Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/63429
Technology Setting the Standards for E-Learning E-learning technology has come a long way, but its potential has barely been tapped, say e-learning platform providers. For e-learning to reach its full potential, it must be standard- ized so that educational content can be moved easily between different platforms. Over the next decade, such standardization promises to be the most significant development in online education. "The biggest changes in e-learn- ing will be the adoption and prolif- eration of standards in the e-learning industry," says Will Chatham, prod- uct manager of e-learning at SAP Labs Inc., an e-business software company headquartered in Walldorf, Germany. Once universally recog- nized standards are in place, he notes, students and faculty will enjoy "a seamless integration of e-learning activities" even when using products from a variety of sources. Recent articles in University Consortium founded by Educause, and others. Both ADL and IMS were created to serve as a forum for government, business, and academia to collaborate in setting present and future standards for e-learning tech- nologies. The set of standards gain- ing most prominence is the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM), developed by ADL. SCORM represents a blend of rec- ommendations from a variety of organizations, corporations, and educational institutions. Many com- panies already are following its lead in the development of their e-learn- ing products. As one of the largest end users of objects and administrative functions. That kind of interactivity, too, is already becoming reality, says Kristi Emerson, public relations manager for e-learning platform provider eCollege. "Adding and editing con- tent is now much easier than it was in the early days," she says. "Faculty can author content with only a few clicks, without any knowledge of technical Web page design." The major Business (February 2001) and The Chronicle of Higher Education (May 24, 2002) explore these potential advancements. The articles note that the future of e-learning lies not in fully formed online courses, but in digital course "chunks" that can be mixed, matched, and accessed by stu- dents and professors independent of source or platform. Once standards in data format and programming are set, educational content such as pub- lished textbooks and case studies will be universally compatible. In fact, the standardization move- ment has already begun. E-learning companies are working with govern- ing bodies such as the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) initia- tive of the U.S. Department of Defense, the IMS Global Learning 56 BizEd JULY/AUGUST 2002 the technology, government will play a key role in standardization. Institu - tional demand will also be a driving force in the process. "The standards will be set collaboratively," says Matthew Pittinsky, chairman and co-founder of Blackboard in Wash - ington, D.C. More than anything, he adds, schools want compatibility between course management sys- tems and specialized tools, such as administrative programs or a virtual biology lab, for example. The more faculty use e-learning platforms, the more they want The following Web sites offer more information about setting e-learning standards: Advanced Distributed Learning, www.adlnet.org IMS Global Learning Consortium, www.imsproject.org Aviation Industry Computer-Based Training Committee, www.aicc.org The Learning Standards Committee of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, www.ieee.org increased interactivity between course platform providers are striving to jump ahead of the e- learning curve, anticipating what higher education institutions will demand one, five, even ten years from now. For example, eCollege AU ("About You") is that company's step toward greater customization of the learning process to individual students, includ ing sup- port services for blind, deaf, and mobility-impaired users. It provides options for sequential or categorical organization of materials; and links within materials direct different stu- dents to different areas, depending on their educational needs. For its part, Blackboard is build- ing into its next release a function called Building Blocks that will be compatible with a variety of outside information sources such as Lexis- Nexis or Harvard Business School case studies. Lesson Units will allow faculty to sequence information across documents, quizzes, and dis- cussion boards differently, depend- ing on the needs of the student user. Similarly, the "Selective Release" WIRED FOR INTELLIGENCE San Pedro Garza, Mexico, has become the region's first "intelligent city." The BBC reports that govern- ment offices, educational institutions, and 29,000 homes will be connected via fiber optic cable to telephone, television, and Internet services. For those who cannot access the net- work at home, 20 "cyber- kiosks" will be available for training and access.