DLNET: Learning Objects for Practicing Engineering

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DLNET Learning Objects for Practicing
Engineering

• Saifur Rahman, Alexandria Research Institute,
  Yonael Teklu, Alexandria Research Institute,
• Peter Wiesner, IEEE

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Digital Library Network for Engineers and
Technology DLNET

• PURPOSE
• Promotes lifelong learning amongst the
  engineering community
• Provides platform for hosting engineering and
  technology related content
• Is targeted at the practicing engineer and
  technologist.
• Provides tools for collecting reviewing,
  validating and cataloguing new materials.
• Provides a portal through which contents can be
  both viewed and accessed

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About DLNET

• A repository of "Learning Objects" (LOs) as well
  as a platform for information discovery,
  interaction, content-building and distribution
  that will support pedagogy and learning in
  Engineering and Technology.
• Funded by the National Science Digital Library
  (NSDL) initiative of the National Science
  Foundation
• A collaborative effort of four institutions
  ASEE, IEEE, Iowa State University (ISU) and
  Virginia Tech
• The Alexandria Research Institution (ARI) of
  Virginia Tech provides overall management and
  coordination with NSDL

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Status of DLNET

• DLNET site and downloadable tools for creating
  metadata records and packaging content
  completed
• Staff at IEEE and Virginia Tech ARI are
  populating site with contents
• Solicitations for content to IEEE distinguished
  lectures and other content providers
• Coordination with Open Archives Initiative by
  allowing OAI to harvest metadata.
• Beta testing of packaging tools in progress
• On-going upgrades and Publication of second
  generation of tools and DLNETsite
• Goal 1,000 learning objects by 2002

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About NSDL

• An integrated digital library serving the
  collective needs of the broad STEM educational
  communityNetwork of learning resources and
  environments.
• A digital learning place that encourages and
  supports users in their efforts to create,
  discover, explore, and interact with digital
  resources
• NSDL consists of a federation of digital
  libraries and collections in all aspects of STEM.
  
• Collaboration through a Core Integration System
  (CIS) for governance and common specifications
  regarding technologies and services for
  interoperability, communication, and collections
  management.

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DLNET Collections Scope

• DLNET is a peer-reviewed repository of Learning
  Objects" and platform for information discovery,
  interaction, content-building and distribution
  that will support pedagogy and learning in
  engineering and technology.
• DLNET aims to (a) facilitate lifelong-learning
  essential to the professional development of
  practicing engineers and technologists, and (b)
  support innovative pedagogical approaches that
  will benefit students and educators.
• DLNET provides upated taxonomy and tools to
  enable engineers to submit content

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DLNET Collections Areas/Categorization

• Engineering and technology areas such as
• Aeronautical and Aerospace, Bioengineering,
  Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Environmental,
  Industrial and Systems, Materials Science and
  Engineering, Mechanical, and Mining.
• Subject areas common to all engineering such as
• Information and Communication Technologies,
  Computational Methods, Engineering Education and
  Professional Development have been included.
• Content materials in other engineering and
  technology areas
• Management, education, project management

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Taxonomy

• A three-level listing from general to particular.
  
• Taxonomy, patterned after INSPEC, is designed for
  web use
• Evolves depending on submissions and usage
• Each level in the taxonomy has been assigned a
  unique ID used throughout DLNET.

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Taxonomy 3 levels

• A learning resource about Distribution
  Transformers is placed in the DLNET taxonomy
  under
• ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING  
•             
• ENERGY AND POWER SYSTEMS 
• SUBSTATIONS, SWITCHGEAR AND TRANSFORMERS

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Definition of Learning Object

• Definition
• A learning object (LO) is defined as a
  structured electronic resource that encapsulates
  high quality information in a manner that
  facilitates pedagogy. It has a stated objective
  and a designated audience. It has ownership and
  associated intellectual property.
• Learning Objects can include text, streaming a-v,
  graphs, applets, course modules, databases,
  simulations, equation editors, etc

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Characteristics of LO

• Learning
• The LO as an independent entity i.e. as an
  individual topic
• Ad-hoc learning via progressive traversing of LOs
  
• Object
• The electronic resources - the actual physical
  files
• Analogous to objects used in object-oriented
  modeling (OOM)
• Ownership
• The intellectual property of the LO
• Gaining recognition, feedback via peer-review and
  wide distribution of the content
• Quality
• Pedagogical effectiveness
• Subject matter accuracy
• Production value appropriateness
• Proper technical behavior

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LO Development Tool

• Three Tasks
• Metadata collection
• Provide well defined fields where user can enter
  the data.
• Two options user direct input or pre-defined
  fields
• Resource Validation
• Verify the structural integrity of the resource
• Web-based LO
• Non-web (browser supported) LO
• Content Packaging
• Bundles together the two components in a
  prescribed fashions to allow convenience of
  re-use and delivery
• Standards IMS Metadata (v1.2) and Content
  Packaging (v1.1.1)

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Tool Programming and Interface

• Hardware/Software
• JAVA client-based application (operating system
  independent code)
• Steps in LO Creation using the Tool

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DLNET Website and HW/SW

• Hardware/Software
• Core server-side functionality is provided using
  java components such as java Beans, Servlets and
  JSP technologies hosted by a java servlet engine
  provided by apache (Tomcat).

Submit the LO for review and distribution via
logging in to the DLNET website
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Summary of DLNET Features

• Taxonomy three tiered for browsing, classifying
  learning objects, determining areas of interest
• Hosting of LO object or URL
• Complete Package Interchange File (PIF) conforms
  IMS/IEEE P1484
• Downloadable tools for packaging
• Online peer review process
• My DLNET Page ability to track ones own
  transactions (downloads, uploads, reviews)
• Portal conforms to NSDL requirements
• Compliance with OAI (Open Archives Initiative)
  Protocols for Metadata Harvesting

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Future

• Enriching the collection
• Link to other Engineering Collections
• Annotated User Reviews
• Process for updating taxonomy
• User education (I.e. online searching)
• Pathfinders