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TCDL Bulletin Developing a Metadata Schema for CSERDA Computational Science Digital Library
This poster summarizes our ongoing efforts to develop and refine a metadata schema for CSERD, the Computational Science Education Reference Desk. Our work is informed by evolving metadata standards for educational resources, usability studies, and guidelines for interoperability with NSDL, the National Science Digital Library, the NSDL Metadata Registry, and other digital libraries such as Merlot. A CSERD metadata schema was first developed utilizing a subset of the simple Dublin Core metadata element set to describe computational science learning resources. This allowed smooth Open Archives Initiative (OAI) integration of CSERD to share basic metadata with NSDL. The schema was inadequate to support user requests for richer browsing, targeted searches, and federated searches with other digital libraries. We needed metadata elements for the quality review process of verification, validation and accreditation (VV&A). CSERD enlisted a team from the graduate School of Library and Information Sciences (SLIS) at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) to research possible metadata schemas and classification systems, conduct usability tests, analyze the results and make recommendations for the new CSERD metadata standards. The study proposed new Audience and Education Level tags. As of 2006, no standard for cataloging computational science educational materials in a digital library exists. However, usability testing suggested that Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) are internationally recognized and provide enough depth within the categories of math and science to determine primary subjects and keywords. CSERD continues to use the Dublin Core element set with necessary refinements, which include internal CSERD elements to support VV&A.
© Copyright 2007 Deborah Swain, Jill Wagy, Marilyn McClelland, and Patricia Jacobs Top | Contents |
