- January 2026 Newsletter
ICICLE Update and January 2026 Community Call with Shelly Blake-Plock, CEO of Yet Analytics, on Total Learning Architecture, a standards-based data architecture to support the flow of data through learning and training technology ecosystems
The ICICLE monthly community call is January 21st at 12pm ET. We’re excited to have this month as our guest speaker, Shelly Blake-Plock, Co-Founder, President and CEO, Yet Analytics and former ICICLE chair, on Total Learning Architecture (TLA), a standards-based data architecture designed to support the flow of data through modern learning and training technology ecosystem. The design of the TLA specifications has been led by the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative. The TLA Study Group was formed in December 2024 to provide a report on the state of the TLA and a recommendation regarding the pursuit of formal TLA standards activity at the IEEE Standards Association (SA). The study group is sponsored by the IEEE SA’s Learning Technology Standards Committee (LTSC).
Shelly will present an overview of the TLA, describe the work of the TLA Study Group and share how you can be involved.
We’ll be meeting via Webex for the community call. (See details below with meeting code and password.) It is scheduled for one hour’s length.
I/ITSEC 2025 and Learning Engineering
Several members of our ICICLE community presented at I/ITSEC 2025. Check out the exciting work that they are doing:
- Measuring Learning Technology in DoD Acquisition, a paper by Kevin Owens, Shawn Miller, Jeanine DeFalco, Christine Covas-Smith
- Advancing Expertise Development Through Adaptive Human-AI Training, a paper by Jessica M. Johnson
- A Practical Guide to Using Open Tools for Well-Defined Competencies — Learning Engineering of Multi-Platform, Multi-Domain, Mission-Ready Skills Definitions, a tutorial by Jim Goodell
- But How Do You Know They Learned That?, a tutorial by Blair Lehman and Jeanine DeFalco
Interested in learning more about TLA and learning technology standards? This webinar is for you!
The Institute for Infrastructure and Interoperable Data in Learning (I2IDL), an independent, non-governmental, non-profit organization advancing the science of open source data systems serving learning, training, and education organizations across the globe, was launched in December 2025 by long-time LTSC and ICICLE folks. I2IDL’s first webinar, Explain It Like I’m Five: What are Learning Technology Standards, and Why Do I Need Them?, on January 29th at 12 pm ET will talk about learning technology standards, the TLA and how to get involved in the new effort. Details and free registration here.
Special and Market Interest Group Work
Special Interest Groups and Market Interest Groups is where much of the work in ICICLE happens. The groups develop resources and document experiences for the learning engineering community. Participate in one, two or all of them.
Please check SIG/MIG page for general information, the calendar for meeting days/times and the website for updates. (Times are in Eastern Time.)- Competencies, Credentials and Curriculum SIG has a new meeting time. It will meet on second Tuesday of the month. The next meeting is Tues, February 9th at 1 pm ET, immediately after the rescheduled Higher Education MIG meeting. Starting in March, it will meet at 12 pm ET on the second Tuesday of the month.
- Design SIG is meeting on Tuesday, January 27th, 2026 at 2pm ET.
- Government / Military MIG is meeting on Friday, February 6th, 2026 at 12pm ET.
- Higher Ed MIG is meeting the second Tuesday in February on February 9th, 2026 at 12pm ET.
- Global/Localisation SIG is on Friday, February 6th, 2026 at 9am ET.
- pK-12 MIG is meeting on Wednesday, February 11th, 2026 at 12pm ET.
- Students and Grads SIG is meeting on Wednesday, February 11th, 2026 at 3pm ET.
- Tools SIG is meeting on Thursday, January 29th, 2026 at 2pm ET.
- Workforce MIG (formerly Corporate MIG) is meeting on Friday, January 30th, 2026 at 12pm ET.
We look forward to seeing you at our January 21st community call with Shelly Blake-Plock on the Total Learning Architecture, in the ICICLE LinkedIn group, or on the Discord community. Our next community call is February 18, 2026.
