Web Based Training : What do We Expect from the System Denis Helic, Hermann Maurer and Nick Scherbakov Institute for Information Processing and Computer Supported New Media (IICM), Graz University of Technology Schießstattgasse 4a, A-8010 Graz, Austria Email: {dhelic, hmaurer, nsherbak}@iicm.tu-graz.ac.at Generally speaking a Web Based Training (WBT) system is supposed to maintain an educational process available “anytime anywhere” by means of World Wide Web (WWW) technology. Practically, any WWW site containing educational material is called a WBT system. All experienced users have discovered that there is a considerable gap between these two definitions. In this paper we analyze the term “WBT” from different perspectives and claim that the authoring, communicational and data access tools currently available on the Internet are not sufficient to fully exploit the tremendous educational power of the largest information and communication resource mankind has ever had. We contend that primitive hypermedia node-link data model and its most prominent implementation WWW do not have enough functionality to provide the power that is needed for WBT. We explain important features that are absent, claim that WBT systems incorporating such features are essential and mention a first such WBT system called WBT-Master, which is currently being developed as prototype in connection with the EU Project CORONET. Keywords: WBT, user roles, node-link data model, WBT tools 1 Introduction The term ‘WBT’ refers to a range of systems that support at least [2]: • developing of high quality multi-media courseware; • repository of learning resources available world-wide, including not only courseware, but also personal info on peer helpers, on-the-fly contributions of previous users, etc. • easy access to the learning resources “anytime anywhere”; • support for personal definition of learning goals and variety of novel learning methods; • synchronous and asynchronous communication and collaboration among leaners and between learners and experts; • database of previously answered questions to automatically answer similar ones • testing of knowledge level • customisation of courseware to the knowledge level and the cognitive style of the learner • IPR protection and brokerage of relevant learning services • progress tracking and certification as support for assessment and recognition aspects of the acquired skills.