IMS Simple Sequencing

Definition

• Quote "The IMS Simple Sequencing Specification defines a method for representing the intended behavior of an authored learning experience such that any learning technology system (LTS) can sequence discrete learning activities in a consistent way. The specification defines the required behaviors and functionality that conforming systems must implement. It incorporates rules that describe the branching or flow of instruction through content according to the outcomes of a learner's interactions with content. The Specification was released to the public in March 2003." ( [Content Packaging Specification] )

• Simple sequencing implies a fairly classic behaviorist instructional design model.

• However, one also can do less. Some critiques when confronted with e-learning talk about "spray and pray method", shovelware, or "page turning" and that reflect how sometimes e-learning is implemented. However, within a Simple Sequences compatible LMS you can implement designs that do respect some pedagogical standards, e.g. Mastery learning. DSchneider thinks that Simple Sequencing is not simple (!) and that producing pure shovelware is not an obligation :)

• For a more powerful, but slightly more difficult alternative see IMS Learning Design.

Details

This only provides a short summary. As stated before, simple sequencing is not really simple.

• The IMS Simple Sequencing Specification was developed to allow sequencing descriptions to be embedded within a IMS Content Packaging manifest file using the XML namespace extension set aside for IMS Simple Sequencing. In other words this means that as an author all you need is a tool that fully implements IMS Content Packaging + Simple sequencing extensions. Therefore, see also IMS Content Packaging.

Documentation

• The IMS Simple Sequencing Best Practice and Implementation Guide - Version 1.0 lists following components
  1. IMS Simple Sequencing Information and Behavior Model - Version 1.0. This document describes the data structures that are used to provide interoperability between learning management systems which sequence learning activities;
  2. IMS Simple Sequencing XML Binding - Version 1.0. This document describes how to encode the sequencing objects in XML and provides the corresponding XML schema;
  3. IMS Simple Sequencing Best Practice and Implementation Guide - Version 1.0. This document provides an overview and describes how the IMS Simple Sequencing Information Model and XML Binding can be applied to specific types of interoperability scenarios.

Scope of IMS Simple Sequencing

According to IMS Best Practice Guide 1.0, the "Simple Sequencing Specification addresses a small but productive segment of the entire problem space for learning content sequencing. The IMS Simple Sequencing Specification relies on the concept of learning activities. A learning activity may be loosely described as an instructional event or events embedded in a content resource, or as an aggregation of activities that eventually resolve to discreet content resources with their contained instructional events."

The IMS definition of a learning activity is in our opinion related to the concept of mastery learning or similar instructional designs. According to the best practice guide, " a Learning Activity is a pedagogically neutral unit of instruction, knowledge, assessment, etc. It can have sub-activities and may be nested to an arbitrarily deep level. Each activity may have a tracking status associated for each learner that is assigned to experience the activity. Activities can be attempted any number of times, or the number can be specified. They can be suspended, abandoned, exited normally, etc. All activities are performed within the context of a parent activity.

Activity Tree

Activities are arranged in the form of a tree, each node an activity. LMS sequencing behavior is described in terms of traversing the nodes of the tree to determine which activity to deliver to the learner. The default traversal rule is pre-order, but it can be modified through the association of sequencing rules created by a learning designer.

Traversal is triggered by the learner through navigational events or by the delivery system itself. Sequencing rules are evaluated at runtime and can be conditional based on tracking status.

Activity Clusters

A cluster is a root node and its immediate children. Unless otherwise specified, a learner is allowed to choose any sub-activity in a cluster.

Tools

See IMS Content Packaging

Links

• IMS Global Learning Consortium

References

• Simple Sequencing Specification

• IMS Simple Sequencing Best Practice and Implementation Guide - Version 1.0