Creating and Operating a Digital Library for Information and Learning– the GROW

Project

Muniram Budhu

Department of Civil Engineering & Engineering Mechanics

University of Arizona

Brief introduction of NSDL and GROW

Digital library model for GROW

Conclusions

TOPICS

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.

Source: Lee Zia 9-21-01

“The network is the library.”

students, educators, life-long learners

structured learning materials – all media types

search; refer; validate; integrate; create; customize; publish; share; notify; collaborate

A Learning Environment and Resources Network for SMET Education

NSDL Information Architecture

referenceditems &

collections

referenceditems &

collections

Special Databases

NSDLServicesNSDL

ServicesOther NSDLServices

CI Services

annotation

CI Services

discussion

CI Services

personalization

CI Services

authentication

CI Services

browsing

Core Services:information retrieval

Core Collection-Building Services

harvesting

Core Collection-Building Services

protocols

Core Services:metadata gathering

Portals &ClientsPortals &

ClientsPortals &

Clients

Usage Enhancement

Collection

Building

User Interfaces

NSDLCollections

NSDLCollections

NSDLCollections

CoreNSDL“Bus”

Source: D. Fulker 9-21-01

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

NEED

INFRASTRUCTURE

COLLECTION

DEPLOYMENTMONITORING/EVALUATION

Activities•Define needDefine collectionDefine communityEstimate staffingIdentify/obtain fundingSustainability

Activities•SourcesHarvestCopyrightMetadataContribution

Activities•TestingPromotionUser community

Activities•Meet needsQuality of user servicesDemographicsImprovements

Activities

Software•MetadataOAIUser Services

Hardware•LocationServerStorage

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 & RetrieveKeywords

Holding bay – email sent to expert

Check against collection criteria

Metadata added

Link inserted on site

approved

approved

Contribution Process

Infrastructure

Storage layer

Metadata

Portal

provides the actual content

Search engine Indexing layer

provides data todiscover, identify, access content

Customized access to content, tools, statistical info

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

Fall cone experiment Force of flowing water

Examples:

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 ActionScript 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 4D

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.eduNSDL: http://www.nsdl.org

Personal contact: Muni Budhu, Project DirectorTel: 520 621 2145 budhu@email.arizona.eduOr Janice Lodato, Project ManagerTel: 520 626 8777jlodato@email.arizona.edu