Conformance Testing:

the elixer within the chain for

Learning Scenarios and Objects

Rob Nadolski, Owen Oneill, Wim van der Vegt & Rob KoperEducational Technology Expertise CentreOpen University of the Netherlands

ICALT, 2006

Fostering/enabling (new) ways of learning

ICALT, 2006

Fostering/enabling (new) ways of learning

ICALT, 2006

Fostering/enabling (new) ways of learning

ICALT, 2006

Fostering/enabling (new) ways of learning

ICALT, 2006

Optimally exploit technologies for cost-efficient, effective, and attractive e-learning experiences

Effective & attractive e-learning experiences

New ways of learning- Collaborative- Competence-based- Problem-based

Multi-user Learning Scenario’s (LS)

Knowledge co-constructed by learners

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Trends in cost-efficient e-learning experiences

1. Learning Technology specifications/standards

- IEEE LOM, - IMS CP, - IMS QTI, - IMS LIP, - IMS LD - et cetera

ICALT, 2006

Trends in cost-efficient e-learning experiences

2. Separate LS and LO (only supported by IMS LD)Learning Scenario (LS)- Roles- Learning activities- Support activities- Learning Environment

- resources (eg learning objects) - services

Learning Object (LO)Any digital, reproducible and addressable resource

ICALT, 2006

Trends in cost-efficient e-learning experiences

3. Components-based systems- Web services- Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)

Support a flexible and sustained approach to e-learning systems development

Flexibility is urged by learners, educators, and educational institutes to enable personalized new ways of learning

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Trends in cost-efficient e-learning experiences

4. Chain for LOs and LSs (includes 5 links)

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Superimposed on LT specifications/standardsAND Conformance Testing

Chain for LOs and LSs

State of the art for tools supporting Link 1

- Development of LOs and LSs

Wide range for LOs & well established specs (CP, MD)

Lacking and partly insufficient for LSs & more immature specs

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Chain for LOs and LSs

State of the art for tools supporting Link 2

- Set available LOs and LSs

Publishing in repositories is widely available,although there might be a problem for realportability of LOs/LSs (MERLOT, several LMSs)

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Chain for LOs and LSs

State of the art for tools supporting Link 3

- Make LOs and LSs searchable and reusable

Federated searches through metadata for LOs widely available, but inadequate/lacking for LSs

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Chain for LOs and LSs

State of the art for tools supporting Link 4

- Arrange LOs and LSs into units of learning

Fair range of tools but limited to reusing LOs and quite complex to use

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Chain for LOs and LSs

State of the art for tools supporting Link 5

- Use units of learning by learners and educators

Quite a range of players but the stage of truepersonalized learning environments and seamlessintegration of componentsbased e-learning systemshas not been reached yet

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Chain for LOs and LSs

State of the art for tools: Conclusion

- several links in the chain are beneath optimal strength

Solution:Better and more easy Conformance Testing to:Simplify software development-> Improve software development-> Increase confidence in software products

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Conformance Testing in chain for LOs and LSs

Simplification

- of testing process- of developing application & domain profiles

(needed to address community-specific needs)

Through

- Telcert tools (EU 6th framework)

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Conformance Testing in chain for LOs and LSs

Telcert tools(specification certification)

1. Schemaprof2. Schema Transformation Tool 3. Content Reengineering Tool 4. Telcert Test System

ICALT, 2006

Conformance Testing in chain for LOs and LSs

Telcert tools

1. Schemaprof

allows the creation of an Application Profile based on an XML schema file

reduces the incidence of human-error modifications are written to an XML file

ICALT, 2006

Conformance Testing in chain for LOs and LSs

Telcert tools

2. Schema Transformation Tool

works as a plug-in for Schemaprof combines base-specification schema with modifications

made in Schemaprof generates an XML Schema representation of an Application

Profile

ICALT, 2006

Conformance Testing in chain for LOs and LSs

Telcert tools

3. Content Reengineering Tool

enables creation of “content” based on localised XML schemas

is based on the Reload editor functionality has also been added to support Application

Profiles

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Conformance Testing in chain for LOs and LSs

ICALT, 2006

Telcert tools

4. Telcert Test System

tests against a particular e-learning specification can be tested against:

the base specification (represented by XSD file) an application profile (produced by Schemaprof) generic specification-specific tests (derived from the

specification documentation) after running a test session, the system provides detailed

information on the results of each test

Summary

Conformance Testing:

- is indispensable for creating a stronger more enduring chain

- supports development and adoption of SOA-compatiblesoftware to facilitate new ways of learning

- enables more portable LOs and LSs between different systems

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BUT

Conformance Testing could be left unexploited:

- because there is no critical mass for using LT specificationswithin certain communities

- development of effective, user-friendly SOA-compatiblesoftware components is not feasible

- it will not be mature enough for comprehensive use in the e-learning industry (which tends to use/develop newspecifications that need to be fully represented in a machinereadable format (unambiguous documentation, eg. UML 2.x))

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Discussion & Questions

Further details

- Telcert project website:http://www.opengroup.org/telcert/

E-mail: rob.nadolski@ou.nl

ICALT, 2006