Using the Learning Object Repository (LOR) Tool

Option 1: From “myTools” on the NavBar (to search, retrieve or publish):

1. Open a course or shell.
2. Click “myTools”.
3. Click “LOR”.
4. Click the “search” or “publish” tab near the top.
   

Option 2: From “Content” on the NavBar (to publish):

1. Open a course or shell.
2. Click “content” from the NavBar.
3. On the left side, click the Table of Contents or a module.
4. Towards the center of the page, click the caret (“v”) beside the Table of Contents or a module.
5. Click “publish to LOR”.

Screenshot via Table of Contents

Screenshot via Module

Option 3: From “Content” on the NavBar via Table of Contents (to search and retrieve an object from LOR):

1. Open a course or shell.
2. Click “content” from the NavBar.
3. On the left side, click the Table of Contents.
4. Towards the center of the page, click the caret (“v”) beside the Table of Contents”.
5. Click “add object from LOR”.

Option 4: From “Content” on the NavBar via Module (to retrieve an object from LOR):

1. Open a course or shell.
2. Click “content” from the NavBar.
3. Click a module on the left side.
4. Click the “new” button towards the center of the page.
5. Click “add object from LOR”.

Search via myTools, LOR:

• Title (advanced search)
• Description (advanced search)
• Keywords
• Full Text (advanced search)
• Repository
• Category
• My Collection (appears on right side of page)
• My Objects (appears on right side of page)

Screenshot via myTools, LOR

Note: All options noted below are via myTools, LOR for a module object.

The type and number of retrieve options varies according to the type of object being retrieved and the method to access the object (i.e. via “contents” or “myTools” on the NavBar).

Retrieve options for a module via “myTools”:

• Dynamic Link to Newest Version
  Create a link that always points to the newest version of this learning object.
• Locked Link to this Version
  Create a link that always points to the specified version of the learning object.
• Copy as Content
  Create a copy of the learning object in Content. This method keeps the navigational structure of the object intact.
• Copy as Course Files
  Create a copy of the files from this learning object in Manage Files. This does not retain the navigational structure of the object.
• Download
  Download the learning object as a packaged zip file.

The screenshots below appear after accessing the LOR via myTools, LOR, and searching the object in the search box (see previous screenshot under “search objects”).

Note: Given that there are multiple object types and search options, screenshots will vary depending on the options you choose e.g. searching quizzes or by clicking “my collections” and/or “my objects” (see screenshot above under “search objects”).

Retrieve options:

Option 1 via Table of Contents or Module:

This option is used to publish or update one or more modules or one or more topics within a module. Note: Module and topic descriptions in the “content” area of a course do not get published in the LOR.

1. Go to the course Table of Contents or Module.
2. Towards the center of the page, click the caret beside the Table of Contents or a Module (depending on what you want to publish) and click “publish to LOR”.

Screenshots below illustrate the steps to publish via a module:

1. Click the module name in the left navigation pane.
2. Towards the center of the page, click the caret beside the module to be published.
3.  Click “publish to LOR” in the context menu.
4. Choose the options and checkmark the content to publish. Note: Certain types of linked content cannot be published and will be indicated with a question mark in a shaded circle to the right of the content. Quizzes can be published from “activities”, “quizzes” (via the NavBar).
5. When finished, click the “next” button at the bottom of the form.
6. Review the files you are publishing and optionally add additional files and/or folders.
7. Click “classifications” to classify it under Bloom’s Taxonomy or subject keywords. Enter the object metadata: title, description, keywords, course, program, school, learning resource type, copyright, etc.
8. Click “publish to LOR” at the bottom of the metadata form. Then wait for the processing to complete.
9. Copy the direct link. Note: Depending on the repository and settings you chose in step 4, the object may be publically available i.e. “Publically available learning objects can be shared using their URL or through social sharing.”
10. When finished, click “done” or “publish another object” at the bottom of the page.

Option 2 via myTools:

This option is used to publish files, SCORM packages and object URLs.

1. Click “myTools, LOR.
2. Click the “publish” tab near the top.
3. Complete the form and click the “next” button.
4. Click “classifications” to classify it under Bloom’s Taxonomy or subject keywords. Enter the object metadata: title, description, keywords, course, program, school, learning resource type, copyright, etc.
5. Click “publish to LOR” at the bottom of the metadata form. Then wait for the processing to complete.
6. Copy the direct link. Note: Depending on the repository and settings you chose in step 3, the object may be publically available i.e. “Publically available learning objects can be shared using their URL or through social sharing.”
7. When finished, click “done” or “publish another object” at the bottom of the page.

1. On the NavBar, click myTools, LOR.
2. Search for the learning object you want to add to a collection.
3. Click the caret to the right of the object name and click “Add to Collection”. Note: If you clicked the object under “my objects” on the right side, click the “more actions” button to access the “add to collection” option.
4. From the Destination Collection drop-down list, select a destination. Only the collections you create appear.
5. Click Add.

Notes:

• Only the user who creates the collection can add items to it.
• Your collection can be public or limited to your personal use by hiding the collection in search results. For more details, see the “publish” section, option 1, step 4, or option 2, step 3.

Copy the direct link during the publish process and email it to the applicable parties or link it to social media. For details see the “publish” section, option 1, step 9 or option 2, step 6.

Note: Some repositories have set objects to be publically available i.e. “publicly available learning objects can be shared using their URL or through social sharing.” The option to hide objects in some repositories may be disabled and locked from enabling.

Learning objects cannot be updated inside the LOR. Only the author of learning objects, (who must have the role of a Program Head, instructor or designer in the Learning Hub), can update or delete them. See further below for workarounds.

Note: Best practice is to add a version # or version date to each learning object.

To update one or multiple modules/topics in the LOR, the author follows the below steps:

1. Go to the course that has the updated content. Note: It does not have to be the original course.
2. Click “content” on the navbar. Note: All applicable modules and topics to be published must be in this area.
3. Familiarize yourself with the general publishing process under the “publish objects” accordion for option 1. Then continue with the specific steps to update a learning object by following the below steps 4 -10:
4. Select the option to “overwrite an existing object” (screenshot shown in option 1, step 4 of the “publish objects” accordion). Note: If you are not the author of the object you want to overwrite, it will not appear in the search results.
5. Decide whether to keep/replace the existing metadata by optionally placing a check mark beside “replace existing object’s metadata”.
6. Configure any “sharing and publishing options”, review the content to be published, then click the “next” button.
7. The LOR will detect all the files that comprise the learning object which may be more files than listed in the module (e.g. images embedded in documents). You can optionally click “add files” and “add folders” for any additional content. Note: Module and topic descriptions in the “content” area of a course do not get published in the LOR. Click the “next” button to proceed.
8. Complete the metadata form. Then click “publish to LOR”.
9. Wait for the LOR to publish. Then copy the share link, if applicable. Click the “done”. button.
10. Inform all parties who have been using the original learning objects that there is now an updated version. Also, if the LOR link to your objects changes, be sure to pass it along to them.

What to do if the author is no longer contactable and the learning objects need to be updated in the LOR?

Solution – Keep the original objects in the LOR and create and publish new/updated learning objects from your course “content” area:

1. Go to the course that contains the learning objects that need to be updated. If you do not have access to the course that contains the learning objects, contact the course instructor. If the course learning objects no longer exist, download them from the LOR into a sandbox course “content” area by following the steps under the “retrieve objects” accordion and selecting the option, “copy as content”, when prompted.
   
2. Make your changes to the applicable content in the Learning Hub e.g. fix broken links, edit documents and reload documents.
3. Follow option 1 steps in the “publish object” accordion and give the learning object a different name. Best practice is to add a version # or version date to each learning object.

What to do if the author is no longer contactable and the learning objects in the LOR need to be deleted/renamed?

As noted, only the author of the learning objects can delete them from the LOR. Keep in mind that the original objects may be linked to multiple courses and departments so deleting them in the LOR may not be advisable without informing others and seeking prior approval. Also, given that learning objects can be copied to courses, deleting an object may not delete it in all courses.

Should you still wish to delete/rename a learning object when the author is no longer contactable, contact ETS.

Note: Best practice is to add a version # or version date to each learning object.

To update a individual file or a SCORM package in the LOR, follow option 2 in the “publish objects” accordion.