eFramework Tools

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e-Framework Tools

• DCC Preservation of Learning Materials Forum
• University of Glasgow
• 9th February 2006
• Adrian Stevenson
• Learning Technology Services
• The University of Manchester

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e-Framework at University of Manchester

• Project Manager for University of Manchester
  e-Framework Demonstrator Project (no name yet)
• Currently looking at distributed resource
  discovery tools e.g. d
• Monitoring E-framework developments and
  evaluating tools
• Not JISC funded
• Also investigating
• potential for local learning object repository
• issues surrounding long-term access to learning
  materials
• Based in Learning Technology Services team
  providing advice and support on interoperability,
  new technologies, .
• Used to work for JORUM (until May 05) as Service
  Technical Development Coordinator

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The e-Framework for Education and Research

• An initiative by JISC and Australia's Department
  of Education, Science and Training (DEST)
• The primary goal of the initiative is to produce
  an evolving and sustainable, open standards based
  service oriented technical framework to support
  the education and research communitiesThe
  e-Framework for Education and Research An
  Overview, July 2005
• Builds on the e-Learning Framework (ELF) and the
  JISC Information Environment
• The e-Framework is a service-oriented (soa)
  approach to system and process integration
• A framework consists of a set of services, The
  core task of creating a framework is to define a
  broad set of services required to support the
  business of a community. A service offers
  functions and content through agreed behaviours
  and interfaces.Wilson et al, 2004,
  Service-Oriented Frameworks Modelling the
  infrastructure for the next generation of
  e-Learning Systems

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The e-Framework why?

• there has been a shift from monolithic
  application silos towards service oriented
  approaches where flexible granular functional
  components expose service behaviours accessible
  to other applications via loosely coupled
  standards based interfaces.Olivier et al, The
  e-Framework for Education and Research An
  Overview, July 2005
• Growing consensus that SOAs provide the best way
  to achieve systems integration
• SOAs have been integrated with Web Services
  (SOAP, WSDL) to implement service interfaces
• e-Framework adopts the less formal service
  oriented approach (small soa), adapting the
  approach of loosely coupled services whilst
  allowing for greater flexibility in
  implementation.
• Many benefits of this approach identified

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Architecture of a Managed Learning Environment
today

• Considerable overlap of functions and data within
  the components
• Each system tries to manage authentication making
  single sign-on difficult

Wilson et al, 2004, A Technical Framework to
Support e-Learning
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Architecture of a Managed Learning Environment
with common services moved out of the application

• No need to replicate data
• Individual parts are much smaller
• Each piece of functionality is provided as a
  service
• The services make up the framework
• Service components can be added, removed, updated
  without having to replace the whole system

Wilson et al, 2004, A Technical Framework to
Support e-Learning
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The e-Framework benefits

• Benefits for policy makers
• Driven by business processes
• Better ROI
• Supports adaptability
• Benefits for Communities of Practice
• Supports pedagogic diversity
• Enable pedagogy driven implementation
• Faster response to community needs
• Benefits to Suppliers and developers
• Lower cost of entry
• Increased ROI
• Supports market differentiation

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service oriented architecture (soa)

• SOA is an architectural style whose goal is to
  achieve loose coupling among interacting software
  agents
• Hifi separates are an example of soa you can
  replace the CD player service with another CD
  player and it will work with amp, speakers, tuner
  etc.What is Service-Oriented Architecture, Hao
  He, Xml.com
• A system where every CD comes with its own
  player is not soa but much software is built this
  way
• The application logic of a system is exposed as
  services, which can then be consumed by other
  applications
• For example, a student record system may expose
  services defining enrolment and registration
  processes which can then be used by a VLE or
  library system
• This is different to integration at user
  interface level using portals

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Structure of the e-framework

• 2 main parts - Reference Models and a set of
  Services
• A Reference Model is an abstract task model
  that includes
• The roles and activities of humans and computers
• The workflow or processes
• Use cases from which service specifications are
  derived
• A Reference Model describes which services will
  be needed to solve a particular problem and how
  they can be put together, the relevant standards
  that apply and how they might be used
• The development of Reference Models is a
  community based process, involving domain experts
  and practitioners
• A Service exposes information or functionality
  through a public interface that other systems can
  call on and utilise.

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E-framework tools
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E-framework tools
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e-Framework Tools

• Many parts of the framework incomplete
• No e-framework tools for digital preservation yet
• Need reference models and services
• Service adapters or Service Toolkits created to
  enable developers to service-enable their systems
  
• Maybe extend existing tools?
• Metadata tools - RELOAD, intralibrary
• Service enable existing software e.g. DSpace,
  Fedora, DAITSS, PANDAS, JHOVE, LOCKSS, PRONOM,
  NLNZ Metadata Extractor, others

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Some existing tools and services

• PRONOM DROID - UK National Archives - automated
  batch identification of file formats
• JHOVE Harvard University - automatic
  identification, validation and characterisation
  of a range of digital object types
• NZNL Metadata Extractor - tool to extract
  preservation metadata from within digital
  objects, and save it in XML format
• PANIC - University of Queenslands Distributed
  Systems Technology Centre - a semi-automated
  preservation service, which will allow monitoring
  of archival collections, support decision making
  about preservation actions, and invoke the
  appropriate preservation service, using the
  semantic web and web services.
• TOM (Typed Object Model) - University of
  Pennsylvania Library Data model and system of
  networked open source software that describes the
  behaviors and representations of particular
  information sources (such as file formats and
  information retrieval services)
• LOCKSS
• Multivalent Browser

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DAITSS Dark Archive in the Sunshine State

• Designed to implement the OAIS functional model
• Designed as a dark archive no public
  interface
• Supports ingest, archival storage, data
  management, normalisation and format migration
• Open source version due to be available July 06
• Not specifically LO orientated
• JISC fund development of web service e-framework
  component interface to the software?

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Problems with the framework approach

• Too late many institutions committed to
  enterprise level applications
• Buying WebCT is easier dont have to think
  about how we do things
• Requirements analysis, use cases etc. not easy to
  do
• Hard to find developers with the skills to
  combine services into composite applications
• Weve got other things to be doing
• Reference Models designed to help
• Conflicts with local policy ERP, best of breed

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Contact

• Adrian Stevenson
• Learning Technology Services
• Room B38, Sackville Building
• University of Manchester
• Sackville St
• Manchester M60 1QD
• Tel [phone]
• Email adrian.stevenson_at_manchester.ac.uk