cogdogblog: MLX Has Dublin Core Metadata, Now What? Comments and Trackbacks

CDB Entry: MLX Has Dublin Core Metadata, Now What?

Mon, 15 Mar 2004 12:11:24 -0700

I've made some noise here and there about the value of meta-data, not that I do not believe it in it nor do I think it does not exist, but mainly, I have yet to see the applied use beyond...

comment by: David Davies

Mon, 15 Mar 2004 14:06:37 -0700

Alan, metadata beyond the holy trinity of title, description and URL could become important when semi-automated LCMS' are able to pre-assemble learning objects for you based upon some parameters you provide (such as what subject you're interested in, what learning outcomes you're trying to fulfil, what type of course you're on, etc). I say 'could' because there aren't many proofs of this as a concept yet, but it's a logical extension of present LCMS' that are already handling (and aggregating) our learning objects for us. For example, if I had a virtual tutor presenting a simulated patient case to me as part of a medical course, an intelligent LCMS could swap out certain learning objects, such as a patient demographic, and swap in an alternate object. Let's say for example that cultural differences required us to swap a female patient for a male, but the subject of the case remains the same (e.g obesity). An LCMS connected to a repository with suitable metatagged learning objects would know how to swap the male patient for the female, replacing the various assets such as photos, video clips, etc.

We're building this kind of virtual tutor by the way so it's not simply a thought experiment.

comment by: Sarah Currier

Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:09:52 -0700

Hi Alan,

While not using your exact title ;-) , the organisation I used to work for, CETIS, has produced something like the guide you are asking for (and it's free!)... go to:
http://metadata.cetis.ac.uk/guides/
and click on the file "Draft Guide to Metadata". It's a couple of years old now and they never got round to making the draft a final version, but I just scanned it and it is still useful I think.

CETIS is the UK goverment-funded organisation "Centre for Educational Technology Interoperability Standards", and the Draft Guide was produced by one of their Special Interest Groups (SIGs)- the Metadata and Digital Repositories SIG. The CETIS & SIGs sites contain a wealth of information for folks coming at the interoperability thing from all angles (teacher, manager, techie, librarian), the SIG Coordinators (of which I used to be one) are extremely helpful and responsive, and the SIG email lists give you access to feedback and discussion from an international community of people with similar problems and issues.

I'm now working for a digital repository project in higher education, and I have responsibility for metadata issues- we've linked to your blog from ours, so check it out folks (early days yet):
http://storcuram.blogs.com/weblog/

Bye for now
Sarah

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Ms. Sarah Currier
Librarian, St�r C�ram Project
"A Storehouse of Learning Resources for Social Care"
Dept. of Social Work, University of Strathclyde
c/o: Centre for Academic Practice, University of Strathclyde
Graham Hills Building, 50 George Street
Glasgow G1 1QE, Scotland, United Kingdom
Web: http://storcuram.blogs.com/weblog/
St�r C�ram is Gaelic for Storehouse of Care
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