IMS Global Learning Consortium is leading a community effort to enable and encourage "plug and play" integration of innovative apps, tools, and content built on open standards, APIs, and services. During the EDUCAUSE annual conference, IMS Global is launching a collaborative effort with partners InCommon and the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative designed to engage the education community in developing a shared vision to define and build a new IT architecture that allows applications to be easily integrated in support of connected learning.

The launch of the Connected Learning Innovation Challenge includes the first in a series of app challenges to encourage the development of innovative, open educational apps, platforms, and tools to enable connected learning. IMS will also be establishing a leadership and support community for institutional participants who are interested in getting involved.

Entries for the inaugural app challenge can come from any institution or product organization worldwide. Entries must be submitted no later than 01 February 2014. Winners will be announced 01 April 2014, and each will be honored with a Learning Impact medal and $1000 award during the 2014 Learning Impact Leadership Institute, 05-08 May in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

Initial corporate support for the Connected Learning Innovation Challenge has been provided by Cengage Learning, Ellucian, Follett, Instructure, McGraw-Hill Education, Oracle, Pearson, and VitalSource. Institutional advocates who have come forward in a short amount of time to support the Connected Learning Innovation Challenge include Lone Star Community College-University Park, Penn State University, Tennessee Board of Regents, UCLA, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, University of Michigan, and the University of San Diego. We fully expect additional supporters, including more existing IMS members, to become involved as institutional advocates and corporate supporters.