JISC Project success June 4, 2009
Posted by eLearning @ NTU in : News , add a comment“Integrating process and technology development for effective repository management”
Nottingham Trent University has attracted more than a quarter of a million pounds that will enable us to integrate processes and technology to develop effective management of the Learning Object Repository (LOR) in their virtual learning environment, the Nottingham Trent University Online Workspace (NOW).
JISC will support the project for the next two years with £210,000. A further £50,000 in kind has been committed by Desire2Learn who are investing in technical development.
This partnership draws on the work of the University’s LOR Working Group: Helen Adey, Trevor Pull, Jon Tepper, Helen Boulton, Vicki McGarvey, Barry Gregory, Lisa Warburton and Angela Trikic, who have carried out a range of tasks to prepare for the release of the LOR tool in NOW for the 2009-10 academic year.
Dr Trikic, Head of Educational Development, described how, building on the success of the Institutional Repository (IRep), the University is extending repository services to include a wider range of objects associated with learning and teaching. “For example, colleagues from the School of Animal, Rural & Environmental Sciences can look forward to using the LOR for resources being developed to improve science laboratory practical sessions,” Angela explained, adding, “There is a wide number of research methods modules that are delivered by most schools and there is likely to be a common pool of resources that each of these courses use..” Angela described how the LOR can be set up to support sharing across the University to maximise the use of research methods resources and to help reduce duplication of effort.
Programme Handbooks offer another example. Angela: “These are used by a suite of modules. By storing it in the LOR, the learning room for each module can link to the handbook, which will reduce the need for printed copy as well as economising on electronic storage.”
Here are some key highlights of the repository enhancement project:
• further develop the Institutional Repository and embed its use and content population into the life and work of academics at NTU
• collaborate with Desire2Learn to work on the integration of the Learning Object Repository with IRep and external repositories such as Jorum
• tackle metadata mapping and metadata application profiles for the description of different types of content
• develop policies for the sharing and licensing of content within the LOR, the IRep and National Repositories such as JORUM.
Fostering change in academic learning and teaching practice
The project has a significant cultural change goal and aims to promote and enhance content creation, facilitate learning and teaching resource sharing and management. By developing the interface between IRep, the VLE, LOR and external repositories such as JORUM we extend the range of learning and teaching resources that NTU can draw on, improve our capability to re-use and re-purpose these resources and contribute to a global bank of knowledge.
Angela explained that there are many learning and teaching resources currently locked up in personal storage devices, module locations on the VLE, and other less reliable media. “Within NTU there is a wealth of tried and tested resources and our academics are continuously building on this solid base and enhancing their teaching practice. Sharing these resources helps everyone, our academics boost their reputation, our students reap the benefits of a diverse learning experience and the institution is enriched as a whole,” she concluded.
