Module Information

Module Identifier
IL20620
Module Title
Resource Discovery and Digital Information Management
Academic Year
2024/2025
Co-ordinator
Dr Sarah Higgins
Semester
Semester 2
Reading List
View on Aspire
Other Staff
 

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Report  2500 Words  50%
Semester Exam 1.5 Hours   Exam  50%
Supplementary Assessment Report  2500 Words  50%
Supplementary Exam 1.5 Hours   Exam  50%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Identify a range of user requirements for digital information collections and discuss methods for defining these.

2. Discuss the characteristics of a ‘good digital object’ within a digital information collection.

3. Explain the role of metadata, and apply and appraise a range of metadata standards.

4. Outline the role of classification and controlled vocabularies in organising information for effective retrieval; and describe tools for their implementation.

5. Describe and discuss the different layers of interoperability and their role in aggregating collections.

6. Identify a range of discovery tools and evaluate their role in enhancing access to digital collections.

Brief description

Students will be provided with the theoretical knowledge and skills to design a data model for the effective management of cultural digital information; including its creation and organisation, and future discovery and retrieval.

Content

The module will look at what constitutes a ‘good digital collection’ for maximizing its effective management and the discovery and retrieval of its information with an emphasis on the design of a standards based technical architecture.

Defining requirements
User requirements and methods for defining these before the creation of digital information collections.

The nature of digital objects
What constitutes ‘good’ digital objects both technically and aesthetically to ensure a user base for the collection and their effective management and retrieval.

Unique and persistent identifiers
The role of persistent identifiers in long-term accessibility and usability, and standards for creating these.

Metadata functions, principles, standards and their implementation
The role of quality metadata in effective management and retrieval of digital information. An introduction to metadata standards and their practical implementation.

Classification, controlled vocabularies and the semantic web
The role of classification and controlled vocabularies in the management and retrieval of digital information; and the role of linked data and ontologies in designing and implementing a modern data architecture.

Interoperability and aggregation
How to ensure that a digital collection can be easily used by different people or organisations, and within different technical systems, without recreating the digital objects or the metadata.

Tools for discovery and interpretation
A good data architecture is complemented by good discovery tools. The role of these in digital collection discovery and retrieval will be examined across a range of information types.

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number Data analysis, structuring and sorting.
Communication There will be a requirement to discuss and collaborate with members of the class. Written communication will be assessed.
Improving own Learning and Performance Use of professional sources and documentation will foster student awareness of available learning resources, and improve critical and evaluatory skills.
Information Technology IT skills are integral to coursework and presentation of assignments, along with computer based practical exercises.
Personal Development and Career planning The module provides an academic baseline and essential skills for computer science or information professionals.
Problem solving Assignment work and practical activities will utilise professional scenarios in which strategies for dealing with particular issues and problems need to be formulated.
Research skills Assignment preparation will require the identification and location of relevant academic and professional literature, and professional best practice.
Subject Specific Skills The planning and delivery of a data architecture for digital information collections.
Team work This will be developed through activities within the delivery of the module.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5