here is a multitude of sight and the organizations voicing the need for shared data definitions, improved automated tools and collaborative efforts which would pay more effective use of data measures inside and outside 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 challenge 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 implemented by institutions, states and even regions trying to serve learners with good information, checklists and action plans.The education industry has billions invested in software and data systems - and spends billions annually in the care and feeding of technology to keep them. Here we are near the end of 2010, and we are struggling to convince software developers and implementers the need to vent their application programming interfaces or web services.There are many applications implemented across institutions supported by hundreds of software organizations for clear and non-profit nationwide.And, most are yet not aware 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 change to wear 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 record of web services and web applications.It is free to use.Yet, it is not a standard.It is a lodge to attend the industry annotate what system interfaces and processes can be inventoried to help our communities bring together voluntarily.Software developers and implementers can freely advertise their electronic services, specifications and links to documentation.Institutions can also publish their use of those services and annotate by keywords to allow for other developers to research and associate with the services respecting the authentication, security and license information posted. As I continue to evangelize for EdUnify and the development of logical web services to bridge data systems of all forms, most of the community that should be involved continues to check on the side line watching instead of getting into the game.What do I mean?Well, anyone who acquires or implements software applications today should be concerned 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 stick to industry accepted methods.Otherwise, we take 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 fight them to break 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 cross the integration problems and liberate the costs on to their users through expensive consulting contracts or interfaces.It is a pretty nasty problem trying to hit the incompatibilities that is contributing to the lack of progression in up the utilization of resources focused on grade completion.It is an economic problem.Scarcity of IT knowledge is desired by those that have the data systems because they make more with it than without it.What they go to see or mean is they could do better applications and offer 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 make changes in how educational organizations and government agencies work together to tighten 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 scholar is left walking paper between stopovers complicating and duplicating the point of reason to assist them.Thus, we have billions of dollars wasted in our training system because the education industry can`t face the emptiness of those in control of data.We can`t get to improve the services to learners, if we can`t fit the pipes on the pipeline together better.It is not really a technical issue, but one of will power, leadership and direction. No doubt 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 actually made worse by the software data systems implemented under the pretense of improving retention and navigation, when all they can really do is serve the promise 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 remain to change and the online world disrupts content delivery methods.If we think the degree of funds coming from government and foundations grants will continue to serve initiatives in a few years, we are fooling ourselves.The call to accomplish is not as loud as Y2K a decade ago.Because of incompatibility with dates, we spent billions to remake one field type.Here we are ten years later, still struggling to write on the desire of technology, and we lose the incentives to publish API`s and web services to raise a new generation of applications and tools that will address 21st learning.New composite applications will need 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 leaders in our industry will see the need for open systems.They won`t take up because the externalities impede them or are ignored.We (software developers in general) created this problem.The next generation of learning tools will have to be open - with hype and play connectors such as web services that are capable and extendable.Expect them.Ask for them.Don`t sacrifice them an afterthought.And, if you are in the origin of developing software or implementing information systems, join EdUnify now and begin running 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 mark their web services to enable collaboration, team play and new data partnerships that will improve interoperability through market incentives.
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