XML: An Overview of eXtensible Markup Language

Jason Varghese, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

ABSTRACT:

Hands-on. Limited to 8-10 people. All day.

Prerequisites:

Requirements for the XML pre-workshop: Basic HTML knowledge is required. It would also be useful to have a basic understanding of the Web client-server architecture. Some experience with a scripting or programming language such as JavaScript or Java is recommended, but not necessary.

ABSTRACT:

The XML family of standards has recently emerged as a powerful way to structure online information. Like HTML, XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a new subset of the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML). However, HTML has several limitations, as its static set of tags is more of a simple page layout language rather than a truly extensible markup language like SGML or XML. XML allows users to define their own discipline-specific tags that they may use to give meaning to their content. Through these custom "element" tags, documents can be given machine-readable context that will enable users powerful options view and manipulate content. Additionally, XML has the ability to separate style from data, which will allow media-independent portability (e.g., CD-ROM, hard copy, PDA). In these ways XML will bring more features to the web as it provides a more powerful framework to visualize, manage and share information.

XML is a more efficient way of delivering online educational content as it provides instructors the ability to define the content and scope of their web pages, allowing more precise searching and more advanced linking within and among courses. When fully implemented across the curriculum it will allow schools to better understand the information they are teaching by revealing discrepancies, duplications, and new relationships between courses and topics. Future applications could include tutorials that automatically create quiz questions based on their content and documents that enable students to view concepts from a variety of perspectives.

BENEFIT TO PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING SESSION:

This hands on workshop will give interested participants a general overview of the XML language. Individuals will be able to understand the basic structure of XML documents and get a chance to design and validate their own well-formed XML documents. In addition, participants will gain an increased understanding about the advantages of working with XML.

Jason Varghese

University of Oklahoma

Health Sciences Center

Office of Educational Development and Support College of Medicine 941 Stanton L. Young Blvd. Room 100

Basic Sciences Education Building

PO Box 26901

Oklahoma City, OK 73190

Phone: Phone: 405-271-9333 x48529

Fax: Fax: 405-271-9334

Email: mailto:Jason-Varghese@ouhsc.edu

Website: http://www.healcentral.org/