QTI is a learning content standard, also known as: Question and Test Interoperability.
The QTI documentation is managed by 1EdTech (formerly IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc.), and was last updated in 2022.
The Question and Test Interoperability (QTI) specification is a standard that allows for the exchange of digital assessments and their results between different learning systems.
Its primary goal is to ensure that question items, assessments, and test results can be moved from one platform to another without needing to be rewritten or reformatted.
QTI defines a common structure for assessment content, including various item types (e.g., multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and essay), and a framework for delivering and scoring those items.
By adhering to the QTI standard, a quiz created in one system can be seamlessly imported and used in another.
It tends to be used more often in organisations that specialise in assessments.
Strengths
- Reduces vendor lock-in
- Supports a wide range of question types
- Includes comprehensive metadata for question items and assessments
Limitations
- Can be quite complex for developers to work with
- By design it limits the range of question or interactivity types available to assessment designers
- QTI is designed to use XML, a data format that is used less often these days
- Differences in implementation by software suppliers can cause issues