1. The CEMS Faculty Information System Project 23 June 2006

2. CEMS WEBIS Project Need to improve information systems within the faculty identified because: –Definitive data on programmes and modules is maintained in a variety of unlinked documents –Information about the faculty itself, staff and organisational structures is poor –Staff rely on Email to distribute important documents WEBIS faculty group to explore requirements Funding support by CEMS and UWE

3. Two kinds of data storage Content Management System –Aim is to support collaboration e.g. Development of a new Programme School Information Faculty Board Agenda and Minutes –Any staff member can set up a section, store documents, create discussion groups etc –Access restricted to staff. –Using Plone (Open Source) Document and operational database –Structured documents and tables with controlled update. –Aim is to provide a single point of definition of faculty information and operations by integrating a range of data source –Using XML and an XML Database. –Sites are FOLD and CEMS students onlineFOLDCEMS students online

4. The XML way Each module specification (for example) is encoded as a single XML document.XML document Documents are the appropriate unit of responsibility, editing, interchange. All documents are stored in folders in a Native XML Database (eXist). Web interface is developed using standard XML languages – XQuery and XSLT. Documents are searchable (include free text). Queries can create separate views. Additional administrative data held as table-oriented XML editable with Excel. Links between data units via shared values.

5. Development approach Steering group chaired by Dr John Vinney Policy subgroup Operations Group –Chris Wallace as project manager, architect and lead developer –2 placement students (across both Plone and FOLD) –Temporary staff –Technical support Data conversion and collection –Mod specs generated from legacy system –The rest entered by QE team, occasional TSU staff and the operations group Iterative delivery of content and software –XML platform enables rapid response to requirements

6. Progress Aug ’05 – June ‘06 Data acquisition –Module specifications –Module runs and assessments –Programmes and programme structures –Staff –Organisational structures –Events Functionality –Browsing –Versioning –Validation of module specifications –Linking Library (by ISBN) Marketing data (by UCAS code) Timetables (by module code) Events to Outlook Express Mini-website on CD-ROM for Aeronautics accreditation event

7. June –Aug CEMS Student support –Student-facing module and programme information –FAQs and Glossary –Support for Option selection –Staff profiles –Student Orientation information Cereus interface Pilot issues –Generalisation to other Faculties –Scaleability

8. Aims for 2006 / 7 Process support for assessments and other academic processes Through-the-web updates using XForms Integration with CEMS External web site Authorisation and authentication Improve the user interface Integration with UWE systems e.g. –Syllabus Plus –ISIS Programme documentation integration Resources Meetings and Minutes – FOLD as CMS Research projects, publications and students

9. CEMS Issues Challenges –Development of skills with XML and Java technologies –Embedding FOLD in the faculty consciousness –Change in CEMS support staff as locus of knowledge shifts Opportunities –Knowledge Exchange XML in industry Training courses –Application of this approach to Other faculties Other Universities –JISC work on programme schema

10. UWE Issues Transparency –Who can see what Staff and Room Timetables Student Module Evaluations Common schemas –At the fringes, the CEMS FOLD needs data from other Faculties Modules on our programmes Programmes using our modules Staff service teaching on other modules –XML schemas allow incremental integration Breaking down the walls –Linking Need for common identifiers – e.g. UCAS Code Need for URL access – OK for library, not for Blackboard –Round-tripping To be able to extract as XML data for comparison with local data e.g. to UCAS –Flow From definitive data source e.g. from FOLD to ISIS for infra structure