NHS Shared Learning Collection Development Policy February 2009

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Table of Contents 1. NHS Shared Learning Collection Development Policy.......3 1.1 NHS Shared Learning Collection.................................................3 1.2 Purpose of this document..........................................................3

2. Scope.................................................................................4 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8

Subjects covered.....................................................................4 Intended audience and access...................................................4 Acceptable sources of information..............................................4 Resource types and categories...................................................4 Exclusions...............................................................................5 Geographical origin..................................................................5 Language coverage..................................................................5 User support...........................................................................5

3. Quality Selection Criteria...................................................5 3.1 Resource discovery..................................................................5 3.2 Evaluation and Selection criteria ...............................................6 3.2.1 Contributor’s Quality Assurance Checklist for evaluating learning objects.........6 3.2.2 Contributor’s Quality Assurance Checklist for evaluating online courses...........7 3.2.3 Contributor’s Quality Assurance Checklist for resources during the upload process within Intralibrary................................................................................7

3.3 User suggestions.....................................................................7

4. Cataloguing.......................................................................8 4.1 Conventions and standards.......................................................8

5. Review, updating, archiving..............................................8 5.1 Reviewing records....................................................................8 5.2 Link checking..........................................................................8 5.3 Deselecting records..................................................................8

6. Linking...............................................................................9 7. Notice and Takedown........................................................9 8. Rights Statement...............................................................9 9. Status of this document...................................................10

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1. NHS Shared Learning Collection Development Policy NHS Shared Learning is an online library of learning resources for NHS Staff and partner organisations. The resources include single files like images, audio clips, video clips, documents (word or PDF), interactive learning resources like flash objects, learning objects standard and non-standard based (IMS or SCORM packages) and virtual objects like web links to external websites. NHS Shared Learning aims to host and provide access to these digital educational resources. The underpinning principle is to enable the sharing and reuse of learning resources across NHS and partner organisations. This includes the facility to reuse e-Learning resources from NHS Shared Learning in VLE’s or LMS’s. The content is quality assured, and only resources that meet the quality selection criteria are stored here.

1.1 NHS Shared Learning Collection All resources in NHS Shared Learning belong to one default collection and all users have access to all the resources belonging to that collection. All NHS and partner organisations are invited to contribute resources of diverse subjects and types to this default collection.

1.2 Purpose of this document This document1 sets out to make explicit the underlying principle behind the inclusion of resources and the exclusion of others. The intention is to ensure quality, consistency, interoperability – or compatibility - with other systems. It includes:

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The scope of subject coverage The intended audience The types of resources collected The quality criteria for selecting and evaluating resources. Policies regarding the management and development of the NHS Shared Learning

This document is intended for the use of NHS staff as well as external organisations who may wish to contribute materials to NHS Shared Learning portal. Equally it may inform users about the nature, extent and accessibility of the resources. ______________________ 1

The structure of this document is based on the IRISS Learning Exchange Collection Development Policy at http://www.iriss.ac.uk/files/LX_Collection_Development_approved_0608.pdf which itself was derived from the Intute Collection Development Framework and Policy at http://www.intute.ac.uk/Intute_cdfp.doc

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2. Scope 2.1 Subjects covered The subjects covered by NHS Shared Learning are the MESH2 (Medical Subject Heading System) and the KSF3 (Knowledge and Skills Framework) taxonomy.

2.2 Intended audience and access NHS Shared Learning’s audiences include: • •

NHS staff of all disciplines – both clinical and non-clinical Students and teachers working with the NHS

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Partners in care in the voluntary and local authority sectors. Increasingly, it is working with partners to support the information needs of patients, carers and the public for self-care and shared decision making.

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Virtually all of the NHS Shared Learning content is available free of charge on the Internet. A small number of resources may, for licensing reasons, require password protection. Authentication for access to this part of the NHS Shared Learning is administered by Athens and is available to all NHS staff, students and teachers working with NHS and partners.

2.3 Acceptable sources of information Information generated by NHS staff, students, teachers and partner organisations is all acceptable provided that they meet the criteria set out in section 3.2.

2.4 Resource types and categories The NHS Shared Learning may include the following types of digital resources:

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Primary sources in electronic form, including text documents, Spread Sheets, PowerPoint presentations, Images, Video clips, Audio clips, Flash Animations, Simulations, Assessments and quizzes Teaching and learning material, including online tutorials, course packages, interactive animations Web resources where substantial original content or form is made available. A resource may be contributed and catalogued as a single entity (e.g. an entire training course) or as each constituent part (e.g., each chapter, module, section, or individual images and text files) may be contributed as a separate resource. This is referred to as ‘granularity’. ______________________

Medical Subject Heading System (MESH) http://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2003/MBrowser.html

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Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_40 90843

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2.5 Exclusions NHS Shared Learning will not include: •

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Resources which contravene laws within UK jurisdictions including, but not limited to, the laws relating to defamation or obscenity. Resources which do not meet the selection criteria outlined in section 3.2. Resources designed solely for the marketing, advertising and sale of commercial products.

2.6 Geographical origin There are no geographical restrictions on the origin of resources.

2.7 Language coverage The preferred language in English but resources in other languages will be eligible for inclusion.

2.8 User support In order to assist users who may experience technical difficulties or may not be able find what they are looking for, various help and support facilities are provided. These include User guides, feedback, general email enquiries.

3. Quality Selection Criteria 3.1 Resource discovery NHS Shared Learning Contributing members and organisations may select digital resources from a variety of sources, including: • • • • • • • • • •

Contributing Organisation’s own created materials. Online discovery tools such as trusted Internet gateways and blogs. Advanced search facilities of search engines. Contributing Organisation’s own Internet bookmarks and favourites. Word of mouth. References. Reading lists. Email lists and discussion groups. Alerting services. Links from trusted sites.

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3.2 Evaluation and Selection criteria NHS Shared Learning is committed to providing quality assured knowledge content relevant to the needs of service delivery and patient care in NHS Scotland. This focus on quality is a key aspect of NHS Shared Learning, setting it above the generality of Internet gateways and directories. To provide high quality learning resources, all resources in NHS Shared Learning (NSL) should be subject to a quality assurance process requiring that they meet the majority of the evaluation checklist criteria outlined below. These checklists are built upon the peer review checklist and development guidelines produced by the e-Learning Alliance NHS Special Interest Group and the evaluation criteria produced by the Southern Regional Education Board (www.sreb.org). They aim to cover the technical and educational quality of eLearning resources. The checklist given below will be applied by Contributors before uploading resources to NHS Shared Learning portal via the Intralibrary tool. http://www.sharedlearning.scot.nhs.uk/media/29865/quality_assurance_checklist s_comments1.pdf NOTE: The below checklists are just criteria headings that needs to be adhered to. Please refer the detailed Evaluation criteria’s Checklists for learning objects and online courses at the following link:

3.2.1 Contributor’s Quality Assurance Checklist for evaluating learning objects

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Standard A: Content quality - The content is accurate and grammatically correct, and the scope is sufficient for the intended use.

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Standard B: Learning objective alignment - Learning goals and objectives are provided to outline learning expectations and are applicable and relevant to the subject matter and the audience.

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Standard C: Feedback - Learners are provided with constructive, relevant and frequent feedback based on their activities within the learning object.

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Standard D: Motivation - The learning environment is engaging, interactive and relevant to the intended learner.

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Standard E: Design and Usability

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Standard F: Accessibility The learning object provides accommodation for learners with sensory and/or motor disabilities.

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Standard G: Reusability and standards compliance - The learning object can be used in varying learning contexts with learners from diverse backgrounds and supports international standards and specifications.

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Standard H: Intellectual property and copyright - The learning object metadata address the rights of the owner and the conditions for use.

3.2.2 Contributor’s Quality Assurance Checklist for evaluating online courses •

Standard A: Content

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Standard B: Instructional design

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Standard C: Assessment

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Standard D: Technology

3.2.3 Contributor’s Quality Assurance Checklist for resources during the upload process within Intralibrary These checklists applies only when the contributor uploads the resource to NHS Shared Learning portal and adds metadata via the Intralibrary system •

Check if the resource uploaded through Intralibrary has an appropriate title, description and keywords

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Check if the description field indicates what QA process has been applied. This should include the checklists presented in this document (which cover technical and educational QA) plus any quality assurance conducted from a subject/clinical perspective. E.g., you can state in the description, this resource has been Educationally/ Technically Quality assured.

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Check if the description field indicates what KSF mapping applies to the resource, if applicable

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Check if you have indicated within the description field when the resource was created or published, if known. If the exact date is unknown you can also state the year of creation/publication

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Check if you have indicated the author and the publisher of the resource if the you yourself/organization has not authored or published the resource

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Check if you have selected the appropriate License rights associated with the resource while uploading the resource

This document provides an outline of the Resource workflow within NHS Shared Learning and also provides the checklists of evaluating learning objects and online courses before they are uploaded and published within NHS Shared Learning. A new resource may be identified and suggested via [email protected]

3.3 User suggestions Suggestions made via the email helpdesk will be subject to the same selection and evaluation criteria outlined above.

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4. Cataloguing 4.1 Conventions and standards All resources are catalogued according to the UK LOM4. Complex objects are stored as IMS and SCORM Packages5 Resources will be classified using the Medical Subject Heading System (MESH), the Knowledge and Skills Framework KSF and Accessibility standards and regulations. Cataloguing guidelines are produced and updated from time to time.

5. Review, updating, archiving This includes weeding out broken links and checking resources for continued relevance and accuracy

5.1 Reviewing records Contributors are requested to define review dates for their resources to ensure that each record remains accurate and up-to-date. A default review date of 1 year from contribution will be assigned if contributors do not define their own date.

5.2 Link checking A regular automated check will be made of all URLs contained in the NHS Shared Learning.

5.3 Deselecting records Records should be removed from the portal: • • • •

If If If If

the resource is no longer available. the currency or reliability of the resource has lost its value. another Internet site or resource offers more comprehensive coverage. it is a duplicate record.

_____________________ The UK LOM Core is an application profile of the IEEE 1484.12.1 - 2002 Standard for Learning Object Metadata, optimised for use within the context of UK education. http://www.cetis.ac.uk/profiles/uklomcore/uklomcore_v0p2_may04.doc 4

IMS Content Packaging is a specification for sending learning resources (or learning objects) from one program to another, facilitating easier delivery, reuse and sharing of materials. http://www.imsglobal.org/ 5

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Records will never be completely deleted from NHS Shared Learning. They will be moved to collection specially created for the purpose of maintaining an audit trail. This collection will be visible only to NHS Shared Learning managers and technical staff. The metadata for this collection will not be made available for harvesting and searching. A resource may be re-instated if the reason for its de-selection ceases to be valid, for example if web site becomes live again in response to changing conditions and requirements.

6. Linking • •

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NHS Shared Learning will make links to third party websites only where it is confident that the site owner will be ‘pleased or indifferent’ about the link. All Terms and Conditions displayed on the Linked Site will be respected. NHS Shared Learning does not routinely notify Linked Sites that a link has been made unless such notification is explicitly requested by the site owner. All external links to third party sites carry terms and conditions information which instruct the user to check and abide by the terms and conditions of the Linked Site.

7. Notice and Takedown NHS Shared Learning reserves the right to and will act, as expediently as is reasonably possible, to remove illegal or objectionable resources from NHS Shared Learning, upon receiving notice or becoming aware of their existence. Every effort has been made to ensure that nothing in NHS Shared Learning infringes UK law and to trace rights owners where relevant. In some cases, despite all attempts, it may impossible to trace any rights holder. Such persons or their representatives, where they exist, are invited to contact us with evidence to support a claim so an agreement can be reached. In these cases, we will remove any allegedly infringing material from NHS Shared Learning until we have completed the necessary investigations. We apologise for any infringement that might occur where such rights owners do not come forward.

8. Rights Statement In NHS Shared Learning the rights holder of the individual resource is a contributor/ contributing board themselves. All contributors will be prompted to add rights information to their resources during the upload process. NES Knowledge Services encourages contributors of learning resources to use Creative Commons license6. With a Creative Commons licence, you keep your copyright but allow people to copy and distribute your work provided they give you credit -- and only on the conditions you specify. 6

Creative Commons is a non-profit organization that provides a free alternative to the restrictions of the traditional copyright laws http://creativecommons.org/international/scotland/

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There are 6 Creative Commons licenses configured within the portal. We recommend users to apply the Attribution Non-commercial License7 to their work. All web resources linking to external websites feature a Web Resource license configured within the portal.

9. Status of this document The Collection Policy should be considered as continually under review. Changes will be made in response to changing conditions and requirements. Please contact [email protected] for any suggestions or feedback. _____________________

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Attribution Non-commercial License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/scotland/

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