Importance of Standards and Specifications for Electronic Learning Materials

Alenka Kavčič
alenka.kavcic@fri.uni-lj.si
Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za računalništvo in informatiko

Povzetek

V prispevku obravnavamo problematiko standardov in specifikacij za elektronske izobraževalne vsebine in pomen njihove praktične uporabe. Posebej je izpostavljena problematika pakiranja učnih gradiv, ki omogoča združljivost, prenosljivost, izmenljivost, dostopnost in ponovno uporabnost gradiv med različni virtualnimi učnimi okolji.
Obravnavani standardi in specifikacije vključujejo tako standarde za učinkovitejše iskanje (odkrivanje) vsebin kot tudi za lažjo izmenjavo in (ponovno) uporabo gradiv. Prvi se osredotočajo predvsem na metapodatke o gradivih in njihovo izmenjavo, drugi pa na pakiranje teh gradiv. Pri slednjih velja posebej omeniti novejši standard IMS Common Cartridge, ki uspešno pokriva tudi uporabo sodobnih spletnih tehnologij pri poučevanju, kot so na primer socialna omrežja, wikiji, forumi ali klepetalnice, ter je tako primeren predvsem za kombinirano učenje s poudarjeno družbeno komponento.
V okviru prispevka so na kratko predstavljeni rezultati evropskega projekta ASPECT: Adopting Standards and Specifications for Educational Content (Sprejemanje standardov in specifikacij za izobraževalne vsebine), katerega glavni cilji so bili izdelati primerjalne analize različnih standardov in specifikacij za izobraževalne vsebine, preveriti učinek njihove implementacije na povečanje vseevropske interoperabilnosti učnih gradiv ter vzpostaviti primere dobrih praks, ki obstoječe specifikacije združujejo v celovite rešitve, namenjene potrebam šolskih skupnosti v celi Evropi, predvsem v smislu iskanja, izmenjave in ponovne uporabe učnih gradiv.

Ključne besede: e-izobraževanje, interoperabilnost, prenosljivost, specifikacije, standardi.

Abstract

The article addresses the issue of standards and specifications for electronic learning materials and the importance of their use in practice. We emphasize the issue of educational content packaging, as it enables compatibility, portability, exchangeability, accessibility, and reusability of content in different Virtual Learning Environments.
Standards and specifications discussed in the paper include standards for more efficient search and discovery of the content, as well as standards for easier exchange and (re)use of the content. The former are concentrated on content’s metadata and their exchange, while the latter focus on content packaging. Particularly, a newer standard IMS Common Cartridge has to be mentioned there, which successfully covers also the use of modern Web technologies in education, such as social networks, wikis, forums and chat rooms, and is thus especially suitable for blended learning with emphasized social component.
The paper also presents the results of the European project ASPECT: Adopting Standards and Specifications for Educational Content. Project’s main objectives were to prepare a comparative analysis of various standards and specifications for educational content, to examine the effect of their implementation on the enhancement of pan-European interoperability of educational resources, and to establish best practices for combining existing specifications into complete solutions, designed for the needs of the school communities in Europe, especially in terms of discovery, exchange, and reuse of learning resources.

Key words: e-learning, interoperability, portability, specifications, standards