the importance of metadata in the e-learning environment presented by thuli khoza walter sisulu...
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The Importance of Metadata in the E-Learning Environment
Presented by Thuli Khoza
Walter Sisulu University E-Learning Conference 2010
2-3 November 2010
Overview
– What is metadata? – Why use metadata?– What is e-Learning?– Why e-Learning?– What is a learning object?– Need for metadata in e-Learning– Metadata standards– Metadata creation
Overview (cont’)
– Dublin Core Metadata Standard (DC)– Learning Object Metadata (LOM)– Mapping LOM element set to DC element set– Value of metadata in e-Learning– Conclusion
What is metadata?
• Metadata is structured information that describes, explains, locates, or otherwise makes it easier to retrieve, use, or manage an information resource.
• Metadata is often called data about data or information about information.
Why Use Metadata?
• Metadata provides an essential link between the information creator and the information user
• We can ensure that this objective is met by using metadata in accordance with international standards
Ancient Roman Symbol standards
(Roman Standards.jpg (copyright has expired and now in public domain)
What is e-Learning?
• Refers to the use of Internet technologies to deliver and support education (Florea, 2010)
• Education & training delivered via library portals and institutional repositories
• Also known as web-based, virtual learning, online learning and distance learning
Why e-Learning?
• Allows learning to take place anytime, anywhere, any device and at an individual’s own pace
• Just in time information
• Less expensive
• Easily accessible
What is a learning object?
• Learning object is any entity, digital or non digital that may be used and re-used for learning, education or training (IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee ,2001)
• Breaking of educational resources into modular chunks with each object having its own description (Krull, 2005)
What is a learning object? (cont’)
• Learning objects include:
Instructional content Multimedia content Software tools Learning objectives
Need for metadata in e-Learning
• Facilitate discovery of learning objects• Help organize content in web-based e-learning
environments• Facilitate interoperability and integration of legacy
resources• Provide digital identification of learning objects• Support archiving of digital objects• Facilitate preservation
Source: National Information Standards Organization. 2004. Understanding metadata
Metadata is keyto ensuring thatresources willsurvive andcontinue to beaccessible intothe future.
Metadata standards
• Structure standards (Metadata schemas)-schemes or element sets, e.g. Dublin Core elements, DDI elements VRA Core Categories, MODS elements, MARC elements, Learning Object Metadata elements
• Presentation standards -for display / presentation to users (e.g. OPAC local display settings) ISBD areas and punctuation CSS style sheet for XML display
• Value standards-controlled vocabularies for the values of elements, e.g. LCSH, DDC
• Content standards -rules, guidelines e.g. AACR2, RDA and In-house Best Practice
• Encoding standards -for machine readability, communication and exchange e.g. XML, MARCXML, HTML
Metadata creation
• Who creates metadata?
Varies by discipline The resource being described Always a cooperative effort Technical staff Information Specialists
• Which metadata standards do we use?
Dublin Core Metadata Standard (DC)
• Dublin Core Arose from series of workshops Results from the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) Consists of 15 basic elements Dublin Core Qualifiers used to refine scope of an
element
Dublin Core Metadata Standard (DC) (cont’)
Elements are optional and repeatable May be presented in any order
Dublin Core Metadata ElementSet
Identification and primary characteristics
• Title
• Identifier
• Date
• Language
• Type
• Format
Intellectual responsibility and ownership
• Creator
• Contributor
• Publisher
• Rights
Subject content
• Subject
• Description
• Coverage
Relationships with other resources
• Relation
• Source
Source: Miller, Steven J., 2007. Metadata for digital collections: an online workshop.
Learning Object Metadata (LOM)
• LOM standard Developed by IEEE Learning Technology Standards
Committee (LTSC) Enable the use and reuse of technology supported
learning resources Defines the minimal set of attributes Attributes grouped into 9 categories
GeneralPresents general formation about the learning object such as title, language, and keywords
Life cycleOutlines the history of the development of the learning object including changes that have occurred in features during its evolution, eg, version and current status
Meta-metadataInformation about the metadata instance itself rather than the learning object that the metadata instance describes
Technical Information about technical requirements and technical characteristics of the learning object
EducationalOutlines educational and pedagogic characteristics of the learning object
Learning Object Metadata Standard element set
RightsInformation about intellectual property rights and conditions for using the learning object
Relation Outlines features that define the relationships between the learning object and other related learning objects
AnnotationProvides comments about experiences of using the learning object. Includes details about who created the comments and when the comments were created
ClassificationDescribes the learning object in relation to a particular classification
Source: ( Mwanza, D 2005)
Learning Object Metadata Standard element set (cont’)
DC.Identifier General.Identifier.Entry
DC.Title General.Title
DC.Language General. Language
DC.Description General.Description
DC.Subject General. Keyword or Classification with Classification.Purpose equals "Discipline" or "Idea".
Mapping LOM element to DC element set
Mapping LOM element to DC element set (cont’)
DC.Coverage General.Coverage
DC.Type Educational.LearningResourceType
DC.Date LifeCycle.Contribute.Date when LifeCycle.Contribute.Role has a value of "Publisher".
DC.Creator LifeCycle.Contribute.Entity when LifeCycle.Contribute.Role has a value of "Author".
DC.OtherContributor LifeCycle.Contribute.Entity with the type of contribution specified in Role.
DC.Publisher LifeCycle.Contribute.Entity when LifeCycle.Contribute.Role has a value of "Publisher".
Mapping LOM element to DC element set (cont’)
DC.Format Technical.Format
DC.Rights Rights.Description
DC.Relation Relation.Resource.Description
DC.Source Relation.Resource when the value of Relation. Kind is "IsBasedOn".
Source: (IEEE, 2002)
Value of metadata in e-learning
• Good metadata Facilitates accessibility Reusability Affordability Manageability Durability Scalability Adaptability
Conclusion
• The growth in ICT’s in higher education calls for relevant metadata standards
• Metadata should aim for return on investment for higher education institutions
References
• Bird, S. & Simons, G. 2001. The OLAC metadata set and controlled vocabularies. In: Association for Computational Linguistics. ACL-2001 Workshop on Sharing Tools on Resources. [Online]. Toulouse, France 6-11 July 2001. ACL. Available at:http://acl.ldc.upenn.edu/acl2001/STR/4-bird-simons.pdf. [Accessed 20 July 2010].
• CDP Metadata Working Group. 2006. Dublin Core metadata best practices. Version 2.1.1 [Online]. Available at: http://www.bcr.org/dps/cdp/best/dublin-core-bp.pdf [Accessed 20 July 2010].
• Dublin Core Metadata Initiative. 2008. Dublin Core metadata element set. Version 1.1 [Online]. DCMI. Available at: http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/ [Accessed 20 July 2010].
• Dublin Core Metadata Initiative. 2005. Using Dublin Core. [Online]. DCMI. Available at: http://dublincore.org/documents/usageguide/ [Accessed 20 July 2010].
• IEEE LTSC. 2002. Draft Standard for Learning Object Metadata (IEEE 1484.12.1-2002. [Online]. Available at: http://ltsc.ieee.org/wg12/files/LOM_1484_12_1_v1_Final_Draft.pdf. [Accesssed 27 October 2010}
• JISC Digital Media. 2010. Metadata and digital images. [Online]. In: Still images: managing your digital resources. JISC Digital Media. Available at: http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/stillimages/advice/metadata-and-digital-images/ [Accessed: 21 July 2010 ].
References (cont.)
• Florea, N.V. 2010. New forms of human resources development: e-Learning in education. Buletinul, vol. 62 pp.
• JISC Digital Media. 2010. Controlling your language: a directory of metadata vocabularies. [Online]. In: Cross media: managing your digital resources. JISC Digital Media. Available at:http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/crossmedia/advice/controlling-your-language-links-to-metadata-vocabularies/[Accessed: 21 July 2010].
• Krull, G.E. 2005. An investigation of the development and adoption of educational metadata standards for the widespread use of learning objects. Masters thesis, Rhodes University .
• Miller, S.J. 2007. Metadata for digital collections: an online workshop. [Online]. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, School of Information Studies. Available at: http://www.cdpheritage.org/cdp/documents/cdpdcmbp.pdf [Accessed 20/07/2010].
• Mwanza, D. & Engeström, Y. 2005. Managing content in e-learning environments. British Journal of Educational Technology, Vol, 36 no. 3 pp 453-463
• Taylor, C. 2003. An Introduction to metadata. [Online]. Brisbane, Australia: University of Queensland.Available at: http://www.library.uq.edu.au/iad/ctmeta4.html [Accessed: 21 July 2010].
