A new ISO/IEC standard aims to harmonize the various approaches used around the world for assessing the quality of e-learning initiatives. ISO/IEC 19796:2005, Information technology—learning, education and training, quality management, assurance and metrics—provides an overall framework to introduce quality approaches in e-learning provider and user organizations. It will simplify the comparison and evaluation of the merits of different initiatives.

“The standard will reduce the cost and complexity of adopting quality approaches and, at the same time, bring new or improved products and services to the market,” says Bruce Peoples, chair of the TC that developed the standard. “This will have the effect of enhancing the level of innovation, diversity of supply and procurement intelligence in the market.”

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