Reusability 2.0: The Concepts Become Reality

True learning object reusability has been for the most part, a pipe dream since Cisco introduced their Reuse Information Object Strategy in 1999. According to Bersin’s “Learning Content Management Systems: What Works” report, 77% of their members surveyed cite learning object reuse as the top reason for purchasing a LCMS. However, less than 40% of those surveyed who have an LCMS actually reuse content – and it’s safe to assume that the vast majority of this content reuse is within a single delivery format like e-learning.

The fundamental misconception is that Cisco’s model – or Reusability 1.0 – was a failure, when in fact, these concepts still apply today. The real problem was that XML was in its infancy and therefore the technology unavailable to make these concepts work. So, Reusability 1.0 was branded a failure and the classic approach that most organizations still take today – separate teams, separate tools and separate processes for each different set of outputs was unfortunately off and running.

In his June blog posting, Bryan Chapman defines Reusability 2.0 as “a method of creating, organizing, storing, versioning and publishing reusable learning content in a common, central repository for the purpose of creating learning support, regardless of delivery format (i.e. instructor guides, lesson plans, classroom visuals, tests, handouts, online courses, job aides, etc.).”

As hinted to above, the technology that makes Reusability 2.0 possible is XML. A single-source authoring and publishing paradigm is nothing new. It has been tested and proven highly successful in other industries such as technical documentation and publishing. However, the learning industry adds a huge layer of complexity as successful training requires sequencing, interactivity, assessments and real-time delivery.

So the real question is, can the industry take a proven single-source paradigm and successfully synthesize it with SCORM standards?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 21st, 2007 at 2:42 am by Dawn and is filed under Reusability 2.0. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.