here is a pack of mass and the organizations voicing the demand for shared data definitions, improved automated tools and collaborative efforts which would bear more efficient use of data measures inside and away the classroom.Is it all talk?Or, are the initiatives underway that could offer hope to support learners in this internet age and the knowledge economy? A big part of the dispute to guide learners across boundaries and policies rests on the incompatibilities between Student Information Systems, Degree Audit Systems, Course Management Systems and Advising Systems that are enforced by institutions, states and even regions trying to serve learners with full information, checklists and action plans.The training industry has billions invested in software and information systems - and spends billions annually in the fear and eating of engineering to sustain them. Here we are about the end of 2010, and we are struggling to convince software developers and implementers the motivation to release their application programming interfaces or web services.There are many applications implemented across institutions supported by hundreds of software organizations for gain and non-profit nationwide.And, most are yet not cognizant of the initiatives to push data and process standards along to help foster greater harmonization of electronic services.Part of the challenge many think is that we are in a holding pattern waiting for a single thread or transfer to break one way of achieving compatibility - by a one-size-fits all standard that everyone follows.That won`t happen. In October, PESC launched EdUnify at the annual EDUCAUSE conference.EdUnify is up and running (https://demo.edunify.pesc.org).It is a register of web services and web applications.It is costless to use.Yet, it is not a standard.It is a deposit to assist the industry annotate what system interfaces and processes can be inventoried to assist our communities bring together voluntarily.Software developers and implementers can freely advertise their electronic services, specifications and links to documentation.Institutions can also write their use of those services and annotate by keywords to provide for other developers to explore and associate with the services respecting the authentication, security and permission information posted. As I proceed to evangelize for EdUnify and the growth of logical web services to bridge data systems of all forms, most of the community that should be involved continues to stop on the english line watching instead of getting into the game.What do I mean?Well, anyone who acquires or implements software applications today should be interested with how the system provides out of the box integration support.When we buy a new LED TV or computer for example, we bear the standard connections provided will cleave to industry accepted methods.Otherwise, we hold to buy additional converters, cables and hardware to transform our signals. Some software developers are hiding behind their firewalls so to speak, waiting for their clients to press them to give up their information systems and begin aligning with the emerging national standards which we can debate.Some developers just are not ready.Others are engaging services wrapped in proprietary methods to span the integration problems and release the costs on to their users through expensive consulting contracts or interfaces.It is a pretty nasty problem trying to murder the incompatibilities that is conducive to the want of advance in up the utilization of resources focused on grade completion.It is an economic problem.Scarcity of IT knowledge is coveted by those that hold the information systems because they have more with it than without it.What they go to see or think is they could do better applications and provide greater utility with open information systems than with closed ones. Our decentralized education system conceived around institutional autonomy and academic freedom has resulted in the unintended consequences most discount as the "leaky faucet" in the supply chain or pipeline.Learners "flow" through K12, postsecondary education and into the men in fits of starts and chicago as they manage day to day life circumstances.Many policy makers are attempting to have changes in how educational organizations and government agencies work together to fasten up the joints, so to speak. We seek collaboration in many ways.This takes real data - measured and reported to reveal gaps and cracks invisible to the naked eye.It too takes sharing and collaboration.With varying means of defining, using and exchanging information and processes across institutions, the learner is left walking paper between stopovers complicating and duplicating the degree of cause to help them.Thus, we have billions of dollars wasted in our education system because the education industry can`t face the vanity of those in command of data.We can`t get to ameliorate the services to learners, if we can`t fit the pipes on the pipeline together better.It is not actually a technical issue, but one of will power, leadership and direction. No question the learner experience is complicated and problematic.The dispute to help learners span boundaries and policies impacting dual enrollment, transfer articulation, academic assessment, progress and factors impacting completion are really made worse by the software data systems implemented under the pretext of improving retention and navigation, when all they can actually do is help the call with band aids and bubble gum trying to link proprietary systems together with email and web 2.0 like technologies with `static` mash-ups, PDF`s or custom FLASH that are not sustainable. The funding projections for instruction are depressed as enrollment trends will continue to shift and the online world disrupts content delivery methods.If we believe the level of funds coming from politics and foundations grants will keep to serve initiatives in a few years, we are fooling ourselves.The phone to fulfill is not as cheap as Y2K a decade ago.Because of inconsistency with dates, we spent billions to remake one field type.Here we are ten days later, still struggling to save on the hope of technology, and we miss the incentives to publish API`s and web services to nurture a new generation of applications and tools that will address 21st learning.New composite applications will involve information and process bridges across the current landscape of student systems no doubt.Today, many are spent band-aiding the rival points with duck tape and chewing gum. The real visionaries and leadership in our industry will see the demand for open systems.They won`t make up because the externalities impede them or are ignored.We (software developers in general) created this problem.The future multiplication of learning tools will cause to be open - with hype and play connectors such as web services that are open and extendable.Expect them.Ask for them.Don`t give them an afterthought.And, if you are in the line of developing software or implementing information systems, join EdUnify now and start working on open information systems and solutions that will cut the costs, improve services to learners and accelerate development.Search the registry.Link to it.Share it with others.It is time you ask your software teams to utilize EdUnify and print their web services to enable collaboration, team play and new data partnerships that will improve interoperability through market incentives.
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