EDINA Learning and Teaching Projects Moira Massey

Background JISC - strategic aim to enhance its services for use in learning and teaching Request for Proposals to JISC Services and Projects: Enhancing JISC Services for L&T Circular 5/99 to all HEIs: Developing the DNER for L&T EDINA has a number of projects funded under each call: –Using Numeric Data in L&T, Geo-data Browser and Geo- Crosswalk under RfP –MapScholar, Xgrain and ZBLSA under 5/99 –Xgrain and ZBLSA part of JOIN-UP Programme –RDN Subject Portals, as Associate Partner

Use of Numeric Datasets in L&T Project began February 2000 Numeric datasets (e.g. population census, government survey, economic time-series) under- used in L&T Project is an enquiry, which has: –Established a Task Force to promote use of data in learning and teaching –Undertaken surveys to investigate use in L&T and existing forms of local support –Established open mailing list to generate discussion –And will deliver a report to the JISC by the end of its 18 month lifecycle

Geo-data Browser 9 month collaborative project between EDINA and the History Data Service. MIMAS and the Archaeological Data Service are associate partners. Project is a feasibility study, to investigate the establishment of a Z39.50-compliant, geo-spatial portal for UK HE as part of the DNER, looking at: –Barriers that confront users of geo-spatial data: how to find out what exists how to ascertain quality and suitability for use –Solution is to provide comprehensive, standardised metadata Portal would provide new opportunities for use of geo-spatial data in L&T

Geo-Crosswalk Six month collaborative project, between EDINA and the History Data Service, started Autumn 2000 Aim of the project is to assess the feasibility of developing and providing an online, Z39.50 compliant, fast, scaleable and extensible British and Irish gazetteer service Gazetteer would play a crucial role in supporting geographic searching in the DNER Project involves identification of HE community requirements Subsequent funding will be sought, to establish an operational service

Digimap MapScholar Project starting January 2001 with consortium of developers from a number of HEIs /LTSN Subject Centre staff /evaluation staff Three work packages to be developed: –Case studies –Tools and tutorials in: Working with Digital Map Data Data integration Visualisation – Virtual placement (proof of concept)

Digimap - obtaining a map Using data from Digimap in a GIS The Digimap Skills/Concepts Gap Users need help to negotiate barriers arising from lack of skills/knowledge Learning/skills curve

Digimap - obtaining a map Using data from Digimap in a GIS Bridging the Skills/Concepts Gap Tutorials Tools Increasing user sophistication Learning/skills curve

An example - enhanced visualisation Overlay Roads Settlements Land-use Water features

Programme JOIN-UP Programme JOIN-UP is one of the clusters of projects funded under 5/99 and focuses developing infrastructure for the discovery and location of articles The lead partners in JOIN-UP are EDINA, Kings College London and the British Library JOIN-UP consists of four projects, which will each contribute compatible and inter-operable component parts to the DNER The four projects are: –Xgrain (EDINA) –ZBLSA (EDINA) –DOCUSEND (Kings College, London) –ZETOC (British Library/MIMAS)

RDN/DNER Subject Portals 4 MODELS verbs underpin development of DNER: Discover (Resource) -> Locate (Service on Resource) -> Request -> Access Resource Discovery Network –based on eLib Subject Gateways (EEVL, SOSIG, OMNI) –6 Hubs –3 mature Hubs in 5/99 project: EEVL, SOSIG, BIOME SAD: Subject-based Access to DNER EDINA playing support role for EEVL, but could be wider SAD1: building prototype of subject portals for Summer 2001 SAD2: extending implementation to other subject portals –RDN Subject Portals will make use of Xgrain & ZBLSA Brokers Xgrain for Abstract & Index databases ZBLSA for access to services on journal articles

Xgrain Project start date 1 November 2000, 31 months Led by EDINA, with Associate Partners RDN and BIDS Three work packages: –Development of Z39.50 broker for use by DNER and local portals, to allow cross-searching of Z39.50-compliant databases –Development of Web-based portal for the end- user to use cross-searching facility and access native database interfaces - to allow both broad and in-depth searching –Requirements analysis for A&I portal for learning and teaching

Xgrain Learning and Teaching Portal Aim of third work package is to work with 10 Learning and Teaching Associate sites to produce a requirements analysis for a L&T portal Staff and students at the 10 institutions will be given field test access to the successive versions of the cross-search portal. The L&T Associates will take part in focus groups (2 per year) to contribute to the requirements analysis for L&T portal L&T portal features are eventually likely to include: –cross-searching, with links to native databases –http links to non-Z databases –user friendly presentation, allowing selection by subject areas, degree of specificity and level of complexity - contents level descriptions - and presentation of results –supporting tutorial materials, case studies and links to relevant web resources

Contacts EDINA Director: Peter Burnhill MapScholar and Xgrain EDINA L&T Support Officer/L&T Projects Co-ordinator: Moira Massey Geo-Crosswalk and Geo-Browser Dr David Medyckyj-Scott Using Numeric Datasets in Learning and Teaching Robin Rice