Advanced Distributed Learning

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The Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative is a collaborative effort to utilize information technologies to modernize structured learning. Its ultimate goal is to provide access to the highest quality education and training that can be tailored to individual needs and delivered cost-effectively, whenever and wherever it is required. ADL sets the standards for the SCORM.

About Advanced Distributed Learning

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (OUSD P&R) was tasked with leading a collaborative effort to harness the power of information technologies to modernize structured learning. Through the sponsorship of the OUSD P&R, the creation of the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative was formed as a developer and implementer of learning technologies across the Department of Defense (DoD).

ADL employs a structured, adaptive, collaborative effort between the public and private sectors to develop the standards, tools and learning content for the learning environment of the future. The vision of the ADL Initiative is to provide access to the highest-quality learning and performance aiding that can be tailored to individual needs and delivered cost-effectively, anytime and anywhere.

The Shareable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM®)

Main article: SCORM

The Shareable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM®) is a collection of standards for the development of e-learning content and software. SCORM® was developed by ADL as an adaptation of several AICC efforts and existing IMS specification. The SCORM® specification is divided into several subject matter books; the Content Aggregation Model, the Sequencing and Navigation Model, and the Run-time Environment Model.

History of the ADL Initiative

The Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) initiative was established late 1997 in cooperation with the Department of Defense, the White House Office of Science and Technology, the Department of Labor, the National Guard Bureau and others to develop a strategy for facilitating the cooperation of government, academia and industry in the development of e-learning standards which could enhance the reusability, quality, and reduce the associated costs of learning systems leveraging electronic media such as CD’s and the Web.

In early 1999, the initial draft of the 'Shareable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM®) was created, sparking great interest within the distributed learning vendor community. It became apparent however that many parallel efforts had emerged. Executive Order 131119 tasked the DoD with providing guidance to Defense agencies and advice to civilian agencies in developing and implementing collaborative distance learning standards.

In early 2000 the office of Naval Research funded the development of test software which would validate conformance with SCORM.

In early 2001 the first of the ADL Co-Labs was established in Alexandria, Virginia.

The Office of Secretary of Defense’s T2 effort began in March 2002 emphasizing the use of ADL programs as critical to achieving the DoD’s training and transformation goals, assuring that training is readily available to both active and reserve military personnel, regardless of time and place. The T2 strategy and recently released T2 implementation plan are intended to reengineer training; enhance Service members’ skills; and provide capabilities-based training to support Service, joint, interagency, intergovernmental and multinational operations.

In June of 2006 DoD instruction 1322.26 was issued mandating that all DoD agencies require SCORM® conformance for all new training contracts. The signing of this instruction marked the beginning of a new initiative to require the adoption of the SCORM® e-learning standards.

Current ADL Initiatives

• Repositories and clearinghouse
• Wireless/PDA-based training
• Job performance aids
• Embedded training
• Online gaming
• Simulation-based training
• Communications infrastructure
• New methods to manage, track and measure online learning
• Use of intelligent tutors and systems
• Assessments of individual and team performance in distributed environments

The Future of the ADL Initiative

As technology and global military needs evolve so to does the ADL initiative. ADL is growing beyond SCORM to provide a complete platform of support tools and services to the Department of Defense, Federal Agencies, and the Distributed Learning Community.

The ADL Network

The ADL network consists of Cooperative Laboratories (Co-Labs) in the US and around the world. The focus of each lab is in a specific area of influence with each lab being tasked with supporting and developing the adoption of the SCORM specification. The ADL network currently consists of the following facilities:

Domestic:

• ADL Co-Lab Hub (Alexandria, Virginia)
  • The ADL Co-Lab Hub serves as the central office of the Co-Lab network, developing and stimulating the ADL initiative throughout Federal Agencies.

• Joint ADL Co-Lab (Orlando, Florida) Central Florida Research Park)
  • Located in the Central Florida Research Park adjacent to the Army's Program Executive Office for Simulation Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) and The University of Central Florida, the Joint ADL Co-Lab promotes the implementation of the ADL initiative within all services of the Department of Defense. This lab provides consulting services, tools, sample methodologies, and strategies for implementation of ADL in the military environment. This lab also administers the ADL initiatives Prototype Program.

• Academic ADL Co-Lab (Madison, Wisconsin)
  • Located in downtown Madison, the Academic Co-Lab serves as an intermediary between the academic world and the ADL Initiative promoting and demonstrating the next generation technologies that enhance teaching and learning.

• Advanced Distributed Learning Workforce Co-Lab (Memphis, Tennessee)
  • Located at the University of Memphis' FedEx Institute of Technology the Workforce Co-Lab facilitates the development and integration of ADL technologies to enhance learning and training for the workforce of the future.

• ADL Job Performance Technology Center (Alexandria, Virginia)
  • Located at the Alexandria Co-Lab, the Job Performance Technology Center promotes research into the ROI of job performance technologies, serves as an "honest broker" for federal government and DoD requirements gathering, and acts as a collaborative point and working lab in researching and creating demonstrations of job performance tools, content and subject matter expertise dealing with Human Performance throughout the Federal Government.

• ADL Technology Center (Johnstown, Pennsylvania)
  • The ADL Technology Center collaborates with the ADL Co-Lab network to develop technologies and utilities such as the ADL Sample Run-time Environment and Conformance Test Suite which validate ADL concepts.

International:

• United Kingdom (U.K.) ADL Partnership Lab (Telford, England)
  • Located at the University of Wolverhampton Learning Lab, the UK ADL Partnership lab has been established as a collaborative effort to promote the development and acceptance of global e-learning standards.

• Canada ADL Partnership Lab (Ottawa, Canada)
  • Supports the implementation of the ADL initiative within the Canadian Department of national Defense (DND).

External links

• The Official Advanced Distributed Learning Web site
• An explanation of ADL history by Phillip Dodds