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WebCT Vista PowerLinks SDK Overview

WebCT Vista PowerLinks SDK Overview. Sasan Salari VP, New Technology Services Head, Vista Developers Network salari@webct.com. Overview. WebCT Vista 3.0 contains 4 major areas in the SDK: System Integration WebServices Deployable Components Reporting Interfaces. Overview.

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WebCT Vista PowerLinks SDK Overview

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  1. WebCT VistaPowerLinks SDK Overview Sasan Salari VP, New Technology Services Head, Vista Developers Network salari@webct.com

  2. Overview • WebCT Vista 3.0 contains 4 major areas in the SDK: • System Integration • WebServices • Deployable Components • Reporting Interfaces

  3. Overview • Each interface offers access to slightly different parts of the Vista Core Framework

  4. Overview • Each interface also provides a variety of sub-services and ways to get at those services

  5. System Integration • Focuses on enterprise data integration & bulk transactions • e.g.: • Courses, Sections, Groups • Users and Enrolments • Bulk file uploads

  6. System Integration • Broken into 3 layers • Transport Layer • Translation Layer • Core Layer • Each layer processes request, then hands it to the next layer

  7. System Integration • Transport Layer: • 3 built-in Adaptors • WebAPI • Command Line Interface • LDIS (SunGard SCT) • Option to write your own

  8. System Integration • Translation Layer: • 3 built-in Adaptors • IMS • LDIS (SunGard SCT) • Standard • Option to write your own

  9. System Integration • Core Layer • Processes final request and hands actions off to individual Vista services

  10. WebServices • Focus on “user level” transactions • Handy for external manipulation/retrieval of user information or course data

  11. WebServices • Commands are processed by the same services that process UI events • Proper permissions apply • e.g.: Student cannot edit Quiz

  12. WebServices • Supported Interfaces in Vista 3: • Context • Calendar • Gradebook • Mail • File Manager • Quiz & Question

  13. Direct WSDL in your favorite language .NET DLL Client Java SDK Client Access Options 3 ways to get at WebServices SDK Outside World Vista Vista WebServices Vista Gradebook Vista Mail Service

  14. Context WebService • Before you do anything, you have to log in. This is the primary reason for the Context WebService’s existence • Also provides access to enrollment information

  15. Context WebService • Functions: • Log a user in, and receive a session object (must be used in all other WS calls) • Get a list of Learning Contexts a user is enrolled in, and what roles the user has in those • Get ID of template associated with LC

  16. Context WebService • login method can also use Single Sign-On for password-less authentication • Supporting methods for retrieving section instructor (e.g. for submitting grades)

  17. Calendar WebService • Gives access to Vista Calendar tool • Ideal for synchronizing external calendars, scheduling applications & portal channels • Functions: • Support for full Create, Read, Update, Delete of calendar entries • Bulk call for retrieving all entries for a user

  18. Gradebook WebService • Great for assignment or testing integration, portals • Functions: • Create, read, update, delete for columns, values, types, meta-data, attributes (25 methods in total) • Common gotcha: students can not set their own grades; only instructors can do this

  19. Mail WebService • Good for campus mail integration, portals, implementing outside email in Vista • Functions: • Create, read, update, delete for messages, mailboxes (per course), marking mail read/unread • Support for bulk transactions, attachments

  20. File Manager WebService • Provides access to Vista file system • Good for managing content, portals, client integration • Functions: • Create, read, update, delete for files, folders, plus duplicate, rename, upload • Editable permissions (read/write)

  21. Assessment WebService • Access to Vista Quiz/Question engine based on IMS QTI (Question and Test Interoperability) • Functions: • Create, read, update, delete for questions, quizzes • All via the IMS QTI format (http://www.imsproject.org)

  22. Versioning • All interfaces contain methods for determining version compatibility • Compatibility guaranteed for at least two major Vista revisions Now Vista 4.0 Vista 5.0 2005 200X

  23. Documentation • Full Web Services Javadoc included in SDK Client Distribution • SDK Programmer’s Guide covers best-practices and higher-level documentation

  24. WebServices • Example Applications: • Remote mail client • Portal integration • Remote quiz delivery • File uploader

  25. Deployable Components • Added in Vista 2.1 • Focused on: • Authentication of users into/from Vista • Delivering content and applications to Vista frameset

  26. Deployable Components Deployable Components • Authentication Modules (AuthModules for short) enable SSO into Vista • Format of SSO is up to you; Vista only supplies the framework • Great for Portals

  27. Deployable Components • Proxy Tools do the opposite, allowing users to be brought from Vista to another application • They allow an AuthModule to appear in the UI just like any other tool (Quiz, Mail, etc.)

  28. Deployable Components Deployable Components • In Vista 2.1, an XML file was used to create Proxy Tools. Vista 3.0 introduced a very nice, and easy to use UI

  29. Deployable Components Deployable Components

  30. Reporting • WebCT contains vast amounts of data • Prior to WebCT Vista, this data was stored in a distributed, flat file database • This made correlation and detailed data analysis almost impossible

  31. Reporting • WebCT Vista introduced an SQL database server • With that, detailed analysis became possible, but there was still a problem

  32. Reporting • The Vista data schema is not exactly intuitive • The DB is designed for functionality and performance, not for data extraction • Relevant information can be spread out among many, many tables • The table schema can change from version to version

  33. Reporting • The Vista Reporting Interfaces solve these problems by abstracting away from direct DB access • The result is a set of “safe” database views containing the most relevant data all in one place

  34. Reporting

  35. Reporting: Examples Vista Enrollment by Department

  36. Reporting: Examples Vista Tool Usage by Department

  37. Reporting: Examples Average Final Grade vs Vista Sessions

  38. Developer Support • Want to build a Community around Vista PowerLinks • But How? • Many different ways…

  39. Vista Developers Network • Members from Institutional and Commercial partners • Want to learn more about, or get help with, developing Vista PowerLinks • Contribute their work to the community • Active monitoring and participation by WebCT staff

  40. New Site Launched As of July 12th, 2004: http://devnet.webct.com

  41. DevNetFeatures • Links to WebCT Documentation and Resources • Contribution Area to Share PowerLinks and Code • How-To area where users can add their own tips and tricks

  42. DevNet Features • Frequently Asked Questions • Discussion Forums • List of known issues and their workarounds and resolution targets • + much more…

  43. Sample Contributions • 12 contributions in the past 2 months • Examples: • RSS Module • Shibboleth and CAS Authentication • Simple quiz creation from MS Word Template • Utilities for SIS IMS imports • E-mail checker • Many currently under development

  44. Thank you Questions? salari@webct.com http://devnet.webct.com

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