E-Learning Framework & Standards: Enhancing Education Technology

1. E-learning tools, standards and systems Sarah Porter Head of Development, JISC

2. Overview • Aim: set the e-learning framework, tools and standards in context. Explain why the JISC is funding this activity. • What is JISC? What are its priorities? • What does JISC develop and how? • What is the e-learning programme? • What is the e-learning framework and why does it matter?

3. Joint Information Systems Committee • Public funding body for post-16 and higher education • Funded by Funding Councils in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales • Supports post-16 (formerly FE) and HE • Annual budget of approx £66 million

4. Core JISC Budget

5. HEFCE Spending Review Budget

6. Implementing the JISC Strategy 2004-6 • JISC is positioned to lead the field internationally in integrated technologies across research, learning and teaching, management, digital libraries; • Also needs to consider needs of specific communities and innovate to support them; • Works in partnership with key agencies and groups to share resources and experience.

8. JISC’S Role JISC will build on its existing activities of providing a world-class infrastructure and promoting innovation through development programmes.

9. JISC Development Group • Manages JISC development activities • Development programmes • Studies • Piloting of technologies • Working with post-16 and HE communities to identify requirements from technology • Test out current technologies • Explore processes for implementation – cultural issues etc. • Over 200 current projects • Manages development services e.g. Centre for Educational Technology Interoperability Standards (CETIS)

10. Areas of work • E-learning • E-research • Integrated systems to support all communities • Middleware • Innovative technologies. • Plans have to be dynamic to respond to changes in external environments; • Adapt to what we learn from activities.

11. Outputs may include: • Prototype user applications • Pilot technical or community services • Exemplars of good practice in deployment and use of technology • Guidelines, case studies or toolsets • Projects and studies where a report is the main deliverable • Projects developing new forms of content (e.g. discovery tools or learning materials) • Technical standards and frameworks • Project management resources and other ‘by-products’ of programme management techniques

12. Outcomes may include:  • Capacity development in the community • Targeted outputs from projects or studies that set definitions or contribute to strategic thinking and decision making in the community • Representation of community needs to commercial vendors • New services.

13. monitor, evaluate and review Embedding or service development prioritize requirements scope activity Capture outcomes and outputs develop and pilot

14. JISC e-learning programme • How might e-learning approaches might be used to facilitate learning and teaching? • How might these approaches might be effectively implemented? • Programme provides a link between learning and teaching practice and technology development.

15. E-learning programme • E-learning and pedagogy • E-learning framework • E-learning and innovation • Distributed e-learning • Video clip

16. Standards and specifications • Been active in this area for many years • Why? • Standards bring commercial and educational sectors together • We act as users and articulate our requirements • Hope to influence vendor community as well as developing ‘community source’ • May do this by developing software, examples, standards …

17. The E-learning framework • Roadmap to coordinate technical development activities • E-learning community and beyond (working with research and Grid communities) • National and international • Also a blueprint for institutions or organisations to use for planning

18. The e-Learning Framework

19. The e-Learning Framework • Potential - not yet actual • A roadmap – to coordinate activities • What we’ve already got • collaborate on overlaps • Identify where there are gaps • Not set in stone – open to change; will go through different iterations • Following emerging consensus in e-Learning standards bodies (especially IMS) • Following emerging consensus in IT industry • Service oriented approach and web services

20. The e-Learning Framework • Benefits: • Build on existing ‘monolithic’ legacy systems • Don’t throw away investment in existing systems… • … add Web Service interfaces to them • Develop incrementally • Start in the area of greatest need • Agree unified set of standards • Minimise integration costs • Service components more widely usable • Mix commercial and open source systems • Adaptable, extensible environment • According to size, priorities and budget • In a rapidly changing field

21. Where you come in … • ELF projects developing: • Web Service Definitions for component services • Implemented in Web Service Toolkits • Service and client ‘adapters’ • Mainly in Java and .NET, with standardised APIs • Derived from the Web Service Definition Language • Open Source • Liberal ‘commercial use’ licenses • Encourage wide adoption of specifications • Service definitions submitted to specification bodies • IMS only e-Learning body developing Web Service specifications.

22. Interoperability in practice • How to create, re-use and share learning objects • RELOAD open source content editor • JORUM learning object repository • Video clip from Exchange for Learning demonstration

23. Credits and contact details • Thanks to Bill Olivier and Paul Hollins of CETIS for contributions and advice • S.porter@jisc.ac.uk