Learning standards: becta and learning platforms

Learning standards: becta and learning platforms

by Russell Dyas -
Number of replies: 11
thought this might be of interst from draft doc from becta on standard network design.

cheers

Russ

 

1.1 Learning platforms

'Learning platform' is a generic term covering a variety of different products, all of which support online learning in some way and includes delivery via intranets, via the internet and third party hosting. Learning platform capabilities can vary from systems that provide bespoke learning content or access to third party content only, to systems which provide communications, assessment, tracking and MIS interoperability facilities.

 

To raise levels of interoperability between learning, assessment and information management systems in institutions, and to inform the investment decisions taken by institutions purchasing these systems, Becta has produced a framework, entitled the 'Learning Platform Conformance Regime', which sets out the levels of conformance that suppliers can self certify their products will conform with (http://www.becta.org.uk/learningplatforms).

 

Learning technology has only recently begun to be systematically standardised and there are a number of ongoing initiatives to achieve this, such as IMS (http://www.imsproject.org/), and UK LeaP which is based on aspects of the IMS global initiative.

 

The specifications that these bodies are producing are converging and Becta is investigating these to determine the most likely standards that will emerge. Until this investigation is complete, any educational projects should implement the following design criteria.

 

Design criteria

  • Learning platforms that are accessible using web interfaces shall use SSL and S-HTTP to secure their web interface.
  • Institutions should provide their users with access to a learning platform which is registered with the current Learning Platform Conformance Regime[1].
  • Learning platforms should link to the institutions Management Information System.
  • The IMS Metadata specification should be used to describe learning materials.
  • The IMS Question and Test Interoperability Specification should be used to write and describe assessment materials (questions or tests).
  • The IMS Content Packaging Specification should be used for the description, structure, and location of online learning materials.
  • The IMS Learner Information Packaging Specification should be used when developing Learner Information systems.
  • The AccessForAll Meta-data (AccMD) specification should be used to identify resources that match a user's stated preferences or needs. These preferences or needs should be declared using the IMS Learner Information Package Accessibility for LIP specification.

[1] The Learning Platform Conformance regime will develop over time. Institutions and suppliers should ensure their learning platform conforms to the current requirements


Average of ratings: -
In reply to Russell Dyas

Re: Learning standards: becta and learning platforms

by Russell Dyas -
thing that caught my eye was leap (http://www.elframework.org/) know you are working ims standard etc

but nowing uk goverment they will adopt leap as it is jisc supported smile

Russ
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Russell Dyas

Re: Learning standards: becta and learning platforms

by Miles Berry -
At the moment, Moodle doesn't meet the requirements of the LPCR, as it can't (AFAIK) deal with the curriculum online metadata stuff.

That said, having put together much of the documentation for the BECTA assessed BETT show award bid that Drew Buddie's coordinating, I'll have a go at filling in the registration form for LPCR sometime soon(ish) so that we're at least on their list, unless someone else wants to take this on. Interestingly, if we were registered when we did the BETT award bid, we'd have had to jump through even more hoops!

As you read through the documentation, you find this huge emphasis on storing, finding and presenting 'learning objects', reflecting a fairly objectivist, content presentation, view of e-learning, which may be due in part to the number of commercial content suppliers that have participated in drawing up the specifications. Although there is a distinction between personalized and individual learning, I really do worry that the emphasis we're seeing on personalized learning here in the UK will detract from the social dimension.

Moodle is different, as for us the emphasis is on using the VLE as a tool for social learning, for learning from one another, and participating in a community, rather than merely having learning objects transmitted from server to brain. At their best, it's in the forums, glossaries, chats and wikis where the real learning takes place, and I'm not sure how IMS metadata specifications can get a handle on them, as they are constructed by the learners rather than being bought from the publishers.

I do think the MIS interoperability is important - I'd love to hear what work's being done in this field - I've heard rumours that a SIMS interface has been produced - anyone care to confirm, or provide details?
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Miles Berry

Re: Learning standards: becta and learning platforms

by Russell Dyas -
problem as i see it but i know moodle gura or anything but thing i posted above was from what becta are going to say schools should use and it will i suspect be brought in as something schools are going to have to follow.

so unless moodle community is at least working towards it going to be diffiuclt for schools to justify using moodle.

russ  
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Russell Dyas

Re: Learning standards: becta and learning platforms

by Miles Berry -
It may be worthwhile to gather the wisdom of the moodle.org community to see where we do stand on these criteria.
IANAMG, but the following is a starting point, from my limited understanding of the issues:

  • Learning platforms that are accessible using web interfaces shall use SSL and S-HTTP to secure their web interface.
    Done; also this is the only one of the criteria to be required.
  • Institutions should provide their users with access to a learning platform which is registered with the current Learning Platform Conformance Regime.
    Not yet: we can fill in the e-paperwork, but as Moodle can't handle curriculum online (or any other?) metadata, we won't be certified.
  • Learning platforms should link to the institutions Management Information System.
    Yes and no: better than all the commercial VLEs in one sense, as the database is open and well documented, and any competent MIS programmer can write code to read/write data between a moodle and their proprietary MIS. On the other hand, the tied house VLEs have import/export mechanisms to their partner MISs. Work being done on SIF following BECTA's criticisms of existing MIS may address this. What work is being done on the Moodle side, please?
  • The IMS Metadata specification should be used to describe learning materials.
    Don't know
  • The IMS Question and Test Interoperability Specification should be used to write and describe assessment materials (questions or tests).
    I believe we have IMS QTI import and export in quiz, yes?
  • The IMS Content Packaging Specification should be used for the description, structure, and location of online learning materials.
    Don't know, but I think there's some hack of SCORM to do this - help please!
  • The IMS Learner Information Packaging Specification should be used when developing Learner Information systems.
    Don't know.
  • The AccessForAll Meta-data (AccMD) specification should be used to identify resources that match a user's stated preferences or needs. These preferences or needs should be declared using the IMS Learner Information Package Accessibility for LIP specification.
    Don't know.
I think the 'Don't know's above, are actually 'no's, but perhaps someone could confirm this.
Of course, as this is open source code, if people actually needed Moodle to do these things, then they'd have coded it by now!
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Miles Berry

Re: Learning standards: becta and learning platforms

by Russell Dyas -
this is all true i think moodle ohas great potential to be used in uk education (and is being used)...

Also problem with betcas should and shall is that should will become shall by fact that when schools have two vle one does 90% of it and one does 10% of requirments there will be many schools who will go with other with out looking into it.

Also again all this is draft and for example mis stuff is more to put presssure on capita than anything..

Russ  
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Miles Berry

Re: Learning standards: becta and learning platforms

by Guy Thomas -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Plugin developers
I've written a tool to link courses to Facility CMIS (UK MIS which is far better than SIMs but still has a rubbish Learning Platform). We actually have a licence for their Learning Platform but we wont use it because its garbage!

Becta have got their heads stuck up their rear ends.
I've checked out a few Becta approved 'Learning Platforms' and the XHTML validator threw lots of errors, some of which were very basic mistakes.

Yes, I agree that things like SSL are important. I also think that accessibility is important and from what I've seen of some of the Becta approved 'Learning Platforms' the failure to meet basic XHTML is laughable. This should be one of their main priorities - schools could get sued for failing to make their 'Learning Platforms' accessible.

I wonder how much money you have to pay into the Labour party campaign coffers to get a 'Learning Platform' approved by Becta.
If Becta are dumb enough to approve 'Learning Platforms' that don't even declare doc types then the value of their 'approval' is jack poop.
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Guy Thomas

Re: Learning standards: becta and learning platforms

by Guy Thomas -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Plugin developers
I haven't had time to check out xhtml validity of all BECTA approved learning platforms yet. However, not 1 of the approved suppliers has a home page that validates. I contacted BECTA directly to ask them if they took XHTML validation in to account - they said that all platforms had to be XHTML compliant!

www.talmos.net
Failed validation, 11 errors


http://www.etechgroup.co.uk/
Failed validation, 21 errors


http://www.fronter.co.uk/uk/
Almost validated (2 errors). Errors caused by code within <script> tags not commented - an example of correctly commented tags follow:
<script type='text/javascript'><!--alert ("hello");--></script>


http://www.netmedia-ed.co.uk/
Wont validate because of unknown character encoding. Manual inspection of html shows inconsistant tag casing. Upper case tags and lower case tags used throughout - shoddy


http://www.pearsonphoenix.com/
Failed validation, 21 errors


http://www.ramesys.com/
Failed validation, 3 errors - caused by an upper case <META> tag


http://www.rm.com/
Failed validation, 31 errors


http://www.serco.com/
Passes validation! However, this is not their learning website.


http://www.sercolearning.com
Failed validation, 7 errors


http://www.uniservity.com/
Failed validation, 156 errors


www.viglen.co.uk
Can't even be validated because no character encoding specified and non UTF-8 characters used
<META> tag uppercase insetad of xhtml lower case <meta>
These people obviously haven't heard of unobtrusive javascript - most of the page consists of javascript all of which is within the body tag! Laughable design.
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Guy Thomas

Re: Learning standards: becta and learning platforms

by Ralph Janke -
Unfortunately BECTA is very important doesn't matter if their requirements make realistically sense or not. Schools, Local Education Authorities do not have technical understanding, mot IT staff does not have the necessary skills nor education to make independent assessments. In addition virtually all schools I know here are run by governors who are mostly not knowledgeable in the IT field. Therefore it is absolutely vital to get BECTA approval for moodle in order to be able to use it on a wider scales inside schools in the UK. Another option would be that more people that with qualifications and knowledge about moodle apply to be governors (as I am) and therefore also be able to work from inside the system. Most Local Education Authorities have 25% or less of the LEA-appointed governor seats actually filled.

On the another node.. I simple extension in the config.php file allows to use moodle in both ways i.e. http and https on the same server. I have a configuration running which I allow only https from the outside of the school network and inside both and have no problems with it. Anybody interested in my extension can surely contact me and I will share it, or if so wished I am willing to contribute it to moodle.

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Ralph Janke

Re: Learning standards: becta and learning platforms

by Ed Diaz -

I am from Monterrey , Mexico. We are trying to use moodle along with a class manager application called Net Support School and we are interested in running both versions you mentioned. Are you willing to share it with us?

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Russell Dyas

Re: Learning standards: becta and learning platforms

by Colin McQueen -
From listening to Doug Brown from the DfES at a recent Naace conference and in a discussions with our LEA Education ICT people it looks like there are plans/targets to provide a Learning Platform for every learner in UK schools by 2008 (that's pupils and staff for CPD). IMHO the becta LP conformance regime AND recommendations on Single Sign On (SSO) via Shibboleth are going to be taken on. by the DfES in one form or another.

Moodle people need to keep in touch with these developments. Did anyone sign up or register on the Becta LP web site? Perhaps that's the only way to keep in touch? I heard Doug Brown say there was probably only going to be a dozen players in the LP market in schools by 2008.

Regarding MIS interoperability (vital in the end for schools) there is some work happening. AFAIUI Shibboleth may help with this at least in the read from MIS direction once MIS platforms are shibbolised. Regional Broadband Consortia or LEAs will probably act as origin server and have the user database accessible by Shibboleth for the whole school population in that LEA or RBC.
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Colin McQueen

Re: Learning standards: becta and learning platforms

by Martin Dougiamas -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Moodle HQ Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers
Small data point:  Moodle 1.5 fully supports Shibboleth.

Personally I have no time for lobbying etc but I don't need to with all our active UK Moodlers around.  approve
Average of ratings: -