Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
Learning Object Digital Library
Resource: The Refer-itory
Jill Detrick
IS 464
Dr. Murth Baca
Metadata Final Project
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
―The more knowledge is available in structured form, the more knowledge can be acquired
automatically.‖ -- Dagobert Soergel
A revolutionary change is taking place in the way learning, education, and instruction are
provided. Learning has made its way into the digital world with the learning object, which is any
learning resource capable of being reused from one course to another.1 Worldwide, instructors are
creating learning objects such as interactive tutorials, or posting presentations online for students
to access simultaneously and reuse in different contexts, reducing instructors time and cost to
develop new material. 2 However, learning objects are difficult to locate, and have tremendous
untapped potential that is not taken advantage of today.3 Using semantically consistent metadata,
not only can we allow for specific objects to be found more easily, but also we can build ―behind-
the-scenes‖ intelligence for even more enhanced and automatic retrieval. As Dagobert Soergel
says, ―the more knowledge is available in structured form, the more knowledge can be acquired
automatically.‖ 4 Using Dagobert Soergel’s guiding principles, this paper will describe and model
a digital library resource that truly serves its end users. It will be called the Refer-itory, because in
the words of Carl Berger, this Refer-itory,5 will refer users to learning objects.
1
Permanand Mohan, et al. 2003. Instructional Planning with Learning Objects. Retrieved October 27, 2006, from
http://www.uni-koblenz.de/fb4/publikationen/gelbereihe/RR-16-2003.pdf.
2
Permanand Mohan, et al. 2003.
3
Permanand Mohan, et. al 2003
4
Dagobert Soergel. 1997. ―An Information Science Manifesto.‖ American Society for Information Science Award
of Merit Acceptance Speech. Washington, D.C. Nov. 5 1997. Retrieved Dec. 12, 2006, at
http://www.dsoergel.com/cv/B64.pdf.
5
John D. Shank. 2003. ―The emergence of learning objects: the reference librarian’s role.‖ Research Strategies.
Vol. 19., Iss. 3-4, p. 193. The term referitory was first coined by Carl Berger.
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
The System and its End Users
―The choices made at each one of the design layers should draw on what is known of prospective user needs
and interests, their capabilities in system use, and their attitudes.‖–Marcia Bates6
Aiming to build a good, user-centered information system, knowledge of the end-user will
be embedded in the system.7 At the outset, it should be stated that this resource is for instructors
and students in higher education. As instructors use course Web sites for their class, this resource
would interact with the course management software, and provide learning objects to supplement
topics discussed in class. Instructors could search the repository for learning objects, and assign
them for students to complete prior to class sessions. Instructors could benefit from the ability to
reuse and share the preexisting tutorials, by assigning students a 10-minute learning object to
complete.8 Not only would taking tutorials prior to class help students to have prior exposure to
the material, it also enables interactive learning to outside the classroom environment.
As online learning communities and instructional technology groups envision, this
resource would also not only retrieve learning objects, but also generate ―individualized sequences
of learning material‖ tailored to the end user.9 It would find a tutorial, and after the user has
completed the tutorial, assess how much the user learned; then retrieve more objects suited to
advance the user’s skills depending on their level of performance. The ―recommended‖ tutorials
would appear on the student’s individualized interface, and guide them at their own pace through
the class topics for the term. This would provide useful tutorials for the students to keep up, and
not fall behind in class. The following digital library resource, Refer-itory, will enhance user
access by retrieving and referring users to learning objects.
6
Marcia Bates. ―The Cascade of Interactions in the Digital Library Interface.‖ Dept. of Information Studies UC Los
Angeles. Retrieved Dec. 13, 2006, at http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/bates/articles/cascade.html.
7
Marcia Bates. ―The Cascade of Interactions in the Digital Library Interface.‖
8
John D. Shank. 2003.
9
Permanand Mohan, et al. 2003.
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
Conceptual Data Model
―We must provide well-structured conceptual frameworks and classifications and represent them well for ease of
assimilation and incorporation into the user’s own mental structure.‖
–Dagobert Soergel
Building a digital library resource requires careful planning or the framework of concepts
involved in the system. Practitioners say, you should no more build a digital resource without a
model, than you should build a house without blueprints.10 The following conceptual data model
represents all of the data to account for in the Refer-itory, with the goal of capturing as much of
the meaning of the data as possible, so that the design is easy to maintain.11
In this Entity-Relationship-Diagram, the boxes are entities, the diamonds are relationships, and the
ovals are attributes. Entities are all of the people, places, objects, events, or concepts in the Refer-
itory environment.12 Attributes are named properties or characteristics of an entity.13
10
―Introduction to Data Modeling‖ Windows Services. University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved Dec. 14, 2004, at
http://www.utexas.edu/its/windows/database/datamodeling/dm/overview.html.
11
Joey George, et. al. Modern Systems Analysis and Design. Retrieved Dec. 13, 2006, at
http://ece.ut.ac.ir/classpages/F83/softwareEng1/slide/chapter10%5B1%5D.ppt.
12
Joey George, et. al.
13
Joey George, et. al.
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
Relationships are associations between entity types, which are always labeled with verb phrases
indicating that an event has occurred or that there is a link between entity types.14
The above image is of a Resource Description Framework (RDF) abstract model for
semantic and syntactic metadata.15 RDF models concepts as entities, properties as relationships,
and instances as attributes. The difference between the RDF Conceptual Data Model and the
Entity-Relationship Diagram is simply that the RDF Conceptual Data Model is accounting for the
data happening at the micro level. The concepts are the elements in the Learning Object Metadata
schema; the properties express the relationship between the concept and the instance. The
instance is simply a value given for the property.
Conceptual Data Modeling is an important part of building a digital library resource. Its
notation is simple enough to be verified with the end-user, and detailed enough for database
developers to use as a ―blueprint‖ to build the database.16 It, in a sense, lays out all of the ―design
14
Joey George, et. al.
15
Jian Qin and Javier C. Prado. ―The Semantic and Syntactic Model of Metadata‖ retrieved December 3, 2006, at
http://web.syr.edu/~jqin/papers/Metadata_model.pdf.
16
―Introduction to Data Modeling‖ Windows Services. University of Texas at Austin.
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
layers,‖ and shows how each ―layer‖ affects the next.17 More documentation is needed to
illustrate in more detail how each layer affects the user-experience with the entire system.
Overall Information Architecture
In addition to conceptual data modeling, building a digital library resource of learning
objects requires documenting the overall Information Architecture for the resource. The overall
Information Architecture will use a site-map and wire-frame to describe the ―structural design of
the information space‖ to facilitate ―intuitive access to content. 18 Drawing on prospective user
needs, the overall Information Architecture will convey to the Web developer the choices for each
of the design layers according to user preferences.19
Site Map
17
Marcia Bates. ―The Cascade of Interactions in the Digital Library Interface.‖
18
Jesse James Garret. (2000). ―The Elements of the User Experience.‖ Retrieved Dec. 14, 2006, at
http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/asist/news/journal/articles/elements.pdf.
19
Marcia Bates. ―The Cascade of Interactions in the Digital Library Interface.‖
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
This site-map conveys the hierarchical display of Web pages in the resource, and how to organize
the information in a way that people can find it. It is built from a template put forth by the
Information Architecture Institute.
Wire-frame
This wire-frame shows the structural detail on the page level. The wire-frame will also
describe the interaction design, defining how the user interacts with site functionality and what
application flows need to happen to facilitate user tasks.20 It was also built from a template put
forth by the Information Architecture Institute.
The Information Architecture of the site helps to keep the resource user-centered. As the
Information Architect draws on what is known about the needs of the user, he or she fulfills what
Marcia Bates envisioned for a good, user-centered information system. Information Architecture
20
Jesse James Garret. (2000).
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
can be the tool to ―shape each one of the design layers and affect how those layers can best be
integrated for the user‖.21
Collections and Repositories to be Searched
The Refer-itory’s basic search function will retrieve its own collection of learning objects
that creators have submitted to the repository using an application profile. Librarians and
instructors who create learning objects can submit their online tutorials, digital presentations, or
even course syllabi to the repository by submitting it with an application profile. The application
profile is mapped to the Learning Object Metadata (LOM) schema encoded in XML, so that it can
be included in federated searches with other learning object repositories. This is because most
learning object repositories use LOM to facilitate interoperability.
For enhanced retrieval, users can conduct a federated search across five additional learning
object repositories. In this federated search, users can retrieve learning objects stored in
MERLOT, the Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning Online Teaching, the Education
Network Australia (EdNA), ARIADNE Foundation for the European Knowledge Pool, the
National Institute of Multimedia Education (NIME) Gateway to Learning for Ability
Development NIME-glad, and LORNET: Learning Object Repositories NETwork. Each of these
repositories brings both an international and diverse contribution to the federated search. EdNA
brings learning objects from Australian curriculum, and ARIADNE brings robust objects from
Europe. NIME-glad, whose headquarters are in Japan, aggregates open learning content from
universities including lectures and university syllabi. LORNET, from France, retrieves learning
objects used specifically in distance learning. MERLOT contributes objects from a fantastic
collection of peer-reviewed, higher education online learning materials.22
21
Marcia Bates. ―The Cascade of Interactions in the Digital Library Interface.‖
22
MERLOT Web site, retrieved Dec. 14, at http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm.
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Contributing Learning Objects
To contribute a learning object to the Refer-itory, an application profile must be filled out
with six mandatory sections to it, and the option to identify the author. The following six sections
are mandatory: the title of the learning object, URL, description of the learning object, the
material type such as simulation or tutorial, the category the subject matter covers, and level of
difficulty. Then, the application profile metadata elements will be mapped into the elements of
the LOM standard.
LOM Schema and Element Sets
IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee recommends using LOM, also known as
IEEE LOM, to catalog learning objects.23 LOM provides the necessary attributes to adequately
describe a learning object, though all elements are optional.24 LOM is a complex standard
containing nine major sections. The following is a list of the sections and the type of metadata
that pertains to that section:
GENERAL: General information describing the learning object as a whole. 25 This includes sub-elements
such as title, description, identifier, language, and keywords.
LIFECYCLE: Information that captures the history of the learning object, and those who have made
contributions to the learning object itself.26 This includes sub-elements such as contributing entity (to the
learning object), role, and date.
META-METADATA: Information about the metadata record itself, such as metadata schema and identifier.
TECHNICAL: Technical requirements for the learning object. 27
EDUCATIONAL: Information about the pedagogic characteristics of the learning object, such as level of
difficulty or language.28
RIGHTS: Describes the intellectual property rights and conditions of use of the learning object, with sub-
elements such as cost, copyright, and other restrictions. 29
RELATION: Information about how the learning object relates to other related learning objects, such as the
kind of learning object.
ANNOTATION: Annotated comments about the learning object.30
CLASSIFICATION: How the learning object is classified.31
23
IEEE Learning Standards Committee. Learning Object Metadata. Retrieved October 27, 2006 at
http://ltsc.ieee.org/wg12/ .
24
Carol Jean Godby. 2004. What do application profiles reveal about the Learning Object Metadata Standard?
Retrieved November 1, 2006, at http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue41/godby/.
25
Carol Jean Godby, p.1
26
Carol Jean Godby, p.1
27
Carol Jean Godby, p.2
28
Carol Jean Godby, p.2
29
Carol Jean Godby, p.2
30
Carol Jean Godby, p.2
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
Mapping Application Profile to LOM
The Refer-itory will need to map the value sets for the application elements into its
interrelated values in the LOM standard.32 The application profile contains six required data
elements, and there are several other optional elements. The following is how the application
profile will need to map elements into the LOM schema.
Refer-itory Application Profile Elements Where those elements go in LOM Schema
Title General.Title
Description General.Description
General.Keywords
Relation.Description
URL General.Identifier.
Catalog. (value= ―URI‖)
Entry (value= URL of learning object)
Technical.Location.
Catalog.(value=―URI‖)
Entry(value=URL of learning object)
Material Type Technical.Format
Level of Difficulty Educational.Difficulty
Category Classification.
Source (value= ―LOMv.1.0‖
Value (value= ―Category of learning
object).
Author First Name Lifecycle.Contribute.
(optional) Entity.Vcard.
N (Name)
Author Last Name Lifecycle.Contribute.
(optional) Entity.Vcard.
FN (Full name)
Mapping learning objects into the LOM schema is essential for it to be included in federated
searches. Once the data is encoded in the LOM schema, deeper and richer metadata description
can be extracted that can enhance access and retrieval.
31
Carol Jean Godby, p.2
32
Jehad Najjar. ―Towards Interoperable Learning Object Repositories: the ARIADNE Experience.‖ Powerpoint
presentation. Retrieved October 31, 2006, at http://www.cs.kuleuven.ac.be/~najjar/presentations/IADISwww2003.ppt.
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
Extending Metadata Schemas for Intelligent Searching
Extending metadata schemas to encode more knowledge about resources would facilitate
more automatic retrieval to resources. If for example, all of the learning object repositories used
an extended semantic structure, systems could deduce, infer, and relationships learning objects.
Finding semantic relationships between terms might put a user in touch with a relevant object,
even if his or her search query does not match the results. Systems could make inferences about
student’s performance on the learning object, and go out and retrieve more learning objects that
guide the user to more advanced topics.
To capture ―more knowledge‖ about learning objects, the LOM schema basic fields,
encoded in XML, will need to be extended, to model the Resource Description Framework (RDF).
To do this, LOM will need to undergo RDF ―binding‖ meaning each element in LOM a
―property‖ and ―instance‖ must be defined as well (as referenced in the RDF conceptual data
model diagram). This makes each element in LOM a ―triple‖ (concepts, properties, and instances
of the properties). Triples allow systems to make inferences about concepts. Each concept has
properties of term, synonym and related term used as a data model to capture instances of
concepts.33 This is an example as the expression of relationships using the RDF model.
Learning object is a Concept
Which has a properties of
Structure Term
Structure Synonym
Structure Term Related
Figure is an Instance of Learning object
Which has properties of
Structure Term {Figure}
Structure Synonym {illustration, interactive
illustration,…}
Structure Term Related{Figure title, ...}34
The values for these properties are direct instances of the concept ―Learning Object.‖ Further
explanation about RDF will be addressed in proceeding sections.
33
Jian Qin and Javier C. Prado. ―The Semantic and Syntactic Model of Metadata‖ retrieved December 3, 2006, at
http://web.syr.edu/~jqin/papers/Metadata_model.pdf
34
Jian Qin and Javier C. Prado.
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
Vocabularies to be used
―Use machine learning . . .such as a parser that learns lexical and ontological information on words as it analyzes text,
or a retrieval system that learns semantic relations from its users queries.‖ – Dagobert Soergel35
The Refer-itory is an opportunity to implement Dagobert Soergel’s suggested strategy to
build a system with sophisticated semantic retrieval. First, the ontological information about
learning objects should be in place. This means establishing all types of vocabularies, thesauri,
and classification, which make up the learning object knowledgebase. Terms used in this
knowledge base will be entered into the LOM schema binded to RDF. Another of Dagobert
Soergel’s challenges, we must extract this knowledge of data from the texts that make up the
knowledgebase.36 The realm of learning objects involves texts from several areas such as learning
theory, instructional design, and technology (e.g., computer science and information
technology).37
This system will use the data value standard called Learning Object Vocabulary (LOV),
developed by Jin Qian, lead researcher in learning objects and information science. This is an
ontology built from sources in instructional design, learning theories, and library classification and
thesauri. Its sources include Dewey Decimal Classification and ERIC Thesaurus. LOV is a
combination of vocabularies to describe the context of the learning object as well as the learning
outcomes. This ontology will essentially allow backend systems using different vocabularies to
communicate, as terms are connected across vocabularies according to their semantic
relationships.
35
Dagobert Soergel. 1997.
36
Dagobert Soergel. 1997.
37
Qin, J. & N. Hernandez. (2004). ―Ontological representation of learning objects: building interoperable vocabulary
and structures.‖ WWW2004, May 17-22, 2004. Retrieved December 3, 2006, at
http://delivery.acm.org/10.1145/1020000/1013469/p348-
qin.pdf?key1=1013469&key2=6646025611&coll=GUIDE&dl=GUIDE&CFID=6042561&CFTOKEN=48196567
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Data Content Standard
―Truly user-oriented service requires substantial knowledge, knowledge of problem-solving strategies, information
organization, information systems, and search strategies. Skilled human intermediaries have the knowledge.‖
Dagobert Soergel38
Skilled human intermediaries have the knowledge of the information organization, which
could not only guide the user, but to guide the cataloger. Data content standards represent
knowledge that can guide the choice of terms used to catalog learning objects. Such cataloging
rules define the order, syntax, and form in which data values must be entered into the data
structure.39 It is advised for catalogers to use consortium-level cataloging rules from the
DCMI/IEEE LISC Taskforce, which defines how to encode LOM elements in a data format
designed to express metadata on the web called RDF/XML (to be discussed later in this paper).40
Another source of knowledge on how to assign terms can be derived from learning object
ontologies, even though an ontology usually is a data value standard. Learning object ontologies
such as LOV contain knowledge of relationships between terms and provide guidance to defining
terms. Every concept in the ontology points to a number of other items to define.41 The following
is a screenshot from another learning object ontology called the ―LOM: an Ontological
Representation,‖ which was designed by Jian Qin, the creator of LOV. This ontology guides
description of the LOM General entity by providing templates to fill information into:
38
Dagobert Soergel. 1997.
39
Ya-ning Chen et. al. 2005. Metadata for K9 e-learning in Taiwan : an application profile approach. Proceedings of
the IEEE Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies.
40
―IEEE Learning Object Metadata RDF binding‖ retrieved December 3, 2006, at http://kmr.nada.kth.se/el/ims/md-
lomrdf.html.
41
Jian Qin et al. 2004. Ontological Representation of Learning Objects: Building Interoperable Vocabulary and
Structures. WWW. Retrieved December 2, 2006, at http://web.syr.edu/%7Ejqin/papers/www2004_qin.pdf.
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
―LOM: an Ontological Representation‖ can be used as a data content standard because it passes
on the knowledge of how to define the terms when cataloging the resource. The Learning Object
Vocabulary could then be used to fill the values for the fields.
Data Format Standard
―At the heart of information science…[is] representing knowledge structures that support the construction of meaning
and the solution of problems.‖ –Dagobert Soergel42
In the aim to support future problem solutions, it is wise to choose a data format standard
for learning object records that will allow for flexibility. Encoding the LOM schema in XML, the
Extensible Markup Language, builds in great flexibility to address future problems. XML has
become increasingly important for the exchange of a large variety of information on the Web and
in proprietary databases, as it provides an extensible and machine-readable way to encode
metadata into a computer. XML is also very useful as it facilitates powerful technologies such as
the RDF. RDF was created in 1999 to be a standard on top of XML to encode metadata on the
Web.43 RDF provides meaning to XML, when applied to the Learning Object Metadata schema.
Encoding LOM schema in ―RDF/XML,‖ also facilitates great potential for retrieval.
42
Dagobert Soergel. 1997.
43
Joshua Tauberer. (2006)
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
As stated above, LOM would need to undergo RDF binding, which means giving each element in
LOM Unique Resource Identifier (URI). The following are a list of some of the namespaces or
URIs to assign in the RDF encoding of LOM elements:
lom: which is the LOM base meta-data namespace:
http://ltsc.ieee.org/2002/09/lom-base#.
lom-gen: which is the LOM general meta-data namespace:
http://ltsc.ieee.org/2002/09/lom-general#.
lom-life: which is the LOM life cycle meta-data namespace:
http://ltsc.ieee.org/2002/09/lom-lifecycle#.
lom-meta: which is the LOM meta-meta-data namespace:
http://ltsc.ieee.org/2002/09/lom-metametadata#.
lom-tech: which is the LOM technical meta-data namespace:
http://ltsc.ieee.org/2002/09/lom-technical#.
Also as stated earlier, each LOM element becomes a triple (consisting of concepts,
properties, and instances). RDF can encode statements such as LearningObject is a type of
resource:
Binding LOM to RDF/XML allows systems to do more with the information.44 As stated
above, systems could then be programmed to search for learning objects that are semantically
related to a user’s completed learning object; pointing out related learning objects guides students
to new and more advanced learning objects. Building a system with RDF/XML for learning
objects will allow for future inferences to be made that are not conceived of today.45
Workflow, Resources, and Project Management
Building the Refer-itory is time-consuming and labor intensive. In order to complete the
work, the following workflow, resources, and project management strategy is suggested. A Refer-
itory team of 12 people should be assembled. One project manager, two reference librarians who
understand user needs, three database and web developers, two information architects, one
44
Joshua Tauberer. (2006)
45
Joshua Tauberer. (2006).
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
ontology editor, two catalogers, and one graphic designer. Student assistants can be hired to do
data entry work under the supervision of the catalogers. Bi-weekly meetings will be held to
discuss each member’s process in the project.
Using this paper as a guide, the team of 12 will conduct their own user studies, information
architecture, and system planning. First, the reference librarians will be in charge of re-examining
the user needs by conducting market research on students and instructors, and also conducting
usability studies of learning object repositories.
Then after a discussion with the team, the information architects will begin documenting a
more detailed conceptual data model, entity-relationship diagram, and process flow diagram. All
diagrams should be discussed in detail at meetings with reference librarians, web developers and
users (if possible). An over all site-map for the resource should be drawn incorporating all pages
on the site. In addition the information architect should draw up wire-frames and page schematics
for each interface. These should describe how the user would interact with the system.
After discussion of this documentation, the web developers, catalogers, and graphic
designer will begin building and designing the front-end experience. Catalogers should hire
student assistants to catalog learning objects into LOM encoded in RDF/XML. Entities for each
element in the metadata schema that is extended with RDF should be given values from learning
object ontologies. Usability tests should be conducted before roll out of the system. The
estimated time for roll out should be 10-18 months, with flexibility for unexpected circumstances.
Finally, a marketing plan will take place to promote the system. Reference librarians will
conduct additional market research to advertise the Refer-itory to every instructor and student on
the university campus. Training sessions will be held as well to teach people to use the system.
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
This will bring the builders of the system ―into the educational process‖ to ensure the system
builds ―information competency.‖46
Searching Functionalities
―Search capabilities are the searching mechanisms made available to the user of the system. This term refers to
what the user can do from his/her perspective. Typical search capabilities offered to the user include keyword
searching, proximity searching, Boolean combination, search by field, and many more.‖ Marcia Bates
The Refer-itory search capabilities consist of three types of searching: basic searching,
advanced searching, and federated searching. The basic search is a keyword search that retrieves
learning objects stored in the Refer-itory. As it is a keyword search, the basic search returns
greater amount of results; though they may not all be relevant. A basic keyword search would
look like this with the following query: ―marketing:‖
marketing All categories
New Search: Advanced Search
Items 1-3 shown of 214 results Overall Rating
Sort by:
The Cameron Balloon Factory Peer Review
Author: University of Bristol Comments (5)avg:
This is an excellent interactive on-line case study of the Cameron Hot Air
Balloon factory in Bristol,... Personal Collections (50)
Type: Case Study Assignments (2)
Date Added: Jul 08, 2000
Webusability - accessibility and usability services Peer Reviews (not
Author: Roger Hudson reviewed)
This site was designed by Roger Hudson, an internet marketing specialist, for the Comments (1)
University of New South... Personal
Type: Reference Material Collections (none)
Date Added: Nov 10, 2006 Assignments (none)
Leading Innovation Peer Reviews (not
Author: MITWorld reviewed)
MIT World™ is a free and open site that provides on-demand video of significant public Comments (none)
events at... Personal
Type: Lecture/Presentation Collections (none)
Date Added: Nov 04, 2006 Assignments (none)
An advanced search would allow for the ability to search for learning object by title,
author, level of difficulty, subject category, material type, etc. Using the same search topic as the
46
Dagobert, Soergel, 1997.
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
previous search, the advanced search is capable of retrieving fewer but much more relevant
results:
Items 1-4 shown of 39 results Overall Rating
Sort by:
MARS Sales Management Simulation Peer Review
Author: Robert Cook
MARS SMS is an internet-based, state-of-the-art sales management simulation for use in a Comments (none)
sales... Personal
Type: Simulation Collections (2)
Date Added: Mar 02, 2004 Assignments (none)
Allied Standard Brands Peer Review
Author: Robert Owen
This exercise enables the student to develop a routing schedule for the salesperson's territory. Comments (none)
... Personal
Type: Simulation Collections (none)
Date Added: Apr 23, 2000 Assignments (1)
Territory Routing for Personal Selling Peer Review
Author: Robert Owen
This is a homework assignment in territory routing. "Jack" is a salesperson who must call on Comments (none)
customers... Personal
Type: Drill and Practice Collections (1)
Date Added: Nov 29, 2000 Assignments (none)
Personal Selling Budgeting Exercise Peer Review
Author: Robert Owen
This is an exercise that requires students to provide answers to a described situation. Students Comments (none)
answer... Personal
Type: Drill and Practice Collections (1)
Date Added: Nov 29, 2000 Assignments (none)
User Interface Issues
―Starting with the interface, imagine turning that interface on its side and pulling it apart, like an
accordion, to reveal several design layers backing that interface and culminating in the interface‖47
-Marcia Bates
The user-interface is a critical piece to any information system. It is, as Marcia Bates says,
the ―pivotal point where people interact with automated information systems‖ however, it so much
more happens behind the interface that the user never sees. It is the place where the user interacts
directly with the information. It is important to keep in mind that a successful information system
is not just a pretty interface, but also a robust information experience for the user. Still, ss a
reference librarian helps guide a user, so should a user-interface. No one doubts the increasing
47
Bates, Marcia.
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
number of users do their own searching, and how critical it is for systems to take over the role of
the intermediary.48 Nonetheless, the interface is the user’s first experience with the system, and
should direct the user, and teach the user how to conduct searching, in an intuitive and user-
centered way.
Visible Web vs. Deep Web
The collections in the Refer-itory should be reachable by commercial search engines.
However, learning objects could be de-contextualized, and point users to enter the learning object
from the middle or the end of it. Learning objects contain instructional design with a conscious
flow, which should not be disrupted. To contextualize the learning objects, the following
metadata tag must be encoded for each learning object:
It should be placed on every part of the learning object, except the entering page.
Important key words from the ―suppressed‖ pages of the learning object should be placed on the
entry page.49 This will guide users to the beginning of the learning object. This will make the
collection visible on the web, put them in the hands of more users in its own context—a much
more meaningful and powerful means of access.
Conclusion
Dramatic changes are taking place in how learning, education, and instruction are
provided. As the Internet has expanded access, users are doing searching and learning online.
Learning objects enable students to learn simultaneously and reuse in different contexts, reducing
instructors time and cost to develop new material. 50 Yet, as instructors worldwide create more
and more learning objects, learning objects are increasingly difficult to locate. Using semantically
48
Dangobert Soergel, 1997.
49
Dr. Baca. Web page tagging guidelines. Retrieved Dec. 14 2006, at
http://courses.gseis.ucla.edu/file.php/107/464Fall2006Documents/WebPageTaggingGuidelines.pdf
50
Permanand Mohan, et al. 2003.
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
consistent metadata, not only can we allow for specific objects to be found more easily, but also
we can build ―behind-the-scenes‖ intelligence for even more enhanced and automatic retrieval.
As Dagobert Soergel says, ―the more knowledge is available in structured form, the more
knowledge can be acquired automatically.‖ 51 Using Dagobert Soergel’s guiding principles, this
paper has described and modeled a digital library resource that truly serves its end users. It is the
Refer-itory, because in the words of Carl Berger, this Refer-itory,52 refers users to learning
objects.
Work Cited
51
Dagobert Soergel. 1997. ―An Information Science Manifesto.‖ American Society for Information Science Award
of Merit Acceptance Speech. Washington, D.C. Nov. 5 1997. Retrieved Dec. 12, 2006, at
http://www.dsoergel.com/cv/B64.pdf.
52
John D. Shank. 2003. ―The emergence of learning objects: the reference librarian’s role.‖ Research Strategies.
Vol. 19., Iss. 3-4, p. 193. The term referitory was first coined by Carl Berger.
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Jill Detrick Metadata Final Project
Baca. Mutha. Web page tagging guidelines. Retrieved Dec. 14 2006, at
http://courses.gseis.ucla.edu/file.php/107/464Fall2006Documents/WebPageTaggingGuidelines.pd
f
Garret, Jesse James. (2000). ―The Elements of the User Experience.‖ Retrieved Dec. 14, 2006, at
http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/asist/news/journal/articles/elements.pdf.
Godby, Carol Jean. 2004. What do application profiles reveal about the Learning Object
Metadata Standard? Retrieved November 1, 2006, at http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue41/godby/.
―IEEE Learning Object Metadata RDF binding‖ retrieved December 3, 2006, at
http://kmr.nada.kth.se/el/ims/md-lomrdf.html.
―Ontology for Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) of Federal
Geographic Data Committee (FGDC)‖ retrieved December 2, 2006, at
http://loki.cae.drexel.edu/~wbs/ontology/fgdc-csdgm.htm.
Qin, Jian and Javier C. Prado. ―The Semantic and Syntactic Model of Metadata‖ retrieved
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Qin, Jian et al. 2004. Ontological Representation of Learning Objects: Building Interoperable
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Soergel, Dagobert. 1997. ―An Information Science Manifesto.‖ American Society for
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Retrieved Dec. 12, 2006, at http://www.dsoergel.com/cv/B64.pdf.
Shank, John D. 2003. ―The emergence of learning objects: the reference librarian’s role.‖
Research Strategies. Vol. 19., Iss. 3-4, p. 193.
Tauberer, Joshua. (2006). ―What is RDF?‖ Retrieved December 3, 2006, at
http://www.xml.com/pub/a/2001/01/24/rdf.html
Ya-ning Chen et. al. 2005. Metadata for K9 e-learning in Taiwan : an application profile
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