How to create flexible runtime delivery of distance learning courses

Distance Learning Providers serve large populations of learners, frequently offering the same course to different groups of learners over lengthy periods of time. This article argues that (re-) running e-learning courses with different combinations of learners and staff requires a distinction between abstract representations of courses and instances of these representations involving specific learners and support staff. The article provides an analysis of the requirements for multiple deliveries of courses, describes the design of an approach which meets these requirements together with experiences resulting from implementation of the design. The article concludes with a discussion of the approach.