Re: [seul-edu] Online Test System

[Doug Loss <dloss@suscom.net>]

David C. Moore wrote:
> 
> AUC allows plug-ins, but right now the API is not quite to the point where
> it is powerful enough to do what we want.  Currently, the API allows you
> to code dynamically loadable modules that add content to a user's start
> page, but not to the interactive classroom pages.  This is on my TODO
> list.
> 
Can we get a look at the API, or would you rather not at this point?

> I used MySQL because it was stable and usable at the time I started coding
> AUC.  However, EduML and/or XML would be an excellent addition to AUC.
> However, it seems to me that EduML is not standardized to the point that I
> could begin integration.  Long term though, I think it's the right
> approach.
> 
In what way not standardized?  What would you need to see added,
changed, or expanded upon to reach the point where you could begin
integration?

> > David, are you thinking about
> > providing teachers with gradebooks and similar administrative tools
> > within AUC?
> 
> Yes, indeed I am.  Supposedly, there is some development on a web-based
> gradebook at http://tempo.sourceforge.net.  But no code yet.  I would love
> it if somebody else wrote a web-based gradebook, and distributed it both
> as a standalone and as an AUC plug-in.  The API is finished enough so that
> a gradebook could be integrated right now.
> 
Great!  Now we _really_ need to see your API!  David Culp, Bradley
Burnside, and Justin Maurer, you all have gradebook projects listed on
our projects page.  Let's see about getting something together to work
within AUC!  Steve Tonnesen and Jim Lynch, maybe K12Admin and Roster
should be considered here too.  Perhaps we should now set up a mailing
list for the administrative software task group too.

> Yes, I think AUC as a scaffold is my goal as well.  Plug-ins already work
> to a limited degree, and I plan to improve the API later.
> 
This brings SEUL/edu full circle in that one of the very earliest
discussions we had was on the need for an "educational software
launchpad" that would allow various educational programs to be run from
a consistent interface and would keep track of a student's progress.

> I think the discussion so far is good.  I think quiz software that could
> be used both by itself and as an AUC plug-in would be super.  I've seen
> WebCT as well, and AUC was partially intended as an open source
> alternative to it.
> 
Stephen, Dan, Roman, there's your cue.  David, could you make the API
available to us somewhere as soon as you can?  Let's see if we can outdo
WebCT!

-- 
Doug Loss                 The difference between the right word and
Data Network Coordinator  the almost right word is the difference
Bloomsburg University     between lightning and a lightning bug.
dloss@bloomu.edu                Mark Twain