eXact learning solutions engages in the eTernity initiative for Educational Textbooks Standards

Nov. 22, 2012 - PRLog -- At this year’s Online Educa Berlin (OEB) event – learning technologies’ premier event in Continental Europe - Fabrizio Cardinali, Chair of the European Learning Industry Group (ELIG) and Senior Vice President of Global Business Development at the world-leading online and mobile learning solutions provider, eXact learning solutions, will be announcing his company’s engagement in  a new initiative from the Workshop Learning Technologies (CEN WS-LT) sub-group of CEN, Europe’s Committee for Standardisation. This new initiative defines open interoperability standards for the European digital textbooks  marketplace.

The initiative, named eTernity (European Textbooks Reusability, Networking & Interoperability),   aims to provide a common reference framework based on a selection of existing and newly developed interoperability specifications based on Europe’s educational needs and formats, to support  European public policy makers, academic bodies, private publishers and technology developers. The initiative aims to reshape the digital educational content marketplace towards more open and interoperable architectures and formats - to increase access, affordability and the quality of learning in Europe.

Professor Jan M. Pawlowski of the University of Jyväskylä, Chair of the CEN WS-LT, commented: “The development of standards for digital educational content in Asia, especially in South Korea and China - with a corresponding weaker emphasis in Europe on digital educational content publishing - is putting pressure on European stakeholders to act. There’s a need to develop a European position on ‘eTextbooks for education’ and ‘digital learning content’ along with similar initiatives - and, potentially, agree a standard or a profile using European best practices in this field.”

Tore Hoel , Vice Chair of CEN’s  Learning Technologies working group and Head Advisor at Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, added:  “The creation, inter-mediation - or ‘curation’, distribution and varied use of textbooks must be based on open architectural and technical standards which will make the marketplace more interoperable and scalable. The CEN WS-LT will work with other international standard bodies to achieve a global consensus about educational requirements for digital textbooks.”

Fabrizio Cardinali, announcing eXact learning solutions’ engagement in the initiative, explained: “We welcome any initiative that wants to move the European market from a world based on siloed and closed proprietary architecture to an ecosystem where smart, collaborative and innovative vendors can interoperate across different distribution channels and devices,   delivering the right learning experience where and when the learner needs it. And, if it’s starting from Europe, we are extremely pleased to support it.

“Europe needs new means for accelerating our kids’ education and our workforce re-skilling and up-skilling - and textbook distributers must adapt in a more global and ever-evolving market,” believes Cardinali. “First priority for any smart policy maker is to see new opportunities - do it first and do it right, before others do it better and put us in a less competitive position in the highly challenging skills development marketplace.”

Jan Pawlowski, on behalf of CEN’s Workshop on Learning Technologies, along with Fabrizio Cardinali, will be giving a full presentation of the eTernity initiative during the FD3 event (Societal Challenges, Policy Priorities and TEL) at OEB on the afternoon of 28th November. They will also present a summary introduction during the ELIG Reception Network, on 29th November at 16:10 at Berlin’s Hotel InterContinental, in Budapester Strasse.

To register, visit: http://www.online-educa.com/pre-conference-events

The project’s technical activities will be formally inaugurated by the CEN WS-LT at its January meeting, scheduled for 17th January 2013 in Brussels.  The day before, the 16th of January a full day workshop will explore all technical issues related to this project. Anyone who is interested in the eTernity initiative may join by contacting the CEN WS-LT at http://etextbookseurope.eu/   contacting the WS-LT officers – see http://www.cen.eu/CEN/sectors/sectors/isss/activity/Pages/wslt.aspx

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About eXact learning solutions (www.exact-learning.com)

eXact learning solutions, formerly Giunti Labs, is a leading online and mobile learning content management and digital repository solutions provider, which offers a wide range of tools and services for content development, content management and content delivery, covering:

•          Learning content management and digital repository platforms

•          Mobile learning technologies

•          Consulting and professional services

•          Multi-language bespoke learning content production

The company has over 15 years of experience and more than 100 customers worldwide. Its technological innovations allow enterprises to improve their organisational performance in learning content production and management, and achieve significant reductions in business costs.

For more information, please contact:

Minna Leikas, eXact learning solutions, Marketing Manager

Mobile +39 347 4435167; Office +39 0185 4608; Email m.leikas@exact-learning.com

Bob Little, Bob Little Press & PR,

Office +44 (0)1727 860405; Email bob.little@boblittlepr.com