LIFE

eLearning Interoperability
Framework for Europe
Frans Van Assche
Senior Manager European Schoolnet
Vice-Chair CEN/ISSS WSLT
Member of the board of Directors European IMS Network

European
 Partners
• European Schoolnet
• European IMS Network
• Bolton University (CETIS)
• University of Vigo (LTSO)
• Norwegian eStandards project
• Universty of Paris
• CEDEFOP
• SUN Microsystems

European
 Why Interoperability

• Being able to interoperate with others

• Costs & timeliness: not reinvent the wheel
• Quality: through sharing and reuse, quality
increases
• Stimulate creativity by taking out the
tediousness

European
 Interoperability

Technical Semantic

Political

European
 Interoperability is Transversal

Schools Universities Vocational Electronic IT Industry

Training Publishing
Industry

Common Ground

European
 Objectives
• To explore the topic of practice in e-
learning interoperability, and to identify its
dimensions of real importance to Europe,
exploring
– the current state of art
– the trends and challenges
– the important issues to be addressed
– and guidelines and recommendations for the
target groups.

European
 Approach

• Organising and facilitating of 4 workshops,

2 working conferences, and 2 plugfests to
support cooperation and dialogue, both at a
cross-European level and at a regional level

European
 Areas
• Assessment
– IMS QTI
• Learning Activity and Learning Content
– IMS Content Packaging
– ADL SCORM
– IMS Learning Design
– IMS Simple Sequencing
– IEEE CMI
– IMS Active Content
– ISO Collaborative Learning
• Enterprise/MLE
– IMS Enterprise 1.1
– Enterprise Application Profiles
– IMS Digital Rights Management
– IEEE DREL SIG
– IMS Digital Repositories
– OKI OSIDs
– Schools Interoperability Framework
– IMS Enterprise 2.0 (Exchange)

European
 Areas
• Learner Information
– Learner Information Package
– European Diploma Supplement
– LIP Application Profile
– IMS ePortfolios
• Metadata & Learning Object Repositories
– Dublin Core Metada Initiative
– IEEE LOM
– Pedagogical Metadata
– LOM Application Profile
• Accessibility
– IMS Accessibility Guidelines
– IMS Additions to LIP
– IMS Additions to Metadata

European
 Audiences
• Researchers
• System developers
• “Content” developers
• Users
• Policy/decision Makers

European
 Expected Results
• A “Roadmap to eLearning Interoperability”.
The roadmap will be published as a report
and will not only be a practitioner’s guide
to interoperability, but also include policy
recommendations concerning the practical
application of interoperability

European
 Tasks over a spec lifecycle

Tasks
Identify Needs & Input Needs, 1. Open Source Ref Implementations Establish 1. Raise Awareness
Develop Prototype Experience & 2. Implement in Tools & Systems Consistent Good 2. Support Effective
Specs Expertise 3. Establish Interoperability Practices General Use

Stages
Needs Interoperable
Plugfests Testing
Systems & Content

Multiply-Sourced
Implemented “Content” Creation
R&D LT Specs Systems & Content
in Systems & Exchange
used for Learning

New Needs

European
Talk back to us

http://life.eun.org

European