Blackboard/Common Cartridge and Open Educational Resources with SoftChalk

1. Blackboard/Common Cartridge and Open Educational Resources with SoftChalk Jeff Kahn

2. Member Sponsor Member

3. What is IMS Common Cartridge Who is SoftChalk How does SoftChalk integrate with Blackboard via Common Cartridge and otherwise What is an Open Educational Resource (OER) How does SoftChalk support authoring OERs How can Blackboard be an OER Repository What we will cover

4. IMS Global Learning ConsortiumCommon Cartridgewww.imsglobal.org

5. What Problem Does Common Cartridge Address?

6. The Need for a Standard

7. Common Cartridge is a specification for packaging learning and assessment content. • The package distills the latest and best community practices for sharing digital content among authoring tools and learning platforms.

8. What’s In CC 1.0 • Cartridge Manifest – describes the cartridge (zip of files) • Metadata • Cartridge, Roles, Curriculum Standards (coming) • Content • html, xml, media files (mpg, jpg, mp3), application files (e.g. Microsoft Office), … • Web links • Integrated assessments (and question banks) • Multiple choice (single or multiple response) • True/false • Essay • Simple fill in the blank • Pattern match (optional) • Discussion forum • Authorization for protected content (optional)

9. Simplified Course Import Example

10. Starting with this… Some Course Documents Some Links to Content Some Discussion Topics An Assessment

11. We package like this… course-xx.zip imsmanifest.xml resources content file (supporting files) xml file describing link xml file describing discussion topic xml file describing assessment

12. Simplified Course Example

13. Cartridge Structure on Disk

14. Discussion topic text is stored in an XML file that must be processed by the learning platform. Discussions can have attachments. Discussion Topics (specification section 4.7)

15. Link information is stored in an XML file that must be processed by the learning platform. Links can have some parameters related to desired behavior. Web Links (specification section 4.8)

16. Assessment (continued)

17. Authorization on cartridge import Authorization on cartridge use Authorization on resource use Mechanism (separate specification) Unique identifier Web service address Authorization(specification section 4.6)

19. Blackboard Support for Common Cartridge Import

26. Resources for Developers

27. Developer section on the CC Alliance Forum http://www.imsglobal.org/developers/alliance/ccresources.cfm Valid Cartridges (17) and Invalid Cartridges (35) These determine conformance for importers Feedback on Cartridges Other Cartridges Product Directory Learning Impact Challenge Sample Cartridges

29. Compliant and In-the-Works http://www.imsglobal.org/cc/statuschart.html

30. SoftChalk is a content authoring tool that can export material in IMS Common Cartridge format. Blackboard will be able to import Common Cartridges. Take-Aways

31. www.softchalk.com

32. Based in Richmond, Virginia Founded in 2002 by folks with history of educational technology innovation since 1996, including Web Course in a Box later sold to Blackboard. Offers a range of online and in-person training Works with a number of open initiatives, including: IMS, MERLOT, Connexions Consortium, and Sakai. Blackboard Signature Partner Cofounder of SoftChalk was Cofounder of the BbOpenSource.org that predated OSCELOT. Who is SoftChalk LLC

33. Desktop application, written in Java Runs on Windows and Mac OSX Creates content in Web format Students view with a web browser Content delivered in a Learning Management System (LMS), on CD-ROM, or on a web server What is SoftChalk Lesson Builder

34. Media Search Tool Includes Blackboard Content System

35. REST interface Uses NOSESSION to avoid login Returns XML containing items and their metadata Available through OSCELOT Building Block for Dump of Content System Metadata

36. Publish to Blackboard From Within SoftChalk

37. REST interface Login using a key Get TOC, Course, Folders, and Items, Content Add Item, zip, SCORM Replace and Delete Building Block for Upload

38. Open Educational Resources

39. According to Wikipedia: “Open educational resources (OER) are learning materials that are freely available for use, remixing and redistribution.” What is an Open Educational Resource

40. Authoring Tool Content Use License Repository to Hold Content Discovery Service / Refer-atory Consuming Application Complete OER Solution

41. OER Licensing http://www.creativecommons.org

42. License Displays in Footer

43. Decide how open to allow contribution Instructor(s) login Users outside the institution can be given Guest access Make the content discoverable MERLOT, etc Blackboard as OER Repository

44. References to OERs Peer Reviewed SoftChalk Publish

45. Authoring Tool Content Use License Repository to Hold Content Discovery Service / Refer-atory Consuming Application Take-Away

46. Please provide feedback for this session by emailing DevConFeedback@blackboard.com.  The subject of the email should be title of this session: Blackboard/Common Cartridge and Open Educational Resources with SoftChalk

47. Questions? jeffkahn@verbenaconsulting.com jkahn@imsglobal.org jkahn@softchalk.com