Pedagogic Metadata

• Published in: Interactive learning environments Vol. 9; no. 3; pp. 207 - 218
• Main Author: Robson, Robby
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 01.12.2001
• ISSN: 1049-4820; 1744-5191
• DOI: 10.1076/ilee.9.3.207.3574

As more and more on-line resources are becoming available, finding ones suitable for specific educational purposes is becoming increasingly difficult. Not only must the subject matter be appropriate and the content be accurate, but the resources must also match the educational level and background of the user. Once a suitable Web site, graphic, applet, or other resource has been located, additional problems must be faced if it is to be integrated into a learning environment. There might be software incompatibilities, legal issues, and questions concerning how it will interface with other components. This article offers a non-technical introduction and overview of metadata, an important and fascinating part of the solution to these problems. It gives the definition and examples of metadata, shows how metadata can help non-experts search for on-line resources, and explains how metadata can assist in the use and re-use of on-line pedagogic materials. It ends with a discussion of learning object metadata, the IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee standard that has recently been accepted by the major pedagogic metadata efforts.