Interoperability Standards: Exchanging Information
There are many benefits to implementing VLE systems that have a standard way of exchanging information:
You can use and reuse learning materials across multiple systems. This means that you will not have to worry about adapting resources for use across a variety of different platforms.
If you have invested time developing a module or learning activity, you can easily 'pick it up' and 'drop it in' to another course. Alternatively it could be placed in a 'repository' for easy storage, retrieval and sharing with your colleagues or students.
If you don't like a particular tool within your VLE (for example the assessment system, or the discussion board), you can link in another tool that will meet your requirements.
Perhaps most importantly, your department, school or faculty may have more flexibility in terms of choosing the VLE tools that can support the type of teaching and learning within your subject discipline. For example, schools of social science may emphasise the use of discussion boards, whereas engineering schools may focus on collaborative design tools.
If we want e-Learning systems that can work together (or be 'interoperable'), the software for these systems must have some sort of standard way of exchange information (Liber and Olivier, 2003). These standards all have the broad aim of increasing interoperability and reducing major inhibiting factors inherent within most current VLEs when information and content becomes 'locked in' to a particular software system. A learning technology standard is a recognized technology, format or method that has been ratified by a recognised standards body. Currently, there are various international standards bodies working in this area, for example ISO (International Standards Organisation), CEN (Comité Européen de Normalisation) or IEEE (Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers), or national bodies such as BSI (British Standards Institute) (Currier and Campbell, 2003). According to IMS, 'The development of a framework that supports pedagogical diversity and innovation, while promoting the exchange and interoperability of e-learning materials, is one of the key challenges in the e-learning industry today' (IMS, 2002).
The concept of learning technology standards may seem very alien to you as a tutor, particularly since it has its own set of terminologies. Standards may seem like a technical issue, secondary to the process of teaching. You may perceive your 'real work' as designing, developing and implementing e-learning courses. You may think that standards is not an issue that impacts upon your work: that someone else (e.g. software developers who are developing 'interoperable' systems) should deal with it. However, standards developers need to know how tutors would like to use VLEs – in order to develop systems that can support a broad range of pedagogic approaches. The development of these specifications requires clear identification of good practice in the use of existing VLE systems. Ideas from tutors who have experimented with VLEs and have identified issues surrounding reusability of resources and transferability of information is essential to inform the development of future specifications.
Further information is available from:
The UK Centre for Educational Technology Interoperability Standards http://www.cetis.ac.uk
The IMS Organisation www.ims.org and
A Short Course on Structured Course Development, Learning Objects, and E-Learning Standards http://careo.prn.bc.ca/losc/losccourse.html
