Hi, The main question of this topic is actually the central theme of all the people like me that work in systems supporting and exploiting metadata. The question is : where is the value in metadata? Here you have a paper I coauthored some time ago about this critical issue: http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1389548 However, we actually did not provide answers to the question but only more questions. Just as for other Information System resources, metadata needs to be cost-justified, be it with cost-benefit analysis, strategic resource theories as the resource-based view of the firm, or any other kind of effectiveness or efficiency related argument. The problem is that there are few reports on this issue, and our understanding of the value of metadata is still in its inception. More empirical studies and in-depth analysis is for sure required! All the best, Miguel-Angel

Dear colleagues, Below some quick reflections about the questions posed. Q1. Learning resources are of a very different kind, from simple diagrams to complete course materials. However, when we are thinking on sharing learning resources, the important issue is reusability, i.e. resources prepared for reuse in different context. This is the notion of "learning object": http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/viewArticle/155/236 Q2: Yes, in different context. For the resources I prepare for students, I first do a decomposition phase, then work them independently and then "glue" them together with some form of narrative. This helps in producing more reusable resources. Q3: A priori you can use questionnaires as LORI (Learning Object Review Instrument), but the best is using them and getting feedback. Q4: Not at all. Most resources are still poorly prepared for reuse. There is still a long way to Q5: Yes, when I feel they are good enough or useful :-) I use CC licenses. With kind regards, Miguel-Angel Sicilia