System and method for communication between repositories

1. A method of communicating between a first repository and a second repository, the method to be performed at a second repository, the method comprising:

identifying a content object stored in the first repository;

harvesting a harvested content object associated with the content object, wherein the harvesting of the harvested content object comprises:

identifying metadata for the content object stored in the first repository, the metadata comprising a link to an interface associated with the content object, the interface being provided by the first repository;

determining a format of the metadata for the content object stored in the first repository;

converting the format of the metadata for the content object based at least in part on a harvesting request received in connection with the harvesting of the harvested content object, wherein the content object comprises elements that are not describable using elements provided in the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH) protocol;

obtaining the metadata from the first repository; and

determining the harvested content object including the metadata, wherein the metadata includes information that is descriptive of learning content in educational context;

storing the harvested content object corresponding to the content object, the harvested content object comprising the metadata that includes the link to the interface, wherein the interface is accessible by the second repository to communicate information related to the harvested content object to the first repository, wherein the harvested content object comprises metadata describing the corresponding content object, and the harvested content object does not store other content of the corresponding content object; and

collecting usage data about how the harvested content object is being used and transmitting the usage data about the harvested content object to the first repository such that usage information for the content object stored at the first repository is updatable based on the usage data about the harvested content object.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises an Application Programming Interface (API) provided by the first repository.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retrieving of the metadata from the first repository is performed using a modified version of the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH) protocol, the modified version comprising an Extensible Markup Language (XML) schema that extends metadata items provided in the OAI-PMH protocol to include the link to the interface associated with the content object.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metadata from the first repository comprises one or more of structure information indicating whether a first content object is contained in a second content object, sequence information indicating whether the first content object is to be used before or after the second content object, and an indication of whether the first content object is associated with the second content object based on both the first content object and the second content object being included in the same collection.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the API comprises a retrieval API that allows the harvested content object stored at the second repository to link to the newest version of the content object stored in the first repository, when accessed.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein when the API comprises a usage data API that, when accessed by the second repository, allows the second repository to communicate usage data about the harvested content object, as generated at the second repository, to the first repository.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the usage data comprises at least one of: reviews about the harvested content object, feedback for the harvested content object, a ratings value for the harvested content object, and a times accessed value for the harvested content object.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the usage data comprises at least one of: information indicating an instructor using the harvested content object;

information about a student who is able to access the harvested content object;

information indicating a course using the harvested content object; and information indicating an institution using the harvested content object.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

providing the harvested content object to a third repository;

wherein, when the usage data API is accessed by the third repository, the third repository communicates usage data about the harvested content object, as generated at the third repository, to the first repository.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for enabling communication between a first repository and a second repository, wherein when the instructions are executed by a processor of a server hosting a second repository, the processor is configured to:

identify a content object stored in the first repository;

harvest a harvested content object associated with the content object, wherein harvesting of the harvested content object comprises:

identify metadata for the content object stored in the first repository, the metadata comprising a link to an interface associated with the content object, the interface being provided by the first repository;

determine a format of the metadata for the content object stored in the first repository;

convert the format of the metadata for the content object based at least in part on a harvesting request received in connection with the harvesting of the harvested content object, wherein the content object comprises elements that are not describable using elements provided in the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH) protocol;

obtain the metadata from the first repository; and

determine the harvested content object including the metadata, wherein the metadata includes information that is descriptive of learning content in educational context;

store the harvested content object corresponding to the content object, the harvested content object comprising the metadata that includes the link to the interface, wherein the interface is accessible by the second repository to communicate information related to the harvested content object to the first repository, wherein the harvested content object comprises metadata describing the corresponding content object, and the harvested content object does not store other content of the corresponding content object; and

collect usage data about how the harvested content object is being used and transmitting the usage data about the harvested content object to the first repository such that usage information for the content object stored at the first repository is updatable based on the usage data about the harvested content object.

11. A server comprising:

a memory that is configured to store instructions for hosting a second repository that communicates with a first repository; and

a processor that is coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to:

execute the instructions;

identify a content object stored in the first repository;

harvest a harvested content object associated with the content object, wherein harvesting of the harvested content object comprises:

identify metadata for the content object stored in the first repository, the metadata comprising a link to an interface associated with the content object, the interface being provided by the first repository;

determine a format of the metadata for the content object stored in the first repository;

convert the format of the metadata for the content object based at least in part on a harvesting request received in connection with the harvesting of the harvested content object, wherein the content object comprises elements that are not describable using elements provided in the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH) protocol;

obtain the metadata from the first repository;

store the harvested content object corresponding to the content object, the harvested content object comprising the metadata that includes the link to the interface, wherein the interface is accessible by the second repository to communicate information related to the harvested content object to the first repository, wherein the harvested content object comprises metadata describing the corresponding content object, and the harvested content object does not store other content of the corresponding content object:

collect usage data about how the harvested content object is being used and transmit the usage data about the harvested content object to the first repository such that usage information for the content object stored at the first repository is updatable based on the usage data about the harvested content object.

12. The server of claim 11 , wherein the interface comprises an Application Programming Interface (API) provided by the first repository.

13. The server of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

provide the harvested content object to a third repository;

wherein, when the usage data API is accessed by the third repository, the third repository communicates usage data about the harvested content object, as generated at the third repository, to the first repository.

14. The server of claim 11 , wherein the retrieving the metadata from the first repository is performed using a modified version of the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH) protocol, the modified version comprising an Extensible Markup Language (XML) schema that extends metadata items provided in the OAI-PMH protocol to include the link to the interface associated with the content object.

15. The server of claim 12 , wherein the API comprises a retrieval API that allows the harvested content object stored at the second repository to link to the newest version of the content object stored in the first repository, when accessed.

16. The server of claim 12 , wherein when the API comprises a usage data API that, when accessed by the second repository, allows the second repository to communicate usage data about the harvested content object, as generated at the second repository, to the first repository.

17. The server of claim 16 , wherein the usage data comprises at least one of: reviews about the harvested content object, feedback for the harvested content object, a ratings value for the harvested content object, and a times accessed value for the harvested content object.

18. The server of claim 16 , wherein the usage data comprises at least one of: information indicating an instructor using the harvested content object; information about a student who is able to access the harvested content object; information indicating a course using the harvested content object; and information indicating an institution using the harvested content object.

19. A method of communicating between a first repository and a second repository, the method to be performed at the first repository, the method comprising:

providing a content object at the first repository;

providing metadata for the content object at the first repository, the metadata comprising a link to an interface associated with the content object, the interface being provided by the first repository; and

transmitting the metadata to a second repository, wherein the second repository stores a harvested content object corresponding to the content object, the harvested content object comprising the metadata that includes the link to the interface, wherein the interface is accessible by the second repository to allow the first repository to receive information related to the harvested content object from the second repository or another repository, wherein the harvested content object is obtained by:

identifying metadata for the content object stored in the first repository, the metadata for the content object comprising a link to the interface, wherein the interface is associated with the content object:

determining a format of the metadata for the content object stored in the first repository;

converting the format of the metadata for the content object based at least in part on a harvesting request received in connection with the harvesting of the harvested content object, wherein the content object comprises elements that are not describable using elements provided in the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH) protocol;

obtaining the metadata from the first repository;

determining the harvested content object including the metadata, wherein the metadata includes information that is descriptive of learning content in educational context, wherein the harvested content object comprises metadata describing the corresponding content object, and the harvested content object does not store other content of the corresponding content object; and

collecting usage data about how the harvested content object is being used and transmitting the usage data about the harvested content object to the first repository such that usage information for the content object stored at the first repository is updatable based on the usage data about the harvested content object.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the interface comprises an Application Programming Interface (API) provided by the first repository.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the transmitting of the metadata to the second repository is performed using a modified version of the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH) protocol, the modified version comprising an Extensible Markup Language (XML) schema that extends metadata items provided in the OAI-PMH protocol to include the link to the interface associated with the content object.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the API comprises a retrieval API that allows the harvested content object stored at the second repository to link to the newest version of the content object stored on in the first repository, when accessed.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the API comprises a usage data API, and when the usage data API is accessed, the method further comprises:

receiving usage data about the harvested content object from another repository; and

updating usage information for the content object corresponding to the harvested content object with the received usage data.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the usage data is generated at, and received from, the second repository.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the usage data is generated at, and received from, a third repository, the third repository having retrieved the harvested content object from the second repository.