Deborah
We don't have a repository up and running as yet, although I'm currently developing a small-scale local LO database, but we've been planning and thinking about this on and off for some time. The default metadata schema for learning objects appears to be the UK LOM Core (http://www.cetis.ac.uk/profiles/uklomcore), still at version 0.2 but being worked on feverishly going by the occasional eruptions of activity on this list. It's the schema being used by JORUM (www.jorum.ac.uk). The spec document is a bit dry and aimed at professional cataloguers from what I can see, but as the LOM is, I believe, closely descended from CanCore you could use some of the user-friendly guidelines on that site (http://www.cancore.ca/en/guidelines.html). The Higher Education Academy (nee LTSN) uses an application profile of CanCore/UK LOM Core/IEEE LOM (I don't know which) called RLLOMAP and there are user-friendly cataloguing guidelines online at http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/interoperability.htm
Of course you don't have to go for a LOM to tag your objects - you could stick to a simple schema such as Dublin Core, but the trouble with that is that DC doesn't have any fields describing educational data.
I would suggest looking at the educational metadata FAQ at CETIS (http://www.cetis.ac.uk/metadatafaq/FrontPage) but the link is kaput, so perhaps one of the CETIS folk on here could have a look at it?
As for developing a repository from scratch, that could be a Herculean task if you're going to make it compliant with a LOM. It's something I did think about, but knocked on the head after I saw the 60-odd fields in the UK LOM Core. It might be better, if you've got the money, to get server-based software such as the ubiquitous Intralibrary which costs 5 figures but can, so I've heard, do anything that you might want to do with a LO repository. The CETL I'm involved in (www.rlo-cetl.ac.uk) will likely be getting a copy of Intralibrary to host and tag its outputs.
From what I've read and heard, I think you've more chance of getting hamsters to roll boulders than of getting academics to input detailed metadata, a job which, IMO, is best left to professional cataloguers and librarians for a whole bunch of reasons, not least time and quality of metadata. This is certainly the approach that JORUM is taking, engaging piecework cataloguers to tag LOs as they're deposited - contact the JORUM folk for more details.
Cheers
Fred
Fred Riley
Learning Technologist
Room C57, School of Nursing
University of Nottingham
Queen's Medical Centre
Nottingham NG7 2HA
Tel: +44 (0)115 82 30935
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing/staff/support-staff/fred_riley.html
>>> Deborah Ann Pratt <[log in to unmask]> 23/01/2006 16:19:02 >>>
Hi everyone,
I am involved with developing an online repository of learning objects
for use in the Business and Management subject area as part of a HEFCE
(Higher Education Funding Council for England) funded project. We are
currently at the development stage and as part of the repository there
will be metadata on the materials. I have been searching the literature
regarding metadata - can someone point me in the right direction as to
the metadata guidelines that we could use. What have others used? We
would like if possible - to keep the metadata relatively simple as
academics will be responsible for completing this.
I would welcome any comments.
Deborah.
This message has been checked for viruses but the contents of an attachment
may still contain software viruses, which could damage your computer system:
you are advised to perform your own checks. Email communications with the
University of Nottingham may be monitored as permitted by UK legislation.
|