JISC

The library community is well established and has recognised standards for the way information should be structured and shared, which are used across the community. Whilst virtual learning is relatively new, its growing use in industry and education is now also seeing the emergence of standards for the way online learning materials (including whole courses) should be structured; one such standard is the Shareable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM). Talking Systems will explore the way that a search and retrieval standard developed by the library community can be used to help universities to share SCORM content they are developing in their VLEs.

Aims and Objectives

The overall aim of the project is to explore ways in which online learning materials can be stored in library catalogues that can be searched using a protocol called Z39.50.

The specific objectives are to:

• Create exemplar SCORM-compliant learning objects;
• Catalogue these objects in a library catalogue that has a Z39.50 server conforming to the Bath Profile;
• Identify methods and formats of cataloguing the SCORM objects either as embedded or linked objects.

Project Methdology

The focus of the project is to capitalise on the convergence of the visions that have driven the development of the Bath Profile (for searching databases) and the SCORM (for online learning materials): to be able to share information held on a variety of platforms. This will involve strict compliance to the two standards involved, and a range of ways of integrating learning materials into a library catalogue – from simple hyperlinks, to wholesale transfer of learning materials into a library catalogue.

Implications/Deliverables/Stakeholders

Talking Systems aims to describe a platform-independent means for further and higher education institutions to exchange learning materials developed for use in standards-compliant virtual learning environments. The findings of the project will be shared with the JISC community during a live Webcast, which will also be recorded and subsequently made available for download. As a demonstration of the work of the project, a sample of SCORM-compliant objects will be made available for search and retrieval by other institutions via the Z39.50 server.