Thee-Framework for Education & Research The e-Framework for Education & Research an Overview TEN Competence, Jan 2007 Bill Olivier, JISC

The e-learning framework Started in 2003 Emerged from JISC’s work on virtual learning environments and managed learning environments Attempt to address various problems by using service oriented approaches

The challenges: silos Core data and functionality are locked up in individual applications. Monolithic applications duplicate functionality. Difficult to customise systems to meet diverse requirements Legacy systems (& integration) costly to replace Result: obstacles to deliver users with: The right information At the right time In a familiar environment

The challenges: lack of co-ordination In isolation, different communities and different domains: duplicate effort solve the same problem in incompatible ways solve different problems in incompatible ways Result: no network effect lost opportunities for synergy

The challenges: isolated innovation New e-learning tools fail to flourish because: too many resources are lost solving ‘boring’, known problems too many dependencies on unique infrastructures too idiosyncratic to be sustainable beyond a particular person or project Result: poor return on R&D investment slow development of new practice

A potential solution Service oriented approach: Breaks down common functions into discrete services… …used independently of underlying systems, applications and platforms.

ELF origins The ELF built on work done for/by: The IMS Abstract Framework the Open Knowledge Initiative (OKI) and Sakai designs by Carnegie-Mellon Learning Systems Architecture Lab Sun e-learning platform large number of SOAs from other domains

Take one

Take two

Developing components of the e-learning framework Funded projects during and ongoing Toolkit projects to build web service interfaces Demonstrator projects to show how web services can be implemented and used in university or college systems Examples

Why the e-Framework? Growing awareness that the problem that the ELF was trying to solve was a wider issue JISC already using SOA for its Information Environment activity (architecture for digital library resources) Same issues and approaches in research area (e-Science and the Grid using Web Services) Same issues for administration Successful expansion of the ELF to support other domain areas, building on previous activities Gained a high level of international interest and enthusiasm to collaborate

What is the e-Framework now? The International e-Framework Initiative JISC Australian Dept for Education, Sc. & Technology SURF in Holland New Zealand Ministry of Education The e-Framework Knowledge Base/Web site Most visible output of the Initiative Each Partner’s own e-Framework Programme Supports the first two Co-operates with other Partners Works with its other Programmes to add to & gain from the e-Framework

Sharing Services

The e-Framework context is the communities active in education and research, and the technical infrastructure that supports them. (Technical infrastructure is defined as including applications, services and the network.) The e-Framework analyses, models & documents USER DOMAINS (goals, tasks, processes, info, etc.) and the supporting SERVICES.

Guiding Principles A service-oriented approach to system and process integration Development, promotion and adoption of Open Standards Community involvement in development of the e-Framework Open collaborative development activities Flexible and incremental deployment

To: Provide a strategic approach to technical infrastructure development within and across domains Provide a consistent technical vocabulary Provide a focal point for interaction with software developers and those providing services to education and research. Act as a catalyst for the development of further specifications and standards

Benefits - Partners A map of a complex environment A strategic planning tool for Prioritised investment in standards Prioritised investment in interoperability technologies Improved return on investment through coordination and collaboration between Partners

Benefits - Institutions Alignment of strategies and infrastructure development More choice of systems and suppliers Improved return on investment in existing systems More effective communications between communities through shared understanding Establishing interoperability within and across institutions and national boundaries

Benefits - Developers Better engagement with, & understanding of, institutions, domain experts and users More rapid development cycles through reusable components Faster response to new requirements Entry of small innovative players into the market Communication and collaboration between developers Flexible business models for software development

Documented by: Domain, Information, Process and Service Usage Models Services: Interface Types, Definitions and Descriptions Guides, Methodologies, Analysis Service Usage Models

Partner Collaboration 6 Collaboration Themes SUMs for: 1. National level implementations of Shibboleth / SAML for authentication and authorisation 2. Examples of enterprise architectures in institutions based on soa 3. Federated Repositories 4. Movement of student data between institutions 5. Collation of research quality data 6. e-Portfolios (separate from 4)

Partnership now active Initiatives in each partner country Knowledge base now ‘live’ Free to use Soon open to contributions