Re: [school-discuss] ZIS Server Dreams

[Tonnesen Steve <tonnesen@cmsd.bc.ca>]

On Tue, 22 Jan 2002, Les Richardson wrote:

> 
> I've been looking at the SIF specs and muttering...oh my, oh my, ...
> 
> It seems to me that there are several things that have to come before the
> ZIS server
> 
> To me it would seem like more pressing solutions would be:
> 
> 1) Building SIF compliant applications that have a built in agent to talk
> to ZIS servers. One would like to have a small complement of apps to carry
> out the core administrative functions, which IMHO are:
> a) attendance
> b) student demographics
> c) report cards (ie. student reporting)
> 
> 2) A toolkit (or software assemblage) including good documentation to SIF
> enable existing applications.
> 
> 3) A good database schema for student demographics, grade book/report
> cards, attendance, 
> 
> 
> I would think that #3, and #2 would lead to number 1...more SIF capable
> apps. Once we have a few of those, then ZIS server could occur. Otherwise,
> I would say that it's premature...

The SIF specifications has some schemas laid out already.  My cursory
glance through them makes me think that there is plenty missing.  Bruno
Vernier's EduML might be another good starting point. 

My thinking is that developing a ZIS server would be an excellent way to
come up with a solid #2.  It's going to be pretty hard for open source
developers to add ZIS support to an application if they don't have access
to a ZIS server in any case.  Also, I believe that we already have some
applications that could benefit from the addition of SIF.


> My 2 cents USD (1 cent CDN). 

Likewise,

Steve Tonnesen
A little west of Les