8th Sakai Conference

4-7 December 2007Newport Beach

POCS – Content Sequencing POCS – Content Sequencing for Sakaifor Sakai

Mark J. NortonNolaria Consulting

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Pedagogy in SakaiPedagogy in Sakai

• Sakai has “some” pedagogy support:– The Resource tool provides content

organization, timed release, ordering, etc.– Melete allows modules to be authored and

delivered.– Samigo (and soon Mnene) provides testing– Some interesting work around rWiki– SCORM will be available soon– … but not much else.

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Use CasesUse Cases

• Classroom support (syllabus, class slides)• Reading Assignments (books, online)• Work Assignments (papers, problem sets)• Self-paced learning (concepts, skills)• Assessment (quiz, and high stakes tests)

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Sakai Needs MoreSakai Needs More

• Sakai needs a mix of tools that support teaching and learning:– Formal, high stakes tools– Standards based tools, like SCORM– Tools around specific models– Informal, lego-like tool kits

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Introducing POCSIntroducing POCS

POCS is a Page Object Content Sequencer. It provides simple ways to create multimedia pages, auther a sequence, and present them to learners.

OK, I admit that we need a new name. Suggestions are welcome!

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POCS DriversPOCS Drivers

• POCS is being developed with the following goals in mind:– Very simple and easy to use.– Basic page layout editing support.– Draws on the Content Hosting Service.– Easy to add new kinds of media objects.– Enable new concepts like mash-ups.

Let’s lower the barriers to creating interesting content in Sakai!

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Many Kinds of Media ObjectsMany Kinds of Media Objects

• Plain and formatted text• Images and simple animation• Audio and video• Problem sets, quizzes, assessment• Markup (MathML, ChemML, MusicML, etc)• Applets and simulations• Virtual Laboratories• …. and much, much more!

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POCS ToolsPOCS Tools

• POCS Tools are designed to play together, or separately:– A page object viewer– A page object editor– A sequencer– A sequence editor

POCS tools are design to play nicely with the Resource and other Sakai Tools!

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ArchitectureArchitecture

• A sequence is a linear list of content items contained in Sakai Content Hosting.

• A page has a layout divided into (up to) four tiles.

• Each tile may have zero or more content items.

Sequence

Item

Layout

Tile

Item

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SequenceSequence

• Sequences are defined by an XML file that itself is present in Sakai content hosting.

<sequence name="Aikido Opening"><item contentId="/group/ContentTest/Aikido/seminar.jpg"/><item contentId="/group/ContentTest/Aikido/Mill City

Seminar Description"/><item contentId="/group/ContentTest/Aikido/aikido-opening-1.xml"/><item contentId="/group/ContentTest/More Stuff/obj-test.xml"/>

</sequence>

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Page LayoutPage Layout

• Page layouts are also described by an XML file.

<layout name="Aikido Opening" type="stacked"> <tile>

<item contentId="/group/ContentTest/Aikido/seminar.jpg"/> </tile> <tile>

<item contentId="/group/ContentTest/Aikido/Mill City Seminar Description"/>

</tile></layout>

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Using XML DescriptionsUsing XML Descriptions

• Advantages to using XML descriptions:– Doesn’t directly use databases at all.– Structure definitions are open and accessible.– Easily extended.

• But there are some disadvantages:– Clutters directory with other objects.– Potential security issues.

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Media Types SupportedMedia Types Supported

• Any kind of image• Animation (GIF and PNG)• Plain text• Structured text (HTML markup)

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Plug-in Code ElementsPlug-in Code Elements

RenderObject

CreateObject

EditObject

POCSPlayer andEditor

The plan is to make new kinds of media objects very easy to add using a plug-in architecture, perhaps using Spring component wiring.

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POCS uses RSFPOCS uses RSF

• POCS leverages the easy of use of RSF:– Coding simplified using RSF views– Spring description files– Fully internationalizable– UI can be easily improved or customized– Skinning using CSS– Can use RSF components– FLUID ready! Full support for

browser back button!

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DemonstrationDemonstration

Clicking HereWon’t Work

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Where It’s AtWhere It’s At

• The POCS sequence editor and player are available for download from contrib:

• Page object display works, but editing is under development (one more week).

• Plug-in architecture being designed and needs to be implemented.

• Needs more kinds of media objects.• Documentation!

https://source.sakaiproject.org/contrib/mnorton/pocs

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Future DirectionsFuture Directions

• POCS is not production ready at this time.• It is really an experiment to see how Sakai

might support a media object tool kit.• It’s really up to you to help determine the

future of POCS.

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What You Can DoWhat You Can Do

• Write up use cases on how POCS might be used in your educational environment.

• Contribute to the requirements and feature definitions.

• Join the development team (being formed).• Provide funding to realize your particular

needs.Please fill out one of the interest forms if you’d like to participate in this project.

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Contact InformationContact Information

Mark J. Norton, Technical Lead

Email: markjnorton@earthlink.net

Phone: 781-275-4070