Http://lre.eun.org Dr David Massart, EUN AgLRs – Budapest, Hungary Nov. 2, 2009 Reusable Learning Content Discovery and Exchange

http://lre.eun.org

Dr David Massart, EUN

AgLRs – Budapest, Hungary

Nov. 2, 2009

Reusable Learning Content Discovery and Exchange

http://aspect-project.org

A Learning Object (LO) Can Be Anything Digital Used for Teaching or Learning


Learning Objects RangeFrom atomic learning assets (e.g., a picture)To complex learning resources (e.g., a

complete multimedia course)


Learning Asset


Learning Resource


http://lreforschools.eun.org

http://www.olcos.org/english/roadmap/


Learning Object RepositoriesLearning Objects (LOs) can be

– Available online– Stored in a learning object repository

Learning Object Repository (LOR) = Digital Library of LOs– Manage collections of LOs– Control the access to LO collections

A LOR can be part of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)


MetadataSome LOs are complex multimedia objectsSome LOs are hidden in LO repositoriesLOs are rarely self-contained:

– Target audience: K-12, higher-education, life-long learning

– Nature: Lesson plan, course, exercise, assessment


Metadata (cont.)Data about data (i.e., learning content)Initially thought in a LO Repository contextLO Descriptions (i.e., metadata)

1. Machine-readable: Building searchable indexes

2. Human-Readable: Assess LO usefulness


Three Steps To Obtain A Learning Object

Searching and evaluating metadata Resolving the learning object location Consuming the learning object


Reusable Learning ContentSome LOs

– Are open– Can be rendered in a web-browser (plugins)– Are available online

Others, more complex, are packaged with metadata describing how they can be rendered– ADL SCORM– IMS Common Cartridge– IMS QTI


ADL SCORMBased on the IMS Content Package (CP)

specification Defines a model for the structure and

behavior of content and componentsBased on assumptions of ubiquitous access

and availability of web-based technologies


SCORM ContentIs explicitly authored and prepared for use in

a SCORM environmentDelivery and instruction is coordinated

through a “learning management system” (LMS) that is responsible for managing the learner’s instructional experience (deliver, track, report, manage content)

Delivery and learner interaction is within a web-based technology environment (typically using web browser).


In SCORMContent alone determines what instruction the

learner sees and what data is provided to control the learning experience

LMS alone determines how to deliver, present, manage and track the learner through the learning experience and an overall specification of the instruction that is uncoupled from the specifics of the content itself

Tools are built using web-based technologies, providing a low-cost, ubiquitous delivery platform


IMS Common Cartridge (CC)Developed to support the exchange of more

complex and interactive learning materialsExtends CP by providing support for

– Questions and tests– The initiation of discussion forums– Basic authentication to protect the content

delivered– More detailed description of the way in which the

importing LMS is supposed to render links to specific web resources


Learning Objects, Metadata, and Repositories Revisited






















A Hidden Educational WebMost on line learning resources are

unlocatable using text-based search engines (Repositories make it worse)

Search engines results are difficult to assess by teachers and pupils

Metadata help to retrieve and assess learning resources but metadata repositories are just another part of the “hidden web”


Learning Resource DiscoveryDecentralized approach: Federated searching

– A “source” sends a query to several “target” repositories

– Each repository processes the query and returns results to the source

Centralized approach: Metadata harvesting– A “harvester” builds a central index with metadata

harvested in target “repositories”– A source queries the harvester index.


Mixed Approach


Metadata Revisited:Machine-Readable Descriptions of LOsDiscovery

– Searching for LOs– Assessing usefulness of search results

Exchange– Obtaining an appropriate copy

Documents

Http://lre.eun.org Dr David Massart, EUN AgLRs – Budapest, Hungary Nov. 2, 2009 Reusable Learning Content Discovery and Exchange