Starter Pack
Everything you need to get started with Timeback in one place
The Big Picture
Timeback is built on eight 1EdTech-compliant APIs that work together to power educational applications.
Each API has different endpoints, data models, and use cases. Knowing where to start is half the battle.
Core Services
You'll use OneRoster and Caliper for most of your work, so building familiarity with them is where we'll start.
What OneRoster Manages
| Resource | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Courses | What content exists ("Math Grade 5") |
| Students | Who uses your app |
| Resources | Learning materials (videos, quizzes) |
| Assessments | Scores and XP earned |
| Classess | Specific offerings of a course |
| Enrollments | Who can access what |
Use OneRoster when you need to structure educational content, manage student enrollments, or store assessment results.
Courses & Enrollments
Learn how courses and enrollments work
What Caliper Tracks
| Event Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| ActivityEvent | Started/completed activities with scores |
| TimeSpentEvent | Active vs inactive learning time |
Use Caliper when you need to track student activity, measure learning time, or build analytics dashboards.
Activities & XP
Learn how activity tracking works
How They Work Together
Create Course Structure
Use OneRoster to create a course, add components (units/lessons), and attach resources.
Enroll Students
Use OneRoster (or EduBridge) to enroll students in the course, giving them access to content.
Track Learning
Use Caliper to track when students start and complete activities in real-time.
Store Results
Use OneRoster to store final scores, XP, and mastery data in assessment results.
This pattern repeats across nearly everything you build on Timeback.
Additional APIs
What EduBridge Does
Provides convenience layer on top of OneRoster.
| Feature | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Analytics | Aggregate XP, time, and progress per user |
| Subject Tracks | Manage K-12 curriculum sequences |
| Bulk Operations | Enroll/unenroll students efficiently |
| Weekly Facts | Get quick insights for dashboards |
Use EduBridge when you need simplified access to common queries without navigating OneRoster's complexity.
EduBridge API Reference
Explore detailed EduBridge documentation
What QTI Does
Create, deliver, and score digital assessments using standardized question formats.
| Feature | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Question Items | Multiple choice, true/false, fill-in |
| Assessment Tests | Combine items into quizzes and exams |
| Scoring | Automatic grading with rubrics |
| Item Banking | Reusable question libraries |
Use QTI when you need standardized assessment formats that work across multiple platforms and tools.
QTI API Reference
Explore detailed QTI documentation
What PowerPath Does
Deliver adaptive quizzes that adjust difficulty based on student performance.
| Feature | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Placement Tests | Determine starting grade level |
| Adaptive Quizzes | Questions adjust to student ability |
| Mastery Tracking | Monitor progress toward learning goals |
| Path Progression | Unlock content based on performance |
Use PowerPath when you want content to dynamically adjust to student performance and create personalized learning paths.
PowerPath API Reference
Explore detailed PowerPath documentation
What CASE Does
Align educational content to academic standards frameworks.
| Feature | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Standards Frameworks | Link to CCSS, NGSS, state standards |
| Competency Definitions | Define learning objectives |
| Content Alignment | Tag resources with standards |
| Crosswalks | Map between different frameworks |
Use CASE when you need to demonstrate curriculum compliance with academic standards or create standards-aligned content.
CASE API Reference
Explore detailed CASE documentation
What OpenBadge Does
Issue verifiable digital credentials for skills and achievements.
| Feature | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Badge Issuance | Create and award digital badges |
| Verification | Cryptographically verifiable credentials |
| Metadata | Rich descriptions of achievements |
| Portability | Students own and share their badges |
Use OpenBadge when you want portable credentials students can add to resumes, portfolios, or share with institutions.
OpenBadge API Reference
Explore detailed OpenBadge documentation
What CLR Does
Create comprehensive learner records that aggregate achievements across platforms.
| Feature | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Achievement Records | Compile all learning accomplishments |
| Cross-Platform Data | Aggregate from multiple sources |
| Verifiable Transcripts | Cryptographically signed records |
| Standards-Based | Link achievements to competencies |
Use CLR when you're building portfolio systems, transcript aggregators, or comprehensive learner record platforms.
CLR API Reference
Explore detailed CLR documentation
Authentication: The Central Service
Every API request requires OAuth 2.0 authentication through a central service.
Request Credentials
Contact the Timeback team to get your Client ID and Client Secret for staging or production.
Generate Access Token
Exchange your credentials for an access token using the OAuth 2.0 client credentials flow.
Use Token in Requests
Include the access token in all API requests. Tokens expire after 1 hour, so refresh as needed.
Authentication Guide
Complete setup instructions for OAuth 2.0
Endpoints: Where Things Live
Different APIs have different base URLs.
Some APIs share an endpoint, while others are served from their own subdomain.
All Endpoints
View all staging and production endpoints
Putting It All Together
Understanding the APIs is one thing; seeing them work in concert is another. Below is the complete lifecycle, from course creation to student completion, showing exactly how OneRoster and Caliper power the experience.
Create Course
Before students can do anything, you need to define what exists.
Use OneRoster to create:
- Course: The top-level container:
MathApp: Grade 5 - Components: Organizational units within the course:
Unit 1: Fractions - Resources: Actual learning materials: videos, quizzes, articles
- Classes: Specific offerings:
MathApp: Grade 5 - Winter 2025 - Enrollments: Which students can access which classes
Get Context
When a student opens your app, you need to know who they are and what they can access.
Query OneRoster or EduBridge for:
- Enrollment: "Is User A enrolled in
MathApp: Grade 5orMathApp: Grade 6?" - Course Progress: "What is the student's progress in
MathApp: Grade 5?"
This tells you what activities to show and what the student is allowed to attempt.
Start Activity
The student clicks "Start" on an activity.
Track the start time in the client to calculate elapsed time. Nothing is sent to Timeback yet.
Complete Activity & Send Events
The student finishes the activity.
Send TWO Caliper events:
ActivityEvent: Records completion with score and XPTimeSpentEvent: Tracks active/inactive/waste time
These events power real-time analytics and dashboards.
Update Gradebook
For permanent academic records, write the result to OneRoster's gradebook.
Create an AssessmentResult with:
- Score: The student's grade (e.g., 85%)
- XP: Points earned for this activity
- Metadata: Additional context (accuracy, attempt number, etc.)
This updates the official gradebook accessible to teachers, students, and administrators.