ISO/IEC TR 24763:2011

TECHNICAL ISO/IEC
REPORT TR
24763
First edition
2011-06-01


Information technology — Learning,
education and training — Conceptual
Reference Model for Competency
Information and Related Objects
Technologies de l'information — Apprentissage, éducation et
formation — Modèle de référence conceptuel pour compétences et
objets liés




Reference number
ISO/IEC TR 24763:2011(E)
©
ISO/IEC 2011

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ISO/IEC TR 24763:2011(E)

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©  ISO/IEC 2011
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ISO/IEC TR 24763:2011(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .vi
0 Introduction.vii
0.1 General.vii
0.2 Areas of applicability .viii
0.3 Overview of the structure of this Technical Report.ix
0.4 Acknowledgement.ix
1 Scope.1
1.1 Purpose.1
1.2 Primary role.1
1.3 Aspects not currently addressed .2
2 Terms and definitions .2
3 Symbols and abbreviated terms .4
4 Introduction to the ITLET Conceptual Reference Model for Competency Information and
Related Objects .5
5 Classes of the ITLET Conceptual Reference Model for Competency Information and
Related Objects .7
5.1 Introduction and approach.7
5.2 Identification of classes and their descriptions.8
6 Properties of the classes within the ITLET Conceptual Reference Model for Competency
Information and Related Objects .8
6.1 Introduction and approach.8
6.2 Identification of properties and their descriptions .9
7 How to use the Conceptual Model Reference Model.10
7.1 Overview.10
7.2 Sharing competency information across Digital Services Supply Chains .10
7.3 Aggregating Competency Information using Competency Information Objects .11
7.4 Deriving DSSC Query Requirements from the ITLET CRM.12
7.5 Deriving interoperability requirements for DSSC using the ITLET CRM.16
7.5.1 Constructing CRM Instances for DSSC Links.16
7.5.2 Determining interoperability requirements from the CRM.16
7.5.3 Sharing competency information using a thesaurus .16
7.6 Using metadata to build Competency Information Objects.18
8 Representation of competency information within information technology systems used
for learning, education, and training .19
8.1 Brief Overview.19
8.2 Challenges of standardization for competency information within the context of ITLET .20
8.3 The nature of competency information considered within the context of ITLET and the
labels of competency information .21
9 Potential areas for further international standardization.23
Annex A (informative) Development of models from the ITLET Conceptual Reference Model.25
A.1 General.25
A.2 How to develop a specific use case using the ITLET Conceptual Reference Model .25
A.2.1 Gather representative diagrams and information structures .25
A.2.2 Develop use case description(s) .25
A.2.3 Determine aspects of IT system that will be analyzed using the CRM .25
A.2.4 Prepare new or review existing lexical statement representations .25
A.2.5 Create diagram representations for each lexical statement.26
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ISO/IEC TR 24763:2011(E)
A.2.6 Assemble diagram representations or component diagram representations .26
A.2.7 Compare diagrams with CRM.26
A.3 Use case template.26
A.3.1 Background information components.26
A.3.2 Use case components.27
A.3.3 Additional information component — Information relevant to understanding the use case .28
Annex B (informative) Specific example based on a use case submitted .29
B.1 Luxembourg use case.29
B.2 The Luxembourg information models .32
Annex C (informative) Background information related to the development of the CRM .36
Annex D (informative) Use cases submitted by National Bodies.40
D.1 Use cases submitted by National Bodies .40
D.2 SC36 WG3 Use case template .42
D.2.1 Background Information .42
D.2.2 Use case.43
D.2.3 Additional information relevant to understanding the use case .44
Bibliography .45

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 — The ITLET Conceptual Reference Model for Competency Information and Related Objects 7
Figure 2 — Relationship between competency information, competency information records, and a
competency information object . 11
Figure 3 — An example of aggregating competency information from four providers of a DSSC into a
competency information object . 13
Figure 4 — An information model structure based on the CRM for Competency Information and
Related Objects. 15
Figure 5 — Using a competency thesaurus to exchange information and construct a competency
information object . 17
Figure 6 — Examples of identification of competency information that is used and expressed by many
stakeholders in diverse ways. 22
Figure 7 — Luxembourg use case – Step 1: Elaborating the job profile . 29
Figure 8 — Luxembourg use case – Step 2: Designing the curriculum . 30
Figure 9 — Luxembourg use case – Step 3: Delivering the course . 30
Figure 10 — Luxembourg use case – Step 4: Attending the course. 31
Figure 11 — Luxembourg use case – Step 5: Assessing competencies. 31
Figure 12 — Competency information record 1 . 32
Figure 13 — Competency information record 2 . 33
Figure 14 — Competency information record 3 . 34
Figure 15 — Initial set of classes in the ITLET Conceptual Reference Model based on JTC1 SC36
definition of competency . 36
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ISO/IEC TR 24763:2011(E)
Figure 16 — First revision of classes and properties in developing the ITLET Conceptual Reference
Model for Competency Information and Related Objects based on use case analyses .38
Figure 17 — Second revision to include new classes and properties in developing the ITLET
Conceptual Reference Model for Competency Information and Related Objects based on use case
analyses .39

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 — Presence of CRM classes within various implementations, specifications, and standards.19
Table 2 — Use cases submitted by National Bodies .40


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ISO/IEC TR 24763:2011(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of
ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work. In the field of information
technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of the joint technical committee is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for voting. Publication as
an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the national bodies casting a vote.
In exceptional circumstances, when the joint technical committee has collected data of a different kind from
that which is normally published as an International Standard (“state of the art”, for example), it may propose
the publication of a Technical Report. A Technical Report is entirely informative in nature and shall be subject
to review every five years in the same manner as an International Standard.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO/IEC TR 24763 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 36, Information technology for learning, education and training.
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ISO/IEC TR 24763:2011(E)
0 Introduction
0.1 General
There are currently several existing and implemented models providing competency information related to
learner knowledge, skills, capabilities, qualifications, performance, learning objectives, and other related
objects. Some of these models do not interoperate because of lack of clarity or consistency of the semantics.
The primary purpose of this Technical Report is to provide an information technology for learning, education
and training (ITLET) Conceptual Reference Model (CRM) that will support consistency and enhance
understanding and interoperability of various existing competency information models across learning,
education and training (LET) communities.
This Technical Report provides both the ITLET Conceptual Reference Model and a process that may be used
to compare and enable exchange of data between heterogeneous information models across LET
communities. The ITLET Conceptual Reference Model is a common reference point against which divergent
and incompatible sources of information can be compared and, ultimately, harmonized. It may also be used as
a basis for the assembly of new models and related standardization work.
The standardization concept is that the ITLET Conceptual Reference Model can be used as a “fundamental
level” of modelling to complement the currently accepted levels of 1) semantic model or meta-model, 2)
information model, 3) data model. It defines a framework for building potential information models related to
competencies as represented in LET information technology systems by providing classes and properties that
are common across multiple use cases and mappings of existing metadata onto these classes. These classes
and properties provide reference points for attributes and information structures included in the information
models. The information models in turn can be used to develop frameworks that may be used to develop
bindings to specific data structures and formats.
This Technical Report provides a common model and format to clarify the logic of information types and
relationships that are used in LET information technology systems underlying the information systems related
to competencies that are used by LET organizations and their respective communities. It is important to note
that this Technical Report aims to clarify the logic of information types and relationships that are used in
information technology systems by LET organizations and their communities in order to manage, develop,
describe, transfer or assess competency information or other related objects. This Technical Report is
primarily informative in content.
Challenges that have been identified include (but are not limited to) the need for competency standards to:
• accommodate complex competency information structures,
• provide adequate linkages to competency information that resides within different IT systems,
• provide support for comparisons of competency information, across diverse communities and contexts,
and
• allow for the monitoring and updating of competency information related to individual learners.
IT systems managing competency information face many challenges, such as the following.
• There is no single definition of competency that is accepted by all. Instead, there are many definitions,
using different structures and vocabularies, describing different levels of competency.
• It has even been suggested that competency is an unobservable entity, and therefore that it cannot be
traced, measured or recorded.
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ISO/IEC TR 24763:2011(E)
• IT systems may be designed, developed, and implemented with specific labels for competency
information in mind, according to the context in which it is used (see Clause 8).
• IT systems need to provide cost-effective support for the description of competencies at multiple levels of
abstraction and in various formats.
• IT systems may need to comply with international, national and regional legislative requirements.
• Competency information may be associated with identifiable individuals, and could be used to make
decisions related to employment, advancement, admission, accreditation, etc. When competency
information is related to an identifiable individual, then privacy protection of this individual is essential.
Therefore, competency information standards should protect the privacy and integrity of that information. They
should allow flexible methods for sharing that information under the control of the person or people described
by that information. There is also a need to aggregate and normalize information about the competency of
multiple individuals to support decision-making by organizations. Therefore, competency standards should
support the description of competencies at multiple levels of abstraction. Many stakeholders have an interest
in competency information, all with different views of the information and different terminologies about
competency information.
Each different LET institution may be supported through the use of specific information systems that consist of
digital products and services selected to support the institutional mission. The process of the delivery of digital
products from point(s) of origin (provider) to destination (stakeholder) to support LET can be described using a
Digital Services Supply Chain (DSSC) approach. There currently are several existing and implemented
models providing competency information related to learner knowledge, skills, capabilities, qualifications,
performance, learning objectives, and other related objects. These models are implemented in various ways,
and the relationships inherent within the models may be made explicit by applying a DSSC approach to
real-world implementations of competency information models. Thus, a challenge for competency information
standards is to provide methods for taking advantage of existing information about competencies in current
and emerging IT systems that are used to manage, develop, describe, transfer or assess competency
information or other related objects.
0.2 Areas of applicability
This Technical Report applies to activities including:
a. Assistance with understanding competency as it is measured and observed within an IT system and the
description and process by which the ITLET Conceptual Reference Model may be used as a common
reference point to facilitate the exchange and management of information for IT systems that support the
management, development, description, transfer or assessment of competency information or other
related objects.
b. The use of an ITLET Conceptual Reference Model toolkit that includes:
• the ITLET Conceptual Reference Model that comprises classes of entities and relationships, which
include concepts such as competency, actor, action, outcome, evaluation, assessment process, and
other related concepts or objects;
• procedure to gather information regarding individual use cases;
• process to describe the competency information within different systems and to derive system
information models;
• general information and a detailed example of the application of the ITLET Conceptual Reference
Model toolkit that allows for elaboration of information models, the determination of competency
information objects and competency information records.
c. Guidance regarding a process to assist with the exchange of competency information between and
amongst IT systems used by and developed for LET communities.
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ISO/IEC TR 24763:2011(E)
d. A common model and format to identify common information contents that are in different data formats; in
particular to support the implementation of automatic data transformation algorithms from local to global
data structures without loss of meaning. These transformation algorithms are useful for data exchange,
data migration from legacy systems, data information integration, and mediation of heterogeneous
sources.
e. Support for associative queries against integrated resources by providing a central model of the basic
classes and their associations to formulate such queries.
0.3 Overview of the structure of this Technical Report
The structure of this Technical Report includes nine clauses and four informative annexes.
• Clause 1 describes the scope.
• Clause 2 provides terms and definitions used in this Technical Report.
• Clause 3 provides symbols and abbreviations used in this Technical Report.
• Clause 4 provides a graphical representation of the ITLET Conceptual Reference Model, which provides
an introduction to the relationships between the classes and properties.
• Clauses 5 and 6 provide more detailed information regarding the ITLET Conceptual Reference Model
classes and properties.
• Clause 7 provides an overview of how to use the ITLET Conceptual Reference Model, and introduces the
topics of sharing and aggregating competency information (7.2, 7.3), deriving query requirements and
information model structures (7.4), supporting interoperability requirements (7.5), and using metadata to
build competency information objects (7.6).
• Clause 8 discusses the representation of competency within ITLET, the nature of competency as it is
considered within the context of ITLET, and the challenges inherent for competency information standards
within the context of ITLET.
• Clause 9 briefly notes potential areas where further international standardization may need to be
considered.
• Annex A (informative) provides more detailed information regarding the development of an information
model from the ITLET Conceptual Reference Model. This informative annex is closely related to
Clauses 7 and 8, which provide an abbreviated version of the process and several briefer examples.
• Annex B (informative) provides a specific example of a use case.
• Annex C (informative) provides an overview of the development of the ITLET Conceptual Reference
Model and explains the genesis of the model itself.
• Annex D (informative) provides a table of brief descriptions of the use cases submitted by National Bodies
and a template used to support the development of this Technical Report.
0.4 Acknowledgement
The main source of inspiration for this Technical Report is the CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model produced
by the ICOM/CIDOC Documentation Standards Group and continued by the CIDOC CRM Special Interest
1)
Group (http://cidoc.ics.forth.gr/), published as ISO 21127:2006 . Although it is the main source of inspiration
for this Technical Report, it is not a normative reference for it.

1) See Bibliography. ISO 21127:2006 establishes guidelines for the exchange of information between cultural heritage
institutions. It is developed and maintained by ISO/TC 46, Information and documentation, SC 4, Technical interoperability.
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TECHNICAL REPORT ISO/IEC TR 24763:2011(E)

Information technology — Learning, education and training —
Conceptual Reference Model for Competency Information and
Related Objects
1 Scope
1.1 Purpose
This Technical Report provides a Conceptual Reference Model that comprises categories of items, attributes,
and relationships. It can be used to identify the relationships between concepts represented within an
information technology for learning, education and training (ITLET) system, such as competency, knowledge,
skills, capabilities, qualifications, performance, and learning objectives. It can be used to identify related
objects that are used to convey competency information. This Technical Report pertains to the exchange and
integration of heterogeneous information relating to information technology (IT) systems that are used by
learning, education and training (LET) organizations and their communities in order to manage, develop,
describe, transfer or assess competency information or other related objects. The scope is further elaborated
as follows.
• This Technical Report provides guidance regarding the level of detail and precision expected and required
to describe, in relation to the ITLET Conceptual Reference Model, IT systems that are used to manage,
develop, describe, transfer or assess competency information or other related objects within the LET
fields.
• This Technical Report provides a definition of competency (ITLET) specific to competency as it is
represented within an IT system. This definition is not domain dependent and acknowledges the unique
challenges of representing competency information within IT systems (some of which are further
elaborated in 8.2).
• This Technical Report is intended specifically to introduce requisite contextual information, i.e., the
environment, which can, for example, include information such as location description, duration, date and
time.
• The exchange of relevant information from IT systems among LET organizations and their communities,
and harmonization with their models, fall within the scope of this Technical Report.
• This Technical Report introduces the topic of privacy needs as they relate to IT systems that are used by
LET organizations in order to manage, develop, describe, transfer or assess competency information or
other related objects.
• This Technical Report focuses on information about participants, related elements, and the respective
relationships included within IT systems in LET that are used to manage, develop, describe, transfer or
assess competency information or other related objects.
1.2 Primary role
The primary role of this Technical Report is to enable the integration and interoperability of heterogeneous
sources of competency information. This Technical Report provides a toolkit comprising the ITLET Conceptual
Reference Model and processes needed to elaborate semantic definitions and clarifications to transform and
enable the exchange of information across disparate, localized information sources into a coherent global
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