North Carolina Learning Object Repository (NCLOR)
Encyclopedia
The North Carolina Learning Object Repository (NCLOR) is a service offered by the North Carolina Community College System
(NCCCS), that provides a central location to manage, collect, contribute, and share digital learning resources for use in traditional or distance learning environments. The NCLOR is available to all K-20 teachers across the state and provide vendor and peer resources for users. NCLOR participants include the 58 colleges from the North Carolina Community College System
(NCCCS), University of North Carolina
(UNC ) System, North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (36 private institutions), the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
(DPI), and North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS).
Representatives from all NC educational sectors (NCCCS, UNC, Independent Colleges & Universities) participated in creation and development of NCLOR from inception to production. It was conceptualized that the NCLOR would provide the following benefits:
The NCLOR began production in January 2008, fully integrated with course management and data systems, and fully operational for North Carolina
faculty to create and use sharable content.
or Moodle
allows ease of course creation.
In addition, a Development Center at Fayetteville Technical Community College was created to develop courses in the following areas:
North Carolina Community College System
The North Carolina Community College System is a statewide network of fifty-eight public community colleges. Each college has a distinct governance system and policies. In total, the system enrolls over 800,000 students, and is the third largest community college system in the nation...
(NCCCS), that provides a central location to manage, collect, contribute, and share digital learning resources for use in traditional or distance learning environments. The NCLOR is available to all K-20 teachers across the state and provide vendor and peer resources for users. NCLOR participants include the 58 colleges from the North Carolina Community College System
North Carolina Community College System
The North Carolina Community College System is a statewide network of fifty-eight public community colleges. Each college has a distinct governance system and policies. In total, the system enrolls over 800,000 students, and is the third largest community college system in the nation...
(NCCCS), University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
(UNC ) System, North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (36 private institutions), the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction oversees the public school system in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The DPI is headed by the State Superintendent and the North Carolina State Board of Education...
(DPI), and North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS).
History
A centralized NCLOR was conceived in 2006 at the NCCCS to be a repository of digital learning content that will be accessed and utilized by all PreK-20 educational institutions in North Carolina, eliminating the duplicative costs of content development and allowing seamless integration with an LMS.Representatives from all NC educational sectors (NCCCS, UNC, Independent Colleges & Universities) participated in creation and development of NCLOR from inception to production. It was conceptualized that the NCLOR would provide the following benefits:
- Centralize hosting to reduce costs of hardware and IT;
- Capability for instructors to share Learning ObjectLearning objectA learning object is "a collection of content items, practice items, and assessment items that are combined based on a single learning objective". The term is credited to Wayne Hogins when he created a working group in 1994 bearing the name though the concept was first described by Gerard in 1967...
(LO) items; - Capability for newly developed LO items to be moderated, improved, deployed, and shared;
- Reduce duplication of effort and save development resources statewide;
- Integrate easily with a Learning Management SystemLearning management systemA learning management system is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, and reporting of training programs, classroom and online events, e-learning programs, and training content...
(LMS) for ease of course creation - The ability to set permissions for client populations;
- Report and usage capabilities; and
- Conform to standards governing content, protocol, and federation.
The NCLOR began production in January 2008, fully integrated with course management and data systems, and fully operational for North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
faculty to create and use sharable content.
Technology
The NCLOR partners with the North Carolina Office of Information Technology Services (ITS), which provides application hosting and broadband connectivity. The underlying database technology by the Equella software allows easy searching, contribution, and classification by NCCCS staff or partner faculty. Safeguards are implemented to ensure that individual copyright and digital rights are not abused. Integration with an LMS such as BlackboardBlackboard
A chalkboard is a reusable writing surface.Blackboard may also refer to:* Blackboards are synonymous with "boards of infamy", an element of agitation-propaganda in the Soviet Union in 1930s, coincidental with Holodomor...
or Moodle
Moodle
Moodle is a free source e-learning software platform, also known as a Course Management System, Learning Management System, or Virtual Learning Environment...
allows ease of course creation.
Community
Supporting the NCLOR effort is the Virtual Learning Community (VLC). The NCCCS awarded grants to fund three VLC Support Centers over three fiscal years through 2011. These grants were awarded to:- Surry Community CollegeSurry Community CollegeSurry Community College is located in Dobson, North Carolina in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and services Surry and Yadkin Counties. It is one of North Carolina's 58 community colleges...
(SCC) for Quality Assessment - Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) for the Technology Center
- Wake Technical Community CollegeWake Technical Community CollegeWake Technical Community College, commonly known as Wake Tech, is a two-year accredited institution of higher education and technical training school. Its main campus is located approximately five miles south of Raleigh, North Carolina, near McCullers Crossroads. It also operates several branch...
(WTCC) for the Professional Development Center
In addition, a Development Center at Fayetteville Technical Community College was created to develop courses in the following areas:
- 14 STEM courses
- 10 Continuing Education courses
- 5 Business courses
- 1 Humanities course