technology is centered around a server side realtime collaboration engine that drives front-end educational tools. Core tools include text and multi-media containers, assessment tools, discussion boards, a messaging subsystem and an annotations framework. Tools encouraging group work and peer instruction include polls, word clouds, collaborative docs and graphs. Sophisticated tools include multi-users games and simulations. The system is designed in a modular fashion and is based on an SDK such that new tools can be easily introduced by the Exploros team or by 3rd party developers.
The server technology is similar to the engine behind google docs and based on the xmpp/jabber protocol. Both lessons plans and the system's business logic is driven by a workflow engine allowing non-linear execution based on decision tables/trees and human intervention points.
Final lesson plans are packaged in a proprietary format and distributed over the web. Upon request, content packages are streamed to the client and dynamically rendered/executed using the runtime engine. The client then continuously chats with the server over the jabber/xmpp channel, broadcasting user actions, receiving realtime updates from the other participants and consulting with the server on the learning path. The current client technology offered is an iPad app but other technologies such as Android and HTML are planned.
