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SyberWorks e-Learning Podcast Transcript #24 Dana Fine talks about her article on developing interfaces that exchange data with a learning management system. (Transcript) Del.icio.usTechnorati

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Announcer: SyberWorks Podcast. Learn any time, any place.

Mary Kay Lofurno: Welcome to the next edition of the SyberWorks e-Learning Podcast Series. My name is Mary Kay Lofurno and I am the Marketing Director here at SyberWorks and I am your host today.

SyberWorks specializes in custom e-learning solutions, learning management systems and custom e-learning development for corporations, governments and non-profits. In this edition, we are going to be talking with Dana Fine, Senior Instructional Designer and Implementation Consultant here at SyberWorks.

She recently wrote an article on developing interfaces that exchange data with the learning management system and I thought we could get some tips on this subject.

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Mary Kay: Hi Dana, how is it going?

Dana Fine: Great, how are you?

Mary Kay: I'm doing great. All right, let's get to it. Companies often need an interface between one of their internal systems and say, a learning management system. So for example, they may need an interface with SAP to connect with their learning management system.

Without getting too much into your article, because I know you want people to read it, what are some of the considerations an e-learning project manager or implementation manager should keep in mind when they are doing something like this?

Dana: Well, you need to know the reasons for exchanging the data between the learning management system and the human resources system, whatever system that maybe. The reasons affect the implementation of the interface.

You need to know: Does the company personnel change on a regular or irregular basis? Do you need to update that information on a regular basis? Is there a high turnover or low turnover? Is there a need for keeping track of training for legal reasons, for promotions, for layoffs? Do you need to keep track of inactive employees; employees who are on leave of absence, employees that may have been laid off, fired, quit or died?

You also need to understand for that company what their company log-in standards are. So if they are used to a single sign-on, you want to keep it that way, so they go into one system of sign-on and then have links to all the other systems that they may need to use.

There is also a question as I indicated earlier of how often these updates may need to occur. Does it need to be real time? Can it be just weekly or monthly? Are the updates for training affecting whether an employee can perform their job that day?

Mary Kay: OK. Well that sounds good. Is there anything else you would like to share?

Dana: Well, once you know the reasons for the exchange of data, you need to determine what data you want to store either in the LMS or from the LMS in your human resources system. Do you need to store all the demographic data with the student on the LMS as well as on the human resources system? Can you make it only a subset of that data? There are security issues concerning personally identifiable information, but you should read more in my article.

Mary Kay: Well, Dana people should absolutely download your article and read it. It is located in the SyberWorks Media Center under the "e-learning articles" section. Dana, I know you are busy, so I will let you go. This is great information. Thanks for joining us today.

Dana: Thanks for having me.

Mary Kay: Thanks for listening to our podcast today about designing interfaces for data exchange with learning management system with Dana Fine, Senior Instructional Designer and Implementation Consultant here at SyberWorks on our e-Learning Podcast Series. Have a great day.

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Announcer: SyberWorks Podcast. Learn anytime, anyplace.