Learning object repository

Definition

• A learning object repository enables educators to share, manage and use educational resources. A more narrow definition would also require that repositories implement a metadata standard

• A Learning Object Repository is storing content/assets/resources as well as their metadata record. ( EdTechPost Glossary )

See also:

• learning objects repositories (A list of such repositories)
• LCMS (learning content management systems, usually include a repository).

Standards

• Learning object repositories rely firstly on metadata standards such as Dublin Core or the IMS/IEEE Learning Object Metadata Standard (LOM).

• Usually such repositories a programmed as web application (webserver, database and scripting language) such as the LAMP combo. There are also initiatives to standardize web services associated with a server.

Discussion

See also the learning object article. Basically there are three main problems:

• It is difficult to de-contextualize / re-contextualize knowledge. If the chunk is too big it can't be adapted to specialized / local needs, if it's too small it will not really be a reusable learning/teaching object on its own.
• People hate filling in repositories and the only way to get there is either pay someone or force everyone. But the situation can be eased with very good tools that "prefill" contents according to the profile of the person that made or uses a resource. See: Cancore's Learning Object Metadata Editors
• Many decision makers believe that education in the third world could be improved by providing teachers with a lot of free materials. Certainly, free and fast access to any information is a good thing. But DSchneider thinks that such initiatives may hinder the developpment of a local elite. In order to be a good teacher, a teacher must construct himself knowledge that he teachers, in order to be a good educator he should have control over the knowledge taught. In order to achieve world class, teachers must learn that it is not contents that make the differences, but creative pedagogical scenarios based on creative instructional design models. Divide is not mainly digital, but pedagocial ....

Software to build your own

Repository software

• DSPACE is a dublin-core based document repository, but can also be used to store learning objects.

• Fedora. “This source software gives organizations a flexible service-oriented architecture for managing and delivering their digital content.”

Metadata editors

• Cancore's Learning Object Metadata Editors (editors for Metadata)

• The Reload project offers Relod editor, a IMS/SCORM compatible Medata and Content Packaging editor.

Links

• See learning objects repositories for a list of links to repositories

• [http://www.edclicks.com/openCourseware/aboutOpenCourseware.html The Emergence Online

of Open Content Courseware], by Judy Breck, Roman Education February 2006.