Abstract: An improved system and method for providing software is described. The system, upon receiving a software request from a user device, obtains metadata about the user device. Based on the metadata and the software requested, a template of the software is obtained. The template specifies a list of categories, where each category is associated with component(s) in a component database. Based on the metadata and eligibility attributes of the respective components, one component from each category is selected for inclusion in the software. From the selected components and the template, the requested software is constructed and sent to the user device. In some embodiments, for popular user devices, a previously stored selection of components can be accessed. In some embodiments, an updated version of the software is provided if the metadata of the user device changes or if there is a change in the available components or software templates.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for generating a comprehension indicator that indicates how well an individual understood the subject matter covered by a test. In one implementation, a question-level comprehension indicator is generated for each of the questions on the test. The question-level comprehension indicators may be generated based upon one or more question-level factors, which may include behavioral aspects of the individual while taking the test. After the question-level comprehension indicators are generated, they may be used to generate a first test-level comprehension indicator. A second test-level comprehension indicator may also be generated. Unlike the first test-level comprehension indicator, the second test-level comprehension indicator is generated based upon test level rather than question level factors. After the first and second test-level comprehension indicators are generated, they may be used to derive an overall comprehension indicator for the individual for that test.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for controlling a process on a computing node. In one implementation, a determination is made as to whether the participation status of a computing node has changed. The participation status may, for example, be active, in which case the computing node is participating in the processing of requests from a request handler, or it may be passive, in which case the computing node is not participating in the processing of requests from the request handler. In response to a determination that the participation status of the computing node has changed from a current status to a new status, one or more processes on the computing node may be caused to begin or halt processing, in accordance with the new status. For example, if the current status is passive and the new status is active, a process on the computing node may be caused to begin processing.

Abstract: Methods, stored instructions, and machines are provided herein for suggesting a candidate enrollment item for a candidate student. One or more computing devices, such as one or more recommendation servers, operate a recommendation service that suggests candidate enrollment items. The recommendation service collects, receives, or otherwise accesses information relevant to student interests or goals and information relevant to the quality and characteristics of enrollment items. This information is aggregated, analyzed, and used to suggest individual enrollment item(s) or an academic program of enrollment items that match individual student interest(s) or a set of student interests. The recommendation service may also monitor student actions that are taken based on or in light of the suggestion, and the recommendation service may adjust future suggestions based on these actions.

Abstract: An automated resource resolver system receives a client request for a learning resource. The system selects a format for a target resource, to be delivered to the client device, based on user information and context information for the client device. Thus, the selected format will be accessible by the client device, utilizing the capabilities of the device, and will be the best-fit format for the user. After the system selects the format, the system determines whether the target resource stored at a resource repository is in the selected format. If not, then the system selects an instance of the target resource, not in the selected format, to convert to the selected format. The system converts the selected resource instance to produce an instance of the target resource that is in the selected format. The system makes the target learning resource, in the selected format, available to the client device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically publishing course offerings for different types of courses according to a plurality of policies and templates is presented herein. Instructors and/or administrators for a course create course records for each course that will be offered at a particular educational institution. The course record includes, and/or is associated with, data that indicates when the course will start, what assets should be published in the course offering, what template should be used, when a course is eligible to be automatically published, and/or when a course should be published by. When courses are eligible to be published, a controller determines what priority to assign each course. The controller manages a pool of course publishing processes to publish each course according to the policies and templates defined by each course's educational institution. The controller also notifies administrators when a course publishing process fails to publish a course.

Abstract: In a decoupled messaging system, a producer device sends produced messages to a message fabric. The message fabric either stores the received message in designated queues, from which consumer devices may retrieve the messages, or broadcasts the messages to consumer devices that subscribe to topics assigned to the messages. A message consumption orchestrator service gathers capabilities information for the message producer, the message fabric, and the message consumer, and configures resources allocated for the message consumer to more fully optimize message throughput. Further, the message consumption orchestrator identifies patterns in changes of the rate of produced messages, i.e., through analysis of historical data and/or received information. The message consumption orchestrator configures resources for the message consumer to account for predicted need based on the identified patterns.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for controlling multi-service transactions. When a request to initiate a multi-service transaction is received, the transaction is not immediately initiated. Rather, a determination is first made as to which services need to be invoked in order to complete the transaction. A further determination is then made as to whether at least one of the services is likely to be unable to complete processing needed to further the transaction to completion. If at least one of the services is likely to be unable to complete processing needed to further the transaction to completion (thereby meaning that the overall transaction is likely to fail), then the transaction is not initiated at all. By doing so, the method/apparatus prevents transactions that are likely to fail from being started, which prevents waste of resources and other problems associated with partial processing of failed transactions from arising.

Abstract: Method(s), stored instruction(s), and computing device(s) are provided for automatically generating different subsets of questions and/or automatically assigning the different subsets of questions to different test participants. The computing device(s) store information that includes test questions, test version generation criteria, and test version assignment criteria. The computing device(s) automatically determine, using the test version generation criteria, subsets of test questions that differ from each other by at least one question. The computing device(s) automatically assign, using the test version assignment criteria, subsets of test questions, which differ from each other by at least one question, to different test participants. The computing device(s) then cause administration of at least one of the different versions to at least one of the different test participants.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for enabling one or more attribute values of a learning object to be derived and updated based upon learner actions taken by a plurality of learners on that learning object or on one or more related learning objects. To keep the attribute values current, the attribute values may be updated as new/additional information is received. Once the one or more attribute values are derived and updated, they can be used to make intelligent and effective decisions on whether and when to use the learning object to educate a learner.