Using this definition as a basis, we can adopt the ADL's functional definition of a resource 

being referred to as a `learning repository' if it is created in order to provide access to digital 

educational materials and if the nature of its content or metadata reflects an interest in those 

materials being used in educational context.' (Ibid.) 

Despite the validity of the above definitions they simply provide a starting point and are in 

many ways too general for the variety of repository initiatives and projects within this report. 

To enable any sort of comparison or establish any emerging trends within the field is it 

important that we provide a series of definitions so that we can distinguish and categorise the 

various types of e learning repository initiatives investigated within this report. 

For the purpose of this report the following three definitions are thus proposed; 

Online catalogue of educational web based resources   an online database of 

metadata records that refer users to quality educational content available on the 

internet. This type of learning repository does not store any objects/content and is the 

most common type of learning repository. 

Online Digital Object Repository   an online repository that stores digital objects and 

their associated metadata. The purpose of this learning repository is to store 

academic or educational outputs such as research papers and materials, often for an 

institution. 

Online Learning Repository   an online repository system that stores virtual objects, 

digital objects and allows the import and export of standards based content 

packages

1

. 

Unlike JORUM, the majority of learning repositories described in section 2 of this report do 

not store actual content or learning objects. It is the intention of this report to highlight trends 

such as this, in contrast with user expectations and the issues associated with them. 

1.5 Why the trend towards repositories? 

1.5.1 The need for learning repositories 

Serious investment has been committed in recent years, internationally, to repository 

development and deployment in the academic sector. For example, in July 2002, $9.4 million 

was invested in the eduSourceCanada e learning program. In March 2005, the JISC put out a 

call for projects regarding digital repositories and committed up to  4 million to the venture

2

. 

This followed on from previous JISC programmes that included the X4L Programme

3

 that 

funded the JORUM project. Such actions demonstrate the requirement for research into, and 

implementation of, effective learning repositories to aid in the storage and retrieval of learning 

resources. 

What factors can explain this recent interest and requirement for learning repositories? 

More and more projects within the fields of e learning and traditional 

education have identified a need for repositories. Repositories are very much 

in demand because educators of all kinds are developing digital educational 

content. Many content creation and educational projects are not satisfied 

with placing their products on isolated websites, to be discovered and used 

by users with only unpredictable search engines as their guides. The leaders 

of these projects hear that repositories can make these pieces of digital 

content accessible and reusable, providing a location on the Internet where 

1

 A content package is an encrypted file containing content and metadata. 

2

 JISC Circular 3/05: call for projects in digital repositories. See http://www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=funding_circular3_05 

3

 The JISC Exchange for Learning Programme. See http://www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=programme_x4l 

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