Data & Analytics

Caliper Analytics Specification Set for Release

• By Leila Meyer
• 05/07/15

The Caliper Analytics interoperability specification from the IMS Global Learning Consortium has achieved "candidate final release" status.

Caliper Analytics is a new standard that aims to reduce the cost of collecting analytics data from digital educational tools and to simplify the process of presenting that data consistently, according to information from IMS Global. The specification includes a Sensor API (application programming interface) to enable the collection of analytics data and Metric Profiles to establish a common format for presenting that data.

The Caliper Sensor API and Metric Profiles have been tested across a wide range of products over the past 18 months, and they are now operational "in several well-known educational products," according to IMS Global. The Caliper workgroup is led by D2L, Elsevier, Intellify Learning, Learning Objects, McGraw-Hill Education, Penn State University and the University of Michigan.

"The release of IMS Caliper removes a significant barrier to collectively assessing learner activity outside the learning management system (LMS)," said John T. Harwood, associate vice provost for Information Technology at Penn State, in a prepared statement. "Penn State and other institutions recognized the need to have a holistic view of learning to enable student success in achieving academic pursuits.".

IMS Global has established a new developer community for IMS affiliate members and contributing members to "support developers of applications, digital resources, learning platforms and learning event stores, as well as facilitated special interest groups," according to IMS Global.

Resources available through the Caliper Analytics developer community include:

• Getting Started Guide;
• Implementation Guide with sample code;
• Sensor API code in six programming languages;
• Conformance certification test harness; and
• Community technical forums.

IMS Global has also established the Caliper RAM (Real-time Analytics Messaging) workgroup, which is "led by universities that are applying Caliper to implement real-time, actionable messaging alerts," according to IMS Global. The Caliper RAM workgroup is co-chaired by University of Kentucky, University of California Berkeley and University of Texas at Austin.

Further information about Caliper Analytics can be found on the IMS Global site.