The Caliper and XApi frameworks what are they and why they are important

Hendrik Drachsler, Sander Latour, Alan Berg

Dyckhoff, A. L., Zielke, D., Buelltmann, M., Chatti, M. A., & Schroeder, U. (2012). Design and Implementation of a Learning Analytics Toolkit for Teachers. Educational Technology & Society, 15 (3), 58–76.

Tracking of data in the LMS

Tracking of Social Metadata in community environments

Do we track the Learning Process with these data?

- Real learning takes places everywhere but for sure not ONLY in the LMS- Quantified Self of Learning (Games, Books, Talks, TV, Wearable's, mobiles)

Learning Analytics Summer Institute NL, #LASI_NL, 30.06-01.07.2014

Very little learning takes place in the LMS, we need to be able to track ANY learning activity

EVERYWHERE.

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Xapi aka. Tin Can API

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How Tin Can API worksTin Can enabled activities send simple statements to a Learning Record

Store.

Learning Analytics Summer Institute NL, #LASI_NL, 30.06-01.07.2014

LRS

Elearning Game Simulator Blog YouTube

CC: http://www.slideshare.net/phish108/tincan-in-the-wild

Xapi Statements

Learning Analytics Summer Institute NL, #LASI_NL, 30.06-01.07.2014

John added a photo to Open U Community EnvironmentJim commented on John’s photo on Community EnvironmentJohn watched How to save energy video on ARLearn at 22.05.2014 3pmJohn subscribed to Sustainable Energy on Open U at 24.05.2014 1pmJohn posted My first blog post in Open U Community Environment

Xapi aka. Tin Can API

Learning Analytics Summer Institute NL, #LASI_NL, 30.06-01.07.2014

Learning Locker (OS Learning Record Store)

Learning Analytics Summer Institute NL, #LASI_NL, 30.06-01.07.2014

Learning Record Store

Dash boards

MLN / MOOC Sensors

LX Sensors

Mobile Sensors

LMS

SANDER LATOUR - PERCEPTUM

Alan Berg

NOTE: MORE SLIDES THAN TIME.

What’s Tin Can API then?

Tin Can API is the code name that Experience API was developed under. Still commonly used but the proper name is Experience API or xAPI (according to the spec and ADL - 2014).http://www.adlnet.gov/tla/experience-api/

(Rustici disagrees though) http://tincanapi.com/2012/12/11/we-call-it-tin-can/

Experience APIa.k.a. TinCan API or Nextgen SCORM

What is a Learning Record Store?

LearningRecord Store

LMSWebpages LTI

tools

System X,Mobile, etc.

Rest Services for adding or querying LearningRecord Store

Experience API (xAPI) protocol

http://tincanapi.com/statements-101/JSON: actor verb object context extensions etc.

{ "actor": { "name": "Sally Glider", "mbox": "mailto:sally@example.com" }, "verb": { "id": "http://adlnet.gov/expapi/verbs/experienced", "display": {"en-US": "experienced"} }, "object": { "id": "http://example.com/activities/solo-hang-gliding", "definition": { "name": { "en-US": "Solo Hang Gliding" } }} }

xAPI Benefits● Decouples activity streams from specific

software (centralizes data)● Standards approach● Scalable - But {the LRS market needs to mature}● Structured data - But {depends on what you

send}● Can work well with LTI dashboards● Supports community● Clean data for research● Growing market enthusiasm

ACTIVITY SOURCES

•UvA have already invested in Sakai CLE and Apereo OAE TinCAN API support, uPortal being built: https://confluence.sakaiproject.org/display/TINCAN/Home

•MOOC like Example: Adding Youtube activity to a Learning Record Store

•http://tincanapi.com/2013/08/28/youtubetin-can-tech-tips/• Embed a Youtube player in a webpage• Add some enriching Javascript

– http://rusticisoftware.github.io/TinCanJS/• Record to an LRS

•Adopters: http://tincanapi.com/adopters/

xAPI Risks

● Security (is the data secure?)● Privacy and ethics issues vary widely

from country to institution● Still early on in its maturity model● Requires an initial investment● Data in the cloud (is your data safe?)● The reference implementation

(ADL_LRS) is not production ready.

ADL LRSOpen Source Python installed reference

There is a simple LRS (created by ADL) available in github but it is not scaleable and also not very easy to usehttps://github.com/adlnet/ADL_LRS● Reference implementation● Free open source (Apache license)● Python based● Minimal functionality● OK for testing compatibility with xAPI

spec

Experimenting

• https://confluence.sakaiproject.org/display/TINCAN/Home

• Sakai as LRS• ADLNET as reference implementation

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LTI Chaining dashboard parts

What does a POTENTIAL CAMPUS WIDE deployment look like?

Learning Record Store

WarehousePrediction framework + Fact generations

OAAIBlackboard AnalyticsCourse SignalsCaliper

SIS

LMS next gen

VideoBasicLTI tools

FACTS

Service A

Service X

Activity

Research Services

UvAInform Dashboard A

UvAInform Dashboard z

COACH

STAGE 1

https://confluence.sakaiproject.org/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=75671025

→ OAAI

LRS options (partial list)

Rustici ScormCloudCommercial cloud or installed

WaxLRSCommercial cloud

Learning LockerOpen Source PHP installed

UvA LRSOpen Source Java installed

Something to take away• Without an LRS we are stuck with data silo’s, dirty data

no clear strategy to work together

• Standards decouples components in the infrastructure• Standards supports validation across services• Standards and guidelines are mutually supportive• Researcher friendly• Lets look towards a uniform set of guidelines for products

services• Lets work with an International community• Let’s look towards data democracy between facilities

xAPI + Open Badgeshttp://learninglocker.net/2014/03/03/tin-badges-or-open-cans-a-technology-tango/

Plug for the next presentationLook to collaborate with other Universities.

– We are not Unique, being pulled into the drift of the LA trend– Apereo has a proven track record– Share risks and requirements– Avoid duplication– Build industrial software– Share costs– More eyeballs more security– Consistent guidelines for Ethics and Security practices– Scale up validation (it ain’t all about visualizations)– More (NO DOUBT)

Questions?

REFERENCE MATERIAL

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Experience API a.k.a Tin Can API, xAPI http://tincanapi.com

What is the Experience API (xAPI)

● Standard communication protocolhttps://github.com/adlnet/xAPI-Spec

● Define statements about learning activity:Actor Verb Object - “I did this”

● REST service for writing and querying● Developed by ADL (with Rustici)

http://www.adlnet.gov/tla/experience-api/● Version 1.0 (Apr 2013), 1.0.1 (Oct 2013)● Good introduction at:

http://tincanapi.com/overview/

RDF Triple

actor + verb + object

RDF triple statementJack attended Apereo14

Learning Record Stores

A non-comprehensive list