How to measure the quality of the online digital learning materials?
WSOY, Heikki Karjalainen

WSOY Educational Corporation has been publishing learning materials over 126 years. During the last 10 years the proportion of digital learning materials has grown significantly. Some of it is closely related to the learning methods (books), some is independent and has been published within a specific e-learning environment.

There are numerous types if digital learning materials: a simple solution is to have a digital book online; the most complicated versions are a combination on rich multimedia with videos, animations and simulations embedded in a modern e-learning environment with UMS, CMS and LMS. The quality of digital learning materials is thus also a matter of the quality of the e-learning environment - sometimes the are very integrated.

Digital learning materials that are online can be divided into five generations originating from simple html-pages resulting in interactive learning objects (LOs) exchanging information with LMS.

There is no exact official classifying available for defining the different types of learning objects. We at WSOY use the following definition:
- sources of information
- basic interactive operations- animation, simulation, video
- combination of different interactive operations
- learning games
- projects (that can be modified)
- adjustable LOs

The producers of digital learning materials collect feedback from the users in many ways. These are questionnaires, interviews, meetings and specific research. The international development and trends must be followed closely. It is important to get feedback from the learners, teachers and research workers.

Their perspectives may be very different in measuring the quality. We may look at "the best possible quality" e.g. as 1) Production manager. It is a perfect product, totally faultless, and it runs smoothly in every operating system. 2) User. I learn easily what I'm supposed to learn while using this digital learning material. 3) Product developer. Is this the best product ever (whatever the costs are…)

One of the key issues is whether we emphasize the content and pedagogy or technical issues. How closely we should follow standards like SCORM? How well do the LOs run in different e-learning environments?

If an e-learning solution is going to a success there must be training and HelpDesk provided. These can be accociated as being a part of the quality of the digital learning materials.

Who decides on acquiring digital learning materials for the local schools? Sometimes these people are not professionals in education or multimedia. So the criteria for the quality may vary once again very much.

The initiatives of BECTA (UK) and EdNA (AUS) will be presented as well as examples of the variety of user feedback.