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Metadata, Objects and Metadata, Objects and Repositories:Repositories:
Educational Steps Toward Educational Steps Toward the the
Semantic WebSemantic Web
Terry Anderson Ph.D.Terry Anderson Ph.D.Canada Research Chair in Canada Research Chair in
Distance EducationDistance EducationAthabasca UniversityAthabasca University
[email protected]@athabascau.ca
GCCCE/NEIF 2002 Conference
Beijing PRC, June 2002
Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview
Two examples of “deep tagging”Two examples of “deep tagging” Need for dramatic improvements in Need for dramatic improvements in
educationeducation Agents and educational interactionAgents and educational interaction Metadata and RepositoriesMetadata and Repositories Educational Modeling LanguagesEducational Modeling Languages
Context – Athabasca Context – Athabasca UniversityUniversity
* Athabasca University
Largest Open University in Canada
Individualized and Open instruction
Moving to fully web based
Experiments in Musical Experiments in Musical Intelligence (EMI)Intelligence (EMI)
David Cope Professor, David Cope Professor, University of California Santa University of California Santa CruiseCruise
Many compositions by himself Many compositions by himself and 3 CD’s and online and 3 CD’s and online compositions “in the style of compositions “in the style of …”…”
See See http://arts.ucsc.edu/faculty/cophttp://arts.ucsc.edu/faculty/cope/Emmy.htmle/Emmy.html
A second example of A second example of ‘deep tagging’‘deep tagging’
Latent Semantic Analysis - Latent Semantic Analysis - http://lsa.colorado.edu/http://lsa.colorado.edu/
With a commercial application that With a commercial application that marks essays: http://www.knowledge-marks essays: http://www.knowledge-technologies.com/technologies.com/
Or marks summaries: Or marks summaries: http://lsa.colorado.edu/summarystreet/http://lsa.colorado.edu/summarystreet/
Have we already achieved Have we already achieved educational perfection?educational perfection?
Need for Educational Need for Educational ReformReform
Life-long learning imperative –Life-long learning imperative –education is not just for the youngeducation is not just for the young
Escalation of global problemsEscalation of global problems Economics of formal education – Economics of formal education –
Is knowledge only for the Is knowledge only for the rich?rich?
Current System for Course Current System for Course Content Management Is Not Content Management Is Not
Working!Working!• What has happened to the innovation projects of the What has happened to the innovation projects of the
1990’s?1990’s?• Too many sites, too many pages, too little reuseToo many sites, too many pages, too little reuse• No indexing according to pedagogical applicationNo indexing according to pedagogical application• Poor retrieval of non-text based contentPoor retrieval of non-text based content• Unresolved issues of trust, quality, identity, ownershipUnresolved issues of trust, quality, identity, ownership• Reusing content created down the hall is a challenge - Reusing content created down the hall is a challenge -
much less that from around the globemuch less that from around the globe• Materials are only accessible via databases that must Materials are only accessible via databases that must
be searched separately (silos) or that present access be searched separately (silos) or that present access restrictionsrestrictions
Need a new set of powerful, distributed Need a new set of powerful, distributed creation, repurposing and delivery toolscreation, repurposing and delivery tools
Education is also about Education is also about InteractionInteraction
Learner
Teacher Content
Educational Interactions
Learner /teacher
Teacher / content.
Teacher / teacher Content / content
Learner / learner
Learner /content
From Teacher and Student From Teacher and Student Interaction Interaction
To Content InteractionTo Content Interaction
Content is reuseable, scalable and Content is reuseable, scalable and accessibleaccessible
Moore’s Law and Metcalfe’s laws both Moore’s Law and Metcalfe’s laws both work to augment capacity of content to be work to augment capacity of content to be become cheaper, more accessible, more become cheaper, more accessible, more engaging and pedagogically powerfulengaging and pedagogically powerful
Need for underlying structure or theory to Need for underlying structure or theory to aide in constructing educational aide in constructing educational experiencesexperiences
From Human Interaction to Agent Assisted Interaction
Learner
Teacher Content
.
6.
Teacher Agents:•24 hour a day assistants
Content Agents:•Managing and updating
Learner Agents:•Focused on assisting individual learning
What is an Agent?:What is an Agent?: AutonomousAutonomous Goal orientatedGoal orientated Self startingSelf starting Operates more or less continuouslyOperates more or less continuously Human like personalityHuman like personality Communicative abilitiesCommunicative abilities AdaptableAdaptable Mobile or network enabled Mobile or network enabled
From Thaiupathump, C., Bourne, J., & Campbell, O. From Thaiupathump, C., Bourne, J., & Campbell, O. (1999). (1999).
Student AgentsStudent Agents
Supports many of the traditional Supports many of the traditional students tasks of scheduling, students tasks of scheduling, searching, editing etc.searching, editing etc.
Making collaborative work effective Making collaborative work effective in an anytime/anyplace contextin an anytime/anyplace context
Example Example I-Help I-Help system system from from University of SaskatchewanUniversity of Saskatchewan
http://www.cs.usask.ca/i-help
Content AgentsContent Agents
Update and refresh contentUpdate and refresh content Manage intellectual property rightsManage intellectual property rights
The The Open Digital Rights Language (ODRL) Open Digital Rights Language (ODRL) http://odrl.net/ “http://odrl.net/ “The ODRL is a vocabulary for the The ODRL is a vocabulary for the expression of terms and conditions over digital content expression of terms and conditions over digital content including permissions, constraints, obligations, including permissions, constraints, obligations, conditions,offers and agreements with rights holders.”conditions,offers and agreements with rights holders.”
Repair and protect contentRepair and protect content
Teacher AgentsTeacher Agents
Marking, managing, tutoring, guiding Marking, managing, tutoring, guiding coordinating, schedulingcoordinating, scheduling
Inserting new content into course Inserting new content into course web site, notifying and updating as web site, notifying and updating as necessarynecessary
Tracking developments in both Tracking developments in both discipline and scholarship of teachingdiscipline and scholarship of teaching
Hietala, Pentti. (1996) A prototype for a social learning system with intelligent agentshttp://www.uta.fi/~ph/papers/EuroAIED96/node3.html
BUT….BUT….Agents cannot work Agents cannot work
effectively in an effectively in an unstructured domainunstructured domain
Structuralists
Presentationalists
Web as meaningful, semantic information
Web as Display and Experience
The Semantic WebThe Semantic Web• se·man·ticse·man·tic “of or relating to meaning” “of or relating to meaning”• Term coined by Tim Berners-Lee (inventor of the WWW) Term coined by Tim Berners-Lee (inventor of the WWW)
in 1998 - see in 1998 - see www.w3c.orgwww.w3c.org or Scientific America article or Scientific America article• Adds structured meanings and organization to the Adds structured meanings and organization to the
navigational and formatting data of the current webnavigational and formatting data of the current web• Goal is to make web space understandable and Goal is to make web space understandable and
navigable by both humans and agentsnavigable by both humans and agents• Minimum 10 year projectMinimum 10 year project• Aids locating, accessing, querying, processing and Aids locating, accessing, querying, processing and
exchanging data across a distributed heterogeneous exchanging data across a distributed heterogeneous networknetwork
• Based on formalized ontology’sBased on formalized ontology’s
OntologyOntology• A set of concepts - such as things, A set of concepts - such as things,
events, and relations - that are specified events, and relations - that are specified in some way … in order to create an in some way … in order to create an agreed-upon vocabulary for exchanging agreed-upon vocabulary for exchanging information (Whatis.com, 2001)information (Whatis.com, 2001)
• Metadata is an instance of a defined or Metadata is an instance of a defined or implicit ontologyimplicit ontology
• See www.semanticweb.orgSee www.semanticweb.org
From the “big picture” at www.semanticweb.org
The Educational Experience The Educational Experience and the Semantic weband the Semantic web
Step one - Learning ObjectsStep one - Learning Objects
Learning Objects DefinitionLearning Objects Definition
any entity, digital or non-digital, that can any entity, digital or non-digital, that can be used, re-used, or referenced during be used, re-used, or referenced during technology supported learning technology supported learning IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee
Any digital resource that can be reused to support learning. David Wiley (2000)
Why Why LLearning earning OObjects?bjects?
• distribution; distribution; distribution
• COST: 1000s of colleges have common course topics
• Large numbers of courses are going online
• World does not need 1000s of similar learning topics
(From Downes, 2000)
•First step towards an educational semantic web
Design courses &
programs as collections of
learning objects –
correct granularity
• Reusable: modular, granularReusable: modular, granular• Discoverable: tagged for search and retrievableDiscoverable: tagged for search and retrievable• Assessable: pedagogical purposeAssessable: pedagogical purpose• Interoperable: cross-platformInteroperable: cross-platform
Vs. Password-protected web-based courses & CD-ROMSVs. Password-protected web-based courses & CD-ROMS
See http://www.careo.org/documents/objects.htmlSee http://www.careo.org/documents/objects.html
Need to Develop and Need to Develop and Use Applications That Use Applications That
Are:Are:
Learning Object?Learning Object?• ContentContent
• Pedagogical purpose; Pedagogical purpose; to support learning to support learning about:about:
• ParisParis• 18391839• Urban environmentsUrban environments• ArchitectureArchitecture• Louis DaguerreLouis Daguerre• PhotographyPhotography• DaguerreotypesDaguerreotypes
Granularity: an object can be a course, unit, lesson, image, Web page, exercise, multimedia clip, etc. but it must have a specified pedagogical purpose/context
What is educational What is educational metadata?metadata?
““ data about data”data about data” Structured classification scheme to Structured classification scheme to
describe, format, retrieve, relate and describe, format, retrieve, relate and present content or learning objects present content or learning objects
Past – library card catalogPast – library card catalog Current - IMS, Dublin Core, CanCoreCurrent - IMS, Dublin Core, CanCore Future – Deep tagging and Future – Deep tagging and
Educational Modeling LanguagesEducational Modeling Languages
The CanCore Metadata The CanCore Metadata SolutionSolution
• Systematic indexing of resourcesSystematic indexing of resources• Designed specifically for educatorsDesigned specifically for educators• Simplified applicationSimplified application• Records interchangeable between projects, Records interchangeable between projects,
institutions, provinces, and nationsinstitutions, provinces, and nations
Metadata: early exampleMetadata: early example
Challenges of MetaData Deployment
• Multilingual: French, English, world Multilingual: French, English, world languageslanguages
• Unique identifiers; versioning Unique identifiers; versioning • subject terms and common subject terms and common
vocabulary – defining the ontology!vocabulary – defining the ontology!• Who creates records?Who creates records?
CanCore:CanCore:Canadian Educational Canadian Educational
Metadata specification Metadata specification Elements and vocabularies for: Elements and vocabularies for:
• General educational level: primary, secondary, etc.General educational level: primary, secondary, etc.• Specific age, grade, yearSpecific age, grade, year• Application type: simulation, test, etc.Application type: simulation, test, etc.
Looking to leverage emerging consensus on subject and Looking to leverage emerging consensus on subject and curriculum frameworkscurriculum frameworks• e.g. Western Canadian Protocole.g. Western Canadian Protocol• Campus Alberta, Canadian Virtual UniversityCampus Alberta, Canadian Virtual University
• Developed by Alberta and New Brunswick researchers Developed by Alberta and New Brunswick researchers see www.cancore.orgsee www.cancore.org
CanCoreCanCore• 36 elements36 elements• Thoroughly explicatedThoroughly explicated• Ambiguities Ambiguities
eliminated or clarifiedeliminated or clarified• Intended specifically Intended specifically
for implementationfor implementation
IMSIMS• 86 elements86 elements• Few explanations or Few explanations or
recommendationsrecommendations• AmbiguitiesAmbiguities• Un-implementableUn-implementable
Specification Based on IMS/IEEE Metadata Specification
So How do we learn to all driveSo How do we learn to all drive on the same side of the road?on the same side of the road?
Interchangeable and Interchangeable and Searchable RecordsSearchable Records
XML formatting, standard XML formatting, standard transmission protocolstransmission protocols
CANCOREDatabase
IMS database<xml><author> Smith, Joe</author><title>Pendulum applet</title></xml>Dublin Core
database
Learning Management Learning Management System IntegrationSystem Integration
CANCOREMetaDataRepository
XML RPC
WebCT, BlackBoard etc
Content
Learning Object Learning Object RepositoriesRepositories
A collection of learning objects accessible via a A collection of learning objects accessible via a network without prior knowledge of the network without prior knowledge of the structure of the collection (Friesen, 2001)structure of the collection (Friesen, 2001)• Web access and formalized descriptionWeb access and formalized description• Supports functions of searching, storing and Supports functions of searching, storing and
sharing metadata records, preferably using sharing metadata records, preferably using standard protocolsstandard protocols
• Metadata and objects do not have to be stored Metadata and objects do not have to be stored together; together;
• Many repositories down to the desktop level using Many repositories down to the desktop level using P2PP2P
Canadian Repository Canadian Repository Solutions for EducatorsSolutions for Educators
www.cancore.cawww.cancore.ca
•
www.careo.orgwww.careo.org
aloha.netera.aloha.netera.caca
www.edusplash.net
Merlot’s ContributionMerlot’s Contribution
• Apply peer review process to assessment of learning objects
• To exercise control over quality of objects collected in the repository
• Include assessments of all aspects (scholarly, technological and pedagogical) of learning object
• Encourage participation of community members through creation of a formalized review/reward process
Peer Review, Reward and Support
http://www.merlot.org
Moving Beyond ObjectsMoving Beyond Objects
Education is not contentEducation is not content Coding and classifying interactions, contexts Coding and classifying interactions, contexts
and presence necessary to fully describe the and presence necessary to fully describe the teaching/learning transactionteaching/learning transaction
““A lot of learning does not come from A lot of learning does not come from knowledge resources at all, but stems from knowledge resources at all, but stems from the activities of learners solving problems, the activities of learners solving problems, interacting with real devices and interacting in interacting with real devices and interacting in their social and work situation” Koper, 2001their social and work situation” Koper, 2001
Back to “deep tagging”Back to “deep tagging”
Cognitive PresenceCognitive Presence
Social PresenceSocial Presence Teaching PresenceTeaching Presence
Educational Educational ExperienceExperience
Theoretical Model: Model of Critical Inquiry in CMC Context – Theoretical Model: Model of Critical Inquiry in CMC Context – Garrison, Anderson and Archer (2,000) www.atl.ualberta.ca/cmcGarrison, Anderson and Archer (2,000) www.atl.ualberta.ca/cmc
Community of Inquiry Model
Can Machines code beyond Can Machines code beyond the trivialthe trivial
Assessing latent content through Assessing latent content through neural netsneural nets
McKlin, Harmon, Evans and Jones (2002) Cognitive Presence in Web-Based Learning: A Content Analysis of Students’ Online Discussions
http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/paper60/paper60.htmpaper60/paper60.htm
Moving Beyond ObjectsMoving Beyond Objects
How can educational content be How can educational content be “decontextualized’?“decontextualized’?
How can you evaluate an educational object How can you evaluate an educational object outside of this context?outside of this context?
Need for a structure, compatible with the Need for a structure, compatible with the Semantic web that defines actors, roles, Semantic web that defines actors, roles, objectives, evaluation and other components of objectives, evaluation and other components of educational contexteducational context
“ To be re-useable a Shareable Content Object should be independent of learning context so that it may be re-used in different learning experiences” SCORM
Server
•
Sharable ContentObjects from across the
World Wide Web
Assembled in real-time, on-
demand
To provide learning and assistance
anytime, anywhere
ADL – SCORM VisionADL – SCORM Vision
Server
Educational Modeling Educational Modeling LanguagesLanguages
““ a semantic rich model and binding describing a semantic rich model and binding describing the content and processes within ‘units of the content and processes within ‘units of learning’ from a pedgagogical perspective” learning’ from a pedgagogical perspective” CEN/ISSCEN/ISS
Most popular developed by Rob Koper at the Most popular developed by Rob Koper at the Dutch Open UniversityDutch Open University
See http://eml.ou.nlSee http://eml.ou.nl Basic unit moves from a learning object to the Basic unit moves from a learning object to the
“unit of study”“unit of study” To be endorsed by IMS Learning Design To be endorsed by IMS Learning Design
working groupworking group
Characteristics of an EMLCharacteristics of an EMLKoper, 2001Koper, 2001
FormalismFormalism Pedagogical flexibilityPedagogical flexibility Integrate learning objectsIntegrate learning objects CompletenessCompleteness ReproducibilityReproducibility PersonalizationPersonalization Medium neutralMedium neutral InteroperableInteroperable distributabledistributable
eml.ou.nl/introduction/docs/ped-metamodel.pdf
EML Unit of Study Model (Koper, 2001)
EML expressed as XML (Koper, 2001
Expressing EMLExpressing EML
Through a learning management Through a learning management systemsystem
Through printouts of components like Through printouts of components like activity or content for either teacher activity or content for either teacher or studentor student
Through a repository of units of studyThrough a repository of units of study Through a purpose built EML Through a purpose built EML
environment like http://fle3.uiah.fi/environment like http://fle3.uiah.fi/
ConclusionConclusion We have a great deal to learn about We have a great deal to learn about
learninglearning ‘‘deep tagging’ and other ways of adding deep tagging’ and other ways of adding
semantic knowledge to educational semantic knowledge to educational processes allows:processes allows: Systematic data collectionSystematic data collection Theory developmentTheory development Automation and agent useAutomation and agent use Reuse and cost efficienciesReuse and cost efficiencies
Thank you for your time and attentionThank you for your time and attentionYour comments and questions???
References References
• Hodgins, H. W. (2000). The future of learning objects. In D. A. Wiley (Ed.), The Instructional Use of Learning Objects: http://reusability.org/read/
• Koper, R. (2001). Modeling units of study from a pedagogical perspective: The pedagogical meta-model behind the EML Heerlen, Open University of the Netherlands. Available online http://eml.ou.nl/introduction.articles.htm
Roschelle, J and Kaput, J. (1996) "Educational software architecture and systemic impact: The promise of component software," Journal of EducationalComputing Research, 14, 217-228
Wiley, D. A. (2000). "Connecting learning objects to instructional design theory: A definition, a metaphor, and a taxonomy," in D. A. Wiley, ed., The Instructional Use of Learning Objects: Online Version. Retrieved May 18, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://reusability.org/read/chapters/wiley.dochttp://reusability.org/read/chapters/wiley.doc