JISC

Start date: 3 September 2002

End date: 31 July 2003

Funding programme: SWaNI Interoperability Pilots 2 programme

Project website: http://www.llandrillo.ac.uk/JISC

JISC theme(s): e-Learning

Background and Context 
Aims and Objectives  
Project Design 
Implications / Deliverables / Stakeholders 

Background and Context

Following the recent interoperability pilots in England it was apparent from the excellent work done by Colchester Institute, Teknical and Fretwell Downing that a continuation of a supportive nature would be valuable. The recurring missing element noted from the original project summary is data exchange validation. It is imperative that for any transfer of data to be of value, the integrity of that data must be verifiable after transfer.

Aims and Objectives

The overall aim of the project is to ensure the integrity of data transferred between VLE and MIS systems. Having already established in the Colchester project that communication and transfer of data between the Teknical VLE and the Fretwell Downing MIS is possible, the following objectives will be achieved:

• Verification of the automated data transfer process for both quantity and accuracy of transmission;
• Description of how data transmission can be resumed under conditions of interrupted transfer;
• Confirmation of data integrity under conditions of interrupted transfer and error reporting protocols will be outlined in readiness for detailed attention in future projects<;/li>
• Description of common and shared methods for the validation of the data transfer process;
• Transfer of student data, including details of allocated study materials, from MIS to VLE and records of achievement from VLE to MIS. A specific number of records will be targeted and both the integrity and quantity of records transferred will be checked and recorded. This checking process must be in place for each element of the transfer process to prove interoperability;
• Identification of additional data fields for the STIR and relating to CREDIS and assessment.

Project Design

The research is broadly qualitative in its focus. It involves the transfer of essential data based upon enrolment details such as student name, student ID, course of study etc. to be passed successfully from the FD Learning EBS MIS system in to the Teknical Virtual Campus Virtual Learning Environment. Via an integrated utility within Virtual Campus, student status ie active, transferred, withdrawn, completed etc. will be passed to a data holding area for verification before the data is used for updating EBS. The data used for test purposes will be representative of that used for making available appropriate study materials to the student and of the type used to update the MIS system for funding purposes.

Implications / Deliverables / Stakeholders

The findings will be cycled back through a series of reports as specified to JISC and will appear on the project web site. Progressive details will feature on the Coleg Llandrillo project web site. Ultimately, the project should prove and confirm a satisfactory method of data transfer between MIS systems and VLE’s that is both valid and assures data integrity. Additionally, this project will make reference to and address issues specific to Wales.