 Our Approach to Technical Standards in e-Learning
In the alphabet soup of computer acronyms, e-learning
has its own set of acronyms - such as, AICC, SCORM,
and XML, which all denote standards definitions
important to online and computer delivered learning. This a short
dissertation on the different standards, what they are, and their importance
to e-learning solutions.
What is AICC?
 AICC is an acronym for Aviation Industry CBT (Computer-Based
Training) Committee (AICC). Over the past 10 to 15 years, the aviation
industry has been at the forefront of defining standards for CBT
delivery. Their recommendations and standards have been widely
recognized and used by the CBT development community both inside and
outside the aviation industry. At the core of their currently used
standard set is a standard for communication between CBT units and a LMS (Learning Management System). Just about every recognized CBT
authoring tool and LMS implements this standard, thereby allowing CBT
authors to develop content and back end system suppliers to develop
tracking and reporting solutions independently. The AICC standard allows
implementation for both browser-based and custom client delivery of
content.
What is SCORM?
 Recently WBT (Web-Based Training) has come more to the forefront.
With more and more demands to deliver content that requires no more than
a browser to view and use, the AICC standard has been somewhat
supplanted by the use of the SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference
Model) standard.
- "The SCORM is a reference model that defines the
interrelationship of course components, data models and protocols so
that learning content objects are sharable across systems that
conform with the same model. The SCORM contains a collection of
specifications adapted from global specification bodies and
consortia to provide a comprehensive suite of e-learning
capabilities enabling interoperability, accessibility and
reusability of Web-based learning content." (from
Advanced Distributed Learning website)
The current SCORM standard is designed specifically for
browser-based delivery of learning content. It comprises two
parts:
- A definition for communication between the learning units and the
tracking/delivery server using tightly controlled API (Application
Program Interface); and
- A definition for computer readable packaging of sub-components
(files) of a learning unit, or SCO (Sharable Content Object).
SCORM has proven to be a much tighter and more consistent standard
than the older AICC standard to allow content developers, content tool
developers and Learning Management System suppliers to produce content
and systems that cross-communicate with less worry about the source and
specific implementation of tools and products used.
Advanced Distributed Learning
and
IMS Global Learning are the
leaders in developing standards for online delivery of training and
continue to define and develop standards in a cooperation with
governments, industries, educational institutions worldwide.
The current SCORM standard, and the standards being worked on, rely
heavily on XML (eXtensible Markup Language).
What is XML?
 XML
(eXtensible Markup Language) is a standard for a content describing
language. Although it offers no specific functionality to most end
users, it does provide a mechanism for the development and management of
almost any content.
XML content is text based (and can be interpreted by a human or
computer reader) and is self-describing. Because it is extensible by
design it can be used to describe and develop almost any content.
Because of the simplicity of its definition a wide variety of computer-based tools to manage, present and share the XML-based content have been
developed across the online spectrum (standard XML manipulation,
presentation primitives are currently included in all major browsers and
are the basis for the web services offerings of all major computing
organizations, including Microsoft, Sun, Apple, IBM, Amazon and Ebay).
This broad computer industry support allows the content to be used on a
wide variety of delivery platforms and in a variety of contexts. Because
XML is used only to create and manage the content - and not its
presentation - XML developed files allow repurposing of the content to a wide variety
of presentation formats and usage scenarios.
So far, online learning standards have used XML mostly to describe
content "under the covers". The real potential, however, is in
developing XML content for the SCO's themselves, allowing true
separation between the development and the presentation of the
content.
Why use Standards?
What does all this mean to organizations wanting to develop and
deliver e-learning solutions?
If you want to capitalize on your investment in content development,
you should develop content that is both maintainable
and able to be tracked by a wide variety of Learning Management Systems
to allow for flexibility in deployment - now and in the future. It
is important to use tools and strategies to develop content that obeys
standards!
If you are looking for a Learning Management System, you should look
for one that allows the widest possible choice of content development
tools. It is important to obtain a Learning Management System
that obeys standards!
Our Commitment to Technical Standards in e-Learning!
All lessons/courseware developed by Courses by Wire use AICC or SCORM tracking. The lesson content is developed with a goal of
maintainability, using tools available industry wide. Also, our custom
Learning Delivery System (LDS) obeys AICC standards (SCORM standards
tracking is under development).
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