JISC

EnCoRe is a partnership between the Library and Learning Resources(LLR) and the Centre for Educational Development and Media (CEDM) at the University of Derby and Openly Informatics.

In UDEL - the University of Derby Electronic Library - Derby has probably the largest collection of copyright-cleared locally digitised readings in UK Higher Education to supplement an extensive range of (mainly) web based electronic information sources.

DEPOT (Derby Platform for Online Teaching),our in-house Virtual Learning Environment, is maturing with high use and almost 500 modules using technology support.

Openly Informatics, an American company that has developed a commercial electronic linking package, 1Cate (One click access to everything) will be helping the further development, integration and useability of electronic resources within an educational context.

Aim

The aim of the project is to enable both staff and students to access the wide range of internal and external electronic resources currently available in ways that are simple and intuitive. Further, to support the personalisation and enhanced functionality of these resources for academic and educational purposes.

Objectives

• To develop innovative tools allowing the creation of enriched interactive learning resources to be devolved to academics
• To enrich the pedagogic potential of electronic learning resources through the provision of structured online support
• To encourage a holistic institutional view of resources covering a range of types and formats
• To make a significant contribution to NISO’s development of OpenURL standards incorporating pedagogic and Learning Object dimensions

Project Design

The work to be undertaken includes:

• development of an Oracle database structure for digital libraries based on an OpenURL framework
• definition of OpenURL descriptors for new categories of resource such as lecture notes, multi-media objects etc. incorporating Dublin Core standards
• development of a sophisticated research bookmarking toolkit with integral seamless search of both internal and compliant external collections
• a report on the technical issues and application of emerging OpenURL standards

Deliverables

• A generic toolkit which can be used by other HEI's to link digital library and VLE/MLE development based on Open URL standards
• An Oracle database file and series of scripts to interface with the database
• Contribution to NISO's development of Open URL standards in consultation with Openly Informatics.

http://www.openly.com 1 Click Access To Everything