Building the Ultimate LMS with APIs and Mashups

By Craig Weiss, E-Learning 24/7 BlogPresident of E-Learning 24/7http://www.elearning247.co

API – Application Program Interface

Mashup – Two or More APIs

API Possibilities

• After the Deadline -  checks spelling, misused words, style, and grammar with advanced AI and NLP techniques

• hiogi.com – mobile search based on the knowledge of a worldwide community. Users ask questions and get answers via SMS. Use the API to access the database of answered questions, unanswered questions, add new questions, and manipulate a user account.

API Possibilities (cont.)

• Hunch – questions and answers service that offers solutions to user-entered problems. Hunch’s answers are based on the collective knowledge of the entire Hunch community. Adaptive Learning with a Social Q/A twist

• Cliqset -social web service that helps users share and discover content and discuss it with other users. The RESTful API allows developers to create accounts, edit profiles, monitor real-time comments and more. Responses may be formatted in either XML or JSON

Mashup Development

•Programmer-built

Ajax to create web page combining 3rd-party web services, widgets and feeds as components – Most Common

• User-built

Non-programmers creates the Mashup using assembly tools, most often within browser

3 Types of Mashup Tools

User Programming

Front end Build web front ends like dashboards using widgets/gadgets w/ little to no programming (PageFlakes)

User or Programmer

Back end Combine web-accessible data and services into more useful web services that can be called easily using a REST-ful interface

Programmer

Integrated Build end-to-end web applications that link web widgets to data and service

Mashup Possibilities

•Noterize and Box.net – a note-taking app for the iPad that allows you to view and annotate PDFs and PowerPoint presentations • letmesleep.in – allows professors to connect with their students when students need them the most: a class cancellation

• Elodexa – an e-learning document search engine and online viewer. Uses Google Docs

•Layer – platform that combines visual, geolocation, social network capability, and AR

Mashup Possibilities (cont.)

• printfriendly.net – can create printer friendly versions of any blog and select articles to print

• MyVidster – social bookmarking plus videos. Collects videos from the entire web and shares with friends or a larger audience

• Producteev- cross-platform task management application

• FourSquare – a social networking platform that intertwines the power of geolocation

All Possible via APIs and Mashups with your learning platform

Commercial or Open Source – Doesn’t Matter

Open Source Systems – Partial List

• Yahoo Pipes • Apigee Free

• WSO2 Mashup Server• Wayfaring

Mashup Programmable Web

• Webmashup

API Directory

Additional Information

Craig Weiss, diego.studiocity@gmail.com

E-Learning 24/7, Global Consulting Firm for Buyers and Suppliers in the e-learning sector http://www.elearning247.co

E-Learning 24/7 blog http://www.elearninfo247.com