Creating and Operating a Digital Library for Information

Creating and Operating a Digital Library for Information and Learning– the GROW Project Muniram Budhu Department of Civil Engineering & Engineering Mechanics University of Arizona

TOPICS Ø Brief introduction of NSDL and GROW Ø Digital library model for GROW Ø Conclusions

National Science Digital Library - NSDL Sponsored by the NSF to create a digital learning place for science, mathematics, engineering & technology teaching and learning that encourages and supports users to discover, explore, create & interact with digital resources anyplace- anytime.

A Learning Environment and Resources Network for SMET Education students, educators, life-long learners structured learning materials – all media types search; refer; validate; integrate; create; customize; publish; share; notify; collaborate “The network is the library. ” § Source: Lee Zia 9 -21 -01

NSDL Information Architecture Portals & Clients & Portals Clients NSDL Collections referenced items Special& items & collections Databases collections Source: D. Fulker 9 -21 -01 User Interfaces Core NSDL “Bus” Collection Building Core Collection. Core Services: Core gathering Building Services metadata Collection. Building Services protocols harvesting NSDL Services Other NSDL Services Usage Enhancement Core Services CI Services: CI Services information retrieval CI Services browsing CI Services authentication CI Services personalization discussion annotation

Project Details § The GROW collection: – A portal to civil engineering resources on the web – Hundreds of interactive learning objects created and developed by GROW team members – 24 -hour digital library of reviewed resources § Our audience: – – – K-12 students and teachers Undergraduate and graduate students Professors Civil engineering professionals Lifelong learners

Requirements for Creating and Operating a Digital Library § § § Needs Collection Infrastructure Deployment Evaluation and monitoring

A Digital Library Model Activities • Define need ·Define collection ·Define community ·Estimate staffing ·Identify/obtain funding ·Sustainability Activities • Sources ·Harvest ·Copyright ·Metadata ·Contribution Activities • Testing ·Promotion ·User community COLLECTION NEED DEPLOYMENT INFRASTRUCTURE Activities Software • Metadata ·OAI ·User Services Hardware • Location ·Server ·Storage Activities • Meet needs ·Quality of user services ·Demographics ·Improvements MONITORING/E VALUATION

Project Overview § The Geotechnical, Rock and Water Resources Library (GROW): – First phase of the National Civil Engineering Education Resources Library (NCERL)

GROW’s mission - NEEDS § Provide high-quality educational resources in the § field of civil engineering Meet the learning needs of a diverse audience § Middle and High Schools § Undergraduates § Graduates § Professional engineers § Continuing education for engineers § Life-long learners

Project Uniqueness § Development of Interactive Learning Objects – – Learning styles Expense of physical labs 24 -hour access to learning Appeal of technology § Our challenge: – – Interactive learning objects Easy to use Meet learning objectives Measured learning results

Collection Criteria § § § § Technical accuracy Relevance Pedagogical effectiveness Usability Documentation Enhance learning Robustness/sustainability as a digital resource. Copyright/intellectual property rights

Harvesting Process Search & Retrieve Keywords Check against collection criteria approved Holding bay – email sent to expert approved Metadata added Link inserted on site

Contribution Process

Infrastructure Customized access to content, tools, statistical info Portal Metadata Search engine Indexing layer Storage layer provides data to discover, identify, access content provides the actual content

Architecture

Portal § In-house § CWIS (http: //scout. cs. wisc. edu/Projects/CWIS/index. php) § DSpace (http: //www. dspace. org/)

Portal

MULTIMEDIA, INTERACTIVE RESOURCES § Interactivities § “Story-booked” to emphasize active learning § Content repurposed to create new resources § Every unit focuses on educational objectives

Interactive content Examples: Fall cone experiment Force of flowing water

Learning objects Force of flowing water learning object § Used static images to provide background information visually § Used a separate movie clip in Flash MX for “swept away”/ flowing animation § Flash Action. Script allowed us to relate flow animation and individual car images being swept away to: – Water depth – Force of stream – Frictional force

Technology used § Macromedia • Flash MX • Authorware • Dreamweaver MX – Maxon Cinema 4 D § Hundreds of interactive learning objects at: – http: //www. grow. arizona. edu

Deployment § Launched in Dec. 2, 2002 with NSDL Grant funding § Site promotion – User groups, conferences, workshops

Statistics – Monthly report

Statistics – Demographics January 30, domain report

Results & Benefits § Grant funding § Increase in site traffic: – Site promotion – Interactive learning objects § GROW users report: – Interactive learning objects are easy to use – Concepts are easy to understand – GROW’s interactive learning objects are better than any similar civil engineering content available on the web – Site easy to use and locate information

Conclusions The creation of a good digital library requires § significant planning § developmental effort § funding § systems approach

For Information: Webpage: http: //www. grow. arizona. edu Contact: grow@grow. arizona. edu NSDL: http: //www. nsdl. org Personal contact: Muni Budhu, Project Director Tel: 520 621 2145 budhu@email. arizona. edu Or Janice Lodato, Project Manager Tel: 520 626 8777 jlodato@email. arizona. edu