Presentation by Richard Kirby of CAPDM Ltd at the JANET CETIS Conference

1. Single Source Publishing
and
Change Management
Change Management
Change Management
Richard Kirby
CAPDM Limited
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2. About CAPDM
• CAPDM helps education providers develop global businesses
in education. This means:
– Programme and product design
– Single source publishing and knowledge management
– Delivery worldwide in all media and any VLE.
• It is both a company and a model for standards based
programme development. See www.capdm.com.
• It applies equally across the entire flexible learning spectrum:
The spectrum of flexible learning study modes available to educators
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3. Concept guidance: The CAPDM Model
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4. Single Source
• Content captured into XML/Docbook
– Study guides
– Course books
– Work books
– Assessments, past exams
– Glossaries
• Capture from Word or authored directly
in an XML aware editor
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5. Why XML?
• Semantic markup rather than stylistic
markup
• Independent of tools and VLEs
• Tools can generate multiple output
formats from the same XML master
• Smarter indexing/cross-linking
– Semantic Web
• Future proof!
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6. Semantic mark-up in XML
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7. • Single mastering: capture into XML
Before: MS Word file After: XML file
MS Word module with table; resulting XML file and table.
Capture 100 MS Word ‘pages’ into XML in < 30 seconds.
‘Average’ 80% capture accuracy, 20% manual correction (equations;
figs)
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8. Key conclusions from this model
• Quality learning materials are assets. Good ones take significant
effort and resources to produce. Secure your investment in them.
• Investing in standards (XML, JPEG …) is cost effective, helps to
prevent legacy problems, ensures long-term reusability, and
allows greater vendor independence.
• A good way to produce quality learning materials at reasonable
cost, is to share the production process where all involved can
apply their strengths.
• It is more efficient to produce learning materials using a single
source publishing solution. 40-60% cheaper overall.
• A good way to deliver best practice learning designs and
environments is to work with a partner that does a lot of this.
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9. Change Management
• Master XML documents kept in a
repository
• Changes tracked through versioning of
the documents
– check out, edit, check in
– actual release versions tagged
• Co-ordination of changes across
languages
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10. Localisation
• Same content apart from small chunks
of localised text (e.g. using an
Australian news clipping rather than a
British one in a journalism course)
• Different language versions of the same
text
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11. Localisation Case Study
• Pilot for Thomson Education Direct
• A vision of a global product
development engine
– avoiding content duplication, but allow
localisation
– supports constant updates
• A publishing engine that allows for
– paper, cd, web enabled, multi-language
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12. Language case study
• Materials mastered in English
• A release is then sent to translators for
Spanish, Chinese, Arabic translation
• Meanwhile the English version is
updated
• Custom outputs for sending to
translators
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13. Language outputs
Arabic HTML Arabic PDF
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14. Change outputs
html output showing changes
PDF annotated output
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15. Change outputs 2
• 3 way diff for translators (in xml)
• Shows the differences between
– the latest English master
– the original English master
– the translated version of the original
English master
• example
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16. • english-english.diff.html shows a neat
html based diff - can navigate through
the changes of the xml in a readable
form.
• content_changes_numbered.xml goes
to the translators
• ebs-cs-bk-en-GB-esdiff2008.pdf shows
an annotated PDF illustrating the
changes made.
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17. Multiple outputs from one master: AU and
UK English PDF
Australian English PDF UK English PDF
61 pages, batch typeset from one master source in seconds.
Variable content elements output based on locale (AU, EN, NL).
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18. Multiple outputs: Dutch PDF
PDF product batch generated from Dutch XML master.
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19. Multiple outputs: HTML versions from
same masters
English ICS HTML Dutch NTI HTML
Two 3500 HTML file trees generated from single master in < 1 minute
Locale specific; custom navigation elements; metadata ‘rich’.
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20. Customer Case: EBS eMBA
Edinburgh Business School eMBA programme
– Europe’s largest distance learning MBA programme.
– The world's most international MBA programme by volume.
– 10,000 successful MBA graduates from 150 countries.
– Twice awarded the Queen's Award for Export Achievement.
– Over 50% of Fortune 100 companies have students on this MBA.
– 4,400 study hours; English, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic.
– 800 different deliverables for 37 released courses in print and
online.
– 20 million words; 8,000 diagrams and sundry other media objects.
– Now being delivered from its third VLE system.
– 12 year unbroken record of coordinated XML single source
publishing and update management.
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21. The EBS knowledge domain is based on a single
information architecture
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22. Flexible CPD for:
• Founded in 1879 as the Institute of Bankers. The UK's specialist
awarding body for financial services and financial literacy
qualifications
• 3 programme developments with CAPDM
Programme 1: New Professional Diploma in Financial Services
Management launched in 2005. 6 modules, 300 study hours per
module. Three study modes: distance learning, approved provider or
distance learning with three workshops. Print and companion online
learning environments.
Programme 2: New Foundation and Intermediate Certificates in
Personal Finance launched 2006. Used by over 100+ schools, 1100+
pupils. Custom online eQuiz environment.
Programme 3: New Foundation Degree in Financial Services
Management launched 2007. 3 core, 5 elective modules. Two study
stages. Custom study-plan based learning environment.
• multiple custom online learning environments in myifsILE
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23. Flexible assessment
Personalised assessments for competency profiling, end-of-topic Q/A, and mock exams.
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24. Cost-effective production of
eLearning features
Assessment questions can be of
many types including MCQ,
FIB, T/F, MRQ and drag and
drop as pictured here. Marking
rubrics are flexible too with
positive and negative values for
each option being possible.
Hyperlinks from answers back
into the core learning text are
facilitated, as well as Learning
Objective based progress
tracking and feedback.
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25. Learning objective feedback
Provide additional learning feedback online, to make best use of the medium.
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26. Four core support needs
• Programme production
– The design, production and delivery of blended learning,
assessment and CPD products.
– Single source publishing services and tools.
• Materials and knowledge management
– Ongoing content management and updating support that
caters for all media in a holistic, single source solution.
• Learning environment enhancement
– How to make the most out of your choice of VLE or how to
move to better ones
• Business development and management support
– Expert support to let you benefit from the successful
experience of others and industry best practice
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27. Share programme development
Shared development process lets each partner applying their strengths
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28. Supporting different learning styles
• Learning can be Individual, Cooperative or
Collaborative.
• Individual learning provides much individual
flexibility, but little learning community.
• Cooperative learning provides much individual
flexibility and access to a learning community.
• Collaborative learning required participation in
a learning community, but limits individual
flexibility.
Source: Morten Flate Paulsen, NKI.
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29. Programme design - onion
Standardise your programme design – all modules the same feature set
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30. Example content synergy:
Interactivity spectrum
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31. 1. Static HTML with hyperlinks
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32. 2. Static HTML with local interaction
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33. 3. Working with the text
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34. 4. Digital workbook integration
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35. 5. Reusable learning objects
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36. 6. Integration with competency
frameworks
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37. 6b) Custom programme construction
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38. CAPDM Model in the
Managed Learning Environment
Integrated production, delivery and administration components make for a
Managed Learning Environment, better quality, and more efficient operations
JISC derived diagram illustrating 3
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39. Key benefits #1:
Better quality programmes
• The design and delivery can be custom for each
programme’s learning environment, and not
constrained by any one product design.
• Personalised experiences for tutors, students and
administrators are more easily implemented.
• Service components can be reused in other conexts.
• New service components can be integrated into the
same environment more consistently.
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40. Key benefit #2:
No VLE or vendor lock-in
• Open standards based learning content held outside your
virtual learning environment as single master sources.
• Flexible web service components to fit into your portal and
provide a cost-effective learning environment solution.
• Operational access to all data and source codes.
Example
Europe’s largest on-line MBA programme at EBS is now being
delivered from its third VLE system (two have been custom
built; one was proprietary). 20 million words of course materials
in 4 languages; 8,000 diagrams and sundry other media objects
ported, and a 12 year record of co-ordinated update
management was maintained.
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41. Programme and Business
Development Workflow
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