The Centre for Technology Interoperability Standards (CETIS) defines metadata as “’data about data’….structured, descriptive information….used to describe an information resource, an image, a collection or a simulation, amongst a multitude of other kinds of resources. Metadata is often compared to a library catalogue record, which is a structured description of an information resource.” (Slater, J., (2002). A Guide to Metadata. CETIS, U.K.. Accessed February 2007).
A useful introduction and overview about education metadata is provided by CETIS, and an introduction to learning object metadata is also provided by the general public on Wikipedia (Please note, however, that this does not necessarily represent the views of Ministry of Education or the New Zealand Government, and the accuracy of the information cannot be guaranteed).
Metadata schema development in New Zealand
The Ministry of Education is currently developing an Education Sector Metadata Schema (ESMS) for New Zealand. This will build on and be aligned with the significant specifications for education metadata that are being developed internationally, to take into account unique New Zealand requirements. Any New Zealand schema will be concerned with ensuring broad interoperability based on open standards. Information about the ESMS project is available here.
Important to note also is a presentation by the Ministry of Education and the National Library titled Metadata in Practice: Defining an Education Sector Metadata Schema for New Zealand (PDF 600kb). Note in particular the Metadata Standards Framework for New Zealand on Page 5 of the presentation.
It is likely that the New Zealand standards for learning resource metadata will utilise work done as part of the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) by their .
Other specifications will also be taken into account for possible alignment. Examples of these include:
The international developments mentioned here are currently focused on bringing about some alignment between them. For instance, IEEE LOM has been mapped to Dublin Core, and the organisations have an agreement in place; similarly IMS’s LRMS has been aligned with IEEE LOM.
Additional metadata schema requirements for NZ may take into account classification systems like the New Zealand Standard Classification of Education (NZSCED).
In addition to ESMS, some other projects and papers are relevant to the consideration of education metadata in New Zealand. Some of these are as follows:
If you know of any other relevant work, in New Zealand or overseas, please let us know by emailing us at feedback.elearn@minedu.govt.nz [no spam].
Finally, it is important to refer to the e-Framework to provide a robust service-oriented framework for e-learning technical development. Of equal significance is the ICT Strategic Framework for Education, which is currently open for consultation.