e-learning standards

The Global Headquarters of the FAO stands near the impressive Circus Maximus, the first and largest stadium in the Roman Empire, and its expansive facilities will provide ample space to the participants of LINQ 2013. Furthermore, the FAO’s development of global standards in food and agriculture-related policies (including training and education) makes it an ideal venue for LINQ 2013.

This year's LINQ 2013 has "Innovations and Quality: The Future of Digital Resources" as its motto, and addresses and invites experts who are active in the field of Innovations and Quality in Lifelong Learning (LLL).

The LINQ 2013 conference fee will remain reduced at the early-bird rate of 90€ until the 31st of March 2013, after which it will rise to 150€. For further information about conference fees, requirements, and other details about LINQ 2013, please visit the conference website.  

The extended submission period for scientific papers and research project descriptions to be presented at the 2nd European Conference on "Learning Innovations and Quality" (LINQ 2013) will come to an end on March 4th 2013. Submissions of papers related to the conference (max eight pages) must be sent by March 4th, 2013, using the official LINQ template. Submitters will be informed of their acceptance by the 20th of April 2013.

LINQ 2013, which will take place at the Global Headquarters of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, Italy, has already attracted submissions from throughout Europe, as well as Asia, America, and Africa.

The LINQ 2013 call for papers invites all experts and practitioners to contribute through the submission of high-quality papers related to the following topics:

• Innovations and future trends in Learning, Education and Training (LET)
• Quality improvement and learning outcome orientation in LET
• Harmonization of innovations and quality development in LET
• Digital resources, online repositories and metadata for online objects
• Web 2.0, Social Media and Online Communities for LET
• Open access, open educational resources and user-generated content
• Technology‐Enhanced Learning for schools, universities and lifelong learning
• Learning quality in vocational education and training and HR
• Implementation of learning innovations and quality improvements
• Knowledge, innovation and ideas management in LET contexts
• Standardisation of LET design, production and services
• Quality management, standards, and certification in LET
• Competence and skills development in lifelong learning
• Quality and standardization of learning assessment and evaluation

For the latest information on the conference and to submit any pre-conference feedback, please visit the LINQ Facebook page and follow the LINQ Twitter account.

The Q-Cert-VET project has announced that the standard NP 4512:2012 "Vocational training management system, including technology enhanced learning – requirements” is now available after initial testing and publication. Due to approval of certification scheme OEC010 by the Portuguese Institute for Accreditation (IPAC) on November 23rd, all certification bodies can apply to IPAC for accreditation and thus gain the ability to certify training institutions with the standard. Furthermore, all training institutions can now request accredited certification for their management system, if it has been implemented in accordance with the requirements of NP4512. “We are very satisfied with the progress of the standard and the potential it has shown in the first pilot-tests,” remarked Christian M. Stracke, scientific coordinator of the Q-Cert-VET project and ISO Convener of the international standard committee ISO/IEC JTC1 SC36 WG5 Quality Assurance and Descriptive Frameworks, “thus it is with great joy that we announce its general availability to all relevant certification bodies and training institutions.”

Q-Cert-VET partners in Portugal, Germany, and Romania responsible for pilot-testing have been active since the beginning of the public inquiry phase last April. Pilot-testing began in Portugal with the initial version of the standard in the Portuguese language, allowing for punctual testing without the need for translation. Two different training companies in Portugal, Prisma and iZone, have been using the standard to assist in structuring their training programmes. The Prisma Training Institute, located in Lisbon, has adopted NP 4512:2012 to its various training offers in the fields of IT and project management. iZone Knowledge Systems, also located in Lisbon, is using the standard in similar fields. Their use of the standard provided the first feedback on its practical advantages, helping to prepare the standard for its international application at Q-Cert-VET pilot-testing partners in Romania and Germany. They now await auditors to examine their implementation of NP4512 and to determine that it fulfils the prescribed requirements.

The implementation process of the Portuguese Standard NP4512:2012 at the Regional Training Centre for Local Public Administration Cluj-Napoca has been systematically and successfully carried out. Active preparations for the pilot test started in July 2012, before the Romanian version of the NP4512:2012 had been delivered and the actual implementation process could be started, the Romanian project team prepared themselves by getting familiar with ISO 9000:2005 and ISO 9001:2008, since CRFCAPL possessed no implemented quality management system and thus no experience with the terminology and requirements of such standards. However, this lack of specific knowledge proved to be no impediment at all for the conduct of the pilot testing. According to CRFCAPL, once the project team became acquainted with the Portuguese Standard all worries were lifted – the new standard successfully extracted the structure and requirements of ISO 9001:2008 and integrated them into the context of training institutions. Thus, most of the requirements seemed very precise and self-explanatory to the CRFCAPL team. The more complex requirements are accompanied by notes explaining terms and statements which could give raise to uncertainties. All of these, together with the very useful annexes which add informative value to the standard, provided great help during the implementation process. As soon as the training centre concludes its preparations, auditors trained in NP4512 will investigate its implementation in the Romanian context.

In Germany, Q-Cert-VET pilot-testing partner Helliwood Media & Education is underway with the implementation of NP4512 through certification scheme OEC010. Helliwood is currently identifying and defining the processes and sub-processes required for the structure of the new standard. As Helliwood had already implemented another standard, the “Quality Mark E-Learning” (QSEL), a comparison of the QSEL with the NP4512 made particularly evident the innovative aspects of the new NP4512 standard. The new standard fits Helliwood’s needs for E-Learning very well – their typical work processes include the development, implementation, and maintenance of professional multimedia and E-Learning applications for clients and in cooperation with different partners projects within the fields of learning and literacy, media competence, and community. As with the other pilot-testing companies, auditors trained in NP4512 will examine their implementation of the new standard, to ensure that the proper steps have been taken and that Helliwood’s identified work processes fit its requirements. Thus an example case for the applicability of the standard in the German national context will be established.

For more information on the Q-Cert-VET project and the standard NP4512, as well as more specific information concerning its pilot-testing phase (upon its conclusion), please visit the project website at www.edu-certification.eu/, like the project’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/QCertVET, and follow the project Twitter account at twitter.com/#!/QCertVET for the latest project news.