Annotation Framework

1
Annotation Framework

• March 2004

2
Terminology

• CV - abbreviation for controlled vocabulary
• CRS - Community Review System (a collection
  within DLESE)
• NSDL - National Science Digital Library

3
Annotation defined

• Additional content or metadata that is
  appropriate to associate with a resource
• Content examples
• Diagram to explain a page of text in a resource
• Lab equipment instructions
• Metadata examples
• Quantitative information on the use of the
  resource
• Teaching tip for a particular learning environment

4
Annotation framework purpose (1)

• Create a collection of
• Comments, educational standards, teaching tips or
  ideas for use
• Reviews or contextual explanations
• Additional information about resources (the
  information may or may not be directly in the
  resource)
• Graphical layers over web-based resources
• Annotations or other summary information

5
Annotation framework purpose (2)

• Capture comments or feedback by users
• Capture information that is not a metadata field
  in any DLESE metadata framework, e.g. evaluative
  information or editors summary
• Be the gatekeeper to the DLESE Reviewed
  Collection (done under certain conditions)
• Connect an annotation or comment to a specific
  page of a resource

6
History of annotation framework

• NSDL gathers annotation information CVs from 4
  frameworks proposes a framework
• CRS asks NSDL to expand vocab list and framework
  to meet CRS needs NSDL does
• DLESE develops own annotation framework based on
  NSDL work
• DLESE writes CV definitions for annotation type
  and NSDL references them

7
Annotation types (1)

• Advice - A suggestion for working with the
  resource
• Annotation - Additional information about a
  resource expressed in any manner
• Average scores of aggregated indices - A
  numerical representation of quantitative
  information about a resource

8
Annotation types (2)

• Bias - An indication that the resource content
  may have any of the following (1) factual (e.g.
  not just scientific) errors, (2) be in conflict
  with generally accepted scientific thought, (3)
  seems self-promoting or (4) seems to have a
  political, social or religious agenda
• Change - Annotations that document or propose
  change to a source document

9
Annotation types (3)

• Comment - Remarks about a resource that express
  opinions or attitudes
• Editors summary - An annotation that results
  from the summary of several pieces of evaluation
  information that may describe the strengths,
  weaknesses, pedagogical effectiveness, best uses
  for or general characteristics of a resource

10
Annotation types (4)

• Education standard - An indication that the
  resource meets, supports or aligns with an
  educational standard, that is, a level of
  achievement determined by a professional group to
  which learners are expected to aspire
• Example - A description or link to another
  resource that illustrates the resource content in
  a demonstrative way

11
Annotation types (5)

• Explanation - Information for understanding the
  resource, especially within its context of use
  but does not generally express opinions or
  attitudes
• Information on challenging teaching and learning
  situations - Information for using the resource
  within challenging or non-typical teaching or
  learning environments

12
Annotation types (6)

• Question - An indication of any of the following
  (1) a request for further information, (2) an
  asking of why something was done or (3) the
  raising of a point of discussion
• Review - A formal or informal evaluation of a
  resource

13
Annotation types (7)

• See also - A reference to another resource
• Teaching tip - Information for using the resource
  within a certain teaching or learning environment
  but generally not challenging or non-typical
  environments

14
Annotation framework content (1)

• The actual content or a URL pointing to the
  annotation content (R)
• Name of the service providing access to the
  annotations (R)
• Id number of the annotated resource (R)
• Annotation type (R)
• Kind of annotation (text, audio, visual) (R)

15
Annotation framework content (2)

• DRC pathway name (O and R - depends)
• Date information (R)
• Title of the annotation (O)
• Status of annotation (O)
• Page within the resource to which the annotation
  applies (O)
• Annotator information (name, email, org) (O)

16
Annotation technical

• Uses XML schema to enforce required metadata and
  controlled vocabularies
• Only 1 annotation type per annotation record (so
  1 resource many have many annotation records
  associated with it)

17
Annotation content sidenote

• Encourage annotation services to include the
  annotations within the annotation records rather
  than just links to the annotations (most provide
  links)
• This would provide more powerful searching
  because the content of the annotation is
  searchable too

18
Annotation issues

• Content does not go forward to NSDL
• Dont know how library users interact with or
  understand annotations
• Review of annotations for appropriateness