Resource Discovery Services for Grid Computing Training

Resource discovery is a core function of e-learning. While initially confined to library environments, it has become pervasive, partly due to the advent of web-based searching and also service-oriented approach. The latter is the focus of this paper as resource discovery (web) services enable existing resources to be identified from a source (library) and re-purposed for educational purposes in other systems such as virtual learning environments. This paper describes the development of such resource discovery services developed as part of an initiative to pilot e-learning and a shared digital library infrastructure for Grid Computing training projects in Europe. The development is also related to a project funded by the UK Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) on publisher metadata interoperability. The resource discovery services correspond to an emerging international service-oriented framework for developing e-learning. This paper also provides an overview of the framework and the use-scenarios in which the resource discovery services have been deployed.