Rachael Bower, CoDirector Internet Scout Project

1
AMSER Free Online Resources for the Classroom

• Rachael Bower, Co-Director Internet Scout Project
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• March 31, 2009
• For audio call Toll Free 1-888-886-3951
• and use PIN/code 222198

2
Housekeeping

• Maximize your CCC Confer window.
• Mute your phone (6) if you have visitors or
  noise in your office.
• Please note phone audio may be in presenter-only
  mode.
• Ask questions over the phone when the presenter
  prompts.
• Ask questions throughout presentation via the
  chat window.
• Turn on or off Closed Captioning by clicking on
  the icon.
• Save the presentation or chat by clicking on the
  icon.
• Vote Yes or No by using the icon.

3
How to use VoIP

• 1) To listen, adjust your speaker volume (left
  bottom of window)
• 2) To speak youll need a microphone or USB
  headset.
• a) First, run the audio wizard Tools/Audio/Audio
  Setup Wizard.
• b) Second, press on the mic icon when it is free
  (release when finished)

4

• AMSER
• Free Online Resources for the Classroom
• http//amser.org

5
About Scout

• Since 1994, Internet Scout has focused on
  developing better tools and services for finding,
  filtering, and presenting online information and
  metadata.
• Resource Discovery Services- Scout Report
• Resource Discovery Tools - CWIS
• Portals -AMSER
• http//scout.wisc.edu
• Funded primarily by the National Science
  Foundation (AMSER jointly under NSDL/ATE)

6
What is ?

• NSDL National Science Digital Library
• NSF initiative to create K-Grey digital library
  of STEM (Science/Technology/Engineering/Math)
  materials
• 100 projects funded
• AMSER is an NSDL Pathways Project
• Scout involved since 2001
• http//www.nsdl.org

7
AMSER is

• An NSDL Pathways project, just refunded as a
  Pathways II project
• Applied Math and Science Resources in a portal
  designed for community and technical college
  faculty, staff and students
• Services that assist with discovery, organization
  and sharing of resources
• Created by a team of Partners, led by Internet
  Scout
• http//amser.org

8
AMSER Partners

• Internet Scout
• ATE Projects (Advanced Technological Education)
• AACC (American Association of Community Colleges)
• AMATYC (American Mathematical Association of
  Two-Year Colleges)
• NISOD
• NSDL (National Science Digital Library)
• Pathways Projects

9
AMSER Resource Collection

• Finding Integrating the Resources
• Individual or Smaller Sets of Resources
• Collections
• Criteria
• Describing the Resources
• Annotations
• Cataloging the Resources
• Adding metadata
• Standards
• Managing the Resources
• Link checking, weeding, etc.

10
Topics of Resources

• Based on matriculation statistics, course
  catalogs, dept. of ed/labor information
• Wide range of applied STEM resources
• Collected for breadth and depth

11
AMSER Resource Metadata

• Short description
• More info -- longer descriptions
• Title
• Alternative Title
• URL
• Publisher
• Description
• Date Issued
• LC classification
• Gem

• Resource Type
• Format
• Audience
• Language
• Rights
• Source
• Ratings
• Comments

12
Searching in AMSER

• Simple Search - search box, key word
• Advanced Search
• Allows user to specify words/numbers in specific
  metadata fields
• Can narrow search using drop down menus of
  standardized terms (audience, resource format,
  etc.)
• Searches can be saved rerun automatically. If
  resources are found that match your search they
  will be emailed to you.

13
Browsing in AMSER

• Browsing resources using three taxonomy trees
• Gem - the Gateway to Education Materials
• Less detail, flatter taxonomy (200 terms)
• LCC - Library of Congress Classification
• Greater detail, extended taxonomy (400,000 terms)
• Key Concepts - AMSER created taxonomy
• Focus on key educational concepts

14
AMSER Folders

• Folders allow you to organize share resources
• Folders can be
• Renamed
• Rearranged
• Resources in folders can be rearranged AND moved
  between folders
• Resources in folders can have attached notes
• Add a note or description of your folder(s)
• You can share the contents of a folder with
  others !

15
Bulletins

• Bulletins
• Creating bulletins
• Adding topics
• Removing topics
• Setting bulletin frequency
• Changing the email address for your bulletin

16
Comments, Ratings Suggestions

• Adding value to AMSER
• Adding, editing and deleting comments
• How to rate a resource
• Suggest a resource

17
What is ?

• Collaborative effort between AMSER and ATE
  centers and projects
• Bring together ATE resources from centers and
  projects into one targeted, searchable collection
• Help promote the ATE brand
• Provide support to ATE centers and projects on
  issues related to collection development
  (metadata, vocabularies, etc)
• Connect ATE more closely with NSDL

18
Technology underlying AMSER ATE Central

• Scouts CWIS software
• Funded by the National Science Foundation
• Open Source
• Turnkey
• FREE!
• Find out more -- see CWIS handouts

19

• Questions? Comments? Ideas?
• Rachael Bower
• bower_at_scout.wisc.edu
• Share your ideas and insights we look forward
  to your feedback!!!

20
QA

• Your contact info goes here

21
Evaluation Survey Link

• http//tinyurl.com/ONEeval-09SpAMSER

22
Thanks for Attending

• For upcoming desktop seminars and links to
  recently archived seminars, check the _at_ONE Web
  site at
• http//www.cccone.org/seminars/