Category: Documentation

Documentation educommons

Reference Manuals

This section contains documentation relating to eduCommons metdata implementations. It includes eduCommons metadata specifications and developer documentation.

faq educommons

How do I contribute to the eduCommons project?

There are several options for getting contributing to the eduCommons project.

  • For those familiar with eduCommons, one way to give back to the eduCommons project is to offer answers in the eduCommons Q&A forums. This is a great way to contribute back to the community, and it doesn’t take a lot of time.
  • Developers are welcome to join the development email list. We are always interested in new collaborations and partnerships with those who can contribute new features to eduCommons.
  • There is an IRC channel at #educommons. Jump in and chat with us!
  • For those with questions about translating eduCommons we encourage you to join the localization email list. We can always use help verifying or updating our eduCommons translations.
  • For any other questions or comments about how you can help with the eduCommons project please contact us.
faq educommons

Where can I find documentation for legacy versions of eduCommons?

Here are links to our previous release documentation through eduCommons 3.2.1-final:

  • eduCommons 3.1.1-final
  • Installation Instructions 3.1.1
  • Migration Instructions 3.1.1
  • Version Changes 3.1.1
  • eduCommons 3.0.2-final
  • Installation Instructions 3.0.2
  • Migration Instructions 3.0.2
  • Version Changes 3.0.2
  • eduCommons 2.3.0-final
  • Installation Instructions 2.3.0
  • Migration Instructions 2.3.0
  • Version Changes 2.3.0
  • eduCommons 2.2.0-final
  • Installation Instructions 2.2.0
  • Migration Instructions 2.2.0
  • Version Changes 2.2.0

eduCommons 2.1.0-final

  • Installation Instructions 2.1.0
  • Migration Instructions 2.1.0
  • Version Changes 2.1.0

eduCommons 2.0.0-beta

  • Installation Instructions 2.0.0
  • Migration Instructions 2.0.0
  • Version Changes 2.0.0
faq educommons

What are the recent changes in eduCommons?

Also available via CHANGES.txt in eduCommons distribution documentation.

Changes in version 3.2.1

Installers
Simplified installation have been added, including buildout scripts and Windows installers.
Expanded IMS Import
eduCommons can now import from IMS Common Cartridge, IMS Content Package, MIT course downloads, Blackboard IMS, WebCT Vista, WebCT 6.1/7.0, and Moodle Backups.
Improved IMS Export
eduCommons can now export to IMS Common Cartridge, IMS Content Package, and IMS Package for Moodle.
WordPress Import/Export
Support has been added to import pages from a WordPress site as well as export eduCommons content directly to WordPress pages.
Static Site
It is now possible to publish an entire eduCommons site to static HTML.
Expanded RSS
Additional RSS have been added to create an RSS feed of most recent items.
OIA-pmh and Improved Metadata
Support has been added for additional metadata in rdf/rss views as well as OAI/pmh.
OpenSearch Support
Support has been added for OpenSearch, including the Firefox OpenSearch widget which allows a search of a specific eduCommons site directly from the browser’s search window.
Unit Tests and Selenium Acceptance Tests
A Selenium testing buildout has been added, as well as numerous acceptance tests and unit tests. More information is available at http://educommons.com/dev

Changes in version 3.1.1

Further stabilizes the 3.1.0 release, and includes fixes for RSS and skinless view.

Changes in version 3.1.0

“Download Course” Additions
Moved “download this course” into a “Reuse Course” portlet. The course downloads now include IMS information. Using a portlet will also allow for additional formats, such as Common Cartridge, to be added in the future.
Display License and Caption for Embedded Objects
Using the Kupu editor, eduCommons can now display separate licenses and citations for image objects embedded in a page, distinct from the overall page license.
Captcha integration
We now integrate captcha on the registration page to prevent spambot submissions.
Lingua Plone 2.0 Integration
LinguaPlone 2.0 has been implemented into eduCommons 3.1.0, allowing users to localize content and support multiple languages on a single OpenCourseWare site.
Add accessibility check
This is intended to help institutions who want to include accessibility check into their workflow.
Enable Javascript/Page-specific CSS and embed tags by default
We have enabled Javascript and page-specific CSS and embed tags by default.
Documentation for Adding Small Widgets
Add eduCommons-specific documentation and examples for adding Plone 3 portlets.
Add “Remix this course” functionality
This feature is designed to allow courses from MIT OpenCourseWare (pending implementation by MIT OCW) as well as other eduCommons OCWs to be easily imported into OpenOCW (or another eduCommons site if specified, but OpenOCW will be the default). On published eduCommons OCW courses that have been packaged, a “Remix this course” link appears. This allows unauthenticated users to send the entire course to OpenOCW (OpenOCW login credentials must be provided).
Update “download this course” to improve handling of large courses
“Download this course” is no longer auto-generated when a course is published or changed. Instead, a new “Package course” button appears in the contents view of the course once it has been published. The “Download this course” .zip file now includes IMS information. It now appears in its own portlet, along with the “Remix this course” link.
Other updates
Updated eduCommons to exclude new content from showing in the left nav by default (including zip imports). Improved IE 6 and 7 compatibility.

Changes in version 3.0.2

Fixed bugs in 3.0.1 migration release

Changes in version 3.0.1

Added migration support for from eduCommons 2.3.1

Changes in version 3.0.0

Added full support for Plone 3.0
Inline editing Working Copy support Link and reference integrity checking Automatic locking and unlocking Easy collaboration and sharing Versioning, history and reverting content Upgraded visual HTML editor
Added OpenOCW Functionality
Simplified Workflow Refactored Security Eased Production processes
Simplified Course Building
Course Builder Widget allows ‘one step’ production of Division, Course, and templates Course objects (syllabus, etc).

Changes in version 2.3.1

Added Migration from 2.2.0
The migration process has been improved and simplified.

Changes in version 2.3.0

Added i18n Support for Spanish, Dutch, French, and Chinese
Translations are now available for the aforementioned languages.
Added Support for MOCSL Tools
The Folksemantic AddOn Product allows for seamless interaction with Annorate, Make A Path, and Send2Wiki.
Fixed Metadata Bugs
The Citations were presenting incorrect metadata; now pulling in correct metadata per object.
Added Course Wide Instructor Metadata
A flag is now available to note if the Instructor of the Course is also the principal creator for objects within the course.
Added MIT CP Import Support
Via the IMS Transport Tool, an end user can now import IMS Content Packages. eduCommons will strip the package of it’s chrome and import content, navigation, and metadata.
Added Zip File Download for Courses
End Users can now get a Zip File download of a course object, stripped of eduCommons chrome and ready for reuse
Extended RSS Feed Support
Departments and Courses now have configurable feeds per object, and the ability to turn feeds on and off
Added Recursive Copyright Clearance
Folderish Objects may now recrusively clear or revoke copyight

Changes in version 2.2.0

Front end UI Enhancements

Auto-citation generation (from metadata) displayed inline with documents and included in skinless content. Simplify conformance with Attribution terms of Creative Commons licenses for those who build derivative works.

Social Bookmarking Dropdown. Help users bookmark and later find OERs hosted in eduCommons using popular social bookmarking services.

Integration with MyOCW (pending MyOCW release dates).

Expanded support for IMS Content Packaging, including a transform engine that can translate from popular IMS CP formats to and from eduCommons.

Updated internationalization support, with translation updates for a predetermined set of languages.

Finalized support for content translation using the LinguaPlone product.

Changes in version 2.1.1

Updated Internationalization Files
Updated internationalization files to reflect the latest eduCommons changes.
Added Support for Inline Translations
Integrated the LinguaPlone product with eduCommons, making it now possible to have multiple translations of content within the same eduCommons instance.
RSS Feeds on front page, and RSS feeds for departments
RSS feed icon now appears on the front page of eduCommons, as well as on the courses listing page. A new RSS feed now appears for departments, which lists the latest published courses in a department.
Added Support for Social Bookmarking Services
Added support for bookmarking services, starting with del.icio.us. Support for more to come.
Added a Skinless View for Documents
eduCommons now provides a skinless view of documents, making it both possible and easy to reuse content.

Changes in version 2.1.0-final

A new IMS Transport Engine
A refactored IMS Content Packaging engine that provides a more robust import and export functionality. On import eduCommons will identify where required tags missing in the manifest file, if it is not able to read it directly.
IMS Content Packaging Documentation
This version ships with detailed documentation on how to write out an IMS Content Package that eduCommons can consume. The documentation is provided in raw text, web based, and in a standalone (PDF) file.
A New Content Licensing Engine
eduCommons now allows a default content license and a rights holder to be set sitewide. It also includes the ability to license an individual piece of content, should the need arise to publish content under a license different to the site wide one.
Copyright Bylines
Content is now published with the appropriate copyright byline, including the ability to specify copyright dates, the rights holder, and the license itself. The license includes a hyper-link to the legal terms of the license as well as an icon (if the license includes one).
Creative Commons License Support
eduCommons now includes a license selector that integrates with Creative Commons Licenses (www.creativecommons.org), allowing eduCommons to remain flexible with the latest CC offerings.
Support for Other Licenses
eduCommons supports other licenses, including the traditional all rights reserved, and GNU Free Document Licenses, as well as allowing content developers to input their own license.
RDF and machine readable Creative Commons License Support
eduCommons will publish by default any metadata for a content object in embedded RDF format. eduCommons will also publish machine readable creative commons licenses, that can be read and processed by search engines.
Content Licensing Product for Plone 2.5
The content licensing features in eduCommons are shipped in a standalone product that can also be used in a default Plone 2.5 instance.
Native Support for Plone 2.5
This version of eduCommons supports the latest version of Plone (2.5), with some functionality now taking advantage of the new Zope 3 component architecture.
Improved HTML Validation/Fixing Engine
The HTML Validation/Fixer Engine has been updated, and now displays a detailed report of problems within the body of an HTML document, and provides a simple method to fix most problems, and identify remaining ones that need extra attention. This functionality works when a content developer’s editor is not set to use the FCKeditor.

Changes in version 2.0.0-final

Human Readable URLS
URLs are human readable, instead of being based on an auto generated id.
Recursive Folder Change State
Can change workflow state recursively on content in subfolders.
Native Support for Plone 2.1
Integrated eduCommons custom skin files with new Plone 2.1 functionality. Content objects are now based on ATContentTypes. Substantial changes across the code base. eduCommons is currently based on Plone-2.1.2 and Zope-2.8.6.
Content Status History on Object Views in Edit Mode
The content status history of an object is now available in the view from a history link at the top of the page while in edit mode.
No Redirect on Front Page
Front page no longer redirects to an ECIndex folder, but renders directly.
Removed Forum Support
Forum support is being replaced by new social software in the future, which means that the old OLS code base is no longer being maintained. If you require forum support it is recommended that you use the excellent zForum (http://www.zforum.org) plone product until the new software is in place.
Improved IMS Content packaging
Workflow status history is now written in the IMS content package instead of being stored in a binary blob.
eduCommons Custom Skin Support
eduCommons can now reskinned in release mode without requiring eduCommons to be restarted.
Courses Object Removed
The courses object has been removed, and departments are now put in the root of the site. This simplifies the UI and removes confusion over what the Courses object is/was.
Improved Default Templates
Default templates for the front page, FAQ and about pages propagate the eduCommons site title, making it easier to customize default site text.
Department and Course IDs
Departments and Courses now support the display of ID’s in front of their titles. Courses also support the display of the year and semester that the course was taught in.

Changes in version 1.6.1-final

eduCommons Document HTML Fixer
Implement an HTML engine that can fix HTML mistakes automatically in ecDocuments.
RDF Headers/Metadata
Add RDF headers to ECDocuments implementing the RDF/Dublin Core standard.
Support for Plone 2.1.1/Zope 2.8.2
Implementing support for the latest Plone (2.1.1) and Zope (2.8.2) code bases.
Support for Default Templates
Support for adding default templates for commonly used pages within eduCommons.
Review and Revise IMS Export Rights
Changes in the UI to only present IMS import/export to administrators and managers. This is necessary because producers do not have rights on content that is not in the “In Progress” state, which prevents producers from being able to import/export content not in the appropriate state.
Zip export (non-ims)
Allow a producer administrator or manager to export course content in a zip file format.
Creative Commons metadata header
Add a metadata header to ECDocuments for the creative commons license.
Removal of “Courses” link in bread crumb
Remove the “Courses” link in the breadcrumb due to the fact that is is confusing to users.
XHTML Validation of an Entire Course
Adding the ability to do validation of XHTML across a course, while reporting errors in a log file.
Add Folders to Course Contents
Add folders to course content pages so that objects which externally link to other objects will retain their links with out having to rewrite them.
Migration from 1.5.2-final
Implement the ability to migrate existing 1.5.2-final sites to 1.6.1-final.
faq educommons

How is eduCommons licensed?

This software is Copyright (C) 2004-2009 Utah State University. All rights reserved.

eduCommons is an extention to the Plone content management system (www.plone.org) and is developed by the COSL group (www.cosl.usu.edu) at Utah State University. Development of EduCommons is funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA

faq educommons

How do I get support with eduCommons?

There are several options for getting support with eduCommons.

  • The eduCommons forums are a good place for users can to questions and search existing responses. The community is friendly and responsive.
  • Developers are welcome to join the development email list.
  • There is an IRC channel at #educommons.
  • For those with questions about translating eduCommons we encourage you to join the localization email list.
  • For-fee consulting, training, and development is available for eduCommons through enPraxis. More information is available at enPraxis.net.
  • For any other questions or comments about the eduCommons project please contact us.
metadata and import export educommons

Metadata and Import/Export

1. Introduction

eduCommons supports a number of metadata implementation strategies. It also supports multiple ways of moving content into and out of eduCommons. This section contains information on how to use these features to integrate eduCommons with other applications.

Metadata Specifications

The metadata specification for eduCommons-based OpenCourseWare (OCW) repositories, includes the departments, courses, and objects stored in eduCommons.

IMS Content Packaging Documentation

Here is developer documentation on how to write eduCommons compatible IMS Content Packages.

Here is some example IMS Content packages, created by eduCommons:

  • Example 1 – A minimal content package that is compatible with eduCommons.
  • Example 2 – An example of a content package that contains a full course, with corresponding metadata.

2. Metadata Specifications for OCW Repositories

The metadata specification for eduCommons-based OpenCourseWare (OCW) repositories, includes the departments, courses, objects stored in eduCommons. This specification covers:

  • Metadata stored natively within eduCommons;
  • Cataloging departments, courses and objects in eduCommons;
  • Metadata imported into eduCommons along with courses and related course materials, via IMS Content Package(s) v1.1.4;
  • Metadata imported into eduCommons via a RSS feed expressed in terms of Dublin Core;
  • Metadata exported along with courses and related course materials from eduCommons, via IMS Content Package(s) v1.1.42;
  • Metadata expressed along with eduCommons course materials, typically expressed in a Dublin Core RDF binding; and
  • Metadata expressed in RSS for eduCommons courses (and selected course materials), typically expressed in Dublin Core RDF using RSS 1.0.

eduCommons Metadata Specification (Draft)

Questions or comments on the specification should be made in the eduCommons Metadata Specification Forum Thread.

3. eduCommons/IMS CP Developer Guide

IMS Content Packaging and eduCommons 2.1.0-final

This document details how to write IMS Content packages that are compatible with eduCommons 2.1.0-final.

eduCommons uses version 1.2 of the IMS Content Packaging Specification. XML Schemas for the specification can be found at http://imsglobal.org/xsd/imscp_v1p2.xsd and http://imsglobal.org/xsd/imsmd_v1p2p4.xsd.

Using XML Schemas and a Validating XML Editor

In the process of writing software that exports eduCommons supported IMS Content Packages, it is highly recommended to use a validating XML editor and associated schema files to check manifests for validity. eduCommons in some circumstances will expect import manifests to meet validity standards, and the chances of creating content packages that will work with eduCommons will be greatly increased. eduCommons provides XML schema files on export for this purpose.

An XML schema file for eduCommons specific metadata can be found both online (http://cosl.usu.edu/xsd/educommonsv1.1.xsd) and in eduCommons IMS Content Packages.

To use the IMS Content Package XML schemas along with the eduCommons schema, make sure your manifest specifies these packages and the relevant XML schema informtation in the header. Below is an example of attributes which you may want to set on the manifest tag.

xmlns="http://www.imsglobal.org/xsd/imscp_v1p1" 
xmlns:eduCommons="http://cosl.usu.edu/xsd/eduCommonsv1.1" 
xmlns:imsmd="http://www.imsglobal.org/xsd/imsmd_v1p2" 
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" 
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.imsglobal.org/xsd/imscp_v1p1 imscp_v1p2.xsd 
                    http://www.imsglobal.org/xsd/imsmd_v1p2 imsmd_v1p2p4.xsd 
                    http://cosl.usu.edu/xsd/eduCommonsv1.1 eduCommonsv1.1.xsd">

Specifying and Using eduCommons Namespaces

The IMS CP specification allows content packages to be extended using custom metadata fields. eduCommons takes advantage of this to pass information that does not fit into the LOM metadata format. Using the eduCommons extensions requires the use of the eduCommons namespace in typical XML style.

eduCommons can read values from colon prefixed tags, or by using an xmlns attribute on the top level eduCommons tag as shown below. Although both methods are acceptable, the latter is preferred due to the fact that it makes the corresponding XML more readable. Examples in the rest of the document will be given in this format.

<manifest xmlns="....
          xmlns:eduCommons="http://cosl.usu.edu/xsd/eduCommonsv1.1"
          ...
          >

    ...

    <eduCommons:eduCommons>
        <eduComons:objectType>
            Course
        </eduCommons:objectType>
    </eduCommons:eduCommons>

    ...
 </manifest>
<eduCommons xmlns="http://cosl.usu.edu/xsd/eduCommonsv1.1">
    <objectType>
        Course
    </objectType>
</eduCommons>

How to Make Items Appear in the Left Hand Navigation

eduCommons will add links to objects in the left hand navigation of a course view through the use of the organizations section in an IMS content package. Becuase IMS CP standards support multiple organizations within a manifest, eduCommons will use the default organization if it is specified. If no default is specified eduCommons will read from the first organization tag listed in the organizations section.

eduCommons gets its left hand navigation information from the isVisible attribute on items. If this attribute is present and set to true, eduCommons will mark this object as displayable in the left hand navigation. eduCommons will order left hand navigation items based on the ordering of item tags within the organization section.

An example of how to write an organizations section that eduCommons can read is given below. Notice how the default organization section is set, and how unique identifiers are used to link the item to the resource in the resources section.

The IMS CP specification requires that any id value use be unique to the manifest, otherwise anything can be used.

<oganizations default="ORG1234">
    <organization identifier="ORG1234">
        <item identifier="ITM1234" identifierref="RES1234" isVisible="true">
            <title>
                Hello World
            </title>

        </item>
        ...
    </organization>
</organizations>
<resources>
    <resource identifier="RES1234">
       ...
    </resource>

    ...
</resources>

Setting Metadata on eduCommons Enabled IMS Content Packages

eduCommons stores metadata for every content object entered into its repository. In order to write a content package that eduCommons can process, it is necessary to include a metadata section for every resource specified in the manifest.

It is also important to note that eduCommons currently will not read top level metadata sections, nor will it support nested manifests within IMS Content Packages. Support for nested manifests, and non eduCommons content packages are currently listed as future eduCommons features.

An example of how to lay out your manifest section to be eduCommons friendly is given below.

<manifest>

    <organizations>
        <organization>
        </organization>
    </organizations>
    <metadata>
        ... any metadata specified here is ignored by eduCommons ...
    </metadata>

    <resources>
        <resource>
            <metadata>
               ... metadata specified here is used to apply metadata
                   to content objects ...
            </metadata>
            <file href=" ... used by eduCommons to name the content object
                             and find it within the package ..."/>
        </resource>

        ...
    </resources>
    <manifest>
        ... nested manifests are not currently supported by eduCommons,
            but may be at a future date ...
    </manifest>            
</manifest>

The eduCommons Course Object

The eduCommons course object is different to other content objects in that it has extra requirements. eduCommons represents courses as both a document and a container for content objects. This means in an IMS Manifest it will appear as a content object that is connected to an HTML file (used to render the front course page) and is also a folder which contains all content related to the course. It appears in the manifest as both.

Courses also have additional metadata associated with them in the eduCommons specific metadata section. This extra metadata is specified in a further section below.

Each manifest should specify a course object as the initial resource.

LOM Metadata Fields Read By eduCommons on Import

eduCommons uses Dublin Core fields to store metadata internally. In order to be able to support IEEE LOM metadata standards in IMS Content Packages, some mapping between metadata standards must be done. Not all LOM metadata fields are supported, and although eduCommons may populate some of these extra fields on output, it only supports reading data from the following fields:

1. General

1.2 Title

eduCommons uses this field to set the title on an object. This field is required.

1.3 Language

eduCommons uses the language setting to set the language of the content object and its metadata. eduCommons does not support setting language values on metadata or individual metadata fields. All LOM language attributes in “langstring” nodes are ignored by eduCommons. This field is optional, but recommended.

1.4 Description

eduCommons sets descriptions on content objects using this field. This field is optional, but recommended.

1.5 Keyword

eduCommons supports the use of keywords for search purposes over content. It uses this LOM field. This field is optional.

2. Lifecycle

2.3 Contribute

eduCommons supports a number of fields based on the LOM Contribute node.

When the role in a contribute node is set to “creator”, eduCommons will set the eduCommons creator field to the name value in the VCARD of this section. When the role is set to “creator” it will also use the date field to set the creation date on the eduCommons content object.

eduCommons will set its contributors field with the names listed in any other LOM based contribute nodes. The roles defined in additional LOM based contribute nodes are not read or stored by eduCommons.

eduCommons also supports a number of eduCommons specific contribute nodes which are detailed in the next section.

Other

eduCommons may support a larger number of LOM fields in the future. The current supported set is likely to be expanded. However, attempts will be made to remain compatible with the above listed fields.

LOM Based eduCommons Metadata Fields

The rights holder field

eduCommons supports setting a rights holder for every content object. However, it also supports setting content to use a site wide default, making it possible to set a default rights holder over the whole eduComomns site. To use the site wide default setting, use “(site default)” as the rights holder name.

eduCommons will read an write the rights holder information in a contribute section in the LOM metadata section of an IMS content package. The source tag in this contribute section is set to “eduCommonsv1.1” signifying that this role is defined by eduCommons and is not a standard LOM role. An example of how the rights holder is given below. The date field can be set to a publication or creation date. It does not matter, as eduCommons does not use the date field in this section.

<contribute>
    <role>
        <source>

            <langstring xml:lang="en">
                eduCommonsv1.1
            </langstring>
        </source>
        <value>
            <langstring xml:lang="en">
                rights holder
            </langstring>

        </value>
    </role>
    <centity>
        <vcard>
            BEGIN:VCARD
            FN: John Smith
            END:VCARD
        </vcard>
    </centity>

    <date>
        <datetime>
            2006-08-07 15:59:23
        </datetime>
    </date>
</contribute>
Note
The VCARD Section In The Xml File Should Be Left Aligned, With No Whitespace In Order To Comply With VCARD Standards.

The Instructor and InstructorEmail fields

The instructor field is also encoded in a LOM contribute node, similar to the rights holder field above. Things to note here are that eduCommons will read both the FN: and EMAIL;INTERNET: fields out of the VCARD, and use them to set the Instructor and InstructorEmail settings accordingly.

<contribute>
    <role>
        <source>
            eduCommonsv1.1
        </source>
        <value>
            instructor
        </value>

    </role>
    <centity>
        <vcard>
            BEGIN:VCARD
            FN: John Smith
            EMAIL;INTERNET: johnsmith@somewhere.com
            END:VCARD
        </vcard>
    </centity>
    <date>

        <datetime>
            2006-08-07 15:59:23
        </datetime>
    </date>
</contribute>
Note
The VCARD Section In The Xml File Should Be Left Aligned, With No Whitespace In Order To Comply With VCARD Standards.

eduCommons Specific Metadata

This section details eduCommons metadata that does not appear within the LOM metadata section. Instead it appears in a section following the LOM metadata as follows.

<metadata>
    <lom xmlns="http://www.imsglobal.org/xsd/imsmd_v1p2">
        <general>
        </general>

        <lifecycle>
        </lifecycle>
        ...
    </lom>
    <eduCommons xmlns="http://cosl.usu.edu/xsd/eduCommonsv1.1">
       <objectType>
       </objectType>

       ...
    </eduCommons>
</metadata>

The following section describes the tags supported by eduCommons in detail.

eduCommons Metadata Tags

The objectType tag

The objectType tag is used to signify what type of content object eduCommons should create for the given resource. Possible values are Course, Document, File, Image, or Link. This field is required. HTML or plain text resources should use the document setting. Images should use the image setting. All other resources should use the File setting, unless they are an external link. If a resource is in HTML format and represents a course home page, use the Course setting and make sure the resource appears first in the manifest resources section.

<objectType>
    Course
</objectType>

The license tag

The license tag is used to assign a copyright license to a content object. It is also used to render a copyright byline for an object.

The license field supports four parameters:

  • License Cateogory
  • License Name
  • License URL
  • License Icon URL

The category field appears as an attribute in the license tag, and must be set to one of the following:

  • (site default)
  • All Rights Reserved
  • GNU Free Document License
  • Creative Commons License
  • Other

The category field is also used as a label by eduCommons to allow a user to select a copyright license for a content object. It is a required field.

The licenseName tag is used to identify the name of the license. This name will be used in the copyright byline, and should slot into the following sentence: This resource is licensed under a ____________. This is an optional field only if “(site default)” is chosen. Otherwise it must be specified.

The licenseUrl tag is used to specify a public web site where the legal definition of the license is displayed. It allows the license name in the copyright byline to be linked directly to the definition. It is optional.

The licenseIconUrl tag is used to specify a public icon image that represents the content license. This field is optional, and likely not to be included, unless the license includes a representative icon. An example where you would want to include this field would be to specify a creative commons icon along with the license.

Below is an example of how the license field would be encoded within the eduCommons metadata.

<license category="Creative Commons License">
    <licenseName>

        Attribution 2.5
    </licenseName>
    <licenseUrl>
        
When we share, everyone wins

    </licenseUrl>
    <licenseIconUrl>
        
When we share, everyone wins

    </licenseIconUrl>

</license>

The clearedCopyright tag

The clearedCoypright field is used by eduCommons to keep track of whether or not a content object has been cleared for publication in an open content environment. It can be set to either “true” or “false”. This field is optional, and is set to “false” by default.

<clearedCopyright>

    true
</clearedCopyright>
metadata and import export educommons

Introduction

eduCommons supports a number of metadata implementation strategies. It also supports multiple ways of moving content into and out of eduCommons. This section contains information on how to use these features to integrate eduCommons with other applications.

Metadata Specifications

The metadata specification for eduCommons-based OpenCourseWare (OCW) repositories, includes the departments, courses, and objects stored in eduCommons.

IMS Content Packaging Documentation

Here is developer documentation on how to write eduCommons compatible IMS Content Packages.

Here is some example IMS Content packages, created by eduCommons:

  • Example 1 – A minimal content package that is compatible with eduCommons.
  • Example 2 – An example of a content package that contains a full course, with corresponding metadata.
metadata and import export educommons

eduCommons/IMS CP Developer Guide

IMS Content Packaging and eduCommons 2.1.0-final

This document details how to write IMS Content packages that are compatible with eduCommons 2.1.0-final.

eduCommons uses version 1.2 of the IMS Content Packaging Specification. XML Schemas for the specification can be found at http://imsglobal.org/xsd/imscp_v1p2.xsd and http://imsglobal.org/xsd/imsmd_v1p2p4.xsd.

Using XML Schemas and a Validating XML Editor

In the process of writing software that exports eduCommons supported IMS Content Packages, it is highly recommended to use a validating XML editor and associated schema files to check manifests for validity. eduCommons in some circumstances will expect import manifests to meet validity standards, and the chances of creating content packages that will work with eduCommons will be greatly increased. eduCommons provides XML schema files on export for this purpose.

An XML schema file for eduCommons specific metadata can be found both online (http://cosl.usu.edu/xsd/educommonsv1.1.xsd) and in eduCommons IMS Content Packages.

To use the IMS Content Package XML schemas along with the eduCommons schema, make sure your manifest specifies these packages and the relevant XML schema informtation in the header. Below is an example of attributes which you may want to set on the manifest tag.

xmlns="http://www.imsglobal.org/xsd/imscp_v1p1" 
xmlns:eduCommons="http://cosl.usu.edu/xsd/eduCommonsv1.1" 
xmlns:imsmd="http://www.imsglobal.org/xsd/imsmd_v1p2" 
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" 
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.imsglobal.org/xsd/imscp_v1p1 imscp_v1p2.xsd 
                    http://www.imsglobal.org/xsd/imsmd_v1p2 imsmd_v1p2p4.xsd 
                    http://cosl.usu.edu/xsd/eduCommonsv1.1 eduCommonsv1.1.xsd">

Specifying and Using eduCommons Namespaces

The IMS CP specification allows content packages to be extended using custom metadata fields. eduCommons takes advantage of this to pass information that does not fit into the LOM metadata format. Using the eduCommons extensions requires the use of the eduCommons namespace in typical XML style.

eduCommons can read values from colon prefixed tags, or by using an xmlns attribute on the top level eduCommons tag as shown below. Although both methods are acceptable, the latter is preferred due to the fact that it makes the corresponding XML more readable. Examples in the rest of the document will be given in this format.

<manifest xmlns="....
          xmlns:eduCommons="http://cosl.usu.edu/xsd/eduCommonsv1.1"
          ...
          >

    ...

    <eduCommons:eduCommons>
        <eduComons:objectType>
            Course
        </eduCommons:objectType>
    </eduCommons:eduCommons>

    ...
 </manifest>
<eduCommons xmlns="http://cosl.usu.edu/xsd/eduCommonsv1.1">
    <objectType>
        Course
    </objectType>
</eduCommons>

How to Make Items Appear in the Left Hand Navigation

eduCommons will add links to objects in the left hand navigation of a course view through the use of the organizations section in an IMS content package. Becuase IMS CP standards support multiple organizations within a manifest, eduCommons will use the default organization if it is specified. If no default is specified eduCommons will read from the first organization tag listed in the organizations section.

eduCommons gets its left hand navigation information from the isVisible attribute on items. If this attribute is present and set to true, eduCommons will mark this object as displayable in the left hand navigation. eduCommons will order left hand navigation items based on the ordering of item tags within the organization section.

An example of how to write an organizations section that eduCommons can read is given below. Notice how the default organization section is set, and how unique identifiers are used to link the item to the resource in the resources section.

The IMS CP specification requires that any id value use be unique to the manifest, otherwise anything can be used.

<oganizations default="ORG1234">
    <organization identifier="ORG1234">
        <item identifier="ITM1234" identifierref="RES1234" isVisible="true">
            <title>
                Hello World
            </title>

        </item>
        ...
    </organization>
</organizations>
<resources>
    <resource identifier="RES1234">
       ...
    </resource>

    ...
</resources>

Setting Metadata on eduCommons Enabled IMS Content Packages

eduCommons stores metadata for every content object entered into its repository. In order to write a content package that eduCommons can process, it is necessary to include a metadata section for every resource specified in the manifest.

It is also important to note that eduCommons currently will not read top level metadata sections, nor will it support nested manifests within IMS Content Packages. Support for nested manifests, and non eduCommons content packages are currently listed as future eduCommons features.

An example of how to lay out your manifest section to be eduCommons friendly is given below.

<manifest>

    <organizations>
        <organization>
        </organization>
    </organizations>
    <metadata>
        ... any metadata specified here is ignored by eduCommons ...
    </metadata>

    <resources>
        <resource>
            <metadata>
               ... metadata specified here is used to apply metadata
                   to content objects ...
            </metadata>
            <file href=" ... used by eduCommons to name the content object
                             and find it within the package ..."/>
        </resource>

        ...
    </resources>
    <manifest>
        ... nested manifests are not currently supported by eduCommons,
            but may be at a future date ...
    </manifest>            
</manifest>

The eduCommons Course Object

The eduCommons course object is different to other content objects in that it has extra requirements. eduCommons represents courses as both a document and a container for content objects. This means in an IMS Manifest it will appear as a content object that is connected to an HTML file (used to render the front course page) and is also a folder which contains all content related to the course. It appears in the manifest as both.

Courses also have additional metadata associated with them in the eduCommons specific metadata section. This extra metadata is specified in a further section below.

Each manifest should specify a course object as the initial resource.

LOM Metadata Fields Read By eduCommons on Import

eduCommons uses Dublin Core fields to store metadata internally. In order to be able to support IEEE LOM metadata standards in IMS Content Packages, some mapping between metadata standards must be done. Not all LOM metadata fields are supported, and although eduCommons may populate some of these extra fields on output, it only supports reading data from the following fields:

1. General

1.2 Title

eduCommons uses this field to set the title on an object. This field is required.

1.3 Language

eduCommons uses the language setting to set the language of the content object and its metadata. eduCommons does not support setting language values on metadata or individual metadata fields. All LOM language attributes in “langstring” nodes are ignored by eduCommons. This field is optional, but recommended.

1.4 Description

eduCommons sets descriptions on content objects using this field. This field is optional, but recommended.

1.5 Keyword

eduCommons supports the use of keywords for search purposes over content. It uses this LOM field. This field is optional.

2. Lifecycle

2.3 Contribute

eduCommons supports a number of fields based on the LOM Contribute node.

When the role in a contribute node is set to “creator”, eduCommons will set the eduCommons creator field to the name value in the VCARD of this section. When the role is set to “creator” it will also use the date field to set the creation date on the eduCommons content object.

eduCommons will set its contributors field with the names listed in any other LOM based contribute nodes. The roles defined in additional LOM based contribute nodes are not read or stored by eduCommons.

eduCommons also supports a number of eduCommons specific contribute nodes which are detailed in the next section.

Other

eduCommons may support a larger number of LOM fields in the future. The current supported set is likely to be expanded. However, attempts will be made to remain compatible with the above listed fields.

LOM Based eduCommons Metadata Fields

The rights holder field

eduCommons supports setting a rights holder for every content object. However, it also supports setting content to use a site wide default, making it possible to set a default rights holder over the whole eduComomns site. To use the site wide default setting, use “(site default)” as the rights holder name.

eduCommons will read an write the rights holder information in a contribute section in the LOM metadata section of an IMS content package. The source tag in this contribute section is set to “eduCommonsv1.1” signifying that this role is defined by eduCommons and is not a standard LOM role. An example of how the rights holder is given below. The date field can be set to a publication or creation date. It does not matter, as eduCommons does not use the date field in this section.

<contribute>
    <role>
        <source>

            <langstring xml:lang="en">
                eduCommonsv1.1
            </langstring>
        </source>
        <value>
            <langstring xml:lang="en">
                rights holder
            </langstring>

        </value>
    </role>
    <centity>
        <vcard>
            BEGIN:VCARD
            FN: John Smith
            END:VCARD
        </vcard>
    </centity>

    <date>
        <datetime>
            2006-08-07 15:59:23
        </datetime>
    </date>
</contribute>
Note
The VCARD Section In The Xml File Should Be Left Aligned, With No Whitespace In Order To Comply With VCARD Standards.

The Instructor and InstructorEmail fields

The instructor field is also encoded in a LOM contribute node, similar to the rights holder field above. Things to note here are that eduCommons will read both the FN: and EMAIL;INTERNET: fields out of the VCARD, and use them to set the Instructor and InstructorEmail settings accordingly.

<contribute>
    <role>
        <source>
            eduCommonsv1.1
        </source>
        <value>
            instructor
        </value>

    </role>
    <centity>
        <vcard>
            BEGIN:VCARD
            FN: John Smith
            EMAIL;INTERNET: johnsmith@somewhere.com
            END:VCARD
        </vcard>
    </centity>
    <date>

        <datetime>
            2006-08-07 15:59:23
        </datetime>
    </date>
</contribute>
Note
The VCARD Section In The Xml File Should Be Left Aligned, With No Whitespace In Order To Comply With VCARD Standards.

eduCommons Specific Metadata

This section details eduCommons metadata that does not appear within the LOM metadata section. Instead it appears in a section following the LOM metadata as follows.

<metadata>
    <lom xmlns="http://www.imsglobal.org/xsd/imsmd_v1p2">
        <general>
        </general>

        <lifecycle>
        </lifecycle>
        ...
    </lom>
    <eduCommons xmlns="http://cosl.usu.edu/xsd/eduCommonsv1.1">
       <objectType>
       </objectType>

       ...
    </eduCommons>
</metadata>

The following section describes the tags supported by eduCommons in detail.

eduCommons Metadata Tags

The objectType tag

The objectType tag is used to signify what type of content object eduCommons should create for the given resource. Possible values are Course, Document, File, Image, or Link. This field is required. HTML or plain text resources should use the document setting. Images should use the image setting. All other resources should use the File setting, unless they are an external link. If a resource is in HTML format and represents a course home page, use the Course setting and make sure the resource appears first in the manifest resources section.

<objectType>
    Course
</objectType>

The license tag

The license tag is used to assign a copyright license to a content object. It is also used to render a copyright byline for an object.

The license field supports four parameters:

  • License Cateogory
  • License Name
  • License URL
  • License Icon URL

The category field appears as an attribute in the license tag, and must be set to one of the following:

  • (site default)
  • All Rights Reserved
  • GNU Free Document License
  • Creative Commons License
  • Other

The category field is also used as a label by eduCommons to allow a user to select a copyright license for a content object. It is a required field.

The licenseName tag is used to identify the name of the license. This name will be used in the copyright byline, and should slot into the following sentence: This resource is licensed under a ____________. This is an optional field only if “(site default)” is chosen. Otherwise it must be specified.

The licenseUrl tag is used to specify a public web site where the legal definition of the license is displayed. It allows the license name in the copyright byline to be linked directly to the definition. It is optional.

The licenseIconUrl tag is used to specify a public icon image that represents the content license. This field is optional, and likely not to be included, unless the license includes a representative icon. An example where you would want to include this field would be to specify a creative commons icon along with the license.

Below is an example of how the license field would be encoded within the eduCommons metadata.

<license category="Creative Commons License">
    <licenseName>

        Attribution 2.5
    </licenseName>
    <licenseUrl>
        
When we share, everyone wins

    </licenseUrl>
    <licenseIconUrl>
        
When we share, everyone wins

    </licenseIconUrl>

</license>

The clearedCopyright tag

The clearedCoypright field is used by eduCommons to keep track of whether or not a content object has been cleared for publication in an open content environment. It can be set to either “true” or “false”. This field is optional, and is set to “false” by default.

<clearedCopyright>

    true
</clearedCopyright>
faq educommons

What is eduCommons?

This FAQ applies to: eduCommons 3.2.0

eduCommons is an OpenCourseWare management system. It is designed to help universities and other educational establishments publish open educational resources, and participate in the OpenCourseWare movement. eduCommons is an Open Source project, and is licensed under the GPL.