While many innovations in Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) have emerged over the last two decades, the uptake of these innovations has not always been very successful, particularly in schools. The transition from proof of concept to integration into learning activities has been recognized as a bottleneck for quite some time. This major problem, which is affecting many TEL stakeholders, is the focus of the four year iTEC project that is developing a comprehensive approach.

The CeLeBraTe (Context eLearning with Broadband Technologies) project is developing a system to support a European Learning Network (ELN) of virtual learning environments capable of exchanging digitally stored learning resources. The ELN is built around a Brokerage System that manages exchanges between its members. Unlike other virtual learning environment networks based on a client-server architecture, CeLeBraTe is based on a mixed approach where, although the brokerage system hosts a central metadata repository, each ELN member is also authorized to manage its own local metadata repository. Search requests are both handled centrally and propagated to local repositories.

In order to enable teachers to share and reuse learning objects, these objects should be described using standard metadata such as the IEEE's learning object metadata. Learning object metadata elements must be described using appropriate vocabularies in order to ensure semantic interoperability and facilitate resource description discovery and reuse. LOM elements can be described using simple vocabularies and value lists, LOM vocabularies, taxonomies, classifications and thesauri and natural language. CEN/ISSS has funded the development of a registry of taxonomies and vocabularies relevant for a European learning society. It is recommended that metadata implementers publish their vocabularies in the registry to reduce duplication of effort and facilitate semantic interoperability.