Middleware for Distributed Cognition (MDC)

MDC is a project that is about to come to the development phase, and is interested in expressions of usage. Despite the fancy name this tool provides simple functionality – building reading or resource lists and allowing them to be output in a wide range of formats (PDF, HTML XML).

The software builds on the JAFER federated search software to allow students and academics to search a wide range of content repositories. The search could include traditional library targets such as OLIS but importantly the software can be configured to search new targets such as Learning Object Repositories and specialized databases that hold images for example.

By using the federated search capabilities the student or academic is returned a list of items that they can inspect and select items for inclusion in a resource list. The MDC software implements the IMS Resource List Interoperability specification that means academics and students can construct resource lists that can be more readily shared (if required). By adhering to the specification we can also improve the chances that the resource list items can be found in a library on the Internet.

Once a resource list is populated with resources and annotated a number of things can be done. It could be printed out as a PDF or transformed into HTML for inclusion on a web site. Additionally it could be stored in a resource list management system (a type of repository) so become a target for a new search!

And this leads us back to the fancy title: what is distributed cognition! This term refers to research that is looking at how people can work together in distributed or online environments. The way resource lists are used in education today might not be what academics and students need tomorrow. It is hoped that this project has started to piece together the software components that are needed to support novel and more effective learning practices.

The software is open source and the goal is for different communities to adapt the code to suit their local needs. Initially we envisage it being embedded as a resource within Bodington but we also see the software being used as standalone by some communities or within different environments such as Portals or Learning Design systems.

Further information: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=mdc and http://users.ox.ac.uk/~howardn/Publish/MDC_Final_Report_v.1.5.htm