Subject: Re: IFETS-DISCUSS Digest - 24 Feb 2000 to 25 Feb 2000
From: Stephen Downes (stephen.downes@ualberta.ca)
Date: Fri 25 Feb 2000 - 22:12:06 MET
Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2000 14:12:06 -0700 From: Stephen Downes <stephen.downes@ualberta.ca> Subject: Re: IFETS-DISCUSS Digest - 24 Feb 2000 to 25 Feb 2000
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Details of current discussion: http://ifets.ieee.org/discussions/discuss.html
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Just a quick point:
Alan Cooper <acooper@langara.bc.ca> writes <<
One other issue that comes to mind when we start talking about automated systems is that of
certification of validity and quality of content. Do we only accept material from a limited
number of trusted or certified authors? or just items which have been reviewed and approved by
some authority? I find it hard to imagine the controls needed to maintain quality of product from
an automated system not interfering with the free exchange
of ideas which is what attracts me to the idea of an "Educational Object Economy". Anyhow, the
notion of certification of quality and credibility may be something else that belongs on Albert's
list. >>
'Quality Control' ( = content control, version control, language control, etc.) is enabled at a
number of points thoughout the (ideally designed) system:
Point of Origination: by this I mean the database which houses a set of learning objects to
begin with. Different Points of Origination will have different rules. But essentially each Point
of Origination will set up its own review mechanism. Thus, for example, a Microsoft Learning
Objects Database will contain a set of Learning Objects approved by MS's internal review
policy, while a Journal of Philosophy Learning Objects database will contain only per reviewed
Learning Objects. Review mechanisms will vary, but essentially new learning objects will be
deposited into a temporary category and opened to a set of reviewers for comments before
they are made available to the public.
Point of Collection: by this I mean the intermediate organization which will collect (using
automatic mechanisms) Learning Objects from various Points of Origination and assemble
them into learning packages such as online courses. For example, the University of Alberta
could collect a set of Learning Objects and assemble these into Philosophy 101. A course
designer will probably limit jis or her search to institutionally sanctioned Points of Origin,
which provides a first level of quality control. He or she will probably review individual
Learning Objects for selection, which provides a second level of quality control. And
intermediate organizations will provide their own review mechanisms before courses or
other learning packages are released to the public.
Point of Indexing: by this I mean learning portal sites or other services which list (usually by
topic) learning packages available from various institutions. For example, a Philosophy Course
index might list the University of Alberta's Philosophy 101 course among many others. Such
services will probably limit the set of institutions from which they list learning objects (especially
if they are re-sellers, in which case they act as a guarantor of quality). Some may also have
internal review mechanisms.
Standards Bodies: by this I mean independent and (ideally) non-affiliated standards bodies,
such as, say, ISO, which will 'accredit' learning objects. Learning Objects may then be
filtered by collectors or indexers (or even final users, though that would be unusual)
according to whether the standards body is listed in that object's metadata.
Therefore, there is no need to screen objects as they enter the system initially, as a
substantial set of filters and screening mechanisms will apply as they make their
way through the system into the final learning package.
-- Stephen Downes - Information Architect - University of Alberta stephen.downes@ualberta.ca http://www.atl.ualberta.ca/downes--------------------------------------------------------- Forum website: http://ifets.ieee.org/ Forum's contact person: kinshuk@massey.ac.nz Info on Join/Leave List: http://ifets.ieee.org/maillist.html ---------------------------------------------------------
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