Abstract
Information technology has been used in teaching, learning, and assessment for many years, from programmed learning and on-line tutorials, which are teaching-centred, at one end of the spectrum, to computer-supported collaborative environments, which are learning-centred. The term e-learning has developed over recent years to subsume these and related terms. The UK Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) provides the following useful explanation: E-Learning can cover a spectrum of activities from supporting learning, to blended learning (the combination of traditional and e-learning practices), to learning that is delivered entirely online. Whatever the technology, however, learning is the vital element. (JISC, n.d.) A number of specifications and standards are starting to emerge around e-learning. For example, relating to the Communication Interface: how resources communicate with other systems or meta-data; how to describe e-learning resources in a consistent manner and packaging; and how to gather resources into useful bundles. Organisations such as the IMS Global Learning Consortium 1 help contribute specifications in this area.