Project Meeting Standards and Specifications Marco Marsella European Commission DG Information Society Directorate E - Unit E3 Technology Enhanced Learning RTD FP6 Technology Enhanced Learning and standards/specifications for learning technology Brief overview of ongoing activities

Brief overview of rel. initiatives and programmes eEurope e-learning; Rolling Standardization Action plan (CEN - ETSI) The eLearning initiative The eContentplus proposal The eTen Programme The IST Programme IDA Interchange of Data between Administrations CEN/ISSS/WS LT The eLearning Industry Group

Standards/Specification Issues Metadata and their internationalisation Data sharing Learning design Content packaging Learner profile Assessment Quality assurance Taxonomies/vocabularies/glossaries Accessibility requirements Architectures, reference models Interoperability Digital Rights... Standards and specifications related activities are tackled are several level in EU RTD projects, particularly on:

On the general role of the EC on Standards Legal basis: articles of the Treaty on the free movement of goods and services and the competitiveness of industry Council Resolutions: on standardisation, on the role of standardisation in Europe, on a new approach to technical harmonisation and standards, etc. The “New Approach”: role of EC and ESB EC -> essential requirements ESB-> corresponding technical specifications (CEN, CENELEC or ETSI)

Several benefits claimed Removes the fear of end-users in investing in learning technology Standard-based systems and courses are more sustainable in the market Easier sharing of digital learning content Wider choice for digital learning content Reduced overhead in system integration and maintenance Personalisation of digital learning content will be easier... Lack of "open" specifications results in a fragmented market, reducing choices and locking users into proprietary systems

However, discussions still on going on … Standardisation vs. personalisation Standardisation vs. learning effectiveness and cost- efficiency Standardisation of learning technologies vs. standardisation of learning/teaching methodologies Standardisation vs. accommodation of linguistic and cultural diversity Growing number of acronyms …

TeL research actions and impact on standards & specifications for learning technologies Tests and Trials RTD Specification consortia User Groups Standardisation bodies Stimuli, Ideas, Insights Awareness CEN - ISO - IEEE ….

School of Tomorrow Flexible Higher Education Advanced Training Systems The Learning Citizen Interoperable Tools, Service and Content - Collaborative learning - Learning resources & tools - Brokerage systems - Virtual labs & campuses - Universal access to self-learning - Informal & mobile learning environments Building infrastructures for eLearning in Europe FP 5 - RTD projects Convergence between knowledge management and learning systems

Focus on: - open architecture for building education and training applications and services Interoperable Tools, Service and Content Development areas included: - learning object manipulation (metadata generators and retrieval systems); - learning object authoring systems; security and trust infrastructures; - knowledge repositories; and language translation. Issues: - locating and operating interactive platform-independent materials - delivery of flexible personalised learning services - development and sharing of content - distributed repositories of learning objects - tools and processes for locating and sharing learning objects - metadata for learning objects - development and validation of reusable components - international standardisation activities and European best practice

FP5 RTD projects UP-ARIADNE R&D Elaboration in Spec Consortia Test-beds Prototype Adoption Standardisation bodies PROMETEUS CELEBRATE OASIS MOBILEARN KOD – ELENA – UNIVERSAL – CANDLE - EASEL, etc.

FP6 RTD projects R&D Elaboration in Spec Consortia Test-beds Prototype Adoption Standardisation bodies KALEIDOSCOPE PROLEARN UNFOLD TELECERT iCLASS - eLEGI

What’s next …… Accommodation of: pedagogical and organisational requirements cultural and linguistic diversity learning/knowledge management integration requirements Stimulate European competitiveness and growth in the e-learning sector New/old issues to deal with - semantic interoperability - personalisation/adaptability - usability - affordability - user' readiness/acceptance - quality and cost efficiency of production, distribution and use of digital learning content

Towards a common target on common denominators on common denominators in an international context Research Consensus building

Thank you !