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Contents 1 PSRC/ComPADRE Metadata Overview: 1.1 Purpose 1.2 Structure 1.2.1 Intended User Roles 1.2.2 Resource Types

PSRC/ComPADRE Metadata Overview:

Purpose

"Metadata", for our purposes, is the information about the resources being pointed to in the digital collections of the Physical Sciences Resource Center and the ComPADRE community collections. This is similar to the information in a card catalog of a library. For users to have reliable search access to materials, the metadata must be structured, consistent, and correct. This is the foundation for the services provided by the digital library.

Structure

The following is the current metadata structure for the PSRC. Listed are the metadata fields with a description of each. Below is listed the vocabulary for each field that has a fixed vocabulary. This structure follows an IEEE standard (LOM, sometimes also known as IMS) that is very broad, powerful, and extensible for educational purposes.

Additions to both the field structure and the vocabularies will probably be needed as the ComPADRE collections develop. However, these should be kept as limited as possible for usability purposes. Required items are in bold font.

The following are the Item Metadata Fields as they appear in the ComPADRE Metadata Tagging & Editing Tools. Starred items are available in the general “Choosing” tools to select primary metadata entries for each of the ComPADRE collections. All items featured in a collection will need to have “primary” entries chosen after the metadata tagging is complete and approved.

Field	Descrition	Comments
Language	The language of the information submitted (not the material).	English by default.
General Subject	A general topic of the item, such as Classical Mechanics or Astronomy.	The vocabulary for these items is listed below.
Specific Subject	A more detailed topic of the item. Specific subjects depend upon the General Subject selected.	The vocabulary is listed below for each general subject.
URL	URL of the submitted item.	This is the web address used to find the item.
Title	A title for the item.	Most web pages include a title.
Description	A brief description of the material.	Because users search on this description, it should be accurate but brief.
Intended User Level	The grade level for which the material is appropriate.	This is the class grade where the resource will be in use.
Intended User Role	The type of user who will be directly using the materials.	The vocabulary is listed below, with examples.
Resource Type	The educational usage or type of material, such as curriculum, reference material, or student activity.	This indicates how the material will best be used. The vocabulary is rather detailed.
Format	Digital format of the material, generally the MIME type.	This is standard application types.
Cost	Indicate whether or not there is a cost for use of the item.	Items “May” have a cost depending on use or user.
Restrictions	This is the copyright or other intellectual property rights restrictions on the item.	Most items on the web can be considered to be copyrighted.
Author	The creator or publisher of the item.	Information such as name, address, and email are appreciated.
Info	Further information for the editors.	This might include information to help review the item.

Intended User Roles

Roles of the potential end user for the learning object.

Name	Descrition
Author	Person responsible for development of content to be presented to learners. This is often the content expert.
Designer	Person responsible for the creation and realization of learning objects and/or environments. This is often an instructional designer.
Learner	Students or others involved in obtaining new information, knowledge, or skills.
Manger	Person responsible for managing a group, organization, or association, also educational administrators.
Researcher	Person studying a topic or the learning processes for a topic
Teacher	Person responsible for conducting a class or other instructional setting.

Resource Types

The different types of resources, mainly different usages.

Name	Descrition
Activity	A task or exercise that students are asked to do–often as part of a lesson plan or other larger unit of instruction–to help them develop particular skills, knowledge, or habits of mind.
Animation	The dynamic and visual representation of concepts, models, processes, and/or phenomena that allow users to view, on their own, such processes in space or time. It is distinct from a simulation because a simulation provides control over the process by the user.
Best Practice	The processes, practices, or systems identified in public and private organizations that performed exceptionally well and are widely recognized as improving an organization's performance and efficiency.
Collection	This can be a collection of web sites or a collection of subject specific or multi-subject resources.
Community	Education listservs, websites, and other online communities–forums for exchanging ideas around particular education topics or challenges.
Course	A sequence of instructional units, often a semester long, designed by a teacher (or a faculty or other group of teachers) to advance significantly student skills and knowledge.
Curriculum	Academic standards–the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind students are expected to acquire in particular grade levels (or clusters of grade levels)–and the units of instruction.
Curriculum Support	The equipment, facilities, tools, materials, and personnel available for the teaching of the curriculum.
Data Set	A resource containing only numeric, spatial, spectral, or statistical data. A report of research containing a data set should be assigned the resource type “Research Study.”
Drill and Practice	Activities that require users to respond repeatedly to questions or stimuli presented in a variety of sequences. These exercises allow users to practice on their own and at their own pace.
Educator’s Guide	A guide intended for use by educator's as a supplement to a lesson or unit plan.
Event	A non-persistent, time-based occurrence.
Figure	Figure
Graph	Graph showing data related to a content area.
Image Set	A set of images and photographs of physical objects, paintings, prints, drawings, other images and graphics, animations and moving pictures, film, diagrams, maps, and musical notation.
Laboratory	Materials used in, or to supplement, a physical, hands-on investigation
Lecture/Presentation	Lecture and presentation support materials such as presentation graphics (e.g.PowerPoint slide shows), lecture notes, or audio visual materials that are not intended to be used outside the presentation.
Lesson Plan	A plan for helping students learn a particular set of skills, knowledge, or habits of mind. Often includes student activities as well as teaching ideas, instructional materials, and other resources.
Project	Activities organized around a particular academic topic or challenge in which students participate.
Questionnaire	Questionnaire
Quiz/Test	This can be any assessment device intended to serve as a test or quiz.
Reference	A comprehensive, systematically organized collection of information such as a dictionary, encyclopedia, or almanac. Material similar to that found in the reference area of a library.
Research Study	A resource that reports the results of research. A resource containing only a data set resulting from research should be assigned the resource type “Data Set.”
Serial	Publications in any medium issued in successive parts bearing numerical or chronological designations and intended to be continued indefinitely.
Service	Any online service and/or assistance that functions either as an intermediary between the user and online data and information (e.g., an online question-and answer service such as AskERIC)
Simulation	An activity where users participate in an approximation of a real or imaginary experience where their actions effect the outcome of the activity. Distinct from an “Animation” because if user control.
Study Guide	A guide created to provide students with hints, techniques, or management ideas in a particular area.
Table	Table of data regarding a content area.
Tutorial	Sequentially organized information and activities with specific instructional objectives structured to integrate conceptual presentation, demonstration, practice, and testing to teach specific concept.
Unit of Instruction	A sequence of lesson plans designed to teach a set of skills, knowledge, and habits of mind.