Utilizing XML to Facilitate Dynamic Content Generation: A Case Study

Over the past several years, COMET® (Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education and Training) has invested many person-hours in developing online educational materials. While Web dissemination of educational materials has proven effective, the static nature of HTML documents has proven disadvantageous. These disadvantages stem from the nature of HTML - that is, the content and layout of the content reside in the same file. Without a separation of content and layout, Web searches for content become difficult, as does implementing a new layout for the material. In the test case described in this paper, we outline a framework for generating exams that test a student's knowledge of COMET modules. These exams are comprised of randomized questions, utilizing XML for content generation, XSL to describe the layout, and a Web publishing technology that translates these files into HTML.