Open Educational Resources

Knovation Integration Services Simplifies Access to OER

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 12/22/16

An education technology company with products to help teachers find open educational resources (OER) has introduced content integration services that will allow users to gain access to digital resources through applications their districts use. The integration can happen via API or through the cloud.

Knovation maintains a collection of thousands of online lessons and learning objects for use by teachers, which are maintained in its Content Collection, searchable via netTrekker and organized and shared with icurio.

The new service includes an application programming interface for sharing Knovation's learning resource metadata with subscriber applications through IMS' standard, Learning Tool Interoperability or token-based authentication. With the API activated in the programs they use, users can retrieve information about learning resources based on keywords, grade levels or state standards, among other criteria.

According to the company, the new services will enable school districts to provide a "one-stop experience" for their teachers to find "vetted, aligned and ready-to-use OER" through their existing applications, including learning management systems or assessment or curriculum development platforms.

"As an increasing number of districts adopt technology platforms that help teachers manage classroom interactions, there is a growing expectation that teachers and students need a simple way to find and use digital content, without having to manage access to separate applications," said Mark Hannah, the company's chief product development officer, in a prepared statement. "Knovation's Content Integration Services are designed to streamline the connection between free and open teacher-curated content and digital learning platforms, making it easy for teachers to find and embed engaging learning resources directly in their course or assessment system."

Further information is available on the Knovation site.