July 06, 2005

Ink Officially Dries on PENS Specification

The AICC officially released the PENS specification. As explained in an earlier post, PENS (Package Exchange Notification Services) allows a content tool to stage a SCORM package or AICC content zip file at a URL and then "ping" the LMS (or CMS or LCMS) server. This ping triggers the LMS to retrieve and import the content, and allows for alert messages as the content moves through an LMS workflow. Voila, the content is published-- no need for users to understand FTP or have special ActiveX upload controls, etc.

Customers are already using products or services supporting PENS from vendors including: EEDO, EMC Documentum, Pathlore, Plateau, and Recombo.

I'm looking forward to that list growing, and seeing more and more products that simplify transfering elearning from authoring or content systems to a LMS. I hope by next year we all just expect publishing to an LMS to be a simple one-time configuration in the content tool/system, followed by a PhD step (Press here, Darling) whenever we feel like publishing content.

For details on PENS, see these AICC documents:

- Tom

Posted by tking at 04:22 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

February 21, 2005

ADL Plugfest 9

I'm at ADL Plugfest 9. Macromedia is 8 for 9 on attendance and I did my part for 6 of those. I'll check things out and log whats new. I'm here to present some info on PENS and on the Captivate SCORM 2004 support.

ADL Plugfest 9 February 22-25, 2004 Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA

Is this the first you heard of this Plugfest? Check out the ADL News Feed in RSS.

Posted by tking at 10:16 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

February 08, 2005

PENS - Enables Publishing Directly to an LMS

Whew. After a full year of specifications work we are ready for official acceptance. Vendors have running implementations and the AICC is in the process of voting on the latest draft document.

PENS (Package Exchange Notification Services) allows a content tool to stage a SCORM package or AICC content zip file at a URL and then "ping" the LMS. This triggers the LMS to retrieve and import the content, and allows for alert messages as the content moves through an LMS workflow.

PENS lets content creation tools easily ;amp& directly contribute content to an LMS, LCMS or full-fledged ECM/CMS like Documentum. In some cases a CMS Documentum may also be "in the middle" and also use this protocol to forward content to an LMS.

PENS simplifies the user experience; set-up your LMS/CMS information once in your content tool and then use PENS to click a "publish to LMS button" that automates the process.

Sound interesting. We can thank folks at Macromedia, Documentum, Pathlore, Plateau, Recombo and Questionmark for their contributions to this specification. Thanks to the AICC for providing a nice home for these efforts too.

Please take a look at the specification and add your comments to the PENS forum:
http://aicc.org/pages/review.htm

Believe it or not, a mere year is a flat-out sprint for getting a specification like this done and having vendors with implementations out in the market. Hurray! Congratulations and thanks to all the contributors who helped make this happen.

Posted by tking at 08:15 PM | Comments (0)

January 24, 2005

AICC Workshop on AICC Content

The AICC is holding an open workshop for the first time in North America. Workshop topics include:

* How to to implement AICC/HACP in Macromedia Flash.
* How to get your training products AICC certified.
* Current trends in learning technology standards.
* Discussions with the experts who create those standards.

Session date: January 31, 2005
Location: Miami, Florida USA

Registration is still open. See the AICC web site for registration details - http://aicc.org

Look for future meeting schedules and additional information under "Meeting Information" on the AICC site.

Posted by tking at 02:34 PM | Comments (0)

May 21, 2004

SCORM Sequencing implementation and workshops

Who is using simple sequencing now? I'm not aware of too many commerical LMS products that support it. That might be my ignorance, but the only ones that come to mind are the IBM LMS and Giunti Labs systems.

That said, I do know quite a few people who are fans of the technology, including some early adopters in aviation training. Let me know if you're using simple sequencing and how.

Any opinions on simple sequencing? Use the Comments below.

Want to learn more? Consider the Co-Lab workshop in late June in Wisconsin - http://partners.academiccolab.org/events/sequencing_workshop/

Posted by tking at 12:47 PM | Comments (0)

May 19, 2004

SCORM Sequencing- Even I winced at this

So much for the old adage about living by the sword. As a dreadful punster and midwest-bred connoisseur of corniness, even I winced at the Sea Quince of puns in this ADL SCORM sample file about simple sequencing: http://projects.aadlcolab.org/scourse/latestgreatest/viewer.htm

No need for me to run-on any more than that last sentence did.

Posted by tking at 11:34 AM | Comments (0)

May 18, 2004

Make SCORM 1.2 manifests (again) with Dreamweaver

Hurray! An intrepid developer has taken on the task of updating "Manifest Maker" (download from Exchange in 'Learning' category) to ensure that is passes the ADL SCORM Test Suite 1.2.6 and make sure it works with Dreamweaver MX 2004.

In 2000, Manifest Maker started out as a spare-time project to demonstrate the viability of IMS content packaging and ADL SCORM. Along the way I found some time to make a few updates along the way, but it had been neglected for far too long. I never expected it to have a four year life! It turns out bunches of people use Manifest Maker "as is" or have done piecemeal patches. Thank goodness Leo Lucas had the skills and the time I lacked. [Four more years. Four more years.] Check out Leo's website while your at it. Thanks Leo.

Posted by tking at 03:22 PM | Comments (0)