Exploring Metadata: eCat and University Documents.

This report, Evaluation of eCat’s metadata, was an exercise I did a little while ago while I was evaluating eCat. eCat follows LOM to certain extent but use IMS Learning Resource Meta-data Specification to describe the metadata in the metadata file. First I documented the links between elements of eCat’s interface and the metadata produced to identify how it was organised. Next I looked at various sources of university documents and systems and assessed which metadata fields could be populated by them. Final I briefly discussed the possible ways this could be captured in a software application. Final I used a set of university documents from lecture to department level and manually identified appropriate keywords.

 

Rerelease Metadata Interface Prototypes using DENIM

A couple of months back we released some interfaces for discussion/feedback and used the Gabbeh tool to design and present them. As this was a prototype we have had a few technical problems. At the Emerge meeting in York we had some interest in the parent tool to Gabbeh, Denim. This is a more stable version, and while it does not have the comments feature we liked so much in Gabbeh it does provided a whole host of features for interface design. In light of this we decided to re-release the prototypes as Denim files available here. To accompany this we have also produced a questionnaire as a means of feedback. Please enter the code ECAT9 when completing the questionnaire.

 

This week … reviewing repositories

This week I have been mostly been … reviewing repositories. Three of the repository demos were held this week; unfortunately I missed one of them. Of the three that I have thus far attended I found the search facilities associated with them their weakest point. Demos have been focused on document upload and site customisation. Each had its own unique features, from social bookmarking to embedding the search interface in other web based applications. Currently in the process of writing a report on each, for those of you who have been unable to attend. This should be our in the next week or so. Two more demos will be presented in the coming week. 

 

The second eCat workshop was also held this week, with a strong turn out. Meg indicated that it had gone well. I attend the end of the session to promote the Evaluation Questionnaire which went live on Thursday. So far one participant has completed this. The next workshop is on February 19th, 9.00am – 10.30am, GJ110. For those of you who experienced eCat or using search facilities (any) please feel free to complete those parts of the questionnaire. Please enter the code SPM01 (for streamline project members) so I can identify you from other participants. Thanks. 

 

The Emerge project meeting is happening at the end of this coming week. Janet and I are put together a poster for promoting the Streamline project. In the coming week I will be focused on completing the repository evaluations.

Moodle continued…

Just back from the Christmas break this week, so have been mainly catching up on emails, and reviewing current position of everything. The Moodle look and feel was completed before Christmas now we need to finish off some of the functionality. The search facilities need to be enhanced, backed by user input. This will be one of my main foci in the next couple of months.

It occurred to me that while we are doing this for our own repository, it might be possible, with a little more effort, to make this an official Moodle plug-in. I think this has been mentioned before. Some of the functionality needs to be made configurable by site managers, and some help documentation needs to be put together. The rest of the work needs to be done for our own use, so there’s not much needed to make this a releasable product. Since part of our brief is personal resource management this might fit well. As far as I can find there is only one other repository based plug-in for Moodle. This links Moodle to a second server-based application know as Door. More details are available in the Moodle Review report. Feedback on this would be welcome.

I have also been working on a survey on learning objects and metadata for the participants of Meg’s eCat workshops, due to start on Tuesday 15th. Finally I have been preparing a set of questions/criteria to evaluate the six repository demos that are taking place as part of the Leeds Met JISC Repository startup project over the next week or so. The first one was held yesterday via audio conference it was very interesting. I will be reporting on each of the demos and will add documents here as they are ready.

Gabbeh Prototypes

As part of the development process we have been looking into how auto-metadata could improve eCat’s interface. This has been a two way process as the examination of eCat’s current interface has supported the development of ideas for the auto-metadata generation. From this several paper prototypes, focusing on the interface, have been designed.

We have used a new tool developed by Amirmohammad Naghsh called Gabbeh. This extends the prototyping tool Denim by enable collaborative users to add comments to the interface designs. The zip file Gabbeh_Prototypes.zip contains the Gabbeh application, instructions and three paper prototypes. You will also  need to download the Denim tool. Please feel free to download and add comments to the prototype. Instructions on how to unpack, use and return your comments are included.

eCat Workshops

eCat workshops have been organised for Leeds Metropolitan University staff on the following dates:

• Tuesday 15 January 2008

• Tuesday 19 February 2008

• Tuesday 13 May 2008

Time: 9.00am – 10.30am.

Venue: Headingley Campus , James Graham Building room 110. 

See this document for more details. 

Booking forms available here.