PESC Annual Conference, May, 2003 XML Postsecondary Transcript Bruce Marton, The University of Texas at Austin Student Information Systems

What Is XML? n Extensible markup language u Internet document language u Open source F Free F Non-proprietary F Supported by world wide web consortium (W3C)

Similarity to HTML n Easy to understand, use n Already has large base of users and support tools u New browser versions understand XML u Wide industry interest and support

Differences From HTML n XML concerned with data content not presentation u What it is, not how it should be displayed n Very flexible, can be adapted to almost any kind of communication or subject u This is ‘extensible’ part

Potential Uses n Enhanced Browser capabilities u ‘smart searches’ u web databases u Better control of output n Application to Application document transfer n XML based e-commerce u Real-time (web services) u Server-to-Server (batch)

What we use now n EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) u Transcripts u Applications for Admission n Flat Files u Some test scores u Financial Aid

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M Spring Session A Spn 406 Spanish I 3 B His 302 TX History

Why use XML for Educational records? u Share information seamlessly and easily u Cost savings F ‘off the shelf’, open-source tools u Technology-neutral F Joins different databases or systems F Smaller institutions can adopt

XML Terms n DTD: Master listing of all the elements including where and how they need to be placed in the documents n Schema: An XML application that can describe the allowed content of documents n XSL, XSLT: converts an XML file into a another specified format n Parser: Tool that reads the document and divides it into individual elements, attributes, and other pieces n Validation: Process of checking structural validity of document

XML Schema Extensibility n Extensions n Substitutions n References to other Schemas u Take all or part u Modify as needed

M SPRING SESSION A SPN 406 SPANISH I 3 B HIS 302 TX HISTORY Application Generates XML Parser checks document Receiver Application processes file Sender Receiver

Will XML replace EDI?

n In some ways EDI and XML are really the same thing n Difference is syntax

Future of EDI n Why even change at all? n If so, how?

Advantages of XML n Easier to understand, use n Existing knowledge base n Existing (and rapidly expanding) tools base n Highly generic n Inexpensive n More features

Advantages of EDI n Decades of rigorous business analysis n More standardized n Established trading framework

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

XML Forum n Formed by Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council in May 2000 n XML Standards for Education u Use existing specification whenever possible u Utilize what works in EDI, learn from what didn’t u Avoid competing and overlapping standards

XML Forum Goals n Identify business processes to develop in XML n Establish work groups on topics determined by Forum participants u Core Components Workgroup u Technology Workgroup u Architecture Team

Development Goals n Develop Core Components Data Dictionary n Define XML Implementation Requirements and Recommendations n Identify Initial Transaction Sets for Implementation n Develop and maintain schema Repository

Core Components n Data dictionary n Core Components XML Schema u Data Formats u Business processes u Data Relationships u Naming conventions

Core Components Transcript Schema Student Loan Schema Common Application Common Data Formats,Relationships Processes Domains

Convergence of Standards XML Forum Core Components Financial Aid Core Components Admissions/ Registrar Core Components ASC X12 EDI Common Line Meteor Common Record ebXML AACRAO SPEEDE

Core Components Data Dictionary Sector 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 n Transcript Core Components Data Dictionary May 2002 n Transcript Core XML Schema - July 2002 n Schema for Student’s Academic Record (Transcript) – July 2002

College Transcript Schema n Participation u AACRO SPEEDE Committee u College Board u Oracle Corp n Interim version presented ASC X12 Education Administration subcommittee for review – June 2002

XML Forum Release n CoreMain.xsd - Base data dictionary n AdmissionsRegistrar.xsd - Sector library for Admissions and Registrar n CollegeTranscript.xsd - Schema for College Transcript document

College Transcript Schema (cont) n Draft release posted for public review and comment – August 2002 n Response from u Colleges u Vendors u Department of Education u XML industry experts

Forum response to comment n Special committee formed in September to review Dept. of Education concerns u Use of object oriented modeling u Use of named types n Conclusions were presented and ratified at EDI in Education/XML Forum joint meeting Spokane – October 2002

Response (cont.) n Task force convened in Spokane u Respond to concerns from SCT and colleges re. Data dictionary and modeling u Additional review from AACRAO SPEEDE committee n Response published January 2003

EDI/XML Interoperability n Direct Translation u One to one mapping n Interpreted Translation u One to many u Informed by EDI n All current EDI concepts rendered in XML

Transcript/Financial Aid interoperability n Reconciliation work currently in progress n Common rendering of core re-used types n Common code sets for shared concepts n Developed schema for CommonLine based on existing core componenents

PESC Core Components Data Dictionary CoreMain.xsd Financial Aid Sector 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 n Finalize College transcript schema n Enhance transcript core components to support K-12 transcript n Begin X12 certification process for Transcript n Degree Audit standards convergence

Development goals (cont.) n Pursue national transcript standards convergence u California community college initiatives u Florida FACTS program n Re-tasking the UT Austin Internet server u Transport and routing u Translation software

XML Forum Repository n Schemas will reside on 24/7 server u schemas.pescxml.org n Version archive n Will store u Core Components Schema u Transaction-specific domain schemas

for further Information n n pescxml.org n n