Resource Synergy

Improving the discovery of quality resources to support and information-dense learning environment

Albert Ip, Technical Consultant to Higher Education, Education Network Australia (EdNA)[HREF 1] <http://www.edna.edu.au/>, University of Melbourne , Parkville, 3052. albert@DLS.au.com

Michael Currie, EdNA Higher Education Project Manager, Dept of Information Systems , University of Melbourne [HREF 2] http://www.unimelb.edu.au, Parkville, 3052. m.currie@dis.unimelb.edu.au

Prof. Iain Morrison, Dept of Information Systems [HREF 3] http://www.dis.unmelb.edu.au, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3052. i.morrison@dis.unimelb.edu.au

Keywords

metadata, subject gateways, interoperability, learning environments, NEF resources, resource discovery

Abstract

This paper analyses the resources currently used in information-dense learning environments and identifies a growing use of resources beyond those created specifically for education. This highlights a limitation of current metadata standardisation efforts which concentrate on educational resources. After describing the search process in terms of a specific data model, it describes subject gateways and their role in the collection and discovery of quality resources.

The paper promotes collaboration between subject gateways to achieve a distributed collection of high quality resources in order to support an information-dense learning environment and addresses issues of interoperability and autonomy. Based on the recognition of the value of subject gateways, the authors set out four levels of collaboration and propose a path to achieve such goals.