DJALCHEMI

Simple overview of e-learning standards

At a meeting this week (the Advisory Board of CIPD's Certificate in Online Learning) the vexed question of Why are there so many e-learning standards, and how do they relate to each other? came up. I busked an answer, and as sometimes (but not always!) happens the busked version came out more articulate and concise than most of my well-considered and extensively prepared answers. So I'll try and reproduced that spontaneity in writing.

I classify e-learning standards according to what it is you want to certificate or test for conformance/compliance (these terms have very specific meanings within certain standards regimes, but I'm lumping them together):

• Is this person a suitably qualified professional? e.g. IITT's Certificated e-Learning Professional programme, CIPD's own certificate or the draft scheme, we're developing for ALT [Update, 30 April 02006: the draft scheme is now running as CMALT];
• Does this organisation use design processes likely to generate good e-learning materials? e.g. the British Learning Association's Quality Mark;
• Do these systems and processes support learners effectively? e.g. British Standard BS 8426;
• Will these learning materials (a.k.a. content) work properly with this e-learning system? e.g. SCORM (which is a reference model not a standard), IMS Content Packaging specification;
• Can I transfer this learner information between systems? e.g. IMS Learning Information Package;
• Will people learn stuff effectively from this material? Unfortunately e-learning standards won't answer this important question — the only thing you can do is assess how well the material will help people achieve an accredited qualification.

It's within the learning materials and learner information areas that I think most people, including me, get confused. That's where you hit all the metadata and modelling languages, bindings etc. The best source I've found to navigate through these areas and understand, for example, how the SCORM model and IMS specs fit together is the report Making Sense of Learning Standards and Specifications produced by the Masie Center.

I was more concise the first time, but that's how it goes when you repeat yourself!