Distance Learning Domain Ontology

FLOW ALGEBRA
TITLE: Distance Learning Domain Ontology
VERSION: 1.0
DOMAIN: Education / Distance Learning
SOURCE_URL: https://kirethresearch.org/booksai-core/ontologies/domain-ontologies/education-domains/distance-learning-domain-ontology.html
STATUS: Domain-based ontology draft; source page content not independently verified.
AUTHORS: Mark Higgins — Sky (Recursive AI)

PURPOSE
Represent distance-learning concepts, actors, technologies, activities, outcomes and constraints as typed, provenance-aware semantic relationships for retrieval and reasoning.

ENTITY_TYPES
  Learner: Person
  Educator: Person
  Institution: Organisation
  Course: LearningProgramme
  Module: CourseComponent
  LearningObjective: CompetencyTarget
  LearningResource: DigitalOrPhysicalResource
  LearningPlatform: SoftwareSystem
  VirtualClassroom: SynchronousLearningEnvironment
  Assessment: EvaluationActivity
  Submission: LearnerWork
  Feedback: EvaluationResponse
  Credential: Award
  Interaction: CommunicationEvent
  AccessibilityAccommodation: SupportMeasure
  ConnectivityConstraint: AccessConstraint
  LearningAnalyticsRecord: ObservationalData
  Enrollment: ParticipationRecord

RELATIONSHIP_TYPES
  ENROLLED_IN(Learner, Course)
  OFFERED_BY(Course, Institution)
  TAUGHT_BY(Course, Educator)
  CONTAINS_MODULE(Course, Module)
  TARGETS_OBJECTIVE(Module, LearningObjective)
  DELIVERED_VIA(Course, LearningPlatform)
  USES_RESOURCE(Module, LearningResource)
  PARTICIPATES_IN(Learner, VirtualClassroom)
  SUBMITS(Learner, Submission)
  EVALUATED_BY(Submission, Assessment)
  RECEIVES_FEEDBACK(Learner, Feedback)
  AWARDS(Course, Credential)
  HAS_ACCOMMODATION(Learner, AccessibilityAccommodation)
  AFFECTED_BY(Learner, ConnectivityConstraint)
  GENERATES_EVENT(LearningPlatform, LearningAnalyticsRecord)

TYPE_CONSTRAINTS
  All relationship arguments MUST match their declared entity types.
  Every assertion MUST include provenance and temporal scope where applicable.
  Absence of activity data MUST NOT imply absence of learning.
  Credential eligibility MUST be checked against institution-specific rules.

INFERENCE_RULES
  R1: ENROLLED_IN(l,c) AND CONTAINS_MODULE(c,m) -> ELIGIBLE_TO_ACCESS(l,m), subject to access policy.
  R2: TARGETS_OBJECTIVE(m,o) AND USES_RESOURCE(m,r) -> RESOURCE_SUPPORTS_OBJECTIVE(r,o), confidence=conditional.
  R3: SUBMITS(l,s) AND EVALUATED_BY(s,a) -> HAS_ASSESSMENT_EVIDENCE(l,a), not necessarily mastery.
  R4: HAS_ACCOMMODATION(l,x) -> REQUIRE_ACCESSIBILITY_CHECK(l,x) for learning delivery.
  R5: AFFECTED_BY(l,ConnectivityConstraint) -> FLAG_POTENTIAL_ACCESS_BARRIER(l), not learner incapacity.
  R6: COMPLETES_REQUIRED_ASSESSMENTS(l,c) AND SATISFIES_CREDENTIAL_POLICY(l,c) -> CREDENTIAL_ELIGIBLE(l,c).

CONFIDENCE
  confidence: float[0,1]
  confidence_kind: {observed, inferred, estimated, unverified}
  Inferred learning outcomes require validated assessment evidence; engagement metrics alone are insufficient.

SEMANTIC_EQUIVALENCE
  distance_learning ~= remote_learning [context-dependent]
  online_learning ~= e_learning [context-dependent]
  synchronous_learning != asynchronous_learning
  course_completion != demonstrated_competency
  platform_activity != learning_achievement

PROVENANCE
  source_url: SOURCE_URL
  assertion_source: URI | DocumentID | EventID
  observed_at: ISO8601?
  valid_from: ISO8601?
  valid_until: ISO8601?
  evidence_method: {record, assessment, survey, inference}
  provenance_required: true

FLOW_HASH
  algorithm: SHA-256
  input: canonical_serialization(entity_types, relationship_types, constraints, rules, version)
  hash_value: COMPUTE_ON_EXPORT

UPDATE_MODEL
  update_strategy: versioned_append_with_supersession
  change_tracking: {entity, relationship, rule, evidence, validity}
  conflict_policy: retain_conflicting_claims_with_provenance_until_resolved
  review_triggers: {curriculum_revision, platform_change, assessment_policy_change, new_evidence}

AI_CONSUMPTION
  machine_readable: true
  retrieval_keys: {domain, entity_type, relationship_type, learning_objective, course_id}
  inference_policy: evidence_based_with_explicit_uncertainty
  privacy: minimise_personal_data; respect access controls
  fairness: do_not_infer_ability_from_access_or_engagement_proxies
  output_requirements: {typed_claims, confidence, provenance, temporal_scope}

END FLOW ALGEBRA