Effective Retrieval of Educational Resources by Using Learning Object Metadata for K-12 Schools in Japan

We have customized learning object metadata (LOM) for educational resources on the basis of the LOM investigated by IEEE [1] and IMS [2], in order to make it consistent with Japanese K-12 school education.[3] Since many specifications for the metadata are included in the customized LOM, we extracted necessary metadata especially for taking into account the retrieval of educational resources in schools. The extracted LOM has been installed with more than 13,000 educational resources individually. These resources have been registered in the search engine we developed using the LOM and are now available on the Internet as a first trial for applying the LOM. Using the LOM in the search engine makes it easy for teachers and students to find appropriate resources for their learning needs.