Business Challenges

Intelligence Solutions
  Content Management Systems
        EASE Overview
        EASE Content
        EASE Creation

Consulting Services

Adding content

Easy to use upload mechanisms
Easy-to-use features enable the content developer or administrator to add new learning content to the content database. Content produced by third party tools can also be easily accommodated.

Metadata descriptions
When content is added, pre-defined information about the content (e.g. digital properties such as file format and size) is inferred and processed as metadata, together with additional user-defined information such as author, language, description and so on. Search tools then enable system users to search metadata and easily locate content when they need to use it. Metadata can be edited at any time.

Importing multilingual content
EASE Content supports the import of SCORM compliant learning content, IMS manifest files and associated metadata, and can handle most of the 400 or more known file types. Multiple language support is available for both content material and user interface elements.

Version control
Version control mechanisms enable previous versions of individual assets and learning objects to be maintained within the database.

Content creation
Additional tools are available for creating online content and tests, see EASE Creation, and these integrate automatically with the EASE Content database to enable distributed course authoring and automatic creation of the programme map.

Programme registration
Functions exist for managing the status of learning programmes (i.e. active, preparation or archived) together with the creation and maintenance of course score maps for the conversion of numerical scores into grades.

Database Retrieval

Powerful search tools
Powerful search tools support simple or complex searches of metadata and provide search lists of learning objects that are easy to browse.

Ownership recording
The ownership and copyright permissions are maintained which allows for management reports to be produced based on usage and licence agreements.

Course design

Instructional specification
The specification which is produced offline through the EasyDesign desktop tool and uploaded to the EASE Content database, describes the teaching learning process in single or multiple units of learning, including references to the digital and non-digital learning objects and services needed during the process. This includes:

• Integration of the activities of both learners and staff members
• Integration of resources and services used during learning
• Support for a wide variety of approaches to learning
• Support for both single and multiple user models of learning
• Support mixed model (blended learning) as well as pure online learning

Pedagogical Flexibility
The specification expresses the pedagogical meaning and functionality of the different data elements within the context of a unit of learning. The specification also describes personalisation aspects within a learning design, so that the content and activities within a unit of learning can be adapted based on the preferences, portfolio, pre-knowledge, educational needs and situational circumstances of users.

Accessibility and adaptive learning
The completed instructional design model also incorporates learner accessibility requirements and sequencing constructs to allow for adaptive learning to maximise learner productivity.

Content Distribution

Delivering content for learning
The Programme Map Editor enables the developer to select and assemble learning content and items (collections of learning objects) into learning programmes. The programme provides a visual map to a learner who is navigating the learning content and allows for materials to be integrated with testing of understanding, discussion forums, submission of assignments, completion of formal examinations and return of course evaluations.

Reuse of learning objects
The Programme Map Editor enables the reuse of content and items between programmes. Updated versions of the programme map can be created and allocated to individual learners dependent on progress through previous versions.

Distributing learning content
Learning content, together with associated metadata, can be distributed electronically to clients and other developers.

Tracking usage
Management reporting functions, including both pre-formatted and ad-hoc queries, enable the tracking of content usage.

Open system

SCORM Compliant
The EASE Content database and tools comply fully with the requirements of SCORM and supports full interworking (including tagging, initialization and transfer of learner generated data and scores) with SCORM compliant content.

Platform independence and scalability
A distributed component structured architecture ensures platform independence and scalability for potentially large volumes of users and learning content objects.

Security
The system offers inbuilt security and privacy mechanisms including No Access, Read Only, Read and Write and Administer.

EASE comprises mix and match modules that can be used individually to meet specific needs or collectively to provide an enterprise wide learning and content management solution.