Metadata, Objects and Metadata, Objects and Repositories:Repositories:

Educational Steps Toward Educational Steps Toward the the

Semantic WebSemantic Web

Terry Anderson Ph.D.Terry Anderson Ph.D.Canada Research Chair in Canada Research Chair in

Distance EducationDistance EducationAthabasca UniversityAthabasca University

Terrya@athabascau.caTerrya@athabascau.ca

GCCCE/NEIF 2002 Conference

Beijing PRC, June 2002

Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview

Two examples of “deep tagging”Two examples of “deep tagging” Need for dramatic improvements in Need for dramatic improvements in

educationeducation Agents and educational interactionAgents and educational interaction Metadata and RepositoriesMetadata and Repositories Educational Modeling LanguagesEducational Modeling Languages

Context – Athabasca Context – Athabasca UniversityUniversity

* Athabasca University

Largest Open University in Canada

Individualized and Open instruction

Moving to fully web based

Experiments in Musical Experiments in Musical Intelligence (EMI)Intelligence (EMI)

David Cope Professor, David Cope Professor, University of California Santa University of California Santa CruiseCruise

Many compositions by himself Many compositions by himself and 3 CD’s and online and 3 CD’s and online compositions “in the style of compositions “in the style of …”…”

See See http://arts.ucsc.edu/faculty/cophttp://arts.ucsc.edu/faculty/cope/Emmy.htmle/Emmy.html

A second example of A second example of ‘deep tagging’‘deep tagging’

Latent Semantic Analysis - Latent Semantic Analysis - http://lsa.colorado.edu/http://lsa.colorado.edu/

With a commercial application that With a commercial application that marks essays: http://www.knowledge-marks essays: http://www.knowledge-technologies.com/technologies.com/

Or marks summaries: Or marks summaries: http://lsa.colorado.edu/summarystreet/http://lsa.colorado.edu/summarystreet/

Have we already achieved Have we already achieved educational perfection?educational perfection?

Need for Educational Need for Educational ReformReform

Life-long learning imperative –Life-long learning imperative –education is not just for the youngeducation is not just for the young

Escalation of global problemsEscalation of global problems Economics of formal education – Economics of formal education –

Is knowledge only for the Is knowledge only for the rich?rich?

Current System for Course Current System for Course Content Management Is Not Content Management Is Not

Working!Working!• What has happened to the innovation projects of the What has happened to the innovation projects of the

1990’s?1990’s?• Too many sites, too many pages, too little reuseToo many sites, too many pages, too little reuse• No indexing according to pedagogical applicationNo indexing according to pedagogical application• Poor retrieval of non-text based contentPoor retrieval of non-text based content• Unresolved issues of trust, quality, identity, ownershipUnresolved issues of trust, quality, identity, ownership• Reusing content created down the hall is a challenge - Reusing content created down the hall is a challenge -

much less that from around the globemuch less that from around the globe• Materials are only accessible via databases that must Materials are only accessible via databases that must

be searched separately (silos) or that present access be searched separately (silos) or that present access restrictionsrestrictions

Need a new set of powerful, distributed Need a new set of powerful, distributed creation, repurposing and delivery toolscreation, repurposing and delivery tools

Education is also about Education is also about InteractionInteraction

Learner

Teacher Content

Educational Interactions

Learner /teacher

Teacher / content.

Teacher / teacher Content / content

Learner / learner

Learner /content

From Teacher and Student From Teacher and Student Interaction Interaction

To Content InteractionTo Content Interaction

Content is reuseable, scalable and Content is reuseable, scalable and accessibleaccessible

Moore’s Law and Metcalfe’s laws both Moore’s Law and Metcalfe’s laws both work to augment capacity of content to be work to augment capacity of content to be become cheaper, more accessible, more become cheaper, more accessible, more engaging and pedagogically powerfulengaging and pedagogically powerful

Need for underlying structure or theory to Need for underlying structure or theory to aide in constructing educational aide in constructing educational experiencesexperiences

From Human Interaction to Agent Assisted Interaction

Learner

Teacher Content

.

6.

Teacher Agents:•24 hour a day assistants

Content Agents:•Managing and updating

Learner Agents:•Focused on assisting individual learning

What is an Agent?:What is an Agent?: AutonomousAutonomous Goal orientatedGoal orientated Self startingSelf starting Operates more or less continuouslyOperates more or less continuously Human like personalityHuman like personality Communicative abilitiesCommunicative abilities AdaptableAdaptable Mobile or network enabled Mobile or network enabled

From Thaiupathump, C., Bourne, J., & Campbell, O. From Thaiupathump, C., Bourne, J., & Campbell, O. (1999). (1999).

Student AgentsStudent Agents

Supports many of the traditional Supports many of the traditional students tasks of scheduling, students tasks of scheduling, searching, editing etc.searching, editing etc.

Making collaborative work effective Making collaborative work effective in an anytime/anyplace contextin an anytime/anyplace context

Example Example I-Help I-Help system system from from University of SaskatchewanUniversity of Saskatchewan

http://www.cs.usask.ca/i-help

Content AgentsContent Agents

Update and refresh contentUpdate and refresh content Manage intellectual property rightsManage intellectual property rights

The The Open Digital Rights Language (ODRL) Open Digital Rights Language (ODRL) http://odrl.net/ “http://odrl.net/ “The ODRL is a vocabulary for the The ODRL is a vocabulary for the expression of terms and conditions over digital content expression of terms and conditions over digital content including permissions, constraints, obligations, including permissions, constraints, obligations, conditions,offers and agreements with rights holders.”conditions,offers and agreements with rights holders.”

Repair and protect contentRepair and protect content

Teacher AgentsTeacher Agents

Marking, managing, tutoring, guiding Marking, managing, tutoring, guiding coordinating, schedulingcoordinating, scheduling

Inserting new content into course Inserting new content into course web site, notifying and updating as web site, notifying and updating as necessarynecessary

Tracking developments in both Tracking developments in both discipline and scholarship of teachingdiscipline and scholarship of teaching

Hietala, Pentti. (1996) A prototype for a social learning system with intelligent agentshttp://www.uta.fi/~ph/papers/EuroAIED96/node3.html

BUT….BUT….Agents cannot work Agents cannot work

effectively in an effectively in an unstructured domainunstructured domain

Structuralists

Presentationalists

Web as meaningful, semantic information

Web as Display and Experience

The Semantic WebThe Semantic Web• se·man·ticse·man·tic “of or relating to meaning” “of or relating to meaning”• Term coined by Tim Berners-Lee (inventor of the WWW) Term coined by Tim Berners-Lee (inventor of the WWW)

in 1998 - see in 1998 - see www.w3c.orgwww.w3c.org or Scientific America article or Scientific America article• Adds structured meanings and organization to the Adds structured meanings and organization to the

navigational and formatting data of the current webnavigational and formatting data of the current web• Goal is to make web space understandable and Goal is to make web space understandable and

navigable by both humans and agentsnavigable by both humans and agents• Minimum 10 year projectMinimum 10 year project• Aids locating, accessing, querying, processing and Aids locating, accessing, querying, processing and

exchanging data across a distributed heterogeneous exchanging data across a distributed heterogeneous networknetwork

• Based on formalized ontology’sBased on formalized ontology’s

OntologyOntology• A set of concepts - such as things, A set of concepts - such as things,

events, and relations - that are specified events, and relations - that are specified in some way … in order to create an in some way … in order to create an agreed-upon vocabulary for exchanging agreed-upon vocabulary for exchanging information (Whatis.com, 2001)information (Whatis.com, 2001)

• Metadata is an instance of a defined or Metadata is an instance of a defined or implicit ontologyimplicit ontology

• See www.semanticweb.orgSee www.semanticweb.org

From the “big picture” at www.semanticweb.org

The Educational Experience The Educational Experience and the Semantic weband the Semantic web

Step one - Learning ObjectsStep one - Learning Objects

Learning Objects DefinitionLearning Objects Definition

any entity, digital or non-digital, that can any entity, digital or non-digital, that can be used, re-used, or referenced during be used, re-used, or referenced during technology supported learning technology supported learning IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee

Any digital resource that can be reused to support learning. David Wiley (2000)

Why Why LLearning earning OObjects?bjects?

• distribution; distribution; distribution

• COST: 1000s of colleges have common course topics

• Large numbers of courses are going online

• World does not need 1000s of similar learning topics

(From Downes, 2000)

•First step towards an educational semantic web

Design courses &

programs as collections of

learning objects –

correct granularity

• Reusable: modular, granularReusable: modular, granular• Discoverable: tagged for search and retrievableDiscoverable: tagged for search and retrievable• Assessable: pedagogical purposeAssessable: pedagogical purpose• Interoperable: cross-platformInteroperable: cross-platform

Vs. Password-protected web-based courses & CD-ROMSVs. Password-protected web-based courses & CD-ROMS

See http://www.careo.org/documents/objects.htmlSee http://www.careo.org/documents/objects.html

Need to Develop and Need to Develop and Use Applications That Use Applications That

Are:Are:

Learning Object?Learning Object?• ContentContent

• Pedagogical purpose; Pedagogical purpose; to support learning to support learning about:about:

• ParisParis• 18391839• Urban environmentsUrban environments• ArchitectureArchitecture• Louis DaguerreLouis Daguerre• PhotographyPhotography• DaguerreotypesDaguerreotypes

Granularity: an object can be a course, unit, lesson, image, Web page, exercise, multimedia clip, etc. but it must have a specified pedagogical purpose/context

What is educational What is educational metadata?metadata?

““ data about data”data about data” Structured classification scheme to Structured classification scheme to

describe, format, retrieve, relate and describe, format, retrieve, relate and present content or learning objects present content or learning objects

Past – library card catalogPast – library card catalog Current - IMS, Dublin Core, CanCoreCurrent - IMS, Dublin Core, CanCore Future – Deep tagging and Future – Deep tagging and

Educational Modeling LanguagesEducational Modeling Languages

The CanCore Metadata The CanCore Metadata SolutionSolution

• Systematic indexing of resourcesSystematic indexing of resources• Designed specifically for educatorsDesigned specifically for educators• Simplified applicationSimplified application• Records interchangeable between projects, Records interchangeable between projects,

institutions, provinces, and nationsinstitutions, provinces, and nations

Metadata: early exampleMetadata: early example

Challenges of MetaData Deployment

• Multilingual: French, English, world Multilingual: French, English, world languageslanguages

• Unique identifiers; versioning Unique identifiers; versioning • subject terms and common subject terms and common

vocabulary – defining the ontology!vocabulary – defining the ontology!• Who creates records?Who creates records?

CanCore:CanCore:Canadian Educational Canadian Educational

Metadata specification Metadata specification Elements and vocabularies for: Elements and vocabularies for:

• General educational level: primary, secondary, etc.General educational level: primary, secondary, etc.• Specific age, grade, yearSpecific age, grade, year• Application type: simulation, test, etc.Application type: simulation, test, etc.

Looking to leverage emerging consensus on subject and Looking to leverage emerging consensus on subject and curriculum frameworkscurriculum frameworks• e.g. Western Canadian Protocole.g. Western Canadian Protocol• Campus Alberta, Canadian Virtual UniversityCampus Alberta, Canadian Virtual University

• Developed by Alberta and New Brunswick researchers Developed by Alberta and New Brunswick researchers see www.cancore.orgsee www.cancore.org

CanCoreCanCore• 36 elements36 elements• Thoroughly explicatedThoroughly explicated• Ambiguities Ambiguities

eliminated or clarifiedeliminated or clarified• Intended specifically Intended specifically

for implementationfor implementation

IMSIMS• 86 elements86 elements• Few explanations or Few explanations or

recommendationsrecommendations• AmbiguitiesAmbiguities• Un-implementableUn-implementable

Specification Based on IMS/IEEE Metadata Specification

So How do we learn to all driveSo How do we learn to all drive on the same side of the road?on the same side of the road?

Interchangeable and Interchangeable and Searchable RecordsSearchable Records

XML formatting, standard XML formatting, standard transmission protocolstransmission protocols

CANCOREDatabase

IMS database<xml><author> Smith, Joe</author><title>Pendulum applet</title></xml>Dublin Core

database

Learning Management Learning Management System IntegrationSystem Integration

CANCOREMetaDataRepository

XML RPC

WebCT, BlackBoard etc

Content

Learning Object Learning Object RepositoriesRepositories

A collection of learning objects accessible via a A collection of learning objects accessible via a network without prior knowledge of the network without prior knowledge of the structure of the collection (Friesen, 2001)structure of the collection (Friesen, 2001)• Web access and formalized descriptionWeb access and formalized description• Supports functions of searching, storing and Supports functions of searching, storing and

sharing metadata records, preferably using sharing metadata records, preferably using standard protocolsstandard protocols

• Metadata and objects do not have to be stored Metadata and objects do not have to be stored together; together;

• Many repositories down to the desktop level using Many repositories down to the desktop level using P2PP2P

Canadian Repository Canadian Repository Solutions for EducatorsSolutions for Educators

www.cancore.cawww.cancore.ca

•

www.careo.orgwww.careo.org

aloha.netera.aloha.netera.caca

www.edusplash.net

Merlot’s ContributionMerlot’s Contribution

 • Apply peer review process to assessment of learning objects

• To exercise control over quality of objects collected in the repository

• Include assessments of all aspects (scholarly, technological and pedagogical) of learning object

• Encourage participation of community members through creation of a formalized review/reward process

Peer Review, Reward and Support

http://www.merlot.org

Moving Beyond ObjectsMoving Beyond Objects

Education is not contentEducation is not content Coding and classifying interactions, contexts Coding and classifying interactions, contexts

and presence necessary to fully describe the and presence necessary to fully describe the teaching/learning transactionteaching/learning transaction

““A lot of learning does not come from A lot of learning does not come from knowledge resources at all, but stems from knowledge resources at all, but stems from the activities of learners solving problems, the activities of learners solving problems, interacting with real devices and interacting in interacting with real devices and interacting in their social and work situation” Koper, 2001their social and work situation” Koper, 2001

Back to “deep tagging”Back to “deep tagging”

Cognitive PresenceCognitive Presence

Social PresenceSocial Presence Teaching PresenceTeaching Presence

Educational Educational ExperienceExperience

Theoretical Model: Model of Critical Inquiry in CMC Context – Theoretical Model: Model of Critical Inquiry in CMC Context – Garrison, Anderson and Archer (2,000) www.atl.ualberta.ca/cmcGarrison, Anderson and Archer (2,000) www.atl.ualberta.ca/cmc

Community of Inquiry Model

Can Machines code beyond Can Machines code beyond the trivialthe trivial

Assessing latent content through Assessing latent content through neural netsneural nets

McKlin, Harmon, Evans and Jones (2002) Cognitive Presence in Web-Based Learning:  A Content Analysis of Students’ Online Discussions

http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/paper60/paper60.htmpaper60/paper60.htm

Moving Beyond ObjectsMoving Beyond Objects

How can educational content be How can educational content be “decontextualized’?“decontextualized’?

How can you evaluate an educational object How can you evaluate an educational object outside of this context?outside of this context?

Need for a structure, compatible with the Need for a structure, compatible with the Semantic web that defines actors, roles, Semantic web that defines actors, roles, objectives, evaluation and other components of objectives, evaluation and other components of educational contexteducational context

“ To be re-useable a Shareable Content Object should be independent of learning context so that it may be re-used in different learning experiences” SCORM

Server

•

Sharable ContentObjects from across the

World Wide Web

Assembled in real-time, on-

demand

To provide learning and assistance

anytime, anywhere

ADL – SCORM VisionADL – SCORM Vision

Server

Educational Modeling Educational Modeling LanguagesLanguages

““ a semantic rich model and binding describing a semantic rich model and binding describing the content and processes within ‘units of the content and processes within ‘units of learning’ from a pedgagogical perspective” learning’ from a pedgagogical perspective” CEN/ISSCEN/ISS

Most popular developed by Rob Koper at the Most popular developed by Rob Koper at the Dutch Open UniversityDutch Open University

See http://eml.ou.nlSee http://eml.ou.nl Basic unit moves from a learning object to the Basic unit moves from a learning object to the

“unit of study”“unit of study” To be endorsed by IMS Learning Design To be endorsed by IMS Learning Design

working groupworking group

Characteristics of an EMLCharacteristics of an EMLKoper, 2001Koper, 2001

FormalismFormalism Pedagogical flexibilityPedagogical flexibility Integrate learning objectsIntegrate learning objects CompletenessCompleteness ReproducibilityReproducibility PersonalizationPersonalization Medium neutralMedium neutral InteroperableInteroperable distributabledistributable

eml.ou.nl/introduction/docs/ped-metamodel.pdf

EML Unit of Study Model (Koper, 2001)

EML expressed as XML (Koper, 2001

Expressing EMLExpressing EML

Through a learning management Through a learning management systemsystem

Through printouts of components like Through printouts of components like activity or content for either teacher activity or content for either teacher or studentor student

Through a repository of units of studyThrough a repository of units of study Through a purpose built EML Through a purpose built EML

environment like http://fle3.uiah.fi/environment like http://fle3.uiah.fi/

ConclusionConclusion We have a great deal to learn about We have a great deal to learn about

learninglearning ‘‘deep tagging’ and other ways of adding deep tagging’ and other ways of adding

semantic knowledge to educational semantic knowledge to educational processes allows:processes allows: Systematic data collectionSystematic data collection Theory developmentTheory development Automation and agent useAutomation and agent use Reuse and cost efficienciesReuse and cost efficiencies

Thank you for your time and attentionThank you for your time and attentionYour comments and questions???

TerryA@Athabascau.ca

References References

• Hodgins, H. W. (2000). The future of learning objects. In D. A. Wiley (Ed.), The Instructional Use of Learning Objects: http://reusability.org/read/

• Koper, R. (2001). Modeling units of study from a pedagogical perspective: The pedagogical meta-model behind the EML Heerlen, Open University of the Netherlands. Available online http://eml.ou.nl/introduction.articles.htm

Roschelle, J and Kaput, J. (1996) "Educational software architecture and systemic impact: The promise of component software," Journal of EducationalComputing Research, 14, 217-228

Wiley, D. A. (2000). "Connecting learning objects to instructional design theory: A definition, a metaphor, and a taxonomy," in D. A. Wiley, ed., The Instructional Use of Learning Objects: Online Version. Retrieved May 18, 2001, from the World Wide Web:  http://reusability.org/read/chapters/wiley.dochttp://reusability.org/read/chapters/wiley.doc