Data exchange standard
Introduction
There exist many data exchange standards for specific applications, in particular file formats for general purpose text (document standards) and various multimedia applications. In addition, domain specific XML-languages exist, e.g. for legal data exchange or low-level e-learning contents like IMS Content Packaging.
This article will attempt to deal with global data exchange formats that would allow one application to use data from an other one. I.e. typically a portal of given kind (e.g. CMS) should be able to pull in data from a wiki. Also, an organization ought to be able to migrate contents (postings, forum messages, articles, etc.) from one system to another one.
Standards
OData
“Open Data Protocol (OData) is a Web protocol for querying and updating data that provides a way to unlock your data and free it from silos that exist in applications today. OData does this by applying and building upon Web technologies such as HTTP, Atom Publishing Protocol (AtomPub) and JSON to provide access to information from a variety of applications, services, and stores. The protocol emerged from experiences implementing AtomPub clients and servers in a variety of products over the past several years. OData is being used to expose and access information from a variety of sources including, but not limited to, relational databases, file systems, content management systems and traditional Web sites.” (retrieved, Feb 2011).
CMIS
CMIS is a OASIS standard for standardizing a Web services interface specification “that will enable greater interoperability of Enterprise Content Management (ECM) systems. CMIS uses Web services and Web 2.0 interfaces to enable rich information to be shared across Internet protocols in vendor-neutral formats, among document systems, publishers and repositories, within one enterprise and between companies.” (The OASIS CMIS TC,retrieved, Feb 2011).
Browser binding sto CMIS will allow browser app developers with skills in HTML, JSON and JavaScript to easily use CMIS (CMIS and IBM, comment retr. feb 2011)
In education
Data exchange standards exist for education. However they limited to simple e-learning formats, e.g. various extensions and additions of the IMS Content Packaging format like SCORM, Simple sequencing, IMS Learning Design, etc. or student exchange data.
Power teachers who use the Internet as cognitive tool (in the wide sense), e.g. use wikis can't rely on any sort of standard.
If initiatives like E-framework (is this dead?) plan to succeed, they must implement data exchange standards....