Eductional Technology Standards Review March 2008

By Adam Cooper.
Cetis Report , serial number: 2008:R0-.
Topic(s):

Link: Eductional Technology Standards Review March 2008 (doc).

This report is a summary of a report made to CETIS Board in March 2008. The bodies covered are IMS Global Learning Consortium, Centre for European Normalisation (CEN), British Standard Institute (BSI) Committee IST/43, the Education Schools and Children’s Services Information Standards Board (ISB), HR-XML, International Standards Organisation (ISO) – IEC JTC1 SC36, Systems Interoperability Framework (SIF), IEEE LTSC, Learning Education and Training Systems Interoperability (LETSI), Suppliers Association for Learning Technology Interoperability in Schools (LETSI), Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI).

The reader is assumed to be broadly familiar with the work of the various specifications/standards bodies mentioned; this is not a primer.

What is assessment item banking?

By Phil Barker and Rowin Young.
Cetis Briefing Paper , serial number: 2007:B05.
Topic(s): ,

Link: What is assessment item banking? (html).
What is assessment item banking? (pdf).

A CETIS Briefing paper on item banks, collections of assessment items and associated software to enable the storing of content to support the assessment of student learning. An assessment item is a complex object, consisting of a question together with its associated data such as score, feedback and either any media files required or links to those files. Item banking software enables items to be deposited, discovered and retrieved. In order to support the discovery and delivery of items, each item needs to be described with metadata, and may also be related to usage data.
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Assessment Item Banks and Repositories

By Sarah Currier, Product Manager, Intrallect Ltd.
Cetis White Paper , serial number: 2007:WP02.
Topic(s): ,

Link: Assessment item banks and repositories (html).
Link: Assessment item banks and repositories (doc).
Link: Assessment item banks and repositories (pdf).

This paper aims to inform those with an interest in repositories in general, and those with an interest in assessment item banks, about the similarities and differences between these two technologies, in order to enhance the potential for future interoperability. Specifically, it asks the question: to what extent may an assessment item bank be considered as a kind of repository, and following from this, to what extent can interoperability and minimisation of effort and resource be achieved in a manner beneficial to the related communities of interest around these technologies?
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IMS AccessForAll Metadata Specification

By Sharon Perry.
Cetis Briefing Paper , serial number: 2007:B03.
Topic(s):

Link: IMS AccessForAll Metadata Specification (html).

Link: IMS AccessForAll Metadata Specification (pdf).

CETIS briefing paper on the IMS AccessForAll Metadata Specification, which defines the meta-data that can be used to describe a learning resource’s accessibility and its ability to match a learner’s preferences. It works in conjunction with the IMS ACCLIP (Accessibility for Learner Information Package) Specification, and provides guidance on how to make the two specifications work together.

No longer current.

IMS Accessibility for Learner Information Package (ACCLIP) Specification

By Sharon Perry.
Cetis Briefing Paper , serial number: 2007:B02.
Topic(s):

Link: IMS Accessibility for Learner Information Package (ACCLIP) Specification (html).

Link: IMS Accessibility for Learner Information Package (ACCLIP) Specification

A CETIS Briefing on the IMS Accessibility for Learner Information Package
(ACCLIP) Specification, which provides a means of describing preferences so that learners can interact with an e-learning system regardless of disability, hardware or environment. These preferences are based on those parts of a computer system (hardware and software) that can be adjusted to improve accessibility, rather than on type of disability.

No longer current.

Assessment item banks: an academic perspective

By Dick Bacon, Senior Lecturer (HEA Consultant), University of Surrey..
Cetis White Paper , serial number: 2007:WP01.
Topic(s):

Link: Assessment item banks: an academic perspective (html).
Link: Assessment item banks: an academic perspective (doc).
Link: Assessment item banks: an academic perspective (pdf).

This paper discusses assessment item bank that can be used by academics to share assessment content within or across a range of institutions. The concept is not new, but technical developments now render such a resource far more attractive and realisable than ever before. The paper considers the rationale of electronic assessment systems and assessment item banks used in HE. Some aspects of interoperability technology, including IMS QTI (the specification for Question and Test Interoperability), are described and discussed. The main assessment systems being used in HE are described with some details of the question types supported and how well they interoperate with other systems.
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IMS Guidelines for Developing Accessible Learning Applications

By Sharon Perry.
Cetis Briefing Paper , serial number: 2007:B01.
Topic(s):

Link: IMS Guidelines for Developing Accessible Learning Applications (html).

Link: IMS Guidelines for Developing Accessible Learning Applications (doc).

A CETIS Briefing on the IMS Guidelines for Developing Accessible Learning Applications which provide a set of accessibility resources and recommendations for the e-learning community, so that online learning can be made accessible to everyone.

No longer current.