D6.2.1

=A searchable repository of standards for the physical e-learning infrastructure is provided. =

Evidence
Ad-hoc development of e-learning environments has resulted in the proliferation of a wide variety of materials and systems designed to support student learning. Many of these are developed without consideration of how they appear to students moving from course to course, how they can be reused over time, or how to learn from the experience of others in developing effective materials. Standards and guidelines can support more effective practice (Marshall, 2004) and their use can result in cheaper, more useful materials to support student learning. Standards are also key to the ‘services’ model gaining currency as a tool for managing the growing complexity of the physical e-learning infrastructure.

The Quality, Interoperability and Standards in E-learning report (2004) begins by noting that innumerable course components and systems have been developed independently but that for systems to interoperate they need to ‘understand’ each other. Standards specifically for e-learning will provide the following four advantages: durability, interoperability, accessibility, and reusability. The QUIS report discusses the definition and characteristics of the six most widely adopted standards for educational resources and environments.