Learning object repositories and evaluation tools have the potential to serve as sites for interaction among different cultures and communities of practice. This paper outlines the web-based learning object evaluation tools we have developed, describes our current efforts to extend those tools to a wider range of user communities, and considers methods for fostering interaction among user communities. The approaches considered include establishing shared but differentiated learning object evaluation standards, mapping between local languages, ontologies and practices, and recommending objects across community boundaries.
Jerry Zhigang Li, John C. Nesbit, Griff Richards