News story

eXact learning LCMS version 10 enables Dynamic Content Publishing and Personalization Ecosystem

Sestri Levante, ItalyLearning NewseXact learning solutions

Unveiled at the end of October, the latest major release, version 10, of the eXact learning LCMS, and of its client desktop application eXact learning Packager 5.0, aims to add unique dynamic learning content publishing and personalisation features to the enterprise learning ecosystem.

Produced by the world-leading online and mobile learning solutions provider, eXact learning solutions, the eXact learning LCMS has a reputation for setting standards for the LCMS platform sector.

It was recently named as the Best Learning Content Management System at the Best of Elearning! 2012 Awards, held in the USA. Version 10 adds unique innovative features - including dynamic publishing, responsive XML and template-based HTML 5 authoring and DITA support – which are unparalleled by other solutions on the market.

According to Fabrizio Cardinali, CEO of eXact Learning Solutions’ North America and Senior Vice President of the company’s Global Business Development: “In future, LCMS architectures must be able to sit at the cornerstone of an enterprise’s content strategy, interoperating with the HR, L&D and ERP systems already there, to personalize learning content on demand. In so doing, they will develop a new learning content ecosystem which is much more effective and efficient than that in use today. 

“Our new version 10 enables contents to adapt, in real time, to the learner’s perspective and learning preferences - along with her/his skills and competency gaps, the learner’s location and the available device to deliver the learning and/or support,” he added. “Version 10 is the start of our development agenda towards next generation learning content ecosystems.”

The new LCMS version uses an open framework which allows users to develop and integrate their own learning authoring template sets.  

“Adopting a template-based authoring approach and flexible publishing and delivery solutions, allows organizations to achieve their goals, keeping the overall costs of e-learning under control,” explained Andrea Bocchio, Director of Software Development at eXact learning solutions. “A careful analysis of an organization's needs and the adoption of a template-based content production process and toolset is the first step towards ensuring the appropriate level of ROI for a learning organisation. Indeed, this makes the whole learning content production process simpler, easier and quicker - and therefore, in most cases, cheaper.

“It also significantly improves the organization's ability to repurpose its own existing catalogue of learning resources with limited effort,” he continued.

To improve the productivity of learning content production scenarios, eXact learning solutions has enriched its LCMS suite with a real-time rendering engine that, attached to the template framework, enables adaptive learning.

In addition, the new version supports the management of learning content creation and delivery for organizations that require a scalable, extendable modular system to meet high-volume, professional and consistent learning output demand. eXact learning solutions believes that he combination of rapid authoring capabilities and model-based automation of content production enables high-volume, professional and consistent learning output.

In addition, eXact learning LCMS 10 introduces XML based Processing Run time Engine (XPRE) technology supporting real-time learning object rendering - with the ability to attach multiple rendering engines, content format, layout style and device coverage at the end of the publishing process.

For those requiring integration with a third party learning management system (LMS) or delivery portal, eXact learning LCMS 10 renders adaptive learning content on the fly and consolidates the same content objects in different standalone packages - such as a SCORM, offline HTML, iPhone and/or Android versions, PDF printout and so on - for further download, handover to an LMS or other use.

“eXact learning LCMS’s templating approach and its embedded authoring tools  - eXact learning Packager and Online Editor - combines the power of XML-based content modeling with the ease of use of semantic structuring and the flexibility of responsive web design (RWD) technologies such as HTML5,” said Bocchio.

“It also provides both rapid authoring capabilities and model-based automation of content production in different languages that can be delivered on different channels and platforms. And authors in eXact learning LCMS 10 can count on ready-to-use, open and extensible sets of learning object templates for online authoring as well as desktop authoring.”

“Moreover,  eXact learning LCMS 10 features the ability to plug user-friendly authoring interfaces to any learning object template, as well as define different interfaces for novice and experienced users,” he said. “This enables different user profiles across the overall authoring process and scales the authoring community by delivering the appropriate authoring tool and interface configuration to each of the project stakeholders.”

eXact learning solutions will be revealing further details of its ground-breaking LCMS via two webinars – scheduled for 14th November and 5th December 2012. Further details at http://gnstx.gr/kpN

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About Version 10

eXact learning LCMS version 10 contains a Dynamic Learning Object templating framework and provides its authoring community with:

  • A template-based content production approach
  • A common template framework for both offline and online authoring tools
  • The learning object modeling framework, supported by off-the-shelf template libraries with high levels of granularity and reusability of learning object components and configurations
  • The ability to plug user-friendly authoring interfaces into each template set and enable different user profiles in the production process
  • The ability for software and web developers to extend template capabilities through the set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) available in the off-the-shelf templates set
  • Connecting learning object templates’ breakdown and the core content linking and version control engines
  • Tools and solutions to support content production outsourcing, allowing the access of content providers in separated and protected virtual areas.