A-3: To prepare teaching material & learning resources

NEED OF E-CONTENT DEVELOPMENTS IN EDUCATION

[ * Dr. K.Nachimuthu

Introduction

Information technology and the Internet are major drivers of research,

innovation, growth and social change. The growth in Internet has brought changes in all

walks of life including the education. e-content includes all kinds of content created and

delivered through various electronic media from „old media‟ such as print and radio to

the increasingly sophisticated electronic tools with combination of sounds, images and

text. e-content requires huge amounts of creativity both at 'information' level as well as

the 'technology' level.

Evolution of e-Learning standards

Almost every technology has its own standards evolved by different

organizations. The Dublin Core started in 1994 to develop a meta-data framework for

web resources. The Dublin Core is a metadata element set intended to facilitate

discovery of electronic resources used in museums, libraries, government agencies. In

1997, the EDUCOM consortium (now EDUCAUSE) of US institutions of higher

education and their vendor partners established an effort to develop standards for on-

line learning, specifications for metadata. Also in 1997, NIST (National Institute for

Standards and Technology) and the IEEE study group began similar efforts.

Learning Object Design

Learning Management Systems (LMSs) are web-based application platforms

used to plan, implement, and assess learning processes related to online and offline

training, administration and performance management. LMS are defined as systems to

manage learners, keeping track of their progress and performance across all types of

learning activities. LMSs provide an instructor a way in which to create and deliver

content, monitor learners' participation, and assess learners' performance. In fact many

institutions, the Learning Management System may have one or two content-authoring

tools. The content-authoring tool is software used to create multimedia content for

delivery on the World Wide Web.

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Instructional design

Instructional design is a systematic, repetitive process of activities aimed at

creating a solution for an instructional problem. The steps involved in instructional

design are; setting an instructional goal; goal analysis; learning domains; learning

outcomes; prepare criterion referenced test questions and a clear instructional

strategy.(Sharada Dasari, 2001). The leaning domains are verbal information,

intellectual skills, psychomotor skills and attitudes. The instructional strategies may be

drill and practice, tutorials, simulations and educational games.

Types of Content-authoring tools

The Content-authoring tools are different in nature are; SCORM, AICC,

PROMETEUS, ARIADNE, ADL, AASL and LTSC. (i) SCORM (Sharable

Courseware Object Reference Model), is a set of specifications that, when applied to

course content produces small reusable e-Learning objects; (ii) AICC (Aviation Industry

Computer-Based Training Committee), is an international association of technology-

based training professionals that develops teaching guidelines for the aviation industry.

It apply to the development, delivery, and evaluation of e-content training courses via

technology; (iii) PROMETEUS (Promoting Multimedia Access to Education and

Training in European Society) established with a clear underlying ideal to promote

access to knowledge, education and e-content training for all European citizens; (iv)

ARIADNE is a European Union project focusing on the development of tools for

producing, managing, and reusing computer based pedagogical elements in University

of Lausanne, Switzerland; (v) ADL (Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative) is a

program from the US Department of Defense and the White House Office of Science

and Technology, to develop guidelines needed for efficient and effective e-content

learning; (vi) AASL (American Association of School Librarians) has formulated the

Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning and it concentrates the student,

teacher and administrator; (vii) LTSC (Learning Technologies Standard Committee)

has prepared technical standards and guidelines for the use of e-content components in

Education and it is an internationally accredited Computer Society Standards Activity

Board founded by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Education Today, An International Journal of Education & Humanities, APH pu