Integrating academic and non academic activities within
the university would effectively enhance e-learning systems
by building shared knowledge and automated system
workflows [5]. In this sense the proposed e-learning system
should act as a centralized environment for integrated and
collaborative work activities. These functionalities would be
better realized by adopting SOA in learning environments.
SOA can provide a better alternative to component based
architecture, as being loosely coupled and can be accessed
at any time or any place [7]. SOA also enhances integration
of applications among a distributed network and enables
reuse of e-learning components.
Research contributions in the field of SOA design and
specification did not tackle issues related to SOA in elearning
environments, such as design of architecture and
possible reusable architectural patterns. Instead issues of
interest covered code reusability & content management as
compared to traditional e-learning systems [7]. Based on the
importance of utilizing Web 2.0 technologies and techniques
in today’s modern e-learning systems, there is an increasing
need to specify e-learning architectural patterns built on SOA
and Web 2.0 concepts.
As a fact most e-learning systems now are still authorized
and managed through a centralized e-learning system as a
bundle of static courses and modules, without focusing on the
social aspect of the learning process. However learning is
basically more about people than just static content and
technologies. And this involves a shift from content based to a
collaborative and user centric forum with the use of Web 2.0
technologies enhanced with multi-media standards for
Internet [4]. On the other hand design, building and
evaluation of collaborative e-learning systems is such a
challenge, in contrast to traditional e-learning systems that do
not imply multiple user interactions. This challenge comes in
terms of guaranteeing concurrency, speed and optimization,
as well as integration among different system objects [3].
The importance of integration in e-learning systems is due to
diversity in stakeholders such as students, professors,
administrators, librarians, etc. with their varying needs