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Update from the ISB Chairman Dorian Bradley
Welcome to this issue of the newsletter for the Information Standards Board (ISB) for Education, Skills and Children’s Services (ESCS), the first of 2009.
Since our last newsletter in December we have made good progress in approving standards. Thanks to the hard work of our Special Interest Groups, the board was able to approve XCRI (CAP) v1.1 for the electronic exchange for course related information at its January meeting. We also approved a business case for SAML, the widely recognised standard underlying many web-based Single Sign-On software applications. Based on the work we have done to establish a standards pipeline, I am confident that I will be reporting many more successes over the coming months.
I would also like to invite statements of interest in joining the ISB as a board member. If you feel that you can contribute at a strategic level then please email itgovernance.secretariat@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk with details of your current role, Also provide a short statement of what you feel you could bring to the Board.
I trust you find this edition of the newsletter both informative and interesting and I look forward to updating you again in Spring.
‘Dorian Bradley independent chair of the ISB’
Standards Approval
At January’s board meeting the ISB was able to approve its first standard to have come through the Special Interest Groups (SIGs). The Portfolio, Learning Opportunities and Transcript SIG, led by SIG Champion Mark Stubbs presented the Exchanging Course Related Information (XCRI) Course Advertising Profile (CAP) v1.1 standard for fast track approval by board members.
What is XCRI CAP?
The XCRI CAP v1.1 specification has been developed to enable learning providers to publish online prospectus information in a standard format. This allows efficient collection by aggregator and broker agencies (such as UCAS, the National Learning Directory and 14-19 Prospectus websites) and supports better comparison of learning opportunities by the citizens.
What are the benefits?
Current methods for passing online prospectus information from learning providers to aggregator organisations typically involve re-keying data already used to populate institutions’ prospectus websites into bespoke web-based forms designed by the aggregators. A sector standard for electronic publishing and harvesting of prospectus information offers clear benefits in terms of accuracy and comparability of content, agility for responding to changes, cost-savings on data entry and re-use for value-added services.
Furthermore, the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) has agreed a Metadata for Learning Opportunities (MLO) reference model, which is likely to be adopted as a European Norm in 2010. Adopting XCRI CAP v1.1 now would set the sector on a trajectory likely to lead to compliance with this European Norm when it emerges.
Update on ISB Standards Working Groups (SWGs)
As reported in previous news letters the ISB does not develop standards itself, rather it approves standards that have been developed (or implemented) by the businesses within ESCS. Where development is required the ISB relies on the efforts of standards working groups made up of subject matter experts from around the system.
‘Workforce’ Standards Working Group
The task of the Children’s Workforce Standards Working Group is to try and move to a single set of standards for children’s workforce data across ESCS. Standards are being defined on most common aspects of the children’s workforce, including data on identity and demographics, contract, pay and qualifications. The group is on track to publish a set of proposals for consultation in March 2009
If you want more information on the work being done, or would like to contact a member of the harmonisation group, please email IMS.Mailbox@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk with your request.
‘Address’ Standards Working Group
Many businesses across the ESCS sector have expressed concerns to the ISB about the problems they face in using the address standard recommended by e-Government Interoperability Framework - (BS7666) for processing address information. Practical problems users experience include, handling of overseas addresses and addresses which are not locations (e.g. PO Boxes, mobile homes).
The Cabinet Office Cross-Government Enterprise Architecture (xGEA) Information Standards group have set up a working group to consider how to deal with problems using and sharing address information and to contribute to the implementation of the new Government Location Strategy, see http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/ communities/pdf/locationstrategy.pdf
To ensure that the views and requirements of ESCS are properly represented the ISB Technical Support Service (TSS) has established a group of ESCS stakeholders with an interest in address information. This group met for the first time in January and has set out its initial priorities and interests.
If you are interested in developments on standards for the processing and sharing of address information, please email itgovernance.secretariat@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk with you request.
Data Sharing Framework for ESCS Sector
The DCSF with DIUS (Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills) and MIAP (Managing Information Across Partners) have been working closely together to develop a Data Sharing Framework for the ESCS sector. The Framework aims to ensure that central government departments and their agencies behave responsibly with data.
It commits all those organisations that sign it to work together to ensure a more effective and co-ordinated approach to the management, handling and sharing of data and information across the sector.
The ISB has given its support to the aims of the framework and will be working with the team that are developing it to ensure that it properly reflects the requirements of all sectors within ESCS.
If you would like more information please email the IMS Mailbox at IMS.mailbox@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk with your request for the attention of Gerard Doyle, School Resourcing Group, DCSF.
Transcript Specification Convergence Approved
The ISB has registered its support for the aim of convergence on a single electronic standard for communicating transcripts of learner achievement, which fulfils the requirements of the MIAP Learner Record, the Burgess HEAR and CEN work on electronic documents for the Bologna process.
This recommendation was bought by the Portfolios, Learning Opportunities and Transcripts Special interest group who would like to avoid the proliferation of conflicting approaches in this important area.
If you have an interest in transcripts of learner achievement then please contact the ISB Technical Support Service email itgovernance.secretariat@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
Business Case Approval
The ISB has given its approval to a high level business case for the adoption of SAML 2.0 as a standard for adoption.
What is SAML 2.0?
Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) 2.0 is a standard for exchanging authentication and authorisation data between security domains.
Why does the ESCS need it?
The work of the businesses across ESCS increasingly involves collaboration between organisations. As a result, practitioners often find the need to access multiple systems to discharge their duties and sometimes these systems are managed by organisations external to their employers.
At the same time, greater recognition of the need for security and the weaknesses of passwords is leading to increasing use of two-factor authentication and tightening up of user registration procedures, which means that user account management is becoming more burdensome.
Standardisation will reduce the time spent on managing user accounts, will prevent users from having to login many times over and will reduce the need for multiple passwords and security tokens.
Strategic Fit
SAML 2.0 has been used widely within DCSF and is the direction of travel advocated by the DCSF/DIUS Identity Management strategy as a solution for ESCS.
If you want more information on the SAML 2.0 Business Case approval, please email the secretariat on itgovernance.secretariat@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk with your request.
ISB Personnel Changes
The ISB would like to thank Mark Cummings & Andrew Perry for their contributions. Mark has been the driving force behind the ISB since its conception, as head of the ISB secretariat, and led the initial ISB ‘Implementation Project’. Andrew has played a central role within the Secretariat. Both have moved to new roles within the DCSF.
Mark has been replaced by James Vincent who currently is the Portfolio and Design Assurance Manager at the DCSF. James has taken on responsibility for managing the ISB Secretariat.
ISB Stakeholder Event on 6th April 2009
The ISB has organised a stakeholder event on Monday 6th April 2009 at the BERR Conference Centre, London. Senior stakeholders, decision makers and influencers in ESCS sector have been invited to this event at which delegates will be briefed by the Permanent Secretaries of both the DCSF and DIUS, followed by presentations on the work of the ISB.
The event has been organised primarily to make sure that, the ISB is addressing the most pressing business needs for the sector, that we are engaging with the right people and that the importance of adopting and embedding appropriate information standards is understood and acted upon.
ISB Contact Details
If you would like to provide feedback on the newsletter please contact us on itgovernance.secretariat@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk and visit our website.
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