Enterprise E­Learning Architecture

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SCORM 2004 Enterprise E­Learning Architecture — Document Transcript
1. SCORM 2004 Enterprise E­Learning Architecture Oklahoma Department of Career &
Technology Education 2006.03.14 1
2. Table of Contents The Integration Challenge
....................................................................................
......... 3 The Ultimate Goal
....................................................................................
..................... 5 SCORM Dreams vs.
Reality
....................................................................................
...... 6 Bending the SCORM
....................................................................................
................. 6 Breaking the SCORM
....................................................................................
................ 7 A Modified SCORM
Infrastructure
................................................................................. 8
Appendix 1: Definitions
....................................................................................
.............. 12 Appendix 2: Related Reading
....................................................................................
.... 15 Appendix 3: Related Software
....................................................................................
... 16 Appendix 4: Architecture Overview
Diagram ................................................................. 17 2
3. The Integration Challenge E­learning cannot be successful in a vacuum.
E­learning leverages existing technology to deliver
existing training that meets existing goals. E­learning does not force a re­tooling
of existing IT infrastructure or human
resources development. It does; however, require that these systems exist.
Existing Training Development Training developers
that are successful with in­person training programs already possess the skills
necessary to deploy and manage e­learning. The
e­learning medium should not force philosophical changes on existing training
development strategies. The primary goal is to
extend existing training frameworks to encompass e­learning. Educational Objectives
Reusing educational objectives consistently
across the enterprise requires a standard format and application model. IMS, the
leading international e­learning standards
body, provides a specification called the Reusable Definition of Competency or
Educational Objective (RDCEO). The RDCEO
specification provides a ready­to­go model for defining objectives across the
enterprise. E­learning initiatives that implement
the SCORM depend on a catalog of RDCEOs to complete the metadata requirements for
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content. However, these RDCEOs provide little
additional value if they are not placed within a larger framework of competencies
and job descriptions that drive the
organization. Defining objectives and nesting them beneath a hierarchy of
competencies unlocks the re­usability of these items.
Competencies that exist for multiple jobs share a set of RDCEOs, SCOs, and
assessment items. RDCEOs, and the context provided
by a competency framework for employees is beyond the SCORM. However, the SCORM
will not thrive without these additional
frameworks. Content Representing content consistently across the enterprise requires
a specification for creating and moving
content in and out of disparate systems. The SCORM leverages the IMS standard for
content packaging to achieve this goal. A
lesson authored to the SCORM may contain any type and number of files, but it must
be accompanied by a set of XML documents that
identify it as a SCO. Systems that import or export these content packages utilize
this information to describe the content's
purpose to the delivery system. Carnegie Mellon's Learning Systems Architecture Lab
(LSAL) has published numerous guides designed
to assist instructional designers with the creation of content that conforms to the
SCORM. LSAL's SCORM Content Developer's
Guide is a must read for training developers that intend to implement the SCORM.
The Content Developer's Guide outlines a
process for extending existing training development practices to produce SCOs. The
SCORM enables training developers to benefit
from content re­use. It follows that training developers must be able to identify
and capitalize on opportunities for re­use.
Taking advantage of these opportunities requires a knowledge management system that
relates competencies, objectives, and SCOs
throughout the enterprise. Assessment Representing assessment consistently across
the enterprise requires a specification for
creating and delivering assessments. IMS has created the Question Test
Interoperability specification to meet this challenge.
QTI formatted assessments are expressed in XML files and they can be moved in and
out of 3
4. QTI­aware applications throughout the enterprise. It is important to realize
that the SCORM does not address assessment.
QTI­formatted assessments can be delivered through a SCORM compliant LMS as SCOs.
However, the dominant method for delivering
on­line assessments involves a separate delivery system. Test delivery that occurs
alongside course delivery is accomplished
through an LMS­specific feature set or a separate web service such as
Questionmark's Perception product. The key to integration
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with other facets of the SCORM is chunking each assessment into an item bank that
resides with the SCO it supports. Within the
knowledge management system, objectives (RDCEOS), content (SCOs), and test items
(QTI) should reside together. This facilitates
the rapid discovery and re­use of all training assets within the enterprise. The
QTI standard is not a formal part of the
SCORM. Furthermore, QTI has its own rich communication and presentation model.
Including a QTI document within a SCORM content
package will do little good unless the receiving system supports the import and
delivery of QTI documents. Existing Information
Technology E­learning projects must leverage existing IT resources to be successful.
E­learning, as it relates to IT
infrastructure, has to do with delivery vehicles and integration. However,
deploying a Learning Management System to enable web
delivery is the last task that your IT staff should complete in support of an
e­learning initiative. The first task is the
standardization of e­learning business objects and integration with existing IT
systems. Standard representations of e­
learning people, e­learning results, and e­learning content must be approved.
These e­learning specific objects must then be
integrated with their representations in the existing enterprise architecture.
This is best accomplished by extending people,
results, and content objects within existing business systems. People
Representing people consistently throughout the
enterprise is the goal of the Internet2 research consortium's MACE­Dir working
group. The MACE­Dir group has published a set of
enterprise authentication standards and tools that provide a road­map for extending
existing authentication systems to represent
people in an inter­operable manner. Results Representing results consistently
throughout the enterprise requires a standard for
data collection that supersedes specific pedagogies. The CMI data model, developed
by the Aviation Industry CBT Committee,
forms the basis of the SCORM data model. The SCORM data model standardizes how LMS
products track student data. Integration
with existing training data systems requires services that translate CMI data into
a format acceptable to those training systems.
Content Representing content consistently throughout the enterprise requires a
standard for packaging and describing content.
The SCORM Content Package is a standardized approach to managing content as it
moves in and out of systems throughout the
enterprise. The SCORM allows for rich metadata to be expressed via the IEEE LOM
(Learning Object Metadata) and attached to
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objects within a content package. Services that handle content within the
enterprise can utilize this metadata to associate
content objects with educational objectives, organizational goals, courses, etc..
4
5. Standardization and integration of these e­learning business objects is the first
task of an existing IT staff in support of
an e­learning initiative. Once this task has been completed, an IT staff can deploy
Learning Management Systems with confidence.
The Ultimate Goal The ultimate goal is a comprehensive infrastructure for
e­learning. Achieving this goal requires both a
detailed implementation plan and a vision for the outcome. The desired outcome has
to include the formal definition and rigorous
preservation of the link between educational objectives, content, and assessment.
Every standard implemented and every
technology tool deployed must support and enable this relationship. The stronger
the link is between these objects, the stronger
the e­learning initiative becomes. Technology infrastructures and team
collaboration become focused as this link materializes.
ISDs design courseware in accordance with instructional goals, media developers
focus their creative energy, and psychometrists
build frameworks that accurately measure outcomes. Diagram 1 – Critical Link SCORM
Dreams vs. Reality The SCORM provides
specifications for packaging content, and a model for communication between that
content and the Learning Management System (LMS)
that delivers it. The SCORM does not; however, standardize every aspect of content
design, development, and delivery. Instead,
it strives to codify the minimum set of features and processes necessary to ensure
the reusability of content across multiple
delivery vehicles. The dream of the SCORM is the creation of a large pool of
learning objects that are well­defined, and context
neutral. Training developers address training needs by selecting and sequencing a
collection of objects from the pool. No re­
authoring of the content is necessary for reuse, and a single learning object may
be delivered via multiple SCORM compliant LMS
products. Course managers can create unlimited course pathways based on the same
content, and the learner tracking model remains
consistent for all SCORM­based objects. This facilitates uniform reporting models
for all courses regardless of delivery 5
6. vehicle. The reality of the SCORM is far more challenging. SCORM­based content
objects use ECMAScript to communicate with the
LMS during delivery. Inconsistent support for ECMAScript across browsers can
prevent the accurate reporting of student scores,
time within lessons, and a host of other valuable progress indicators. Course
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developers leveraging learning objects originally
created for other courses struggle with the inconsistent visual styles of the
objects. In addition, the heterogeneity of the
media present in the objects produces a daunting list of required software for the
end­user (Flash, Java, Quicktime, etc.).
Training developers may be able to package a collection of learning objects, but
they cannot control the learner's pathway
through the objects without a SCORM 2004 compliant LMS product. SCORM 1.2 (SCORM
2004's predecessor) enjoys the greatest
industry traction, but it does not include support for content sequencing. As a
result, most organizations find themselves
without the SCORM 2004 runtime they need to leverage the sequencing capabilities of
the SCORM. In addition, the vast majority of
SCORM­ready content available for purchase is formatted for SCORM 1.2. Bending the
SCORM Reference not Replication The SCORM
Package Interchange Format (PIF), is a compressed folder of resources that can be
imported or exported out of a SCORM compliant
software system. SCORM packages are typically used to move copies of courses and
lessons in and out of SCORM software systems.
However, the fact that these packages contain copies of the content is problematic.
Creating 20 sections of the same course
will create 20 copies of the course content within the LMS. Subsequent changes to
the “master” course will necessitate changes
to all 20 copies. The resulting content management nightmare clearly defeats the
intent of the SCORM. The solution is to
reference content, rather than replicate content, when constructing a SCORM
package. Referencing content involves embedding
links in SCORM packages to content stored on a central server. SCORM packages that
reference content create courses that can be
centrally managed. However, some LMS products may not properly import a SCORM
package that does not contain any references to
local files within the package. Rigorous testing should be performed on the
organization's candidate LMS products to determine
what degree of content referencing their SCORM features will support. Content
Resolution Reference­only SCORM packages should
utilize some form of content resolution. Content resolution assigns a unique
identifier to every resource and stores its actual
location in a database. SCORM packages contain references to a resolution service
with the unique identifier embedded. An
example URL might look something like this:
http://www.example.com/resolver/38a52be4­9352­453e­af97­5c3b448652f0 The content
resolution service would lookup the actual location of the content, fetch it, and
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return it to the browser. Content resolution
allows repository managers to move or restructure the storage of content over time
without breaking existing content references.
Complex content resolution services may also select a secondary or tertiary content
storage location in the event of a failure at
the primary location. 6
7. The leading open implementation of this service is the Handle service created by
the Corporation for National Research
Initiatives (CNRI). Content as XML The SCORM deliberately avoids specifying a
format for content. However, any organization
that intends to invest in content development should set standards for its
creation. XML is, by far, the most flexible and
future­proof format for e­learning content. However, not all e­learning content
files can be stored as XML. Video and audio
files, for example, must be stored as binary files. XML is suitable for storing
text­based data, and a wealth of tools exist to
manage content stored in this format. Content stored in XML format can be
transformed into context appropriate formats. This
transformation capability eliminates the visual inconsistencies inherent in SCORM
content reuse. SCOs created at different times
for different purposes can be transformed into the same layout. This separates
content from presentation and gives course
developers flexibility. The key to taking advantage of XML as a content format is to
provide content authors with XML authoring,
conversion, and management tools that lower the learning curve associated with this
technology. There are a number of
outstanding content management and document management systems that leverage XML as
the raw storage format. These enterprise
applications move organizations away from simple file management to true knowledge
management. Breaking the SCORM Breaking the
SCORM involves disregarding or supplanting portions of the model with in­house tools
and processes. Typically, this is done in
an effort to compensate for a weakness in the model. One such weakness is the
SCORM's dependence on ECMAScript to facilitate
communication between content and the LMS. Solving this problem involves utilizing
another communication vehicle such as Java,
ActiveX, or Flash. The goal of deviating from the SCORM in this way is to increase
the reliability of data reporting within
courses. SCORM 1.2 requires that content call LMSInitialize() and LMSFinish() via
ECMAScript code embedded within the content.
These functions launch and close each lesson respectively. Content developers that
embed applets or media within courseware can
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leverage additional communication protocols. Often, these protocols are more
reliable and feature­rich than the SCORM's
ECMAScript runtime. Of course, the LMS must support these additional protocols.
SCOs created using this approach might deliver
a quiz score to the LMS directly from within a Flash quiz rather than through the
SCORM ECMAScript runtime. The obligatory
LMSInitialize() and LMSFinish() calls could also be embedded within this SCO for
true SCORM 1.2 conformance. However, a SCORM
LMS will not complain if they are missing. The LMS will simply not collect any data
for that lesson via the SCORM runtime. Most
LMS products already support web services as a method for communication between the
LMS and other enterprise systems.
Integrating a Java applet or Flash animation with existing LMS web services is
generally trivial. Unfortunately, customizing
content communication to leverage an LMS­specific web service contradicts the goal
of LMS vendor independence. This can be
addressed with an in­house web service designed to integrate with embedded media
and the protocols they offer. A custom web
service could also provide a SCORM 2004 sequencing engine to SCORM 1.2 LMS
products. The custom web service would facilitate
per user conditional branching independent of the LMS delivering the content.
Decoupling the sequencing engine from the LMS
product allows the sequencing engine to support multiple LMS 7
8. systems, and eventually evolve into a delivery vehicle for additional services
such as chat, file transfer, and help desk
applications. A Modified SCORM Infrastructure The Architecture Overview Diagram
(Appendix 4) illustrates the major components of
an infrastructure based on the SCORM modifications presented in this document.
Document Repository ➢ Staffing the Repository The
flow of documents in and out of the repository is managed by a group of repository
managers that set policy and enforce the
structure of the information stored within the repository. Repository managers
create and disseminate metadata standards for
repository documents, and they convert electronic documents into XML files for
import into the repository. Repository managers
also collaborate with IT support staff to define the organization's transformation
requirements for XML files. IT staff manage
the hardware and software infrastructure necessary to host the document repository.
Software developers create XSL documents
that the repository uses to transform XML files into any number of desired formats.
Examples might include web page output for
inclusion in a portal, PDF output for printing, and alternate XML formats for
inclusion in Java or Flash based e­learning
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engines. ➢ IT Infrastructure The core of the infrastructure is a document
repository that facilitates file storage and the
transformation of XML documents residing within the repository. Both binary and
XML­formatted files are stored in the repository
and metadata is associated with any or all of these resources. The document
repository allows for full text indexing and
searching of documents based on either content or metadata. Catalogs and indexes
of the repository's contents can be generated
and published via organizational portals. Most importantly, the repository allows
for the transformation of XML documents into
multiple delivery formats. The repository separates the creation and management of
XML files from their transformation so that
both technical and content contributors can easily collaborate on repository
documents. Document repositories do not exist to
serve e­learning alone. To the repository, an LMS is simply another consumer of
repository resources. Portals, presentations,
and emails are examples of additional delivery vehicles for repository resources.
In the same way, a repository does not store
e­learning content exclusively. Contracts, emails, and logo graphics are examples
of general use content that a document
repository might store. Digitization ➢ Staffing Digitization Organizational
knowledge exists in many formats, and document
digitization makes it possible to import current resources into a new document
repository. Classifying, digitizing, and
archiving organizational knowledge is the job of a trained digitization
professional. These professionals convert paper­based
resources into repository documents via specialized high­capacity scanning
equipment. ➢ IT Resources 8
9. High capacity scanning equipment drastically reduces the cost and effort required
to import organizational knowledge into a
document repository. A centralized document digitization bureau requires multiple
dedicated sheet­fed scanning stations. A
sample scanning station might include: (1) Workstation (1) Fujitsu fi­4990C
Scanner 3.0+ Ghz Processor 2+ GB RAM (1) HP Scanjet
8200 500+ GB SCSI RAID 5 DVD­R/W 19+ inch LCD Windows XP Professional OmniPage
Office & Paperport The brand and model of both the
workstation and the flatbed scanner are flexible, but the Fujitsu fi­4990C
sheet­fed scanner is a best­of­breed product used by
large libraries and digitization centers around the world. ➢ Digitization Case
Study The Oklahoma Department of Career and
Technology Education is located in the north­central Oklahoma town of Stillwater.
The department provides leadership, resources,
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and assures standards of excellence for a comprehensive statewide system of career
and technology education. That system offers
programs and services in 29 technology center districts operating on 56 campuses,
398 comprehensive school districts, 25 skill
centers and three juvenile facilities. CareerTech's web­based training offerings
serve over 20,000 students each year, and
content developed for online delivery leverages industry standards and best
practices. CareerTech's digitization group processes
thousands of pages of curriculum and documentation every month using high capacity
sheet­fed Fujitsu scanners. Each scanner is
capable of digitizing 90 pages per minute at up to 400 dpi. Output formats include
Group­4 TIFF, PDF, XML, and Microsoft Word.
CareerTech's paper to XML conversion is a two step process: 1. TIFF images acquired
from the scanner are converted to Microsoft
Word format via Scansoft Paperport 2. Microsoft Word Documents are converted to XML
documents via Infrae's DocmaServer product.
The resulting XML documents conform to the Silva DTD and can be imported directly
into CareerTech's Silva document repository.
This process results in greater than 99% accuracy in OCR text conversion, but the
OCR process does not automatically convert and
place images within the resulting Word or XML documents. Inline images must be
manually processed by extracting them from TIFFs
with Adobe 9
10. Photoshop. This approach to bulk document digitization allows a single scanning
station to convert several hundred pages of
curriculum to XML in a single day. Content Resolution ➢ Staffing Resolution
Content resolution maps global unique identifiers
(GUIDs) to their actual URLs within the repository. The relationship between these
values will be maintained by content owners.
➢ IT Resources Content resolution services are available as off­the­shelf software
systems. However, there may be integration
advantages to creating an in­house solution. Given the simplicity of the service,
it is reasonable that a single developer
could create a content resolution service in the organization's preferred language
in as little as one day's time. Once
completed, the service must be hosted on an Internet accessible server that can
handle a large and consistent HTTP load.
Delivery Vehicles ➢ Learning Management System The technical requirements for an
LMS drop significantly if a customized Java or
Flash runtime is utilized to deliver content. Virtually any LMS product can
deliver an end­user experience that mirrors the
SCORM 2004 runtime if reporting and sequencing are handled by a separate web
service that “wraps” the content. Diagram 2 – Flash
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Runtime illustrates how an embedded flash runtime would function. 10
11. Diagram 2 – Flash Runtime The Flash wrapper consists of an html file with an
embedded swf file. The embedded swf loads the
contents of a small xml control file, which provides the swf with the information it
needs to load content and contact the
Runtime application. The Flash wrapper then loads content XML files via HTTP and
communicates with the Runtime via SOAP or
Flash's native “remoting” protocol. The wrapper imposes sequencing rules and
communicates tracking data by calling remote
functions within the Runtime. All tracking data is deposited in the tracking
database. Creating SCORM packages to leverage this
delivery system requires the generation of an html and xml file for each lesson
within a course. A SCORM packager, such as
Reload, can be employed to package a SCORM course from these files. These packages
are then imported into an LMS product, and a
copy of the manifest is imported into the Runtime application. This dual upload
creates the course within the LMS and registers
data tracking for the course within the Runtime. 11
12. APPENDIX 1 : Definitions 1. Web­Based Training (WBT): A type of training that is
similar to computer­based training (CBT);
however, it is delivered over the Internet using a web browser. Web­based training
frequently includes interactive methods, such
as bulletin boards, chat rooms, instant messaging, videoconferencing, and
discussion threads. WBT is usually a self­paced
learning medium, however some systems allow for online testing and evaluation at
specific times. 2. Computer­Based Training
(CBT): Also called computer­assisted instruction (CAI) is a type of education in
which the student learns by executing special
training programs on a computer. CBT is especially effective for training people to
use computer applications because the CBT
program can be integrated with the applications so that students can practice using
the application as they learn. 3. Sharable
Content Object Reference Model (SCORM): is a collection of standards and
specifications for web­based e­learning. It defines how
client side content and a host system called the Run­time Environment (commonly a
function of a Learning Management System, or
LMS) may communicate with each other, as well as how content may be packaged into a
transferable ZIP file. SCORM 2004 introduces
a complex idea called sequencing ­ rules that specify the order a learner may
experience content objects in. 4. IEEE: The
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers or IEEE (pronounced as
eye­triple­e) is an international non­profit,
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professional organization for the advancement of technology related to electricity.
It has the most members of any technical
professional organization in the world, with more than 360,000 members in around
175 countries. 5. AICC: The Aviation (All
Encompassing) Industry CBT (Computer­Based Training) Committee (AICC) is an
international association of technology­based
training professionals. The AICC develops guidelines for aviation industry in the
development, delivery, and evaluation of CBT
and related training technologies. 6. IMS Global: (usually known as IMS) is a
non­profit standards organization concerned with
establishing interoperability for learning systems and learning content and the
enterprise integration of these capabilities.
Their mission is to "support the adoption and use of learning technology
worldwide". 7. Objectives: A learning objective is a
statement of what the learners will be expected to do once they have completed a
specified course of instruction. It prescribes
the conditions, behavior (action), and standard of task performance for the
training setting. The objective is sometimes
referred to as performance or behavioral objectives. For example, knowledge is a
state of mind which cannot be directly measured.
This requires an indirect method of evaluation, that of observing behavior or
performance. 8. Content: In the context of WBT,
content consists of electronic text, images, video, etc.. These media assets are
integrated and presented to support learning
objectives. 9. Assessment items: The components that make up an assessment. For
example, the questions that make up a test could
be referred to as items. IRT (Item response theory) emphasizes that discrete item
responses are taken to be observable
manifestations of a trait or attribute, the existence of which is hypothesized and
must be inferred from the manifest responses.
In other words, individual question responses can indicate specific competencies.
10. Reusable Definition of Competency or
Educational Objective (RDCEO): The Reusable Definition of Competency or
Educational Objective (RDCEO) specification provides a
means to create common understandings of competencies that appear as part of a
learning or career plan, as learning pre­
requisites, or as learning outcomes. 11. Metadata: is defined as the attributes
required to fully or adequately describe a
Learning Object. Relevant attributes of Learning Objects to be described include
type of object, author, owner, terms of
distribution, and format. Where applicable, LOM may also include pedagogical
attributes, such as teaching or interaction style,
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grade level, mastery level, and prerequisites. It is 12
13. possible for any given "learning object" to have more than one set of LOM. 12.
Competency: is the condition or state of being
authorized, or being capable of doing something. The vague nature of this
definition leads to confusion with the term
objective. In practice, a student will complete many objectives before gaining
competency. 13. SCO: The Sharable Content Object
is the smallest chunk of instruction that the SCORM tracks. It is roughly analogous
to a lesson. 14. XML: The Extensible Markup
Language (XML) is a W3C­recommended general­purpose markup language for creating
special­purpose markup languages, capable of
describing many different kinds of data. 15. SCORM Runtime: An ECMAScript driven
communication architecture and data model for
facilitating communication between content and an LMS during delivery. 16. LMS: A
Learning management System (LMS) is a software
system designed to facilitate teachers in the management of educational courses for
their students, especially by helping
teachers and learners with course administration. The system can often track the
learners' progress, which can be monitored by
both teachers and learners. While often thought of as primarily tools for distance
education, they are most often used to
supplement the face­to­face classroom. 17. ECMAScript: is a scripting programming
language, standardized by Ecma International
in the ECMA­262 specification. The language is widely used on the web, and is often
referred to as JavaScript or JScript,
although those two languages are extensions of the ECMA­262 standard. 18. Question
Test Interoperability (QTI): The IMS Question
& Test Interoperability (QTI) specification describes a data model for the
representation of question (assessmentItem) and test
(assessmentTest) data and their corresponding results reports. 19. CMI Data Model:
Computer Managed Instruction data set and
rules that govern AICC content to LMS communication. This model has been
integrated with the SCORM. 20. Internet2: Internet2 or
UCAID (University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development) is a non­profit
consortium which develops and deploys advanced
network applications and technologies, mostly for high­speed data transfer.
"Internet2" is a registered trademark. It is led by
207 universities [1] in the United States and partners from the networking (Cisco
Systems), publishing (Prous Science) and
technology industries (such as Comcast, Intel, Sun Microsystems). Some of the
technologies it has developed include IPv6, IP
multicasting and quality of service. 21. MACE­Dir: Part of Internet2's Middleware
initiative. Middleware, or "glue," is a layer
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of software between the network and the applications. This software provides
services such as identification, authentication,
authorization, directories, and security. The Internet2 Middleware Initiative
(I2­MI) promotes standardization and
interoperability and is working toward the deployment of core middleware services
at Internet2 universities. 22. IEEE LOM: The
applicable Standard for LOM is "IEEE P1484.12". The full name of the Standard is:
"Standard for Information Technology —
Education and Training Systems — Learning Objects and Metadata". "IEEE" stands for
"Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers". The yet­to­be­finalized standard specifis the syntax and semantics of
LOM, and focuses on the minimal set of
attributes, needed to allow Learning Objects to be managed, located, and evaluated.
The standards will accommodate the ability
for locally extending the basic fields and entity types, and the fields can have a
status of obligatory (must be present) or
optional (maybe absent). 23. XSL: the eXtensible Stylesheet Language is a set of
language technologies for defining XML
document transformation and presentation 24. Java: is an object­oriented
programming language developed by James Gosling and
colleagues at Sun Microsystems in the early 1990s. The language, which was designed
to be platform independent, is a derivative
of C++ with a simpler syntax, a more robust runtime environment and simplified
memory management. 13
14. 25. J2EE: Java Platform, Enterprise Edition or Java EE (formerly known as Java
2 Platform, Enterprise Edition or J2EE up to
version 1.4), is a programming platform—part of the Java platform—for developing
and running distributed multi­tier architecture
Java applications, based largely on modular software components running on an
application server. The Java EE platform is
defined by a specification. Java EE is also considered informally to be a standard
because providers must agree to certain
conformance requirements in order to declare their products as Java EE compliant;
albeit with no ISO or ECMA standard. 26. Flash:
or simply Flash, refers to both the Macromedia Flash Player and to a multimedia
authoring program used to create content for it
as well as games or movies created using the program. The Flash Player, developed
and distributed by Adobe Systems (formerly by
Macromedia), is a client application available in most web browsers. It features
support for vector and raster graphics, a
scripting language called ActionScript and bidirectional streaming of audio and
video. 27. HTTP: HyperText Transfer Protocol
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(HTTP) is the method used to transfer or convey information on the World Wide Web.
The original purpose was to provide a way to
publish and receive HTML pages. 14
15. APPENDIX 2 : Related Reading ➢ SCORM 2004 Content Developer's Guide URL:
http://www.lsal.cmu.edu/lsal/expertise/projects/developersguide/developersguide/guid
e­ v1p1­20050405.pdf ➢ SCORM 2004 2nd Edition
Specification URL: http://www.adlnet.gov/downloads/70.cfm ➢ IMS Reusable
Definition of Competency or Educational Objective ­
Information Model URL:
http://www.imsglobal.org/competencies/rdceov1p0/imsrdceo_infov1p0.html ➢ IMS
Question and Test
Interoperability Overview URL:
http://www.imsglobal.org/question/qtiv2p1pd/imsqti_oviewv2p1pd.html ➢ IMS Simple
Sequencing
Information and Behavior Model URL:
http://www.imsglobal.org/simplesequencing/ssv1p0/imsss_infov1p0.html ➢ IMS Content
Packaging
Overview URL:
http://www.imsglobal.org/content/packaging/cpv1p2pd/imscp_oviewv1p2pd.html ➢ IEEE
LOM Draft Standard URL:
http://ltsc.ieee.org/wg12/files/LOM_1484_12_1_v1_Final_Draft.pdf 15
16. APPENDIX 3 : Related Software ➢ Reload SCORM Content Packager URL:
http://www.reload.ac.uk/ ➢ Silva CMS URL:
http://www.infrae.com ➢ Atutor LMS URL: http://www.atutor.ca ➢ Handle Content
Resolution Service URL: http://www.handle.net 16
17. APPENDIX 4 : Architecture Overview Diagram 17
Page 14