Metadata for Language Learning Resources: Advancing OLAC for Language Development
Abstract
When the first Open Language Archive Community meetings were convened in 2001 [1-3], Language Documentation was a new research framework [4-5]. Language Description had been the long understood goal for the field of linguistics. However, as early as 1968 Fishman and others [6-9] suggested Language Development, inclusive of ideas now known as Language Revitalization [10-12] and Language Reclamation [13], was within scope of linguistic scholarly activities. Addressing language-learning needs within ethno-linguistic minority communities is increasingly the focus of scholarly pursuits—including the production of pedagogical materials [14-20]. However, describing language resources which have been crafted specifically with pedagogical goals in mind, or which conform to specific pedagogical frameworks remains a challenge. OLAC, depending on Dublin Core’s foundation [21], only has limited options for describing learning resources [22-25]. We show that adding the LRMI (Learning Resource Metadata Initiative) schema [26], a lightweight learning resource metadata schema [27-28], to OLAC’s current application profile, will increase the descriptive capabilities of archives and repositories which have an enduring focus on assets of interest to ethno-linguistic minorities. LRMI facilitates language development by allowing OLAC viewers to search for learning resources which may become inspirational for language development. Learning resource metadata also brings the utility of OLAC, and the potential to participate in relevant ways to new preservation organizations which have focused on language learning resources. We see two ways that LRMI could be integrated into the OLAC community: 1) add new vocabularies and terms in the OLAC name-space, or 2) add the LRMI namespace to the OLAC aggregator. We present work which includes an .xsd file containing controlled vocabularies within LRMI. This technological implementation of LRMI, when added to OLAC feeds, adds value to preservation institutions on top of already existing integrations between LRMI and schema.org [29].
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Hugh Paterson III
Collaborative Scholar
I specialize in bespoke research at the intersection of Linguistics, Law, Languages, and Technology; specifically utility and life-cycle management for information products in these spaces.