The Educom NLII The Educom NLII Instructional Management Instructional Management

Systems ProjectSystems Project

Thomas D. Wason, Ph.D.University of North Carolina

at Chapel Hill

tom_wason@unc.edu

Project ObjectivesProject Objectives

• Goal: develop an open architecture for on-line learning

• Deliverables: create freely distributable specifications and software that enables the development, use, and management of Internet-based learning environments

• Model: HTTP + Mosaic de facto standard, led to explosion of content, new markets

Education membersCSU, Collegis Research Institute, UNC, U. of Michigan, Miami Dade, CIC (“Big Ten”), Buena Vista University, George Mason University, JISC

Commercial membersMicrosoft, Apple, IBM, Sun, International Thomson Publishing, Collegis, Farance Inc., KPMG, NIST, Department of Defense, Empower, @Learning, Unisys, Oracle, Asymetrix

Cooperative creates open specifications and prototype, members create products

IMS MembersIMS Members

Parts of the prototype are being developed by Blackboard LLC

Specs, Code, and Market Development

IMS Members, Testbed, Developers Network, Public

Work ProcessWork Process

IMS Staff(14 full-time)

IMSMembers

Funding and requirements Permanent

Stds. bodySpecs

Initial dissemination/supportInitial dissemination/support

• Developers’ Network– Technical support for IMS developers– Marketing opportunities

• Testbed– 10 sites: BVU, IDC Herzliya, MDCC, NPS,

Penn State, UCF, Hawaii, Michigan, UT Knoxville, Twente, Virginia

ConvergenceConvergence

• Airline Industry CBT Consortium (AICC)• Dublin Core• LOMG• ADL• IEEE• ARIADNE• GEM

InterchangesInterchanges

LPeer-to-PeerInterchange

Interchange T

C P

LearnersTeachersCoordinatorsProviders

Back officeCollaboration

Tools

Authoring Tools

Learning Resources

Off Campus Student

CD

On campus Student

Teacher

IMS Mgmt

System

IMS Campus EnvironmentIMS Campus Environment

Technical OverviewTechnical Overview

• Scope of Specification– Profiles

– Metadata

– Content

– Management (Content, Course, Collaboration)

– External Services

IMS Profile SpecificationIMS Profile Specification

• Educational records “Wallet”• Mobile• Contains

– Personal information– Performance information– Portfolio– Preferences

Metadata SpecificationMetadata Specification

Metadata benefitsMetadata benefits

• Find and organize materials more easily• Helps in automating some authoring tasks • Enables customized learning experiences

Metadata ExtensibilityMetadata Extensibility

IMS CORE METADATATitle: Author:Learning Level:Keywords:and more….

AICC EXTENSIONS

Airframe type:….

BIOLOGYExtensions

Phylum:….

IMS Metadata SpecificationIMS Metadata Specification

• IMS Metadata Search/Query Demonstration– http://metadata.imsproject.org/mdtool/

• IMS/NIST Metadata Repository– dictionary of terms for describing content– supports group specialization– can be queried/browsed with modified

authoring tools

IMS Content SpecificationIMS Content Specification

• Supports technical interoperability of– assessment– sequencing– reporting data– bookmarking– notification– metadata

IMS InteroperabilityIMS Interoperability

JAVA/Corba-based Content and Tools

ActiveX/DCOM-based Content and

Tools

HTML/CGI-based Content and Tools

ex. HTML and PERL

Management SpecificationManagement Specification

• Manages– Content– Courses– Collaboration

• Interfaces– Database, Security, Access control,

HTTP/CGI, tracking, session management, DCOM/Corba message bridging ….

Content Distribution and AccessContent Distribution and Access

SchoolPublisher

Content

SchoolPublisher

Content Content Reference

Option 1: Distribute ContentOption 1: Distribute Content

Option 2: Provide Access to ContentOption 2: Provide Access to Content

External Services SpecificationExternal Services Specification

• Specifies technical interface to campus IT infrastructure– student records– billing/commerce– library

• IMS Project– Mark Resmer (resmer@sonoma.edu)

• Technical– Steve Griffin (steve_griffin@unc.edu)

• Market Development– Denis Newman (denis_newman@earthlink.net)

• Metadata– Tom Wason (tom_wason@unc.edu)

Project InformationProject Information

www.imsproject.org