PESC Annual Conference, May, 2003XML Postsecondary Transcript

Bruce Marton,

The University of Texas at Austin

Student Information Systems

What Is XML?

Extensible markup language Internet document language Open source

Free Non-proprietary Supported by world wide web

consortium (W3C)

Similarity to HTML

Easy to understand, use Already has large base of users

and support tools New browser versions understand

XML Wide industry interest and support

Differences From HTML

XML concerned with data content not presentation What it is, not how it should be

displayed Very flexible, can be adapted to

almost any kind of communication or subject This is ‘extensible’ part

Potential Uses

Enhanced Browser capabilities ‘smart searches’ web databases Better control of output

Application to Application document transfer

XML based e-commerce Real-time (web services) Server-to-Server (batch)

What we use now

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) Transcripts Applications for Admission

Flat Files Some test scores Financial Aid

REF!SY!123456789\

DMG!D8!19740823!M\

SES!199901!1!!!SPRING SESSION 1999\

CRS!!4!A!!!!!!!!!SPN!406!SPANISH I\

CRS!!3!B!!!!!!!!!HIS!302!TX HISTORY\

12345678919820304Jones Sally A531 Tower Drive Apt 3C

Alexandria VA223142021234567Sally.A.Jones@email.org123972VA19820304

<StudentId Type = “SSN”>123456789</StudentId>

<Demographic>

<BirthDate Type=“Date”>19740823</BirthDate>

<Gender>M</Gender>

</Demographic>

<GradeReport>

<Session Code=”199901”>

<Label>Spring Session</Label>

<Year Type=”CCYY”>1999</Year>

<Course Index=”1”>

<Credit Type=”Hours>4</Credit>

<Grade>A</Grade>

<Code>Spn 406</Code>

<CourseTitle>Spanish I</CourseTitle>

</Course>

<Course Index=”2”>

<Credit Type=”Hours>3</Credit>

<Grade>B</Grade>

<Code>His 302</Code>

<CourseTitle>TX History</CourseTitle>

</Course>

Why use XML for Educational records?

Share information seamlessly and easily

Cost savings ‘off the shelf’, open-source tools

Technology-neutral Joins different databases or

systems Smaller institutions can adopt

XML Terms DTD: Master listing of all the elements including where

and how they need to be placed in the documents

Schema: An XML application that can describe the allowed content of documents

XSL, XSLT: converts an XML file into a another specified format

Parser: Tool that reads the document and divides it into individual elements, attributes, and other pieces

Validation: Process of checking structural validity of document

XML Schema Extensibility Extensions Substitutions References to other Schemas

Take all or part Modify as needed

<STUDENTID type = “SSN”> 123456789 </STUDENTID><DEMOGRAPHIC> <BIRTH DATE type=“DATE”> 19740823 </BIRTH DATE> <GENDER> M </GENDER></DEMOGRAPHIC><GRADE_REPORT> <SESSION Code=”!199901”> <LABEL> SPRING SESSION </LABEL> <YEAR type=”CCYY”> 1999 </YEAR> <COURSE index=”1”> <CREDIT type=”hours> 4 </CREDIT> <GRADE> A </GRADE> <CODE> SPN 406 </CODE> <COURSE_TITLE>

SPANISH I </COURSE_TITLE> </COURSE> <COURSE index=”2”> <CREDIT type=”hours> 3 </CREDIT> <GRADE> B </GRADE> <CODE> HIS 302 </CODE> <COURSE_TITLE>

TX HISTORY </COURSE_TITLE> </COURSE>

Application Generates

XML XML Parserchecks

document

ReceiverApplication processes

file

Sender Receiver

Will XML replace EDI?

Will XML replace EDI?

In some ways EDI and XML are really the same thing

Difference is syntax

Future of EDI

Why even change at all? If so, how?

Advantages of XML

Easier to understand, use Existing knowledge base Existing (and rapidly expanding)

tools base Highly generic Inexpensive More features

Advantages of EDI

Decades of rigorous business analysis

More standardized Established trading framework

Will Someone Supply XML Standards? RosettaNet BizTalk OASIS/CEFACT (ebXML) IFX

XML Forum

Formed by Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council in May 2000

XML Standards for Education Use existing specification whenever

possible Utilize what works in EDI, learn from

what didn’t Avoid competing and overlapping

standards

XML Forum Goals

Identify business processes to develop in XML

Establish work groups on topics determined by Forum participants Core Components Workgroup Technology Workgroup Architecture Team

Development Goals

Develop Core Components Data Dictionary

Define XML Implementation Requirements and Recommendations

Identify Initial Transaction Sets for Implementation

Develop and maintain schema Repository

Core Components

Data dictionary Core Components XML Schema

Data Formats Business processes Data Relationships Naming conventions

Core Components

TranscriptSchema

Student LoanSchema

CommonApplication

Common DataFormats,Relationships

Processes

Domains

Convergence of Standards

XML Forum Core Components

Financial Aid Core

Components

Admissions/Registrar

Core Components

ASC X12EDI

CommonLine

MeteorCommon

Record

ebXML

AACRAOSPEEDE

Core Components

Data DictionarySector Library

Sector Library

Sector Library

Application Schema

Application Schema

Application Schema

Application Schema

Application Schema

Application Schema

XML Forum Core Components

Postsecondary Transcript - XML Forum Releases Transcript Core Components Data

Dictionary May 2002 Transcript Core XML Schema -

July 2002 Schema for Student’s Academic

Record (Transcript) – July 2002

College Transcript Schema Participation

AACRO SPEEDE Committee College Board Oracle Corp

Interim version presented ASC X12 Education Administration subcommittee for review – June 2002

XML Forum Release

CoreMain.xsd - Base data dictionary

AdmissionsRegistrar.xsd - Sector library for Admissions and Registrar

CollegeTranscript.xsd - Schema for College Transcript document

College Transcript Schema (cont) Draft release posted for public

review and comment – August 2002

Response from Colleges Vendors Department of Education XML industry experts

Forum response to comment Special committee formed in

September to review Dept. of Education concerns Use of object oriented modeling Use of named types

Conclusions were presented and ratified at EDI in Education/XML Forum joint meeting Spokane – October 2002

Response (cont.)

Task force convened in Spokane Respond to concerns from SCT

and colleges re. Data dictionary and modeling

Additional review from AACRAO SPEEDE committee

Response published January 2003

EDI/XML Interoperability

Direct Translation One to one mapping

Interpreted Translation One to many Informed by EDI

All current EDI concepts rendered in XML

Transcript/Financial Aid interoperability Reconciliation work currently in

progress Common rendering of core re-used

types Common code sets for shared

concepts Developed schema for

CommonLine based on existing core componenents

PESC Core Components

Data Dictionary

CoreMain.xsd

Financial AidSector Library

FFEL.xsd

Admissions Registrar Sector Library

AdmissionsRegistrar.xsd

CommonLine Schema

CommonLine.xsd

College Transcript Schema

CollegeTranscript.xsd

XML Forum Core Components

Near term development goals Finalize College transcript schema Enhance transcript core

components to support K-12 transcript

Begin X12 certification process for Transcript

Degree Audit standards convergence

Development goals (cont.) Pursue national transcript

standards convergence California community college

initiatives Florida FACTS program

Re-tasking the UT Austin Internet server Transport and routing Translation software

XML Forum Repository

Schemas will reside on 24/7 server schemas.pescxml.org

Version archive Will store

Core Components Schema Transaction-specific domain

schemas

for further Information

www.StandardsCouncil.org pescxml.org www.ebXML.org www.W3.org