| The different projects in the Technology Development Programme each deliver one or more models, specifications and tools that are directed at realizing an effective and efficient Learning Networks. There is a need for integrative activities that warrant the consistency of the different solutions within a single framework. This plan describes what is needed for integration, it addresses overall questions and problems of learning networks, integrates findings of projects in the other themes, provides support to the projects in the other themes and finally serves as a central dissemination vehicle for the project as a whole. This is a continuing activity during the programme, more than a project. This project elaborates on learning networks, by providing a description of learning networks in the form of a change model, an architecture and a pilot implementation of the architecture (the infrastructure ). The change model describes the principles behind learning networks, including thematic aspects in the field of agent technologies, and principles of self-organization, positioning and navigation. The architecture translates the change model into a design for an infrastructure and organization for learning networks and the pilot implementation validates whether the architecture is valid and feasible. Furthermore it provides a platform for pilots with learning networks to validate the complete set of change model, architecture and technical implementation in real practice. Although the change model, architecture and infrastructure as determined by this project are building blocks for the other projects, there is reciprocity between the projects in the respective themes and this project. The idea is that a first version of the pilot infrastructure will be set-up as soon as possible (beginning of 2004) and be continuously refined so as to reflect the state-of-the-art at any time. New releases will be provided during the time, depending on the needs and outcomes of projects. |
