# Learn-CIAM: A Model-Driven Approach for the Development of Collaborative Learning Tools
## 3 The Learn-CIAM Proposal: Supporting Model-Driven Development of Collaborative Learning Tools
### Methodological Framework
#### 3.3.2 Phases
* Stage 4--Graphical editor deployment: once the graphical editor has been generated and it has been verified that its visual aspect and functionality are the desired ones, the domain expert and the software engineer can proceed to the deployment of a stable version. Basically, they must generate an installer which includes the functionality that assures the correct functioning of the graphical editor in other instances of Eclipse. This installer could be shared with the end users in different ways: physical (USB, HDD, etc.) or web-based (through Eclipse shop or an external URL). * Stage 5--Use of the graphical editor: finally, once the end users have installed the plug-in in their Eclipse platform, they will be able to start making designs on the graphical editor. Second Phase: Modeling, Validation and Generation of Collaborative Learning Tools  
The basis of the second phase is the Learn-CIAT graphical editor. Using it, the professors will be able to model the main features of the flow of learning tasks and tools to support collaborative activities. Thus, this phase receives a model/diagram as main input elaborated using Learn-CIAT. The complete process is summarized in the following lines. * Stage 1--Specification of organization, learning objectives and domain: as in the first phase, a domain expert should handle this stage. This user will usually be linked to the figure of a professor, since the main objective is to model flows of learning activities and collaborative learning tools (when considered necessary as support of some of the activities). Before starting the application of the process described in our proposal, the expert should carry out an ethnographic analysis of the end users to whom the system will be directed, and it is necessary a clear understanding of the learning objectives to be achieved. At the same time, they should specify the working domain. Thus, it is worth noting that the requirements elicitation is a process that is considered external to our proposal. However, the obtained information is implicitly considered into the diagrams of our models. First, experts must design through a new \"sketch\" the flow of a course, that is, the set of learning activities and the order or sequence that constitutes it. This flow may contain, provided the domain expert considers it appropriate, computer-supported group learning activities, which will be used for the automatic generation of the collaborative tools. * Stage 2--Modeling process: in the second stage, the domain expert must use Learn-CIAT to translate the previous specifications into digital format. In other words, the domain expert must generate a diagram using the graphical editor. This diagram might contain the Learn-CIAN learning flow, and the pedagogical usability criteria that it considers appropriate to achieve the learning objectives initially stated. * Stage 3--Collaborative tool modeling: this stage can be carried out by the domain expert. So as to model the collaborative tools, Learn-CIAT contains the necessary nodes and relationships to instantiate and configure the computer-supported group activities, as well as the collaborative workspace and its working context, allowing the selection of the tools and awareness features that are considered appropriate. To illustrate, it is possible to model a collaborative program edition supporting task (i.e., a collaborative Java editor), whose workspace/user interface is made up of a session panel, to consult the users who are connected to the session, and a chat, to support the communication between them. * Stage 4--Collaborative tool generation and deployment: once the group activity has been modeled and validated, the domain expert could generate the final code automatically, including those tools and awareness components that have been defined. The collaborative tools can be generated by the same domain expert since they will only have to execute the transformation process.