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| NMC Learning Object Initiative |
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GUIDE TO SELECTED ORGANIZATIONS
Most of the organizations selected for inclusion here are well know for their direct involvement in the development of learning object standards, theory, models, or repositories. While a number of elearning organizations are also doing work in the realm of learning objects, the ones listed below have learning objects as their core focus, as a major component of their mission, or are of such influence that their inclusion here is mandated.
Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative (ADL): The Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative is a collaborative effort between government, industry and academia to establish a new distributed learning environment that permits the interoperability of learning tools and course content on a global scale. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) in coordination with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), ADL's vision is to provide access to the highest quality education and training, tailored to individual needs, delivered cost-effectively anywhere, anytime. See http://www.adlnet.org. AICC: The Aviation Industry CBT (Computer-Based Training) Committee (AICC) is an international association of technology-based training professionals. The AICC develops guidelines for aviation industry in the development, delivery, and evaluation of CBT and related training technologies. The objectives of the AICC are as follows:
The AICC wants the aviation training community to get the best possible value for its technology-based training dollar. The only way that this is possible is to promote interoperability standards that software vendors can use across multiple industries. With such standards a vendor can sell their products to a broader market for a lower unit cost. AICC recommendations are fairly general to most types of computer based training and, for this reason, are widely used outside of the aviation training industry.…The AICC also actively coordinates its efforts with broader learning technology standards organizations like IMS, ADL, and IEEE/LTSC. See http://www.aicc.org/pages/aicc_faq.htm Educational Object Economy Foundation (EOE): The Educational Object Economy Foundation investigates the growth and propagation of online learning communities, via the development of component-based tools for the creation and sharing of learning objects. Founded by Dr. James Spohrer as part of a National Science Foundation-funded project, hosted by Apple Computer, and including industry, university, and government collaborators, the EOE develops and distributes tools to enable the formation of communities engaged in building shared knowledge bases of learning materials. Today, EOE tools and content have been used by thousands of people around the world. See http://www.eoe.org. IMS Global Learning Consortium: The IMS Global Learning Consortium, headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a specification authoring organization, with its membership drawn from distributed computer learning system vendors, publishers, digital content vendors, government agencies, universities, schools, training organizations, and other interested parties. IMS specifications are intended to evolve into globally adopted open standards for Learning Management System (LMS) vendors and content authors. All IMS specifications are made available to the public without charge and are realized in eXtensible Markup Language (XML), to facilitate unrestricted understanding and adoption. One of IMS' central objectives is to facilitate working relationships among LMS vendors, content authors, and learners to foster a mutually beneficial and thriving marketplace around open Internet standards. See http://www.imsproject.org/imsdr_whitepaper_v1p6.html#1225538 Learning Technology Standards Committee (LTSC): The Learning Technology Standards Committee (LTSC) is chartered by the IEEE Computer Society Standards Activity Board to develop accredited technical standards, recommended practices and guides for learning technology. The LTSC coordinates formally and informally with other organizations that produce specifications and standards for similar purposes. Standards development is done in working groups via a combination of face-to-face meetings, teleconferences, and exchanges on discussion groups. The LTSC is governed by an executive committee consisting of working group chairs and elected officers. The IEEE promotes the engineering process of creating, developing, integrating, sharing, and applying knowledge about electro and information technologies and sciences for the benefit of humanity and the profession. For additional information, see the web sites at http://ltsc.ieee.org/ and http://www.ieee.org/organizations/corporate/vision.htm Learnativity.com. "Learnativity," as defined by the organization that carries its name, "is an idea, a practice, and a bringing-together of concepts important to most everyone wanting to succeed in the new century. Learnativity.com is an organization created by Marcia Conner and Wayne Hodgins to convey these concepts beyond Learnativity.com and to help foster an alliance for the new learning economy." The Learnativity website is a rich treasure trove of materials related to these concepts and ideas. See http://www.learnativity.com/about.html Macromedia Inc. Macromedia Inc. provides software that empowers millions of developers and designers to efficiently create the most effective user experiences on the Internet. Its integrated family of tool, server, and client technologies enables the delivery of a wide range of Internet solutions from websites to Rich Internet Applications across platforms and devices. With an installed base of three million developers and designers, rich client software deployed to 98 percent of web users, and a broad network of industry partners, Macromedia is a strategic IT supplier to customers in the business, government and education markets. The company has operations in more than 50 countries worldwide, and headquarters in San Francisco, California. See http://www.macromedia.com/macromedia/ The MASIE Center. The MASIE Center is an international e-lab and ThinkTank located in Saratoga Springs, NY. The Center is dedicated to exploring the intersection of learning and technology, and focuses on these key areas:
The MASIE Center provides its services to major corporations and technology providers throughout the world. The Center provides research, perspectives, training, learning products and consulting on these key issues. The MASIE Center was formed to provide a clear-thinking leadership hub for the next generation of learning and technology solutions. See the website at http://www.masie.com/masie/default.cfm?page=centerinformation University for Industry (Ufi). Ufi is one of the UK government's key partners in delivering the workforce development and lifelong learning agenda. Ufi is bringing about a revolution in learning by taking forward the government's concept of a 'university for industry.' learndirect is Ufi's nation-wide network of online learning and information services. Ufi aims to drive up demand for learning, help adults improve their employability by acquiring new knowledge and skills, and help businesses become more competitive. It is using Information Communications Technology, (ICT) to revolutionize where and how people and businesses learn. It is developing learning materials which allow people and businesses to learn in 'bite-sized chunks' on line through the Internet at a pace and at times that suit them and wherever they have access to the Internet - at learning centers, at home or at work. Note: Brief and carefully worded descriptions like those that often appear on websites about organizational purposes and missions are difficult to summarize without changing the intended meaning of the words. To ensure each organization here was represented accurately, the information in this section was collected directly from the websites of the selected organizations, and barring any errors we may have inadvertently introduced in transcribing or condensing the text, is the work of the various authors of that content. |