After The Deluge: navigating DRM in learning object repositories

Map Image from the University of Texas at Austin

http://trustdr.ulster.ac.uk/

Distributed under a Creative Commons License - Attribution 2.5 UK: ScotlandAuthors John Casey, Jackie Proven, David Dripps

A ‘data deluge’ is hitting our educational institutions. We need to learn how to manage digital materials, understand what is important, what needs to be kept, managed and preserved.

Individuals and institutions have become de-facto digital publishers – enjoying both the legal rights and the responsibilities this brings.

In the context of e-learning this is also linked to fundamental changes in teaching and learning at national, institutional and professional levels

Background

The ‘Learning Object Economy’

A Challenge to the Political Economy of Academia?

Learning Objects

Monolithic Course Well Structured Course Learning Objects

Images by J. Casey - from the L2L project

Practical ways of managing IPR in digital learning materials

Operates at the intersection of technology, education and the law

DRM (Digital Rights Management) systems for institutional repositories

Is not just a technical problem

Digital ……………………..(Technology & Use)

Rights ……………………..(Legal & Social)

Management ……………..(Policy & Culture)

Requires a Systems Approach

About the TrustDR Project

Is not the same business model as before…a more systematic approach

Education and Technology - Big Picture Stuff!

Pedagogical framework, educational setting, organisational contextFrom Effective networked learning in higher education: notes and guidelines, Lancaster University & JISC JCALT

E-learning as part of a fundamental shift in education

Future Practice(sustainable)

Current Practice(subsistence)

Really About Process Change - think of DRM as an enabler

Attempts to implement e-learning are revealing underlying problems in structure and and culture – e-learning as a reification agent (Pollock & Cornford, 2000)

Much of what is assumed and taken for granted is incorrect (UK e-U)

These technologies carry a strong organisational and pedagogical model - to use them you have to change (Freisen, 2004)

E-learning will be ineffective without the necessary changes in the structure of institutions and changes to working practices, needs top-down action

Main obstacles are philosophical, pedagogical, political, and organisational - the technical issues are comparatively minor

Current concentration on technical issues is a ‘displacement activity’

Tradition, dominant groups and vested interests delay and obstruct new knowledge (Kuhn, 1996)

Some Critical Observations About E-learning

What does Your E-learning System Look Like?

E-learning

Dysfunctional

Functional

sustainable

unsustainable

collective

individual

management by budget

management by analysis

teaching and research separate

teaching and research conflated

core business

systematic

fragmented

accurate MIS information

‘enterprise’ rhetoric but no decent MIS

senior management engaged

senior management disengaged

techno-sceptic

techno-fetish

evaluation

no evaluation

long-term

short-term

design once use many

Business not understood

design once use once

DRM gets easier if you:Understand your businessKnow where the value isAre clear about what you are trying to do

Adopt a ‘systems’ approach to e-learning

Lots of good advice is already available - use it! Don’t reinvent the wheel! (see the references)

If you can’t prove your rights or ownership then no amount of technology will help – simple record keeping, administration, policy and procedures are the foundation of successful DRM in any sphere. Linked to a clear expression of your rights this might be enough

Accurate & sufficient metadata is key - it’s a human thing!

Simplify the ‘Problem Space’

acts as a ‘lightening conductor’ to bring to the surface many difficult problems:

ownership

power

control

status

DRM and IPR as Lightening Conductors

Image by Christopher Hollishttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Lightning_strike_in_Tampa_Florida_(modified).jpg

Develop a clear policy for IPR in learning materials

Use standard policies and licences where possible

Management of IPR by library service not the research or

commercialisation office

Ownership is very over-rated in IPR & the digital domain!

(Adopt a ‘Take What You Need’ philosophy)

Use licences - a standard set will cut costs and make admin easier

Use the TrustDR Framework for Managing IPR in e-learning

Use the TrustDR Organisational Model to understand your e-learning

Use the TrustDR Institutional Development Packs

Policy Solutions

Introducing the TrustDR framework for managing IPR in e-learning

A Compass to Guide Us

Photograph by Murat Cokal, Umitkoy, Ankara, Turkey

TrustDR Framework

TrustDR Framework

TrustDR Framework

Tools to Support a Systems Approach

TrustDR Organisational Model

Fig. 2 Basic Analysis and Audit Tool Derived from the Model

derived from van der Klink & Jochems, 2004

References, Guides & Provenances

van der Klink, M., & Jochems, W. (2004) Management and organisation of integrated e-learning in Integrated E-Learning: implications for pedagogy, technology and organisation, Jochems, W., van Merriënboer, J., and Koper, R., Routledge & Falmer, London,

Pollock, N. & Cornford, J. 2000. Theory and Practice of the Virtual University: report on UK universities use of new technologies. In ARIADNE issue 24. http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue24/virtual-universities/

Twigg, C (2005) Keynote Summary: Improving Learning and Reducing Costs - New Models for Online Learning in the ALT-C 2005 conference, ALT-C, UK. http://www.alt.ac.uk/altc2005/keynotes.html#carol

Twigg, C. (2002) Improving Quality & Reducing Costs, The Observatory on Borderless Higher Education.

Goodyear, P., et al (2001) Effective Networked Learning in Higher Education: Notes and Guidelines, by The Centre for Studies in Advanced Learning Technology Lancaster University Commissioned by JISC and available at http://csalt.lancs.ac.uk/jisc/guidelines.htm

Friesen, N. (2004) Three Objections to Learning Objects and E-Learning Standards. In McGreal, R. (Ed.) Online Education Using Learning Objects. London: Routledge. Pp. 59-70. Draft version online at: http://www.learningspaces.org/n/papers/objections.html

Ramsden, P. 1991. Learning to Teach in Higher Education, Routledge, London

Laurillard, D. (2002) Rethinking University Teaching. London: Routledge.

Casey, J., Wilson, P., 2006, A Practical Guide to Providing Flexible Learning in Further and Higher Education, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education Scotland Committee, Glasgow, 2006 (in print - due to be published Spring 2006)

Kuhn, T. 1996 The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, University of Chicago Press.

Casey, J. (2004) Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in networked e-learning: a beginners guide for content developers. JISC Legal Information. Available at http://www.jisclegal.ac.uk/publications/johncasey_1.htm [Accessed 14.04.06]

 

Casey, J. and MacAlpine, M. (2002) Writing and Using Re-useable Educational Materials: a beginners guide, CETIS Educational Content Special Interest group {Online} www.cetis.ac.uk/educational-content

References, Guides & Provenances

Compass in a wooden frame. On wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Compass_in_a_wooden_frame.jpg

Taken from stock.xchng: "There are no usage restrictions for this photo." Photographer's (Murat Cokal, Umitkoy, Ankara, Turkey) user page set no usage restrictions.

Map of Samoa from the University of Texas at Austin collection of maps – free to use and adapt

Lightening Image by Christopher Hollis under a CC ‘BY’ licencehttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Lightning_strike_in_Tampa_Florida_(modified).jpg

Image from Effective networked learning in higher education: notes and guidelines, Lancaster University & JISC JCALT, implied licence for educational use. Available at http://csalt.lancs.ac.uk/jisc/

Learning Object illustration by John Casey, taken from L2L project training materials http://www.daice.stir.ac.uk/l2l/

Clip Art from Microsoft Word

All other images by the TrustDR Project

References, Guides & Provenances