> News Release (sent on behalf of Steve Molyneux)
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> US PENTAGON INVITES UK ACADEMIC TO COLLABORATION TALKS
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> Professor Steve Molyneux, Director of the Learning Lab and the DELTA Institute at the University of Wolverhampton, has been invited by the US Pentagon to visit and enter into a joint agreement to further develop the UK based Learning Lab as the first Partner Laboratory outside the US of it's Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) initiative. The ADL Initiative is the driving force behind the development of the SCORM e-Learning standards which allow for internet-based education and training materials to be shared across technologies. SCORM is already seen by many UK educational and government organisations such as BECTa and UfI as the key to the future distribution of e-learning content.
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> Speaking about the invitation Professor Molyneux said: "I am thrilled that the Learning Lab, which is also the home of the DfES National ICT Research Centre, has been chosen to develop the first ADL Partner-Laboratory. The Partner-Laboratory will facilitate stronger collaboration with the US and enable the UK to have an strong input into developing common global standards in electronic learning materials as well as providing technical guidance for UK vendors and customers."
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> He continued: "Both the UK and US Governments have a shared vision to provide high quality education and training through standardisation of content development, enabling it to be deliverable through every available e-learning platform. I am delighted to be representing the UK in this arena."
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> Two signing ceremonies establishing the UK Partnership Laboratory will take place, one in the US on April 24th and in the UK on June 25th at the Learning Lab Annual Conference. For the US signing, Professor Molyneux will be chaperoned by Dr Robert Wisher, a civilian with the rank of 5 star general and Director of the ADL Initiative within the Department of Defence.
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> Other meetings are planned between Professor Molyneux and the Pentagon, the Institute of Defence Analyses (Simulation Centre), the Department of Labour, the National Guard Bureau and the NASA Educational Unit at the Johnston Space Centre. In addition Professor Molyneux will give a presentation on the work of the Learning Lab and UK Initiatives to the ADL members.
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> Professor Molyneux was recently the UK Government's chaperone to a delegation from the US that included representatives from the Pentagon and the National Guard. They visited the UK in March to share the knowledge they have developed in e-Learning and met with senior representatives from the Distributed Electronic Learning Group of the Learning and Skills Council, the e-Learning Strategy Unit of the Department for Education and Skills, the e-Envoy, the Department for Trade and Industry, the Department of Health, the Ministry of Defence, BECTa, and key UK Industry e-Learning vendors.
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> The ADL Initiative was established by the US Government to develop dynamic and cost-effective learning software through the development of a common technical framework for computer and internet-based learning materials. They have launched the Shareable Courseware Object Reference Model (SCORM) to enable learning management systems to reuse content and save recreating it.
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> The Learning Lab is a not-for-profit organisation set up to support individuals and organisations involved in the design, development and use of technology in education and training. It is supported by key players within the industry. Current members of the Learning Lab include: Azlan, British Telecom, Cable and Wireless, CISCO Systems, FD Learning, Fujitsu Services, Granada Learning, Microsoft Education, NETg, Plato Learning Reading College, Reed Educational and Professional Publishing, RM plc, Synetrix, Telewest Broadband, THINQ Ltd, UfI Ltd, University of Wolverhampton, Capita Education Services, Edunova Ltd, Fullard Learning, Labyrinten Data AB, iLearn.To and Netmedia Education.>
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> ENDS