lodeStar Learning Web Journal

Educational content produced with the LodeStar eLearning authoring tool now has a new home. We're pleased to announce the integration between LodeStar and the EQUELLA Digital Repository from The Learning Edge North America.

Educational institutions who use the EQUELLA Digital Repository to house learning objects and manage learning content can now offer a seamless integration with content authoring. Instructors use LodeStar to build interactive learning content that includes games, problem solving scenarios, webquests, assessments, timelines, podcasts, eBooks, and more. They can now choose EQUELLA as their export target. LodeStar communicates directly to EQUELLA and makes it effortless to upload directly to a digital collection.

Users of LodeStar pre-configure the authoring tool with their EQUELLA institution (learning object repository) and credentials. Once they have completed creating a learning object, the export wizard displays all of the collections that that they have rights to, and supports one click upload to the collection. The learning object supports SCORM 2004 and can be accessed by a student from any of the major learning management systems.

A key advantage to educators is that the content lives in the repository where it can be properly managed. The repository supports metadata, search and retrieval and integration with leading learning management systems. The content isn't trapped in an LMS, giving institutions full control over their digital assets. The key advantage of using LodeStar is that instructors can not only create highly interactive learning activities that engage students but can also attach information to their work that relates to SCORM conformance, intellectual property, ADA compliance and more.

The next generation of LodeStar software will continue to leverage the EQUELLA APIs and raise the level of integration to a new standard.

LodeStar's connection to EQUELLA builds on its vision for educational technology. Using LodeStar, teachers can create a wide variety of interactive learning activities. The learning activities can be published directly to Desire2Learn, Moodle, Blackboard and other learning management systems. They can also be published to the EQUELLA learning object repository and accessed from any of the major learning management systems with single sign on, or accessed from the world wide web.