Clark Christensen, Booz Allen

1
Advancing ADL Through Global Collaboration
Smarter Course Maintenance Separating Content
from Delivery with a Component Based Learning
Architecture
Clark Christensen, Booz Allen John Townsend,
HarvestRoad Oct 5, 2005 Melbourne, Australia
learning that lasts. results that endure.
2
Component Learning Architecture Prototype

• Project Goals
• Explore the advantages of a component based
  architecture including differing functionality
  for Repositories, LMS, and Authoring Tools
• Create and store SCORM 2004 content in a Learning
  Object Repository
• Demonstrate LMS/Repository component Integration
• Deliver SCORM 2004 stored in the Repository via
  the LMS
• Demonstrate rapid course maintenance
• Core Components
• SCORM 2004 Certified Learning Management System
• SCORM 2004 Content
• SCORM 2004 aware Learning Object Repository

3
A comparison of traditional and component based
architecture for learning content management
Repository Enabled Model
Traditional LMS/Content Model
LMS
LMS
Content
Repository
Authoring Tools
Authoring Tools
4
A few advantages of separating Content
Management, Authoring, and Learning Management
Components

• Fosters competition
• Enables tailored, best-of-breed components
• analogous to the separation of Database
  Management Systems from enterprise business logic
  and information capture
• Alignment of tools with workflows and business
  processes
• Allows organizations to select any set of
  authoring tools (required for repurposing CORDRA)
• Scalability
• More adaptable to various network topologies
• Simplifies introduction of new components
• Simplifies content maintenance (limit redundancy,
  duplication)
• Reinforces adherence to the spirit of content
  related standards (e.g., SCORM, S1000D)
• Encourages creation of truly portable/reusable
  content

5
Tailored solutions require component
specialization

• Learning Management Systems
• Learner Account Management
• Learner Tracking
• Within courses
• Learner Profiles (e.g., course completion)
• Enrollment Management
• Course Catalog Management
• Course Administration
• Course Launch and Delivery
• Reporting
• Competency Management

• Authoring
• Content Creation of all types
• Interactive Multimedia (Flash, Java, Java Script,
  etc)
• Video
• HTML
• Graphics
• Audio
• Instructional Design
• Designing for Multiple Use
• Sequencing
• Meta-data Vocabulary Creation
• Tagging of Content
• Content Repurposing
• Packaging Content

• Repository
• Content Storage and Browsing
• Meta-data Vocabulary Management
• Workflow Management
• Tracking Comments
• Content Permissions
• Configuration Management
• Version Control
• Roll-back
• Access Controls
• Unique Identification
• Federated Search
• Digital Rights Management
• Asset Management

6
Setting it up course creation and delivery
workflow
Create Content
Assets

• Instructional assets created

• User launches course

7
Setting it up course creation and delivery
workflow
Create Content
Assets
Store
Content Package

• Instructional assets created

• Content loaded into the repository
• Workflow, metadata, notification services utilized

• User launches course

8
Setting it up course creation and delivery
workflow
Create Content
Assets
Store
Content Package

• Instructional assets created

Assemble
Updated Manifest

• Content loaded into the repository
• Workflow, metadata, notification services utilized

• Instructional assets combined into SCOs
• Content sequenced and packaged

9
Setting it up course creation and delivery
workflow
Create Content
Assets
Store
Content Package

• Instructional assets created

Assemble
Updated Manifest

• Content loaded into the repository
• Workflow, metadata, notification services utilized

Register Course
User Registration

• Instructional assets combined into SCOs
• Content sequenced and packaged

• Manifest loaded into LMS catalog
• User registers for course

10
Setting it up course creation and delivery
workflow
Create Content
Assets
Store
Content Package

• Instructional assets created

Assemble
Updated Manifest

• Content loaded into the repository
• Workflow, metadata, notification services utilized

Register Course
User Registration

• Instructional assets combined into SCOs
• Content sequenced and packaged

Launch Course

• Manifest loaded into LMS catalog
• User registers for course

• User launches course

11
Prototype solution approach and flow

• Content resides within the Repository on a
  different domain than the LMS
• Manifest is stored in the LMS
• Manifest references the (in domain) repository
  adapter for content
• Flow
• LMS reads manifest presents course outline.
• Learner requests learning object as permitted by
  sequencing rules
• Web server follows link (same domain if a SCO
  can be different domain if Asset)
• Repository Adapter resolves requests with
  Repository and delivers content to user

LMS
manifest

• SCOs

Repository Adapter

• Assets

Repository
12
Demo

• Show the assets (Hive Explorer) stored in the
  repository.
• Show Original Manifest (package relative links)
  / Show Updated Manifest (HSC links) RELOAD
  Editor.
• Find and launch the course within Atlas Pro
  (Slides)
• Show the Course Structure (Atlas side-by-side
  with Reload) (Slides)
• Launch the course (Slides)
• Tell a brief story
• Show that the links in the content point back to
  Hive (Properties of image)
• Demonstrate how the content can be rapidly
  updated (Live)

13
Demo slides
learning that lasts. results that endure.
14
Login to the LMS Select View Courses
15
Select your course to preview and test
16
Course Structure is shown Press the Start Button
17
Same course structure in RELOAD Editor
18
Atlas Pro runs the course Content pulled from
Repository (Hive) Manifest file contains the
sequencing controls
19
Take a Pre-Test to see what you know and dont
know
20
We got one wrong! Atlas Pro directs us to the
learning object in Hive Then we do the Post-test
to check our knowledge.
21
Changing Course Content

• Lets change the front image on the Welcome Page

22
Note Bad Image! This image is inverted.
23
Find the picture (Search, lookup reference id etc)
24
Select Check Out Download it, edit it
25
Notice there are now two versions of this
picture When we made the course manifest, we
specified a link to the LATEST version
26
Preview the course again The new image is
automatically retrieved.
27
Lessons Learned and other Observations

• Reuse and Repurposing can be rapid if content is
  designed with reuse in mind
• Embedded SCO navigation or dynamic content
  selection poses a challenge for Re-Use
• LMS should not assume content is always stored
  inside itself (locally)
• Network latency can be an issue (especially for
  time sensitive functions)
• Workflow management and clear definition of roles
  for Technical, Creative and Instructional skill
  sets is very important
• Specialization of roles requires new business
  processes for quality interactive content (no one
  size fits all skill set for ISD, Creative,
  Technical)
• For critical types of content QA is essential
• The repository needs to be aware of SCORM

28
Key Lesson Learned Lack of standard service
interfaces requires custom integration for each
Authoring tool, CMS, and Delivery System . . .
Custom integration for each Authoring System
Custom integration for each Delivery System
Create (Tools 1,2,3)
Repository
LMS
Package Tag (Tool 4,5)
Repository
EPSS
Modify Update (Tools 1-5)
Repository
Media Server
Content Management
Content Authoring
Content Delivery
29
Key Lesson Learned A standardized method is
needed for integrating LMS, Repositories, and
Authoring components
Standardized Interfaces and Workflows for
Management of Authoring Processes
Loosely coupled interface for Repository ? LMS
communication (e.g., Web Services, OKI)
LMS
Repository
Create
EPSS
Assemble
Repository
Modify Update
Media Server
Repository
Content Authoring
Content Delivery
Content Management
30
Questions?