MAQRO Benefits

MAQRO is Standards-Based: MAQRO is based upon the the Resource Description Framework (RDF), a W3C Proposed Recommendation for knowledge representation. By using RDF as its framework, MAQRO allows a lower learning curve and provides a base level of interoperability, even with processors not aware of MAQRO semantics. As an illustration, one may input any MAQRO XML serialization (such as any of the full examples from the MAQRO specification) into the W3C RDF Validation Service and be given a complete graph illustrating MAQRO resources and properties generated from a processor that has no knowledge of MAQRO-specific constructs.
MAQRO Facilitates Extensions and Metadata: RDF, by its very nature as a framework, allows an infinite number of other vocabularies to be integrated into the data. Any MAQRO instance may provide extended semantics that build upon the provided MAQRO ontology, and/or integrate supplemental metadata vocabularies without affecting the ability of the base data to be processed by default MAQRO processors.
MAQRO Data Model is Rigorously Defined: MAQRO is more than a syntax—it is a complete ontology that defines semantics of resource classes and properties, distinct from any storage format. Although XML is the syntax of choice for storing MAQRO, its RDF data model is defined and understandable separately from XML.
MAQRO Provides Rigorous Semantics: Rather than focus on how education material appears visually to a user, MAQRO emphasises the semantics of educational objects. By ensuring that the meaning is accurately represented for questions, choices, answers, and the like, MAQRO allows great flexibility in rendering at user interaction time. Personal computers may allow complex visual representation formats, while mobile phones and other handheld wireless devices may provide diverse display and input while maintaining semantics. Rigorous representation of semantics also allows alternate presentation, such as audio and tactile output, for those with visual disabilities.
MAQRO Answers are Semantically Represented: Other question formats only allow representaion of procedural relationships between questions and choices (e.g. "If choice A is chosen, add one point to the score.") MAQRO, on the other hand, allows strong answer semantics to be expressed when appropriate. (e.g. "Choice A is the correct answer, independent of how many points the student should receive.")
MAQRO Answers are Strongly Typed: MAQRO defines exactly what types of responses are expected for a particular interaction, and strongly types the actual responses received. For example, a MAQRO question might indicate that a floating point number and/or a boolean value is expected, allowing a MAQRO engine to restrict input to only the expected type(s). Once the user responds, the response value indicates specifically the type of value received—distinguishing, for example, among the floating point value 123.45, the string value "123.45", or some custom value type.