Learning Technology Warehouse

The Challenge

The DoD produces a plethora of education and training resources to prepare military and civilian personnel to carry out the mission in a multitude of capacities from the soldier in the field to the researcher in the lab. However, making these resources easily available enterprise-wide has become challenging for several reasons. First, defense and federal training managers who seek to utilize modernized learning-oriented software applications and tools have limited access to these solutions, let alone know they exist in the first place. In addition, many innovative software applications being developed to achieve learning goals fail to transition into real-world use due to inconsistent approaches to test and evaluation, insufficient attention to security requirements, and limited access to DoD organizations beyond those funding their development. These applications have potential for enterprise-wide benefits and use but need to meet foundational requirements to be made available across the DoD.

The Solution

A clearinghouse providing easy access to tools, technologies, and applications developed by different DoD organizations for Department-wide adoption for modernized education and training. Each product available in the portal meets specific DoD criteria for cybersecurity testing, usability, and interoperability.

About the Project

The Learning Technology Warehouse (LTW) facilitates the transition of software-centric tools and technologies developed by different DoD research and development organizations into the operational force for use across the DoD. In addition, the LTW makes prototypes and products more broadly available to DoD early adopters that share similar requirements while promoting cybersecurity best practices. All learning applications made available through the LTW meets specific DoD criteria including conformance to the Total Learning Architecture (TLA) - a framework that includes a set of technical specifications, standards, and policy guidance that define a uniform approach for integrating current and emerging learning technologies into a learning services ecosystem.

The LTW is part of the DoD Learning Enclave (DLE), the cloud-based hub that provides the shared software services required to implement a given instantiation of the TLA, and serves as a bridge to make it easier for government customers to use DoD R&D technology products. Vetted matured software that can be readily deployed, along with demonstrations and related documentation, are made available via this portal. Federal users can create a portal account to test and acquire education and training applications for integration with their systems. Each learning solution made available through the LTW is developed using hardened accredited containers that are connected to one or more Continuous Integration / Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. These pipelines support the release, deployment, and maintenance of the software systems used within the DLE.

The ADL Initiative is working with the US Air Force (USAF) Platform One to leverage its accredited DevSecOps environment for all products available in the LTW. DevSecOps enables software development using automated pipelines that continuously integrate, build, test, and deploy software over its entire lifecycle. Automation results in faster delivery of updates, improved security posture, and reduced costs yielding a high return on investment. The benefits of DevSecOps include reduced cost of ownership over the product’s lifecycle, reduced development time by using previously approved containers for major software components, and more efficient workflows for patching, updating, and maintaining the source code across the application lifecycle. DevSecOps also supports products at different Technology Readiness Levels(TRLs). By undertaking DevSecOps, products made available in the LTW are maintained and updated regularly so that users are always accessing the most up-to-date version that is compliant with the latest security requirements.

The LTW will also makes available applications that may not run on operational DoD networks but can operate in sandbox environments to support further development and experimentation. In the future, the ADL Initiative will establish technology transition agreements with organizations like Navy Tech Bridge and Air Force AFWERX to make their R&D and prototype products available through the LTW.

The LTW will provide the following components when fully operational:

• The LTW Portal: The portal contains an online catalog of applications that support the DoD’s continuum of lifelong learning. The product catalog includes open-source IT systems used to manage training and education such as Learning Management Systems (LMSs), Learner Record Stores (LRSs), course catalogs, and other learning activities.

• The LTW Product Catalog: Contains catalog product pages with detailed information about its use, with links to demonstration systems, hardened containers, deployment scripts, and cybersecurity documentation. System administrator guides and a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) will also be provided for each product in the catalog.

• Deployment: Integrates into the USAF Platform One DevSecOps environment to ensure products are up to date with all required security patches, version updates, and documentation.

• LTW Application Onboarding Process: Onboarding products to streamline the transition process. This includes guidance for hardening and securing software, integrating applications with the DLE environment, and product page requirements.

LTW Product Offerings:

Currently Available

• Moodle 4.0 LMS: An open-source LMS that includes popular features like the Big Blue Button web conferencing tool, Open Badges, and Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) to allow integration with other IT platforms.

• Competency and Skills System (CaSS): Open-source software that allows organizations to author, modify, share, and manage organizational competencies. Competency management involves processing a learner’s xAPI statements and converting them to anticipated proficiency levels that are stored in a learner’s profile.

• cmi5 Player / Plugin: Delivers cmi5 conformant courses via an LMS. cmi5 is the xAPI-enabled replacement for the SCORM specifications that have governed online learning for decades.

• PERLS Adaptive Learning Platform: An open-source, anytime-anywhere mobile learning technology, designed to support self-regulated microlearning (e.g., quizzes, flashcards, etc.).

• Personalized eBook for Learning (PeBL): An open-source eBook reader with numerous interactive extensions that enhance learning.

• Learning Locker LRS: An open-source LRS designed to store and share learning activity statements generated by xAPI compliant activities.

In Development

• OpenLXP: An open-source course catalog system that can be used to instantiate local course catalogs (or scenario libraries) for organizations, software products, or any other system that needs to store a ledger of different learning resources. OpenLXP conforms to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) P2881 Standard for Learning Metadata.

• Enterprise Learner Record Repository (ELRR): A learner profile system used to track and manage learner performance across an organization or within a software product. It conforms to the IEEE P2997 Standard for Enterprise Learner Records and the P2997 Learner API.

• TLA Core Services Portal: A common access point to the TLA’s core data. It serves as an extensible front-end that connects to a local course catalog (using OpenLXP), local learner records (using the ELRR Local Learner Profile), and a local competency registry (using CaSS).

• Data Simulator for TLA (DATASIM):Simulates learner data within an organization. It uses xAPI profiles to generate different xAPI statements based on profiles’ concepts, patterns, and extensions.