How to get your hands on the data of your LMS (e.g. Blackboard) Alan Berg Co-chair SIG SURF / Community officer Apereo LAI

How to get your hands on the data of your LMS (e.g. Blackboard) Alan Berg Co-chair SIG SURF / Community officer Apereo LAI

Acknowledgements

Resources mentioned in Resources.txt, including:

Understanding The Advanced Reporting DatabaseJohn Knight 2005:

– 5 relevant slides are copied from this presentation (orange background).

Clip art: https://openclipart.org/

WARNING!

A lot of information will be covered in a short time.

Agenda

Who am IMotivationBlackBoard ProcessesBlackBoard database schemaPulling data out of BlackBoardSimple Analysis in RBrain Storm over possibilities

Wrangler | 07 maand 2014 4

Who am

I have relevant practical experience. Developed building Blocks Integrated stuff with UVA's SIS Run Quality Assurance on a number of large scale projects such as UvA's

Scale out Reported bugs Presented a couple of times (a long time ago) at BlackBoard conferences Old, old stuff: Blackboard 6 usage patterns and implications for the

Universiteit van Amsterdam: http://www.uva.nl/binaries/content/documents/personalpages/b/e/a.m.berg/en/tab-three/tab-three/cpitem%5B41%5D/asset

Pulled out data from BlackBoard for research projects

Motivation

To break down walls that get in the way of getting at your data.

By providing researchers with the details needed to communicate with the people that hold the keys to the data.

By providing system /functional administrators an idea of the processes needed by researchers to use the data

Questions for the audience

Point to a Google doc A quick count of the audience roles A quick question to the audience of what they see as

barriers to their research work.

1

BlackBoard Processes

Motivation: Being specific with processes, filenames and locations so that it is easier to find and do stuff

Take homes

There is a set of best practices that should be followed

BlackBoard files that matter Bb-config.properties Bb-tasks.xml

Scheduled tasks for reporting The process of moving tables to a backup database

Best Practices Accessing the Database

http://www.edugarage.com/display/BBDN/Blackboard+Open+Database+-+OpenDB

Protect your data Work with copies of your data Remember to test performance Use tools to access your databases

Don't reinvent the wheel See whats out in the wild Re-use and improve artefact's

Don't be arrogant: Ask the team that administers the system Look at the Open Database Schema


Point to a Google doc Additional best practices for accessing the Database

2

BB-config.properties

Global configuration file for Blackboard. Options include: Database JVM tuning Content Management Server threads Mail servers

Performance depends on tuning this file Named a property file. Follows a specific text format:

bbconfig.unix.httpd.ssl.portnumber=443 Location similar to:

/app/blackboard/config/bb-config.properties Applying changes via a script PushConfigUpdates.bat/.sh

BlackBoard Processes

Code that can run on any BlackBoard Server to get facts

SECURE YOUR DATASOURCETEST AGAINST A COPY OF YOUR DB

1) Create a user that can read BB-config.properties2) Create code that reads BB-config.properties3) Run Code through a scheduled task4) Generate time stamped reoprts or Text dumps

LATER5) Improve code based on requirements

PurgeAccumulator job

Default runs at 1 AM Does three things

Summarizes data Moves data to a backup DB Purges Production pf data older than a certain date Configured via bb-tasks.xml Runs stored procedures in the database

The gruesome details

<task-entry key="bb.stats.purging" version="60">

<task classname="blackboard.platform.tracking.PurgeApplicationTask">

<property name="delay" value="21600000" />

<property name="period" value="86400000" />

<property name="xml.registered.delay" value="1:00" />

<property name="xml.registered.period" value="24" />

<property name="days_to_keep" value="180" />

<property name="target" value="live" />

<property name="dev_null" value="/dev/null" />

<property name="command-line" value="/usr/local/blackboard/tools/admin/PurgeAccumulator.sh" />

</task>

</task-entry>

Schema Description

Number of supporting records are increasing per version

2012 – Partial list

2007 – Full List

Titel van de presentatie | 00 maand 0000


Point to a Google doc Based on the 2007 table set which sort of questions can

you ask when combined with SIS?– Promise to look at sending the relevant SQL

statements or publishing to the LASI Utrecht website

3

Building Blocks - More Provides supporting services And JSP (GUI) libraries From experience, permissions structure changes between

versions. Subtle changes in services Database schema is actually more stable. SQL queries more raw but are more efficient than service calls Was easier to learn Building blocks by code completion in IDE

(E.G: Eclipse) than through the documentation Steep learning curve

http://workgroups.clemson.edu/DCIT2803_BBDEV/Tutorial/BBTutorial.pdf

Take home: If you just want the data go directly to the database.Take home: If you just want the data go directly to the database.

Bb-manifest.xml and CodeDon't do this without a safety net

<permission type="java.lang.RuntimePermission" name="db.connection.bb_bb60" actions="connect,accept" />

ConnectionManager conman; int i=0;private Connection bbConnectDatabase() throws ConnectionNotAvailableException, InterruptedException { BbDatabase bbDb = DbUtil.safeGetBbDatabase(); conman = bbDb.getConnectionManager(); while(conn == null && i<10){ try { conn = conman.getConnection(); } catch(ConnectionNotAvailableException cnae){ Thread.sleep(1000); ++i; } } return conn; }

Getting to the database in Perl

use Config::Simple;

use DBI;

$config_file="/home/aberg/Desktop/BB_PILOT_2014/CONFIGURATION/database.cfg";

# Configuration file location

$config = new Config::Simple($config_file);

# Open Database Connection

$dbh = DBI->connect($config->param("ConnectionSettings.dsn"), $config->param("ConnectionSettings.dbuser"), $config-

>param("ConnectionSettings.pass")) or die "Connection Error: $DBI::errstr\n";

generate_user_report();

$dbh->disconnect;

Perl take home

Easy to connect Just different configuration for queries to the archive

database than production or development Perl is a well known language Perl is EXCELLENT for text processing Perl can generate unreadable code and not really a team

language (personal opinion) Great for writing functionality quickly Excellent for manipulating and merging data Understood by many System administrators

Favorite tool – SQL Developer

Everyone has their favorite tools Can export data efficiently Practice SQL statements Known to a wide community What are the ethics and security implications

STOP and ask Hendrik L to reinforce message from his presentation


Point to a Google doc Have you any favorite tools for use with databases or

combining data sources?

4


ASR Schema Elements

Table Name(s) Data Stored Data Rentention

in main schemaACTIVITY_ACCUMULATOR

End user events. Up to 360 days of data

SYSTEM_TRACKING Daily summary stats generated

by summarization task in PurgeAccumulator

process

No limit (never purged)

APPLICATIONCOURSE_MAINCOURSE_ROLESCOURSE_USERSDATA_SOURCEINSTITUTION_ROLESNAVIGATION_ITEMSYSTEM_ROLES,USERSUSER_ROLES

Stores supporting datareferenced byACTIVITY_ACCUMULATOR for ASR Reporting

No limit. Tables are

never purged automatically.

Data Structure

Activity Accumulator Dictionary

Column DescriptionPK1 Primary Key

EVENT_TYPE Type of Event Posted

USER_PK1 Relates to USERS.PK1

COURSE_PK1 Relates to COURSE_MAIN.PK1

GROUP_PK1 Relates to GROUP.PK1

FORUM_PK1 Relates to FORUM_MAIN.PK1

INTERNAL_HANDLE

Relates to NAVIGATION_ITEM.INTERNAL_HANDLE

CONTENT_PK1 Relates to COURSE_CONTENTS.PK1

Activity Accumulator Dictionary

Column DescriptionDATA Additional information dependant on event type.

TIMESTAMP Date/Time the event was posted

STATUS 1 unless error occurred

MESSAGES Error message details

SESSION_ID Relationship to SESSIONS.PK1

REMOVE DATA and MESSAGES as might contain personal information?

Activity Accumulator Events

Event Description Relationships

LOGIN_ATTEMPT A user attempted to login to the system. Captures the session id of the attempted login.

SESSION_ID

LOGOUT A user clicked the logout button

SESSION_IDUSER_PK1

SESSION_INT A user connected to the system and a session was created

SESSION_ID

PAGE_ACCESS A page was accessed SESSION_IDUSER_PK1NAVIGATION_ITEM

COURSE_ACCESS

A page within a course was accessed

SESSION_IDUSER_PK1COURSE_PK1NAVIGATION_ITEM

Data Structure

PK1 are keys to other tables PK1 are effectively random numbers As long as we do not combine with other tables then

pseudo anonymous. Only combine when we have opted in

Data and messages columns may contain personal information.

Question for Hendrik L: How anonymous do we have to be?

5] Question for audience: How secure do we have to be with the data and how long can it live for?

6] Question for the audience: Do we need an audit trail?


Example: Export in SQL developer

SQL Examples - General

select event_type, count(*) from BackupDB_name.activity_accumulator group by event_type

EVENT 2007 2012

LOGOUT 781618 1174147

SESSION_INT 20875358 20241290

CONTENT_ACCESS 5284051 14205997

COURSE_ACCESS 42266577 57808666

MODULE_ACCESS 15199704 66422352

LOGIN_ATTEMPT 36099987430655

PAGE_ACCESS 1528547 82827763

TAB_ACCESS 9715716 101974

eventTypes2007 <- c (1174147, 20241290, 14205997, 57808666, 66422352, 7430655,

82827763, 101974)

labels <- c ('LOGOUT', 'SESSION_INT', 'CONTENT_ACCESS',

'COURSE_ACCESS','MODULE_ACCESS', 'LOGIN_ATTEMPT', 'PAGE_ACCESS',

'TAB_ACCESS')

pie(eventTypes2007,labels)

R makes life easyWho uses R?


Generating PDF with LATEX and R

\documentclass{article}\begin{document}\SweaveOpts{concordance=TRUE}<<echo=TRUE, fig=true,keep.source=FALSE>>=eventTypes2007 <- c (1174147, 20241290, 14205997,

57808666, 66422352, 7430655, 82827763, 101974)labels <- c ('LOGOUT', 'SESSION_INT', 'CONTENT_ACCESS',

'COURSE_ACCESS','MODULE_ACCESS', 'LOGIN_ATTEMPT', 'PAGE_ACCESS', 'TAB_ACCESS')

pie(eventTypes2007,labels)@\end{document}


Why LATEX and R

Can be used to produce papers Turning echo on will show the reviewer the method's

used when analyzing data. Allows the reviewer to test the process with their own

data. Reproducible Standardizing on well known and well documented

practices.


Point to a Google doc Is it validate to contemplate a Dutch LA common

approach around R and Latex?

7

Transversing the information

Depends on the membership of your experiment.

Examples:

Whole course opted in: MOOC like conditions An individual user: Individual consent A member of a course Time limited

Whole course opted in

NEED TO FIND THE PRIMARY KEY OF THE COURSE IN COURSE_MAIN

select pk1 from BackupDB.course_main where course_id='20072008.1.testcourseonly'

select count(*) from STATS_2007_2008.activity_accumulator where course_pk1='22144'

select count(unique(user_pk1)), count(unique(session_id)), count(unique(content_pk1)), count(unique(event_type))from BackupDB.activity_accumulator where course_pk1='22144'

We now have the users PK1's. If needed we can relate back to the USERS Table etc.

GOTCHA: Active users

CRSMAIN_PK1 → USERS_PK1

select users_pk1 from STATS_2007_2008.course_users where crsmain_pk1='22144'

An individual user: Individual consent

Users table to find the right PK1Has also got LAST_LOGIN_DATEDangerous as you get to seePasswords

select pk1 from BackupDB.users where user_id='xxxxxx'

STUDENT_ID is descriptive

Reliability depends on provisionprocess

A member of a course

If you know the PK1 of the user and the PK1 of the course then

select * from BackupDB.activity_accumulator where user_pk1='1' and course_pk1='2'

Think in terms of set theoryPka and Pkb and Pkc …..

Time limited

Total activity in the last $delta_days PERL example

$query="select count(*) from $owner.activity_accumulator where course_pk1=\'$course_pk1\' and user_pk1=\'$fact_pk1{$user}\' and timestamp > sysdate - $delta_days";

Tool Specific

Null 200268422

content 31251028

announcements_entry 5082438

my_announcements 1969977

discussion_board_entry 1711946

check_grade 1157869

cp_gradebook2_modify_item 1047877

eph_ephorus-assignment 1046151

course_tools_area 852568

db_thread_list_entry606197

classic_course_catalog 514890

cp_announcements 442061

groups 404074

agroup 382299

staff_information 379582

cp_gradebook2_manage_download_grade 318683

cp_list_modify_users 300262

cp_gradebook 291804

group_file 194884

group_forum138692

cp_gradebook_needs_grading 120446

cp_groups 101073

list_courses 88757

discussion_board 85139

send_email 71699

group_email 67705

classic_club_catalog 65111

view_attempts 64153

cp_send_email 63435

db_collection_entry 63308

select internal_handle, count(*) as TOTAL from stats_2012_2013.activity_accumulator group by internal_handle order by TOTAL DESC

Number of unique handles (at UvA) = 345

SAMPLING BIASAre we ignoring the majority of events that are not associated with an internal handle?

Circling backQuestions for the audience

Point to a Google doc Which sort of questions can you ask when combined

with SIS?– Promise to look at sending the relevant SQL

statements or publishing to the LASI Utrecht website

3

Summary (so far)

Each click is recorded by BlackBoard The activity_accumulator table is the place to be. You now understand the files that are important You now understand the basic BlackBoard Schema Privacy and ethics limits how you search the data Privacy and ethics relate to the PK1's Privacy and ethics relates to which columns you can

export MORE?

Documents

How to get your hands on the data of your LMS (e.g. Blackboard) Alan Berg Co-chair SIG SURF / Community officer Apereo LAI