AICC Subcommittee Working Group Meeting
Meeting Minutes
April 26 - April 29th, 2010
Orlando, Florida

See this link for presentations

MONDAY April 26 – AICC Meeting: Airbus Learning Management System (LMS) Workshop

Airbus LMS Workshop:  Jacques Talvard; Airbus

The goal of Airbus LMS: to provide a web-based version of the existing CMI system, keeping desired functionality.
The new LMS is given to airlines when they buy aircraft and supports the following environments.

• Hardware configuration
• Windows server, windows workstation or laptop
• ACT mobile classroom (lap tops, workstations, video projects, courseware, 2-D trainer
• Open source technology: - no fees for the airlines
• LMS client uses IE 5.5, AICC proxy, MS office animation runtime to run animation in PowerPoint, flash player, powerpoint viewer 97, GSM 2.0

All new software is written in Flash
Supports AGR-010 using HACP and API modes and as a result supports AGR-006 (the earlier version of the communication model)

Supports (limited to) 200 simultaneous users, video in courseware caused bandwidth problems
Designed for easy of change of the data base
Need to integrated existing GSM modules

Jacques discussed the user interface: logins, groups, preferences, usage statistics
Discussion on administrative functions including import/export capabilities
Router discussion for course flow, module, assignable unit definition and launch parameters include launch of training devices

Login, Preferences, Training Devices (associated to a group, student usage data, autorun CDs/ROMs (content delivery on CDs), CD-ROM Extractor to upload content to sever
AU Extensions – converted most file format data to HTML
Documentation available

Industrialization (Implementation)
History of Airbus courses and LMS deployment with the development timeline from 2005-2009 with Airbus portal
Airbus converted to  LINUX in 2008 but the courseware is still incompatible but will have LINUX compatibility when convert all courseware to Flash.  Bill McDonald asked about the Flash for LINUX compatibility and how they were dependent up IE.  Airbus has ActiveX for legacy courseware.
Airbus now uses latest version Apache 2.2 PHO 5, MySQL 5,  IE8, Firefox 3

Discussed timeline for courseware deployment
Aeroflot Implementation:  Aeroflot converted AIRBUS LMS to Cyrillic, developed test tool, connection to Aeroflot HR database, implemented objectives and interactions, created adaptive courseware
Aeroflot using Airbus LMS for many trainees (6000) via the internet.

Complaint LMS with no communication to external world, email, and other applications
Test of Airbus LMS in the Moodle environment – interface linked to Airbus content; within Moodle. 

Evaluating a COTS system.  Selected Total LMS from SumTotal and SaS model for hosting.  Provides more functions:  Forum, Chat, Virtual Classroom, Wiki, Virtual Meeting, E-tutoring
First test of a GEM fam course in 4th quarter 2010.  Question:  Will content run on other systems and can be edited?  Answer:  Yes for run if AICC compliant but no for editing.

Questions:  Explain the .Net implementation via Apache which acts as runtime.  How is retraining managed: students select training based on what they are told. 
Course Demonstration:  Jacques initiated the LMS and demonstrated how to run the CD which includes routers.  He demonstrated how the Extractor uploads the course and checked that upload from the CD was processed correctly.  He gave an extensive overview and demonstration of the Airbus LMS.

Graphical Learning Menus Sebastien Fraysse, Knowledge Decision
Improve learner experience when navigating.  Sebastien used Moodle for the demonstration of how many courses are designed: several modules, navigation within learning unit, back to table of contents to see the completion. 
Posed a problem about how to customize course features such as the course table of contents (but you would have to customize the LMS) or  modify completion icons or add more information (once again LMS modification)

Sebastien discussed other methods of displaying course structure that was more engaging but LMS cannot do this today.  Maybe the learning menu could be done on the content side vice the LMS side.

Sebastien proposed adding 3 values to the AICC and SCORM standard to make navigation robust by allowing the content to do navigation:

• course.structure
• course.progress
• course.next

Sebastien discussed the concepts of each of these items and the rationale behind the items.  Everyone in the room was excited about the recommendation.  AICC talked about making these changes to the standard.

TUESDAY April 27 – AICC Meeting In Conjunction with WATS Conference: Strategic Planning

 AICC Strategic Planning Herbert Schwarz, Group Leader

AICC Strategic Planning
Herbert, discussed AICC struggles for survival.  Identified areas that we need to discuss.  He emphasized the need for openness.  The reasons for joining AICC are different now than before.  The internal CBT development within airlines was done with specialized products developed in house.  This has been replaced   We need to provide something not to the nuts and bolts guy in the airlines, but to training directors.

We need to change the financial, administration, communication sides.  We need to work on marketing issues, communication issues, financial issues.  Herbert identified the major talking areas for the planning:

• Communication
• Financing
• Marketing
• Specifications

Review subcommittee structure.  Herbert would like to have a responsibility matrix.
Meeting:  Indication that we want to locate with Halldale.  Also we need to have the specs people and vendors meet.

Fred Banks presented an approach for namesets and persistence of data across lessons as a possible extension to the AICC CMI specification.  Jack will work with Fred to determine if this could be an AICC project.

Tyde Richards gave a long presentation on possible LETSI projects that AICC may be interested in collaborating with.

AICC Strategic Planning Herbert Schwarz, Group Leader
Herbert review the AICC executive committee and clarified roles and responsibilities.

• AI  Jack to provide a report of cash flow in Quicken
• AI  Everyone describes  their positions and tasks
• AI  Need to document other tasks like sample lessons, etc.

WEDNESDAY April 28 – AICC Meeting In Conjunction with WATS Conference:  Strategic Planning

AICC Strategic Planning Herbert Schwarz, Group Leader

• Herbert reviewed the AICC executive committee and clarified roles and responsibilities.
• The AICC webpage does not represent a good picture of the organizaton
• AI:  Bill to change AICC website home page to have a notice to see the new AICC website
• Jack reviewed the budget.  He emphasized that the dollar values were in odd values because of charges for money transfers and credit card purchases.  The test lab output had a refund of the original outgo because the test required less hours.  Jack reviewed the Google Adsense.  Meeting fees are for non members who attend meeting.  Herbert recommends that we do not charge meeting fees.
•  AI:  The Simulation Committee was decided to pursue a possible project suggested by Bruce DeNise.  The members are Mike Sharp, Bruce DeNise, Bill McDonald, and Jack Hyde.  The goal is to embed a simulation in a training shell and provide LMS integration.
• Finances – there was a request to have a lower AICC member fee. Kris thinks we should do more research.  Other organizations have tiered membership levels.  NO MEETING FEE at co-located events like WATS.
• Membership fees will have an option to be paid quarterly.  (JACK)
• Herbert has good feedback about articles and presentations.  Herbert asked for potential CAT article topics.  CAT Magazine Articles: 

Kris Rockwell:  Mobile Learning;
Brad Cooper:  Calculation of ROI for your LMS; 
Bruce DeNise:  Addressing Problems in Future Aviation Training;
Ray Butler:  AICC Dedicates Time and Resources to Help eLearning Users Implement Standards-Based Content.

• AI:  Need to write down what our job tasks are.  Everyone has a job description as published on the AICC website.  Review your job description and send to Herbert any changes.
• Contact points for other WebEx options:  Bill M, Fred, Airbus (Bernard), FAA (Bruce), Ed Cohen.
• From an airline stand point of view, what is our relevance as dealing with LMS integration has crested.  We need to provide other services.  The value for Ray was connections to vendors.  As an organization we need to make everyone understand Aviation Industry problems.  Look to the future, like functionality of desk top applications and their ability to communicate to all LMS.  Ray owns them all; we need to let the airlines know that we are engages in it. 
• AI -KRIS:  The 3-D world for immersive training.  Kris is demonstrating this.  We need to understand these new technologies and the interoperability of these technologies.  Cockpit technology will be immersive; charts will be on the display units.  Don’t focus on what was done, look to the future.  Use the terminology that is applicable; look at all the sides of training. 
• AI-ANNE:  Aer Lingus is running moodle(ISTANBUL)  – ask them to give a talk at Istanbul (get contact from Kris).
• AI-MIKE SHARP to review existing document for changes.  Mike wrote a document on questions an airline should ask a CBT vendor. 
• RAY:  Talk at next meeting: Articulate to publish AICC – works out of box;  put on website about AICC interoperability for products that publish powerpoint to deploy content – captivate and articulate. 
• RAY.  Need some authoring tool presentations – other subjects for resources within aviation training (invite vendors that do this).  This should be covered in the Training Technology subcommittee.  Corsair Engineering should give a presentation at authoring tools or participate in a workshop.  Issue with technology problems and hold an Implementation workshop on this.  Bring your problems to the workshop and AICC will have experts to help.  Ray Butler should help put together ideas for the workshop and give a list of potential invitees and them AICC will send out invitations.
• Brad Cooper will contact certified product vendors;  AICC will identify to them so they can  provide signage that they are AICC members or are AICC Certified.
• KRIS ROCKWELL:  Consider a new technology session on Android, iPad, readers under Kris Rockwell at each meeting.
• JACK:  Provide a list of all all paying members, type of member,

Electronic Flight Bags  Ray Butler, UPS
Ray’s talked address the Paper-Less Airplane.  This is a project undertaken by UPS.  Ray will not give the details which concern company proceeds, politics, and practices but will discuss synergies to make this method more reliable.  Ray will discuss generic issues, provide and overview of the process and suggest some alternatives, invites participants to share in defining an industry recommendation because their solution works for UPS and may not be applicable to other carriers.   USP has not implemented this decision because of corporate contractual obligations and ROI.

• Origination:  Identify the persons that have regulations and regulated documents.
• Publications:  UPS has 2 pubs departments – one for the basic document in Word and one for editing and conversion from Word or some other publishing application.
• Distribution:  Roles for getting to users, accountability that updated document got there, and notification of revisions – big issue to make sure persons got the updated document
• Users:  In what format does he get the document?  Govt. Agencies need their copies (must be the same as everyone else).  In addition contractors, group support, staff.   In the process there needs to be a feedback and revision cycle.  Ray addressed the issues and problems including cost, compliance, environmental, and weight.  The decision was to leverage technology to eliminate paper-based products.

Critical Decisions:

• What  is in scope and write a justification.  Decided if couldn’t remove all paper, would not go ahead with the project.
• Get a business requirements statement – do a business analysis.  Determine how will you distribute and who will get it; who will update and maintain.  Need to determine when distribution out of date.
• Distribution Model:  Issues include scope of distribution, facilities (how do I get the updates to an airplane in Finland sitting on ramp), capabilities (networks for transmitting data, by hand, etc.  looked at a satellite to update document even), responsibilities (maintenance did not want it), support (who do you call when laptop goes down), where do you put spares (other companies  provide service for a big cost)
• Hardware and Software Issues:  Classes of Devices (Class 1 (off the shelf lap-top, 2 (slightly more powerful, e.g. color), 3 (is highest).  Pubs on a separate USB drive.  Display issues including adjustable light level, direct sun, or color.  Agreed to 3 devices in airplane: Captain, FO, and one wrapped in plastic (content on USB drive). 
• Notebook issues include:  how to charge the notebook, where is it to reside.  UPS ruled out laptops out because envelop shut-up.  Need for training on operation, required by FAA.  Ruled out laptops and netbooks; selected a tablet PC. 
• Had considerations for types of software.  If need for take-off and landing, it is a type 2 device.
•  Can provide JIT training on the device including student records; can provide XML based documents for quick information search.  Looked at encryption and password protection. 
• Needed to tell when out of date so automatically remove the older software revision. 
• Looking at costs for hardware, software. Determine to go commercial and buy the support outside.  FAA interested in compliance, looking at electronic signatures (looking to pharma and nuclear industry for ideas)

AICC can help with best practices in paperless cockpits, industry knowledge bank, AGR for process compatibility, offline player.

Mobile Learning and Proposed AICC Specification:  Kris Rockwell, Hybrid Learning

Kris discussed the mobile device background from the Newton to today; sparked a lot of development in the mobile world.  Hybrid has down mobile device development or the last 6 years.
Kris discussed the mobile market (4.6 billion active subscriptions, 1.1 billion handsets sold in 2009).  Huge scope.

Tomi Ahomnen provided interesting data on mobile usage on the Internet.  Shows a wide range of usages.    The number of mobile phone users in Africa (280 million) exceeds the 277 million users in the US and Canada combined.  Ray Jurzweil (holds more patents in anything else) says “Mobile phones are misnamed – they should be called the gateways to all human knowledge.”  This is a big paradigm shift.

The iPhone spurred a lot of mobile growth.  This is a newer phenomenon in US vs Europe, India, Japan.  Several other phones release to compete with the iPhone.  Now can fly an A380 by tilting an iPhone. 

Problem is that we have so many types of mobile devices that don’t know how to design training.  Video is not the answer to mobile learning; try to watch a movie on an iPhone; just not feasible.
Kris discussed w hat is a mobile learning device and provided several intesting examples.  Someone is using a Nintendo DS for ApacheHelicopter training (British MOD for maintenance training
.

Quote from Judy Brown:  “It is not about shrinking a course down to a little screen.  It’s learning on a device that has:  full battery for a day, instant on, you’re used to using it.”

What should AICC do about Mobile Learning?  Define an AGR

• Define what is mobile learning
• Define recommended appropriate content
• Don’t worry about Flash; there are better methods like HTML 5
• Kris’s philosophy is write one and render anywhere
• Define use cases for mobile learning
• Content specifications like small lessons (like winterization)
• Offline learning is the key to mobile learning – adapt  current AICC specification to the mobile environment
• Need to address a broader use base for this specification to make an impact on the wider market
• Mobile internet and content is one of the fastest growing markets.
• Bruce DeNise noted that developing content is difficult and we need to get to a single source development which can be output to many sources.  Kris thinks Dida is a write once render many; based on tech manual data.
• SevenScenes.com teaches kids about history of Amsterdam using mobile cell phones.
• Education vs Training:  Bruce DeNise emphasized what training does; back to information that is need (Just-in-time training).
• Jet Blue:  Hard to support e-learning on multiple browsers;  what will cost on many different types of mobile devices.
• Bruce:  Standard format needed for materials; then can develop and repurpose for multiple training applications

THURSDAY April 29 – AICC Meeting In Conjunction with WATS Conference:  WATS Presentations

See this link for presentations