1. Blackboard/Common Cartridge and Open Educational Resources with SoftChalk
Jeff Kahn

2. Member
Sponsor
Member

3. What we will cover What is IMS Common Cartridge Who is SoftChalk
How does SoftChalk integrate with Blackboard via Common Cartridge and otherwise
What is an Open Educational Resource (OER)
How does SoftChalk support authoring OERs
How can Blackboard be an OER Repository

4. IMS Global Learning Consortium Common Cartridge www.imsglobal.org

5. What Problem Does Common Cartridge Address?

6. The Need for a Standard

7. Common Cartridge is a specification for packaging learning and assessment content.
The package distills the latest and best community practices for sharing digital content among authoring tools and learning platforms.

8. What’s In CC 1.0
Cartridge Manifest – describes the cartridge (zip of files)
Metadata
Cartridge, Roles, Curriculum Standards (coming)
Content
html, xml, media files (mpg, jpg, mp3), application files (e.g. Microsoft Office), …
Web links
Integrated assessments (and question banks)
Multiple choice (single or multiple response)
True/false
Essay
Simple fill in the blank
Pattern match (optional)
Discussion forum
Authorization for protected content (optional)

9. Simplified Course Import Example

10. Starting with this… Some Course Documents Some Links to Content
Some Discussion Topics
An Assessment

11. We package like this… course-xx.zip imsmanifest.xml resources
content file (supporting files)
xml file describing link
xml file describing discussion topic
xml file describing assessment

12. Simplified Course Example

13. Cartridge Structure on Disk

14. Discussion Topics (specification section 4.7)
Discussion topic text is stored in an XML file that must be processed by the learning platform.
Discussions can have attachments.

15. Web Links (specification section 4.8)
Link information is stored in an XML file that must be processed by the learning platform.
Links can have some parameters related to desired behavior.

16. Assessment (continued)

17. Authorization (specification section 4.6)
Authorization on cartridge import
Authorization on cartridge use
Authorization on resource use
Mechanism (separate specification)
Unique identifier
Web service address

19. Blackboard Support for Common Cartridge Import

26. Resources for Developers

27. Sample Cartridges Developer section on the CC Alliance Forum
Valid Cartridges (17) and Invalid Cartridges (35)
These determine conformance for importers
Feedback on Cartridges
Other Cartridges
Product Directory
Learning Impact Challenge

29. Compliant and In-the-Works

30. Take-Aways
SoftChalk is a content authoring tool that can export material in IMS Common Cartridge format.
Blackboard will be able to import Common Cartridges.

32. Who is SoftChalk LLC Based in Richmond, Virginia
Founded in 2002 by folks with history of educational technology innovation since 1996, including Web Course in a Box later sold to Blackboard.
Offers a range of online and in-person training
Works with a number of open initiatives, including: IMS, MERLOT, Connexions Consortium, and Sakai.
Blackboard Signature Partner
Cofounder of SoftChalk was Cofounder of the BbOpenSource.org that predated OSCELOT.

33. What is SoftChalk Lesson Builder
Desktop application, written in Java
Runs on Windows and Mac OSX
Creates content in Web format
Students view with a web browser
Content delivered in a Learning Management System (LMS), on CD-ROM, or on a web server

34. Includes Blackboard Content System
Media Search Tool
Includes Blackboard Content System

35. Building Block for Dump of Content System Metadata
REST interface
Uses NOSESSION to avoid login
Returns XML containing items and their metadata
Available through OSCELOT

36. Publish to Blackboard From Within SoftChalk

37. Building Block for Upload
REST interface
Login using a key
Get TOC, Course, Folders, and Items, Content
Add Item, zip, SCORM
Replace and Delete

38. Open Educational Resources

39. What is an Open Educational Resource
According to Wikipedia:
“Open educational resources (OER) are learning materials that are freely available for use, remixing and redistribution.”

40. Complete OER Solution Authoring Tool Content Use License
Repository to Hold Content
Discovery Service / Refer-atory
Consuming Application

41. OER Licensing

42. License Displays in Footer

43. Blackboard as OER Repository
Decide how open to allow contribution
Instructor(s) login
Users outside the institution can be given Guest access
Make the content discoverable
MERLOT, etc

44. References to OERs
Peer Reviewed
SoftChalk Publish

45. Take-Away Authoring Tool Content Use License
Repository to Hold Content
Discovery Service / Refer-atory
Consuming Application

46. The subject of the email should be title of this session:
Please provide feedback for this session by ing
The subject of the should be title of this session:
Blackboard/Common Cartridge and Open Educational Resources with SoftChalk

47. Questions? jeffkahn@verbenaconsulting.com jkahn@imsglobal.org