Deliverables

This report introduces a data model for capturing information that enables management and exchange of personal data on achieved learning outcomes. The Personal Achieved Learning Outcomes (PALO) schema describes the relations between achieved learning outcomes, context where outcomes are achieved or applied, and evidence records of the obtained learning outcomes. Information on level entities like proficiency level of learner mastering for the learning outcomes are also captured. The PALO schema was built on the basis of the learning needs and opportunities concepts introduced in ICOPER deliverable D2.1.

Nowadays, the management and interoperability of data about learning outcomes (knowledge, skill and competence) are of high importance for both education and employment sectors. By managing and sharing data about their profiles, learners in higher education and lifelong learning can better plan their careers and enhance their employability potential. In order to achieve this goal, the information about learning outcomes associated to units of learning as well as the learning outcomes achieved by learners need to be captured, stored and exchanged in a common format.

The report from the ICOPER work package on Instructional Modelling is exploring how instructional models could be described in a standardised way. How could good teaching practice in instructional modelling be captured and evaluated; and what are the potentials of standard as IMS Learning Design to support these activities? The report presents a Framework for Good Teaching Practice that uses an Educational Taxonomy to classify Teaching Methods and Units of Learning (which are contextualised examples of good teaching practice).

Most content development in the ICOPER community institutions is still driven by "first use" design, rather than by "reuse" principles, a ICOPER study conducted by the UK Open University shows. The study is a deliverable coming out of the ICOPER work package on Content Development & Reuse led by the UK Open University.

This report addresses the use of Web 2.0 technologies and associated quality control mechanisms within the iCOPER best practice community. It aims to outline the key topics and associated standards and specifications found in this community. These illustrate a set of best practice issues for developing educational resources open for remixing and repurposing, tailored to a European dimension.

This report from the ICOPER work package on Learning Delivery explores the technical basis of IMS Learning Design in order to be able to combine instructional models with collaboration services and rich media (open) content. The report analyses IMS Learning Design, IMS Common Cartridge, SCORM, and other standards.

As IMS-LD has evolved in the last years to an important specification for instructional models within the technology-enhanced learning area, it is mainly addressing educational experts familiar with learning design. Hence, a more practical guideline for educators who are not already IMS-LD experts is still missing in the literature. Thus, the main objective of this ISURE (ICOPER Suitability Report for Better Practice) is to provide on the basis of bestpractice experiences and recommended tools a step-by-step process model for the use of IMS-LD.

The purpose of this document is on the one hand to present an in depth analysis of assessment and course evaluation standards and specifications. A special focus is given to the QTI specification from IMS. On the other hand the actual usage of these standards and specifications in real institutions all around Europe will be presented.

In deliverable D-6.1, assessment formats were studied from a language-theoretic point of view. In this deliverable D-6.2, the analysis is done from a practical, tool-oriented point of view, with particular emphasis on interoperability. More precisely, the objective of this deliverable is twofold. First, to provide an in-depth analysis of interoperability and present a step-by-step procedure for exchanging e-learning material in two open source learning management systems (Moodle and .LRN). This procedure is then framed in the more general evaluation and production flow, which is analysed in order to enhance e-learning material. The first part thus addresses mainly tool developers, whereas the second is focused on final users related to assessment content, particularly content developers or even teachers.

The eContentplus Best Practices Network, ICOPER, aims at contributing to a more effective and efficient technology-enhanced learning in higher education (HE) and neighbouring educational contexts. The ICOPER Reference Model (IRM) provides a common frame of reference for stakeholders who wish to contribute in HE to the development of outcome-oriented teaching, and the design and development of content, technology-enhanced learning systems and applications that are interoperable both at the level of processes, as well as at the technical level (i.e. data and services). This draft specification of the IRM consists of the following main elements: 1) Domain Model, 2) Process Models, 3) Service Descriptions, 4) Data Schemes.

This document describes the first version of the website www.icoper.org which was developed for the ICOPER project as an instrument for dissemination and outreach, and culminates with the announcement of the public launch of the 1st version of the project presentation. As the deliverable type is "Service" the main work focussed on setting up this service, while this document serves as brief documentation of this activity.

The purpose of this document is to present a Communication and Dissemination Strategy for the ICOPER project to ensure maximum impact of the project during its life span and benefits to the e-learning standards community and its stakeholders after the project is ended. This document, then, details the activities to be carried out in the framework of a dissemination strategy, the responsibilities to be undertaken by project partners, and the ongoing evaluation of the progress and results of such activities. The document also outlines principles for communication within the ICOPER project and between members of a Best Practice Network (BPN).

This report is the first step towards an ICOPER roadmap for outcome-based learning. The report invites to a discussion on three themes: 1) What is the context of outcome-based learning in Europe? 2) What signals on the horizon could potentially change this context? 3) And what is the desired future? The results of these discussions will feed further gap analysis where the aim is to assess how to achieve desired futures states for outcome-based learning.

As indicated in the title of this deliverable, this report presents the findings of two main Roadmapping activities that took place during the ICOPER project period from January 2010 to July 2010, namely describing: a) the gap analysis work performed during this period which resulted in the identification of gaps between the future state (as it was described in the previous Roadmapping deliverable D-8.5) and the current state of the art (captured by the contemporary ICOPER Reference Model – the IRM) and b) the SWOT analysis of current standards and specifications which are related to the ICOPER visions for Outcome-based education.

This report summarises the training activities of the first year of the ICOPER project and reports plan for rest of the project (which ends Spring 2011).

This report describes the ICOPER Living Lab, that per January 2010 consists of the following components: Standards under study in ICOPER, Links to eContent repositories and the ICOPER Open Content Space, Social Networking linking e-learning experts, Communities of Practice and SIGs, Information about ICOPER events and other related news, ISUREs (ICOPER Suitability Reports for Better Practice), publishable research results, roadmap.