DLESE Community Collection (DCC) Scope Statement

Collection scope

The scope and purpose of the DLESE Community Collection (DCC) is Earth system science education, with particular emphasis on interdisciplinary areas. The collection seeks resources that bring the Earth system into the classroom or learning site, and which demonstrate the application of science to solving real world problems. The collection shall favor resources that convey linkages and connections: the general with the specific, theory with evidence, global with local. The collection shall favor materials that are well-documented, easy to use, bug-free, motivational for learners, pedagogically effective, scientifically accurate, and which foster mastery of significant understandings or skills. All geographic areas on Earth are included in the scope of the collection, as well as the atmosphere and the solar system. The DCC is a unique collection in DLESE in that it captures all the resources that are cataloged directly via the cataloging tool on the DLESE website. That is, the DCC provides access to resources individual community members or organized cataloging efforts have deemed appropriate for DLESE.

The collection is aligned with the DLESE Collections Scope and Policy Statement (http://www.dlese.org/documents/policy/CollectionsScope_final.html) as well as the DLESE Collections Accession and Deaccessioning Policy (http://www.dlese.org/documents/policy/collections_accession.html). This means, the DCC is using DLESE's current metadata format and provides all required metadata. The collection is directly searchable at: http://www.dlese.org

Selection criteria

The selection criteria to be part of the DCC encompasses two questions:

1. Does the resource pertain to Earth system education
2. Does the resource function reasonably well

If both answers are yes, then the resource is appropriate for the DCC. The types of materials in the DCC include:

Research and education materials, and sources of content

• Tutorials and learning resources
• Assessment tools (including exams, quizzes, questionnaires, self-assessments)
• Lesson plans, syllabi, and curricula
• Interactive tutorials about an aspect of the Earth (for students)
• Interactive mini-tutorials about a specific aspect of pedagogy (for faculty)
• Learning activities (including guided inquiry sets, modules, problem sets, classroom and lab activities, case studies, homework exercises)

Field trips

• Field trip guides (for real field trips)
• Virtual field trips

Tools

• Tools to look at and analyze data
• Calculators and converters
• Models and simulations
• Software programs
• Tools for creating learning materials

Collection contacts

Please direct questions about the collection to support@dlese.org.

Metadata terms of use

All metadata is Copyright 2000-2005 University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) but metadata may be used as long as it is consistent with the DLESE Intellectual Property Policy, (http://www.dlese.org/documents/policy/DLESE_IP_approved.html). This allows for DLESE to redistribute and reformat, metadata to work in DLESE systems and services. Individual metadata records are available for harvest from DLESE.

Resource terms of use

The DLESE Community Collection attempts to provide a statement of copyright information or information on how a resource may be used. Library users are encouraged to read such information or go directly to the cataloged resource to obtain the latest copyright and terms of use information for a resource. If a copyright statement cannot be determined readily, the DCC tries to indicate this with the following statement: Copyright and other restrictions information is unknown.

Metadata quality

Metadata is reviewed by the quality assurance (QA) team at the DLESE Program Center (DPC). The QA team ensures required metadata is complete and appropriate, checks spelling, ensures correct metadata field and controlled vocabulary usage, assigns metadata record identification numbers and performs routine link checking of URLs.

Resource quality

The resources made accessible via the collection will vary in quality because the DCC is a community collection with individual resources chosen by the DLESE community. However, resources are checked to ensure they meet the criteria to be part of DLESE. If library users find errors or have suggestions for improvement for the DCC, such changes are considered and changes are made as appropriate.

Persistence plan for the collection

The collection is expected to continue growing and to exist indefinitely as long as funding is reliable. Currently, funding is available through August 2007. If the funding situation changes dramatically enough to impact operations, the DCC will cease to exist.

Last updated: 12-16-04
Maintained by: Katy Ginger (support@dlese.org), DLESE Metadata

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