PILS: Advanced Instant Messaging in e-Learning Based on an Open Implementation

Abstract-In e-learning platforms the social interaction between students and teachers as well as among students is important for effective and efficient learning. Therefore, e-learning platforms need technological support for online presence and communication. In this paper we present the Presence in Learning Spaces (PILS) infrastructure, which provides advanced concepts for mutual presence information and seamless communication between online users based on an open implementation. Its novel concepts support course-specific mutual presence and communication, mutual communication awareness, and e-learning-specific online states. Its open implementation leverages remote control through course and user administration services, presence and communication control services, and data and inferencing services. The PILS infrastructure is part of the Adaptive Learning Spaces (ALS) platform, developed in the Adaptive Learning Spaces (ALS) EU-project.