© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Edward Walker IMS Global Learning Consortium IMS: Status Report February 2003

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Outline A bit of context Released specifications Plans Discussion starters

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. e-Learning Has Many Faces Labs Test-beds Domain Consortia Teaching and Learning Learning Providers Technology Vendors Researchers Content Providers Policy Makers Teachers and Learners

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Specifications Connect Ends with Means Ends What to do How to do it What happened Means Products Services Policies Experts, Providers Communities of Use

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Specifications Capture Shared Practice Specifications Emerge 0 UniqueShared Pioneers Everyone Practice Infrastructure

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nobody Gets Everything; But Everyone Does Get Something Labs Test-beds Domain Consortia Teaching and Learning Learning Providers Technology Vendors Researchers Content Providers Policy Makers Teachers and Learners

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Specs are an Outcome, not an Input Requirements and Technology Test and Use Define Refine

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Return on Investment Longer lifetimes for investments of time or money Reduced maintenance cost for content libraries, course portfolios, and learning delivery systems Better cost/benefit metrics for learning outcomes Improved teaching and learning Consolidated basis for further development and future invention Probably not cheaper content and software

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Goals of Interoperability Specs Data Synchronization Enterprise Integration Tool/UI Integration Application Portability Resource Sharing

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Specifications, Best Practice New Products, Pilot Programs, Testbeds R&D Concepts User Needs Technical Trends Spec Consortia Programs Testbeds, Markets Standards Bodies Standard Products and Services SIF oclc COLIS UKeU Ufi ALIC There are Lots of Moving Parts eCC LTSC SC36 AeN UN

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Parts are Moving Together Division of labor Adoption Pressure for coordination

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Released Specifications Data Exchange Meta-data v 1.2 Content Packaging v 1.2 Assessment v 1.2 Learner Information v 1.2 Enterprise Exchange v 1.2 Interaction Sequencing v 1.0 Learning Design v 1.0 Repositories v 1.0 Competencies v 1.0 Accessibility

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Checkpoint on Progress MD, CP, ENT LIP, QTI, SS, DRI, LD, RDC SCORM OKI SIF-ZIS R&D Concepts User Needs Technical Trends LOM CMI

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. What Next? Spec Development evolution new work Adoption maintenance conformance user networks

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Evolution Abstract Framework Next versions “Area” SIGs

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. New Work Active Content Repository/LMS interaction Accessibility/Mobile learning

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Adoption: Maintenance SIGs Spec. Developers IMS Staff Significant change Requirements Committee SIGs Consultation Minor Update Review fails Submission Form (Public Web Site) Maintenance or Errata issues identified by Developer/User Community Technical Advisory Board Editor Technical Advisory Board Review Develop and Approve Revision

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Adoption: Compliance Testing International Conformance Program Product Under Test Testing Organization Test Results Certified Product Certifying Organization Certifying Organization Certifying Organization Certifying Authority Test Suite and Program Compliance Mark

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Adoption: User Networks Application profiles, use scenarios, content resources Test-beds, tools, case data, tests Implementer/User/Buyer SIGs –Communication –Documentation –“member services”

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. An Emergent Coalition

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. World-Wide Participation ADL Co-Lab Apple Artesia Technologies Avaltus BECTA Blackboard Boeing Campus Pipeline CIC Cisco Systems Click 2 Learn Calif. State Universities Cambridge University Can Studios CMU DEST Digital Learning Interactive Digitalthink Docent Oracle PeopleSoft R5 Vision Saba Software SCT SUFI Sun Texas Instruments THINQ Thomson Learning UFI UC – Berkeley UK eUniversity University of Michigan University of Wisconsin US Department of Labor Virginia Tech WebCT Educational Testing Service EDUCAUSE Eduprise FD Learning Fretwell-Downing Group GIUNTI Interactive Labs IBM Corporation Industry Canada JISC Lrng & Tchng Scotland LON LUVIT Miami-Dade Community College Microsoft MIT Open University OU Netherlands

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Coalition Activities Requirements gathering Specifications and Profiles - design, development, and integration Services – Technical conferences, Workshops, Plugfests, Websites Conformance – Interoperability Testing, Compliance Program

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Consolidation and Customization Higher Ed Tech TrainingK-12/Schools Life Long Learning Prof. TrainingPerf. Support Technology: spec development, frameworks, use cases Community of use: testbeds, plugfests, workshops, SIGs Community at large: conferences, libraries, UGs, certif.

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Unifying Assumptions Interoperable components standard services,structures, behaviors Layered framework separated system services, educational services, and learning applications Decomposable content and experiences re-usable aggregations and activities Independence from implementations multiple realizations, multiple use domains

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Take-aways for Discussion The base of e-learning technology and experience already is established Adoptability and user impact will dominate technology and program elegance Specs (and standards) will continue to evolve Too much localization undermines utility

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Final thoughts This has happened before –ARPAnet -> NSFnet -> Internet –FTP-> Gopher-> WAIS -> Web The less unique the technology, the better

© 2003 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Questions?