Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

QTI

 
Wikipedia: QTI
Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia

The IMS Question and Test Interoperability specification (QTI) defines a standard format for the representation of assessment content and results, supporting the exchange of this material between authoring and delivery systems, repositories and other learning management systems. It allows assessment materials to be authored and delivered on multiple systems interchangeably. It is, therefore, designed to facilitate interoperability between systems[1].

The specification consists of a data model that defines the structure of questions, assessments and results from questions and assessments together with an XML data binding that essentially defines a language for interchanging questions and other assessment material. The XML binding is widely used for exchanging questions between different authoring tools and by publishers. The assessment and results parts of the specification are less widely used.

Contents

Background

QTI was produced by the IMS Global Learning Consortium, which is an industry and academic consortium that develops specifications for interoperable learning technology. QTI was inspired by the need for interoperability in question design, and to avoid people losing or having to re-type questions when technology changes. Developing and validating good questions is time consuming, and it's desirable to be able to create them in a platform and technology neutral format.

QTI version 1.0 was materially based on a proprietary Questions Markup Language (QML) language defined by QuestionMark, but the language has evolved over the years and can now describe almost any reasonable question that one might want to describe. (QML is still in use by Questionmark and is generated for interoperability by tools like Adobe Captivate).

The most widely used version of QTI at the time of writing is version 1.2, which was finalized in 2002. This works well for exchanging simple question types, and is supported by many tools that allow the creation of questions.

Version 2.0 was released in 2005, with v2.1 due for release in 2008[2]. 2.0 addressed the item (individual question) level of the specification only, with 2.1 covering assessments and results as well as correcting errors which had become apparent in 2.0. Version 2.x is a significant improvement on earlier versions, defining a new underlying interaction model. It is also notable for its significantly greater degree of integration with other specifications (some of which did not exist during the production of v1): the specification addresses the relationship with IMS Content Packaging v1.2, IEEE Learning Object Metadata, IMS Learning Design, IMS Simple Sequencing and other standards such as XHTML. It also provides guidance on representing context-specific usage data and information to support the migration of content from earlier versions of the specification.

Because v2.0 was limited to items only, and v2.1 has yet to be formally released by IMS (although two public drafts plus an addendum are currently available), uptake of v2.x has been slow to date. The delay between the release of 2.0 and 2.1 (over three years to date) may have hindered uptake to some extent, with developers reluctant to commit to v2.0 knowing that v2.1 is in development. The use of a profile of v1.2.1 in the IMS Common Cartridge specification may exacerbate this. A number of implementations are emerging, however, and uptake may increase once the specification is finally available in a stable form.

In early 2009, the IMS Global Learning Consortium withdrew QTI 2.1, stating that "Adequate feedback on the specification has not been received, and therefore, the specification has been put back into the IMS project group process for further work."[3] The most recent version of QTI that is fully endorsed by IMS GLC is v1.2.1. This decision met with disapproval on the IMS-QTI mailing list.[4] A further clarification on the QTI 2.1 withdrawal acknowledged the work done on implementing the QTI 2.1 draft specification, and cited criticism on the lack of interoperability of IMS specifications as a reason for endorsing only IMS QTI 1.2.[5] A few weeks later IMS GLC reposted the QTI v2.1 draft specification on their website[6] with a warning that the specification is incomplete:

Caution: The QTIv2.1PD Version 2 specification is incomplete in its current state. The IMS QTI project group is in the process of evolving this specification based on input from market participants. Suppliers of products and services are encouraged to participate by contacting Mark McKell at [e-mail address removed]. This specification will be superseded by an updated release based on the input of the project group participants.
Please note that supplier's claims as to implementation of QTI v2.1 and conformance to it HAVE NOT BEEN VALIDATED by IMS GLC. While such suppliers are likely well-intentioned, IMS GLC member organizations have not yet put in place the testing process to validate these claims. IMS GLC currently grants a conformance mark to the Common Cartridge profile of QTI v1.2.1. [7]

Timeline

Date Version Comments
March 1999 0.5 Internal to IMS
February 2000 1.0 public draft
May 2000 1.0 final release
August 2000 1.01
March 2001 1.1
January 2002 1.2
March 2003 1.2.1 addendum
September 2003 2.0 charter Initiation of working group
January 2005 2.0 final release
January 2006 2.1 public draft
July 2006 2.1 public draft version 2
April 2008 2.1 public draft addendum
early 2009 2.1 removed from website

Applications with IMS QTI support

Name QTI version Type of tool Comment
ANGEL Learning Management Suite 2.1 [8] LMS also supports IMS Common Cartridge [8]
APIS QTIv2 Assessment Engine 2.0 draft [9] Java library & demo application. Incomplete. Author recommends using QTITools instead.
AQuRate 2.1 [10] authoring tool see QTITools
ASDEL 2.1 [11] assessment delivery system see QTITools
ATutor 1.2, 2.1 [12] LCMS
Canvas Learning 1.2.1 [13] Authoring tools and SCORM compatible item renderer available as middle-ware solutions. Creators - Can Studios contributed to the development of the QTI specification. A number of LMS systems used the Canvas Learning Player to achieve compatibility with the Becta learning platform conformance regime. The system is currently being distributed to schools in the UK as a result of this integration work.
CCReader 1.2.1 CC Profile [14] Common Cartridge Viewer
Cognero not stated [15] Assessment authoring and delivery system
Content-e 1.2 & 2.0 [16] Professional authoring tool Content-e. Imports QTI 1.2 and 2.0.
DB Primary 2.0 [17] [18] LMS
Diploma 1.2, 2.1 [19] export QTI 1.2 & 2.1
Dokeos 1.2 and 2.0 [20] LMS/LCMS export QTI 1.2 & 2.0 (1.2 disabled by default but available) (supports SCORM 1.2)
Elques 2.1 [21][22] authoring tool exports QTI 2.1 and QTI 1.2 (for LMS OLAT only); imports QTI 2.1, Tests from Blackboard and OLAT (kind of QTI 1.2 too)[citation needed]
it's learning 2.1 [23] VLE import and export questions in QTI 2.1 format
ILIAS not stated [24] LMS supports SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004
Lectora not stated [25] authoring tool supports SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004
Mathqurate 2.1 [26] authoring tool see QTITools. Embedded Gecko engine and support for multiple interactions
Moodle not stated [27] LCMS supports adaptive questions
Online Learning And Training not stated [28] LCMS
ONYX 2.1 [29] modular assessment delivery system open-source, QTI 2.1 import and export, Report Viewer for QTI-Result-Files
OWL Testing Software not stated [30] test management system can import IMS QTI
QTITools 2.1 [31] collection of tools and libraries
QuestionMark Perception not stated [32] authoring tool and delivery system can export IMS QTI, an online tool provides QTI 1.2 import
Question Writer 2.0 Publisher Edition 1.2[33] authoring tool Exports as QTI 1.2 and SCORM 1.2 [34]
Question Writer 3.5 Professional 1.2[35] authoring tool Exports as QTI 1.2 and SCORM 1.2 [36] Also specific QTI Export for Pearson VUE [37]
Respondus 1.2 [38] [39] authoring tool QTI export
RM Test Authoring System 2.1 [40] authoring tool
Sakai 1.2 [41] LMS
SToMP (Software Teaching of Modular Physics) 2.1 [42] assessment system mostly unavailable as of July 2008
Studywiz 1.2 [43] Virtual Learning Environment Module An optional module for creating and assigning QTI v1.2 questions to students. Available as of June 2008
Wimba Create QTI Lite [44] authoring tool only export

Other software:

  • QTI Migration Tool (University of Cambridge): converts QTI version 1.x data into QTI 2.0 content packages.[45]

Footnotes

  1. ^ Effective Practice with e-Assessment guide, p.44
  2. ^ QTI Update
  3. ^ IMS Global Learning Consortium: IMS Question & Test Interoperability Specification. Accessed March 29, 2009.
  4. ^ E-mail thread "QTI 2.1 draft specification withdrawn", starting March 27, 2009.
  5. ^ Rob Abel: Further clarification on the removal of QTI v2.1 from the IMS web site, on the IMS Global Learning Consortium's Question and Test Interoperability Forum, March 30, 2009. Accessed March 29, 2009.
  6. ^ rabel: We are reposting the QTI v2.1. Question and Test Interoperability Forum, April 14, 2009. Accessed April 17, 2009.
  7. ^ IMS Global Learning Consortium: IMS Question & Test Interoperability Specification. Accessed April 17, 2009.
  8. ^ a b ANGEL Learning Management Suite: Standards Leadership. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  9. ^ Sourceforge.net: APIS QTIv2 Assessment Engine. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  10. ^ AQuRate: A QTI-2.x Authoring Tool. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  11. ^ ASDEL: assessment delivery system for QTIv2 questions. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  12. ^ ATutorATutor Learning Content Management System: Information. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  13. ^ Canvas Learning. Accessed August, 2009.
  14. ^ CCReader project in Sourceforge. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  15. ^ Cognero: Cognero vs. Desktop Test Generators. Accessed September 30, 2009. (Note that the supported versions are not mentioned on the Cognero website. Anonymous editor claims that Cognero can export QTI 1.2 & 2.1 and import QTI 1.2 .)
  16. ^ Professional authoring tool content-e. Accessed July, 2009.
  17. ^ iBoard content available in DB Primary. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  18. ^ DB Primary's own Technical Overview does not mention QTI.
  19. ^ Diploma 6 (Windows) Release Notes (6.61 (Build 0087 - 8/8/2008)). Accessed March 30, 2009.
  20. ^ Dokeos code (no other reference available)
  21. ^ Elques: Elques Features. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  22. ^ Elques: Elques 2.0 (in German). Accessed September 30, 2009.
  23. ^ it's learning: Importing and exporting. Accessed June 19, 2009.
  24. ^ ILIAS France. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  25. ^ Lectora Supports eLearning Standards. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  26. ^ Mathqurate: Maths-enabled QTI-2.1 item authoring. Accessed April 3, 2009.
  27. ^ Development:Question engine - MoodleDocs. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  28. ^ OLAT Feature List and Some Screenshots. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  29. ^ Onyx Feature List and more Infos. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  30. ^ OWL Test Conversion Service. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  31. ^ SourceForge.net: QTItools. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  32. ^ Questionmark - Windows Based Authoring - Question Types. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  33. ^ Publisher's Legacy Software Page. Accessed March 31, 2009.
  34. ^ Question Writer 2.0 Publisher Edition Manual. Accessed March 31, 2009.
  35. ^ Question Writer Blog Announcement. Accessed May 18, 2009.
  36. ^ Question Writer Features Description. Accessed May 18, 2009.
  37. ^ Question Writer Blog Entry on Feature. Accessed July 29, 2009.
  38. ^ Respondus Plug-in for Moodle. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  39. ^ The Respondus Version 3.5 page does not mention the QTI version.
  40. ^ RM: Test Authoring System. Accessed March 31, 2009.
  41. ^ Sakai: SAMigo/Test and Quizzes. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  42. ^ SToMP: An Overview. Accessed March 31, 2009.
  43. ^ Studywiz QT Assessment. Accessed April 03, 2009.
  44. ^ Wimba Create Brochure. Accessed March 30, 2009.
  45. ^ QTI Migration Tool. Accessed March 30, 2009.

External links


This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Search unanswered questions...

Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics

 
 

 

Copyrights:

Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "QTI".  Read more