Tuesday, May 06, 2008

E-standards for E-Learning

The Australian Flexible Learning Framework has a very useful web page with recommended technical standards standards for electronic learning. Unfortunately they used a complicated table with images in it making the material hard to find. Here is a simple text version:
  1. Develop e-learning resources

  2. Describe and store resources

  3. Enable discovery and access

  4. Facilitate use for teaching and learning
Most of the recommended standards are uncontroversial. One area I think need more attention, where I would suggest Creative Commons be looked at as an alternative to the Aesharenet licenses.

Content formats

Recommended Standard(s) Reference Function
XHTML 1.0 (extensible Hypertext Markup Language).
  • Desktop environments: optimise for 1024x768 pixel screen resolution
  • Mobile environments: usable at 128 pixel width
  • All web page objects should be scalable.
XHTML 1.0 Author web content
CSS1 or CSS2 (Cascading Style Sheets Level 1 or Level 2) CSS1 level 1
or
CSS2 level 2
Describe style and formatting information
PDF (Portable Document Format) that are appropriately tagged to meet accessibility requirements Adobe PDF Reference Text documents (fixed display)
RTF (Rich Text Format)DOC (MS Word) RTF specification
Microsoft Word support
Text documents
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) suitable for all types of images =
GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) for non-photographic images such as logos, line-drawings, etc
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) for photographic images
PNG
GIF
JPEG
Provide still graphics.
MP3 (Motion Pictures Experts Group Audio Layer 3) AU audio format MP3
AU Format
Provide audio.
MOV (Apple Quicktime Movie)
MPEG2 or MPEG4 (Motion Pictures Experts Group)
AVI (Audio Video Interleave)
SWF (Shock Wave Flash)
FLV (Flash Video)
Quicktime
MPEG2, MPEG-4
AVI
SWF
FLV
Provide video.
Javascript version 1.3
or SWF (Shock Wave Flash)
Sun Javascript reference
Adobe player
Provide interactive content

Recommended Standard(s) Reference Function
WCAG 1.0 (W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)
All Priority 1 Checkpoints must be met
WCAG 1.0 checklist Create content which is widely accessible

Metadata

The Vetadata Specification
Recommended Vocabulary Reference Function Access Vocabuary More Information
Vetadata Educational Use vocabulary Describe the educational use of the content. Describe the educational use of the content. HTML version
XML version
The Vetadata Educational Use vocabulary should be used in conjunction with the LOM v1.0 Educational Learning Resource Type. For more instructions, refer to the Vetadata specification document and the Applying Vetadata to Learning Resources guidelines.
NTIS (National Training Information Service) competency codes and names. Identify that a resource addresses a specific Training Package, qualification, unit of competency or nationally recognised course. Identify that a resource addresses a specific Training Package, qualification, unit of competency or nationally recognised course. Refer to the NTIS website for this vocabulary. If no NTIS code exists for describing a resource, state codes may be used. For Adult and Community Education (ACE) resources, please refer to the VOCED terms for describing such resources below.
MyFuture Industry Classification Scheme
(2nd level terms)
Describe resources that need particular industry and industry groupings terms. Describe resources that need particular industry and industry groupings terms. HTML version
XML version
myfuture website
VOCED (Vocational Education Thesaurus) Describe research and policy materials in the VET sector. Describe research and policy materials in the VET sector. Refer to the VOCED website for this vocabulary. VOCED thesaurus website
VOCED terms for describing Adult and Community Education and state-accredited resources Describe resources not tied to specific NTIS training packages such as Adult and Community Education (ACE) and some state-accredited training resources Describe resources not tied to specific NTIS training packages such as Adult and Community Education (ACE) and some state-accredited training resources HTML version
XML version
Refer to the Vetadata specification document and the Applying Vetadata to Learning Resources guidelines for more information on describing resources not tied to nationally accredited training packages.
AQF (Australian Qualifications Framework) Describe the educational level of a resource. Describe the educational level of a resource. HTML version
XML version
AQF website


Recommended Standard(s) Reference Function
The various standards used by LORN and developed in collaboration with the E-standards project are recommended. Please refer to the LORN website for full details LORN Provide for discovery and retrieval of learning objects as part of a distributed network.
OAI-PMH (Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting) version 2. OAI PMH Harvesting metadata from repositories and archives

Recommended Standard(s) Reference Function
The section of Vetadata v1.1 in conjunction with the AEShareNet range of licence categories. Vetadata
Aesharenet licenses
Describe the intellectual property rights and the conditions of use of learning objects


Recommended Standard(s) Reference Function
IMS Content Packaging specification (Version 1.1.4). IMS Content packaging Package online learning resources so that they are portable between different learning management systems.
SCORM Sharable Content Object Reference Model) 1.2 (incorporates IMS CP 1.1.2 specification and Vetadata SCORM XML binding) SCORM 1.2
Vetadata for SCORM
Produce learning objects that interact with a learning management system.


Recommended Standard(s) Reference Function
RSS (Rich Site Summary)
ATOM 1.0
RSS
ATOM
Share headlines and other Web content.
Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) SOAP Exchange remote procedure calls and data structures over HTTP.
Search and Retrieve Web Service/URL Service (SRW/U). SRU Provide distributed searches.

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