Description:
This article presents our results about an exploratory research work on the potential add-ons of the UML formalism for the design and implementation of distant learning situations. Our work focus on the specific Problem-Based Learning situations but could be suitable for other learning theories and approaches. Then we propose the CPM language based on a UML profile specialization in order to describe instructional design models upstream formal ones specified with standards like IMS-LD. Our language is implemented within an existent UML-CASE tool which has been customized in order to experiment end-users (instructional designers) facilities for the creation/support/maintenance of CPM models. The language has been tested on a complete case-study. We also briefly present and discuss additional works extending our contribution beyond the design stage. From these results, we stress the potentials of a Model-Driven instructional approach.