Macquarie University Library E-Learning Standards “Perfecting the Irrelevant”? Maxine Brodie CAUL Meeting Teaching & Learning Forum Hobart 2004

Macquarie University Library Outline E-Learning Standards Activities –Process –Practicalities Metadata (LOM), Re-usable content (IMS, SCORM) !DEA-Lab –Frameworks ELF, CORDRA –Action FRODO ADL Co-Lab?

Open Standards Process Time Recognition of a common problem Convening of wise counsel Coding and implementing specification in software Interoperability, tranquility, & peace on Earth: Open Standard Specification published Fussing, Cussing, Discussing…. More Cussing… Brad Wheeler, AliLab 2004

“Commercial vendors vary in the degree of their commitment to, and delivery of, flexible, interoperable systems that are truly based on open standards.” --- Chris Vento, Syllabus, April 2004

Scenario B Company A Project B Solution released in product Solution released in product Recognition of a common problem Recognition of a common problem Recognition of a common problem Convening of wise counsel Fussing, Cussing, Discussing…. More Cussing… Specification published Coding and implementing specification in software Time Ideal Interoperability suffers Goodwill or marketplace pressure invokes re-write to the specification But…

“…A second discontinuity for vendors is the double-edged sword of creating true interoperability while selling unique value. Customers want open systems using open standards, but the very act of truly achieving this commoditizes the proprietary value of a system’s uniqueness.” Educause Review, June/July 2004

Macquarie University Library Practicalities –are standards being used?

Macquarie University Library Metadata International LOM survey – which elements are used and how? Currently about 1 / 3 to ½ of the elements used – many of these in common with DC Is further development valuable or “perfecting the irrelevant”? –Fewer and better defined elements may be more effective than the current range of choices, particularly for educational elements –Clear and easily supported means of working with local, customised vocabularies –Structures to accommodate complex but more conventional aspects of resources description eg multiple title, language

Macquarie University Library Reusable Content - Content Packaging & Metadata IMS Content Packaging Specification v1.1.3 SCORM compliance – metadata and packaging Metadata – IEEE LOM and IMS Learning Resource Metadata

Macquarie University Library SCORM Sharable Content Object Reference Model – harmonised set of guidelines, specifications and standards designed to foster creation of reusable learning content Produced and maintained by ADL – Advanced Distributed Learning Appears to have critical mass for competency-based training

(Dan Rehak, Carnegie Mellon Learning Systems Architecture Lab at !DEA 2004)

Macquarie University Library !DEA-Lab 2004 Practical opportunity for developers of content management tools and systems to test whether educational content can be read and stored by systems: –Digital repositories –Virtual learning environments –Content management systems –Utilities 30 providers met for 2 days in Melbourne August

17 Content Providers 11 Consumers How did they do? IDEA-Lab results

Macquarie University Library Frameworks – the ones to watch

Kerry Blinco (IDEA,2004)

E-Learning Standards and E-Learning Infrastructure

Macquarie University Library What does this mean right now?

Macquarie University Library FRODO Meeting held between ARROW and APSR facilitated by IT-019 agreed to –Look at relevance of ELF and CORDRA to define common business requirements that may then benefit from a harmonised standards approach and which may assist in the middleware and MAMS discussions –Look at longer term relevance of using LOM metadata profile that is SCORM compliant