1. Learning Object Repositories to Support Collaborating Communities Charles Duncan C.Duncan@intrallect.com

2. In the past... 15 years ago Collaboration is important because... –It saves time –It propagates good practice –It builds new communities But it was slow and difficult

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

4. 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

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

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

7. Using a repository

8. 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

9. 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 –www.academy.gcal.ac.uk/cd-lor/

10. Repository dimensions Single-subject Multiple- institution Single-institution Multiple-subject

11. 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

12. 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

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

14. Repository issues

15. Community issues

16. Community issues - 1

17. Community issues - 2

18. 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? http://www.academy.gcal.ac.uk/cd-lor/documents/CD-LOR_Structured_Guidelines_v1p0_000.pdf

19. Some models - 1 Jorum (www.jorum.ac.uk) –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

20. Some models - 2 IRISS (www.iriss.ac.uk) –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

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

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

23. intraLibrary ecoSystem

24. intraLibrary Connect – web services

25. discover - VLEs

26. discover - Browser search

27. Discover - Portals

28. gather – HE Academy

29. store - Desktop

30. inform – news reader

31. inform - Live Bookmarks

32. inform - iTunes

33. In a world of choices…

34. 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

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

36. 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

37. Thank you C.Duncan@intrallect.com