Re: [school-discuss] XML Question bank server

["Douglas S. Blank" <dblank@brynmawr.edu>]

Les Richardson <richl@mail.tfsd.sk.ca> said:

> Howdy,
> 
> What is the XML DTD or schema that you're using?

The data is just a dump of the database into (an arbitrary) XML format. I'll
put up a link that explains the format, and what one can do with it. I've not
worked with XML DTD before, but if someone wants to point me to a quick
tutorial, I'd be glad to try.
 
> Secondly, do you have any kind of transformation tools (XSLT 'er whatever)
> to make it come out in some kind of more accessible form?

It seems that to make the data useful, it needs processes to go with the
format (for displaying, grading, recording the grade, etc.) Of course, that is
what Edventure does (among other things).

I could display the data in HTML, but that won't help with the grading. If
rendering in HTML would be useful to some, let me know.

-Doug

> 
> Les Richardson
> 
> 
> 
> On Thu, 17 Oct 2002, Douglas S. Blank wrote:
> 
> > Earlier this year, there was a flury of activity on this list about XML and
> > EduML, and I promised to make available a database of questions that I and
> > others have been building over the last few years.
> > 
> > I'm not sure what became of the other XML projects, but I have finally gotten
> > the first draft of the question bank server in place. The questions come from
> > Edventure, a course management system with an integrated quiz/exam/survey
> > module. But, of course, one of the virtues of open source (and open content)
> > is that data can head off in directions never imagined by the originators.
> > 
> > Currently, there is a 50 question limit per query to the interactive web
> > interface. I'll be adding an interface for automated synchronization and query
> > for those that want access to the entire data base (currently, about 3,000
> > questions). Most of the questions come from computer science, but there are
> > some other categories, too. Mostly they are about "computer skills" but there
> > are some on "artificial intelligence" and "programming languages", etc.
> > 
> > You can find the web database interface at
> > http://dangermouse.brynmawr.edu/edventure/xml/
> > 
> > Please let me know if you have ideas of other needs or other uses for the
data.
> > 
> > -Doug

-- 
Douglas S. Blank,       Assistant Professor         
dblank@brynmawr.edu,          (610)526-6501
Bryn Mawr College,  Computer Science Program
101 North Merion Ave,  Park Science Building
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 dangermouse.brynmawr.edu