Standards to Support National Cooperation in Applying Technology to VET
Data forms the basis of learning. Storing, codifying and joining data to create new understanding is the creative process of using data. The challenge for teachers is to help students to creatively use the data by developing appropriate practices for interacting with, and coming to know, the data of the relevant discipline. In such a scenario, students and teachers need first class data management and manipulation systems. Online delivery includes the use of data storage, datasets and access mechanisms to facilitate creative data use.
Important aspects for consideration to achieve interoperability are:
Data access is subject to policy decisions in terms of what data can be accessed and by whom and what access methodology is allowed. However to achieve VET online service delivery goals, databases in the sector must provide public and appropriately secure user interfaces using Internet protocols and provide information to users on:
Data access mechanisms must also enable online training package registration and enrolment, including secure online financial transactions. Standards to support access mechanisms and processes are being addressed by other segments in this report. ie Internet and Email standards.
The second aspect for consideration is data transfer between Institutions. This is an ongoing requirement and is only partially addressed by AVETMISS data standards. To support and attain VET interoperability goals, further data interchange standards for data transfer between Institutions is required. Data format standardisation for data interchange has been identified by the State Technical Experts as critical in supporting VET interoperability objectives.
The third aspect is data tagging to enable identification of resources available in the VET sector. Data tags will reduce wasted effort and duplication of course and curriculum modules.
The use of data standards to achieve VET interoperability objectives is currently embodied in the AVETMISS standards. These standards are insufficient to cover the reported data interchange requirements and extensions to the data coverage are required.
It is not appropriate to recommend vendor products as VET standards. It is, however, appropriate to identify processes, datasets and interfaces critical to achieve VET objectives and to recommend functionality standards for databases and access mechanisms to support interoperability of those critical processes and interfaces.
The box labelled "X-Form" in Figure 1 shows where data interchange is required in the system layer hierarchy. Areas of the system hierarchy subject to policy decisions are shown on the left hand side and typical standards for interworking between layers are shown on the right hand side of the hierarchy.
Interoperability requires access to the data held in various database products, e.g. DB2, Oracle, Informix etc, from access platforms, other than the native mode platform. The use of Web Browsers and Internet technology simplifies this access. Access to data is also required for data interchange between Institutions. The issues, as seen by the State Technical Experts, were not standards for data access but policy decisions on what data can be accessed and in what data interchange format.
Efficient data interchange between institutions needs data standards and standardisation of operational processes for that interchange.
As a minimum, data standards are required for data describing:
These can be achieved by utilising the data standards in AVETMISS and by extending the AVETMISS datasets to include data interchange requirements. In the above Figure this is shown as AVETMISS+. Concurrent with extending the AVETMISS standards, standardisation of data interchange processes should be determined. It was noted by the State Technology Experts that data interchange processes required policy decisions to facilitate data transfer.
Metadata identifiers on data resources/content (text, video, sound, graphics, images) should be linked to National and State curriculum codes where appropriate.
1. Extend the AVETMISS data standards to include data standards for data interchange between Institutions. The minimum datasets required are:
2. Develop policy for data interchange between Institutions and implement processes to support and facilitate that initiative.
3. To enable resource identification, set up a national search engine using the emerging EdNA standard metadata tags as the search criteria. Concurrent with that, in each Institution, set up web sites describing resources in accordance with the EdNA metadata standards.
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Last modified on May 05, 1999.