Learning Object Repositories to Support Collaborating Communities Charles Duncan

In the past years ago Collaboration is important because... –It saves time –It propagates good practice –It builds new communities But it was slow and difficult

Now... Collaboration is even more important... –Stimulating new ideas –Integration with new technologies –Huge range of digital formats Much easier with learning object repositories

What is a learning object repository A system supporting a community working together to share and reuse resources for learning Community? – local, institutional, national, international, subject-oriented Share? – reciprocal, cost-free, cost-recover, mixed economy, commercial Reuse? – play, print, modify, annotate, excerpt, aggregate, sell, give Resources? – assets, lessons, activities, designs Learning? – surely we all agree

What is a learning object Assets –Documents, images, videos, Flash, audio Aggregations –Web pages –Aggregations of aggregations: modules Questions/assessments Templates (learning design ideas) …

Do you recognise this? reinventing the wheel can’t find anything can this be used? incompatibility

Using a repository

Repository benefits Support sharing communities Support any digital format –Use any tool for creating learning objects Support any delivery methods –eLearning and Distance Learning –Traditional learning using digital resources Integrate with other tools –Reduce training effort

Implementation So let's have a repository! What do we need to plan? If we set up the software will everyone share? Maybe! What are the human factors? How can people be encouraged? Community Dimensions –

Repository dimensions Single-subject Multiple- institution Single-institution Multiple-subject

Dimensions - repositories Purpose – e.g. for sharing audio-files, or for preservation of institutional educational resources Subject area – e.g. social work, medicine Scope - departmental, institutional, national, or international Educational sector - school, higher education, further education, lifelong learning Contributors - teachers, students, publishers, support staff, funded projects Business model - business, trading and management framework underpinning repository National policy – support for policy initiatives

Dimensions - communities Purpose - shared goal/interest of the community Dialogue - modes of communication, e.g. online, face-to- face, or mixed Roles and responsibilities Coherence - whether the community is close-knit or loosely confederated/transient Context - the broader ecology within which the community exists, e.g. professional bodies, government bodies Rules – e.g. ground rules of conduct, rewards and incentives mechanisms, control of access and use of resources Pedagogy of the community - for example, problem-based learning, collaborative learning

CD-LOR Methodology Workshops and interviews –8 project partners –18 collaborative partners –All experienced in repositories

Repository issues

Community issues

Community issues - 1

Community issues - 2

Key questions – CD-LOR Guidelines Question 1. Why are you setting up a learning object repository? Question 2. How many communities do you serve? Question 3. What is the purpose of the community that the repository will serve? Question 4. Who are the key actors in the community and who, of these, will contribute to the repository? Question 5. What is the pedagogic approach of the community? Question 6. How coherent is the community? Question 7. What are the modes of participation and communication within the community? Question 8. What is the ecology of the community? Question 9. What is the business model of the repository? Question 10. How do you envision the evolution of your LOR?

Some models - 1 Jorum ( –Very large scale (400 institutions) –Exit path for many funded projects –Huge awareness raising activity – very successful –Initial licence model too restrictive –Now adopting more open licence model –Reached 18 month target in 7 months

Some models - 2 IRISS ( –Single-subject: social work –Universities, colleges and professionals –Central content production – very high development standards –Community derived classification –Strong government policy support –Open access component

Some models - 3 NDLR ( –13 communities of practice –Across all universities and colleges in Ireland –Clear rights/licence in place –Communities identify and create resources

Typical Repository Configuration Research outputs/reports Management eLearning ePrintsImagesPrivate VLEOpen access portal Web sitesReporting requirements “Collection” Portal Partner VLEsWikis, Blogs

intraLibrary ecoSystem

intraLibrary Connect – web services

discover - VLEs

discover - Browser search

Discover - Portals

gather – HE Academy

store - Desktop

inform – news reader

inform - Live Bookmarks

inform - iTunes

In a world of choices…

Web Service Conclusions Digital Repositories can –integrate with your existing tools –offer reliable single source access –are easy to search (metadata/classification) –encourage mashups, etc. Open standards –support new uses with existing tools –put power in the hands of the user –are the basis for open access

Some Answers Technological –Mostly solved –Interfaces to other technology vital Community –Develop communities of practice Subject-based Across institutions –Identify need – support development

More Answers Don't make the staff adapt to the technology Make the technology adapt to the staff Help people do their jobs better and they will collaborate with each other

Thank you