I’ve been talking about xAPI for years.
Not as a trend.
Not as a shiny object.
But as infrastructure.
And along the way, I kept noticing the same thing.
The deeper conversations about open standards, interoperable systems, and learning data were happening offshore, in the US, Canada, and Europe. And whilst these are great resources, we end up watching the recordings due to time zones, and often, these get lost. Practitioners in Australia didn’t have a place to go for clarity, context, or support.
That changed after I met Andrew Bloye from ClearXP at the ILP Learning Impact Summit in 2025.
We shared the same concerns, and the same conviction that it was time to do something about it.
This Is Not Another Webinar Series
The xAPI Collective isn’t designed for product demonstrations, sales pitches, or arguments about LMS functionalities. Instead, it’s meant for meaningful discussions about underlying infrastructure, the true challenge at hand.
Many organisations misidentify their main issue as being related to content, when their core problem lies in data architecture based on not keeping up with changes in learning and assessment and orphaned platforms.
Their systems don’t communicate with one another, valuable evidence remains locked inside platforms, and reporting capabilities are restricted.
Despite these challenges, there’s a growing interest in integrating AI. However, adding AI to faulty foundations won’t resolve these underlying issues, broken plumbing remains broken, even with advanced technology layered on top.
Why This Matters Right Now
We are transitioning toward an economy driven by skills. The nature of work is transforming and Entry-level positions are evolving.
Assessment standards are becoming much stricter, and compliance requirements are developing, particularly within VET.
Nevertheless, many learning systems still operate under the assumption that everything occurs within a single LMS.
That approach is already showing its limitations.
Learning takes place everywhere:
- In VR,
- On the job,
- Through mobile apps,
- In coaching sessions,
- Within assessment platforms.
If evidence can’t be transferred, it lacks strategic value.
This is where xAPI becomes important, not simply as a feature, but as the essential link connecting diverse learning environments.
The Australian Context
Australia faces a very different reality.
RTO compliance.
Enterprise governance.
Public sector reporting.
Corporate capability frameworks.
We can’t just lift thinking from overseas and expect it to work here.
We need a local community.
Our own case studies.
Our own implementation stories.
That’s exactly what the Collective is building.
We’ve already had people like Megan Torrance help set the tone, and we’re hosting conversations with voices such as Shelly Blake‑Plock from the Institute for Infrastructure and Interoperable Data in Learning.
But this isn’t about importing expertise.
It’s about grounding it.
For Australia.
For Asia‑Pacific.
For the environments we actually operate in.
Our Objectives
Our mission is clear:
- Foster confidence in open standards.
- Clarify interoperability concepts.
- Ensure infrastructure discussions are accessible to non-technical leaders.
- Encourage organizations to move beyond proprietary silos.
- Support Australia’s participation in global standards conversations with credibility.
This initiative does not seek to replace LMS platforms. Rather, it aims to develop ecosystems where systems can coexist, integrate, and share structured evidence.
Such an approach requires a shift in perspective and is essential for progress.
Think Beyond the LMS
I’ve been using this expression for some time now.
It’s not meant to oppose LMS, it’s about supporting strong design.
Exploring possibilities outside of the LMS encourages us to pose deeper questions:
- How is data transferred?
- Who retains ownership of evidence?
- Can integration occur in the future?
- What changes arise with AI implementation?
- What will happen if platforms shift?
If these questions don’t have straightforward answers, the system may not be prepared for what lies ahead.
The Collective offers a space to examine these challenges. Together.
This Is Just the Start
Interest shows Australia is prepared to discuss interoperable standards, decentralised learning systems, structured evidence, and genuine learning infrastructure. The xAPI Collective addresses these needs, not for trendiness, but because it’s now becoming essential.