WP5: LCMS Content Connectors and Social Mashups

Main objectives

One of the main aims of OpenScout is to provide federated, skill-based search and retrieval web services within LCMS systems and social network platforms to end users: The envisaged e-content services will increase the use of open content within LCMS systems as well as open the access directly within web 2.0 social network platforms. The searched and retrieved content will originate from a large pool of different content repositories, will be of various types, and will be used in a number of ways, either as part of formal learning scenarios or as informal learning content offered directly to end users.

The main objective of WP5 is to integrate interoperable higher level services into existing learning solutions of the target groups. Those services are developed and provided to be used in commercial learning technology as well as open source systems.

Connector Model

We give an early proposal of a Connector as an ESB instance, allowing to mash-up services from OpenScout Content Federation and external ones for providing users with facilities to access contents from their favourite LCSMs and social networks. See OpenScout Deliverable 5.1 “Connector Model” (April 2010) and Parodi et. al. (2010).

Connectors and Mash-up Implementation

A first implementation of the proposed model is available::

• Early, simple instance of ServiceMix ESB up and running
• Early search widget facility, OpenSocial-compliant (see demo widget here)
• Early prototypes of LCMSs (CLIX and eXact LCMS) supporting widgets management
• Early monitoring services