The Learning Exchange: Scope Policy

Version 1.0 - 2004-05

This document is the scope policy for the Learning Exchange repository. It is intended for use by project staff and social work educators submitting shareable learning resources. Its purpose is to describe the focus of the repository and the kinds of learning material that could potentially be included within the Learning Exchange collection. Any resources falling outside the scope criteria of this document should not be considered for inclusion within the collection. Resources that fall within the scope of the repository are potential candidates for inclusion but should first be assessed against the Learning Exchange collection quality selection criteria. This scope policy and the quality selection criteria will be subject to annual review and revision in response to feedback from users as the Learning Exchange collection develops.

1. LEARNING RESOURCE COVERAGE

1.1 Subject Matter

Only learning resources of relevance to social work education will be included in the Learning Exchange collection, though this should be interpreted broadly and will include resources developed primarily for other disciplines (e.g. health care) but with a secondary relevance for social work education. Priority will be given to learning resources that support the learning of students on undergraduate or graduate qualifying courses.

1.2 Acceptable Types of Resources

1.2.1 Resources not courses: the Learning Exchange is a collection of digital learning resources, or learning objects. We define a learning object as a “discrete digital resource that can be reused to facilitate learning and is capable of being used to achieve a specified learning objective” [1] . Acceptable resources will therefore consist of bite-sized chunks of learning material (e.g. explaining a single concept or describing a single learning activity) rather than large, complex, inter-related course materials. These learning resources will be of many different types from a text-based handout describing a learning activity, to a multi-media interactive case-study

1.2.2 Interoperable: Acceptable resources will be in a digital format usable across a wide range of modern client platforms and operating systems.

1.2.3 Broad range: So long as they are small and focused a broad range of learning resources can be included in the collection: from a text-based description of a learning activity, to a multimedia case study.

1.2.4 Physical storage: Resources will normally be stored directly inside the repository rather than referred to by a hyperlink. Exceptionally, where resources are of high quality and where IPR restricts storage inside the repository, or where there are technical reasons why a resource is only usable from its original location, a link may be made to a
resource held on another server.

 1.3 Acceptable Sources

The repository will include:

  • New learning resources developed by the project team;
  • Existing learning resources from academic, government, commercial, trade and industry, non-profit and private sources, adopted ‘as is’ or repurposed by the project team;
  • Shareable learning resources submitted by social work educators for the purpose of sharing and exchange with the wider social work education community. Social work educators include teaching staff within HEIs, agency-based staff involved in supporting practice learning, and staff of specialist social work centres (such as SIRCC, STRADA etc).

1.4 Acceptable Levels of Difficulty

The content of the resources should be at a level suitable for higher or further education. Although the project will prioritise materials suitable for use at Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework levels 6 – 11 we will also include material that can be reused at other levels.

1.5 Advertising

Resources that include advertising, other than in the form of the logo of the organisation that has ownership of the resource, will be excluded.

2. GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE

2.1 Geographical Restraints

There are no restraints on the geographical source of production of the resource.

2.2 Language

Only resources in English, Welsh and Gaelic will be included.

3. ACCESS ISSUES

3.1 Accessibility

Resources should conform to the W3C accessibility standards (see separate document).

3.2 Cost

Commercial or fee based resources will be excluded.

3.3 Registration

Resources which require the user to register before use, apart from registration with the Learning Exchange, will be excluded.


[1] British Standards Institute (2003).  A Code of Practice for e-support in e-learning Systems. London: BSI