Integrating Learning Management System and Faculty Information System - service oriented approach

The current era of information technologies opens new challenges brings new approaches concerning the use of computer supported Learning Management Systems (LMS). Nowadays, the majority of higher education institutions utilize information systems for handling administrative data, while some of them have successfully introduced one or more LMSes. On the other hand, the majority of LMSes rely on an encapsulated subset of administrative data, causing data redundancy with the administrative database. If the LMS supports learning activities which need to be scored, there is a strong need for reverse flow of relevant data from LMSes back to the administrative system. The need for the development of a moderation layer becomes a must. In this paper a brief analysis of the developed architecture of a moderation layer, the state of the art and the further development direction concerning the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Novi Sad information system architecture extending to the LMS integration are presented. A service oriented approach for two-way data exchange between these systems is proposed as a flexible solution.