[December 04, 2000] A communiqué from Daniel Lipkin (Chief Architect, Saba Software) reports on the development of the of Universal Learning Format (ULF) and its RDF mapping to the IEEE Learning Objects Metadata (LOM) format. "Universal Learning Format (ULF) is a complete suite of XML and RDF-based data formats for describing and exchanging eLearning data. The standards. The formats build on and are compatible with a wide variety of industry standards for exchanging learning data, including ADL, IEEE, IMS, Dublin Core, and vCard. ULF's compatibility with other standards ensures that data described in ULF is universally portable across all systems and taxonomies that are designed to support virtually any recognized industry standard. It also means that the ULF will shadow new developments in its constituent standards, thus providing a direct path for future extensibility. Universal Learning Format comprises Learning Catalogs and Metadata, Online Classes and Assessments, Learner Profiles, Competency Libraries and Certification Libraries. ULF includes a Catalog Format, which is an RDF mapping of IEEE LOM, augmented with additional catalog and eCommerce information. For more information, including examples and a tutorial, please refer to the ULF web site at http://www.saba.com/standards/ulf."
"The Universal Learning Format is a framework for enabling the cross-industry exchange of learning content such as education catalogs, course content, competency libraries, certification tracks, and learner profiles. It includes a set of XML-based formats for creating robust, reusable XML-based documents. Using this framework, learning providers can seamlessly exchange a variety of learning content as well as make their learning content universally available for search and discovery. The Universal Learning Format is based on the work done by standards bodies such as Instructional Management System (IMS), Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). It embraces and extends the existing online learning standards advanced by these organizations and is architected to take advantage of new standards as they emerge." [from the specification]
Background: "The digital revolution and the emergence of today's knowledge economy are creating a new, global marketplace for electronic learning. By connecting an open forum of learning providers with an enormous community of potential learners, this e-learning marketplace represents a tremendous business opportunity. However, there are a variety of technical challenges which complicate the development and publication of successful e-learning products. While current web and e-learning standards help to overcome some of these challenges, the existing standards do not address the full range of business needs. To address these needs, Saba offers a set of standard XML formats for describing e-learning content. Saba's Universal Learning Format embraces and extends the best of the existing and emerging web and e-learning standards to provide a comprehensive architecture for e-learning..."
References:
[December 04, 2000] "A Comprehensive Architecture for Learning. Universal Learning Format, Version 1.0." From Saba Software Inc. Revised: October 23, 2000. "This document introduces the Universal Learning Format, a modular set of XML-based formats developed by Saba for capturing various types of e-learning data, including online learning content, catalogs of learning resources, certification libraries, competency libraries, and learner information. It includes the following sections: (1) E-learning Marketplace. (2) Universal Learning Format. The Universal Learning Format is a framework for enabling the cross-industry exchange of learning content such as education catalogs, course content, competency libraries, certification tracks, and learner profiles. It includes a set of XML-based formats for creating robust, reusable XML-based documents. Using this framework, learning providers can seamlessly exchange a variety of learning content as well as make their learning content universally available for search and discovery. The Universal Learning Format is based on the work done by standards bodies such as Instructional Management System (IMS), Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). It embraces and extends the existing online learning standards advanced by these organizations and is architected to take advantage of new standards as they emerge." [cache]
See also:
- Educom Instructional Management Systems Project (IMS) Metadata Specification
- "Shareable Courseware Object Reference Model Initiative (SCORM)."
- PostSecondary Electronic Standards Council XML Forum for Education
- IEEE LTSC XML Ad Hoc Group
- Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF)
- Learning Material Markup Language (LMML)
- Tutorial Markup Language (TML)
