LD4PE: A Competency-based Guide to Linked Data Principles and Practices

Abstract

The IMLS-funded Linked Data for Professional Education (LD4PE) project has developed a competency-based prototype referatory of Learning Resources for teaching and learning practices in the design, implementation, and management of Linked Data. This report summarizes the work of the project in developing: 1) an RDF-modeled “Competency Index for Linked Data” (Index) based on the Achievements Standards Network Description Language (ASN-DL) for describing formally promulgated competencies and benchmarks; 2) an openly available, web-based tool set to support the management of the Index; the generation of RDF metadata about Learning Resources; the packaging and arrangement of selected Learning Resources by users in “Saved Sets”; and the creation of learning trajectory maps expressing curricular structures or personal learning journeys superimposed over the competency framework through the integration of these elements as WordPress custom posts and taxonomies on the LD4PE website; 3) a set of cataloged Learning Resources that have been mapped to the competencies and benchmarks of the Index to support competency-based resource discovery by teachers, trainers and learners; 4) the LD4PE project website (http://explore.dublincore.net), which will be managed by the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) as part of its educational agenda; and 5) a set of Best Practices describing the infrastructure and policies developed for the project that others can reuse in mapping future knowledge domains in a similar manner.