The European Commissions DG Education and Culture operates a scheme for facilitating learner mobility based on a set of prescribed documents. The scheme is known as the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).
One of the core ECTS documents is a "Course Catalogue". As the the Metadata for Learning Opportunities (MLO) Reference Model offers an abstract model for representing learning opportunities, it is useful to show how the MLO model can be refined to implement best-practice guidance issued for the ECTS Information Package / Course Catalogue. This guidance appears within Annex 2 of the Application Form used by Higher Education Institutions that have a Standard or Extended Erasmus University Charter and wish to apply for the honorary distinction of an ECTS Label.
ECTS Course Catalogue best-practice guidance expects the Information Package / Course Catalogue to be published on the web in English (obligatory) and in the regional/national language (optional), noting that if published in two or more languages the versions should mirror each other.
Guidance on the content of the Information Package / Course Catalogue takes the form of the checklist reproduced below. Proposals are included for refining MLO elements to represent each item on the checklist. Thes proposals were developed into a CEN Workshop Agreement and this table has now been updated accordingly, and used as the basis for an illustrative XML schema.
A diagrammatic representation of the recommended use of MLO-AD classes and property refinements is shown below, followed by the table listing all refinements. In all the diagrams, the base URI of http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/ has been shortened to "ects:" for reasons of space.
| ECTS IP/CC Checklist Item |
Proposed MLO Refinement |
Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Institution Name |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Title >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/InstitutionName |
|
| Institution Address |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Location >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/InstitutionAddress |
|
| Institution Academic Authorities |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/InstitutionAcademicAuthorities |
|
| Institution General Description |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/InstitutionGeneralDescription |
|
| Institution Type |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/InstitutionType |
This will probably need to be a controlled vocabulary - a list of possible values is required |
| Institution Status |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/InstitutionStatus |
This will probably need to be a controlled vocabulary - a list of possible values is required |
| Institution List of Degrees Offered |
LearningOpportunityProvider.LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="DegreeProgramme"].Title >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/DegreeProgrammeTitle | LearningOpportunitySpecification.Type will use a controlled vocabulary http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityTypes (DegreeProgramme, CourseUnit) |
| Institution Admission/Registration Procedures |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/InstitutionAdmissionProcedures |
|
| Institution Main University Regulations |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/InstitutionMainUniversityRegulations |
|
| Institution ECTS Coordinator |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Contributor >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/InstitutionalEctsCoordinator |
|
| Degree Programme Title (implict in list of degrees offered) |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="DegreeProgramme"].Title >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/DegreeProgrammeTitle | |
| Degree Programme Qualification Awarded |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="DegreeProgramme"].Qualification | |
| Degree Programme Admission Requirements |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="DegreeProgramme"].LearningOpportunityInstance.Prerequisite |
|
| Degree Programme Education And Professional Goals |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="DegreeProgramme"].Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/DegreeProgrammeEducationAndProfessionalGoals |
|
| Degree Programme Access To Further Studies |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="DegreeProgramme"].Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/DegreeProgrammeAccessToFurtherStudies |
|
| Degree Programme Course Structure Diagram |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="DegreeProgramme"].Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/DegreeProgrammeStructureDiagram |
|
| Degree Programme Final Examination |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="DegreeProgramme"].Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/DegreeProgrammeFinalExamination |
|
| Degree Programme Examination And Assessment Regulations |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="DegreeProgramme"].Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/DegreeProgrammeExaminationAndAssessmentRegulations |
|
| Degree Programme Departmental ECTS Coordinator |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="DegreeProgramme"].Contributor >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/DepartmentalEctsCoordinator |
|
| Course Unit Title |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="CourseUnit"].Title>>
http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/CourseUnitTitle\\
|
|
| Course Unit Code |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="CourseUnit"].Identifier >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/CourseUnitCode |
|
| Course Unit Type Of Course |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="CourseUnit"].Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/CourseUnitType |
This will probably need to be a controlled vocabulary - a list of possible values is required |
| Course Unit Level Of Course |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="CourseUnit"].Level >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/CourseUnitLevel |
This will probably need to be a controlled vocabulary - a list of possible values is required |
| Course Unit Year Of Study |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="CourseUnit"].Level >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/CourseUnitYearOfStudy |
Not sure what this is - is it further information about the level of the course unit? |
| Course Unit Term Pattern (Semester / Trimester) |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="CourseUnit"].LearningOpportunityInstance.Engagement >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/CourseUnitTermPattern |
Controlled Vocabulary (Semester, Trimester) |
| Course Unit ECTS Credits Allocated |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="CourseUnit"].Credit - see http://purl.org/net/cm/Credit |
If credits are normally accumulated in blocks, this will probably need to be a controlled vocabulary - a list of possible value is required |
| Course Unit Lecturer Name |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="CourseUnit"].Contributor >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/Lecturer |
|
| Course Unit Objectives (learning outcomes and competences) |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="CourseUnit"].LearningOpportunityInstance.Objective | Could be further refined as http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/CourseUnitLearningOutcome and http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/CourseUnitCompetence |
| Course Unit Prerequisites |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="CourseUnit"].LearningOpporunityInstance.Prerequisite | |
| Course Unit Contents |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="CourseUnit"].Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/CourseUnitContent |
|
| Course Unit Recommended Reading |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="CourseUnit"].Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/CourseUnitRecommendedReading |
|
| Course Unit Teaching Methods |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="CourseUnit"].Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/CourseUnitTeachingMethods |
|
| Course Unit Assessment Methods |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="CourseUnit"].Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/CourseUnitAssessmentMethods |
|
| Course Unit Language Of Instruction |
LearningOpportunitySpecification[Type >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/LearningOpportunityType="CourseUnit"].LearningOpportunityInstance.LanguageOfInstruction | |
| General Information On Cost of Living |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/GeneralInformationOnCostOfLiving |
|
| General Information On Accommodation |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/GeneralInformationOnAccommodation | |
| General Information On Meals |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/GeneralInformationOnMeals | |
| General Information On Medical Facilities |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/GeneralInformationOnMedicalFacilities | |
| General Information On Facilities For Special Needs Students |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/GeneralInformationOnFacilitiesForStudentsWithSpecialNeeds | |
| General Information On Insurance | LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/GeneralInformationOnInsurance | |
| General Information On Financial Support For Students |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/GeneralInformationOnFinancialSupport | |
| General Information On Student Affairs Office |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/GeneralInformationOnStudentAffairsOffice | |
| General Information On Study Facilities |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/GeneralInformationOnStudyFacilities | |
| General Information On International Programmes |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/GeneralInformationOnInternationalProgrammes | |
| General Practical Information For Mobile Students |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/GeneralInformationForMobileStudents | |
| General Information On Language Courses |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/GeneralInformationOnLanguageCourses | |
| General Information On Internships |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/GeneralInformationOnInternships | |
| General Information On Sports Facilities |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/GeneralInformationOnSportsFacilities | |
| General Information On Extra-Mural And Leisure Facilities |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/GeneralInformationOnExtraMuralAndLeisureFacilities | |
| General Information On Student Associations |
LearningOpportunityProvider.Description >> http://purl.org/net/mlo_ects_ipcc/GeneralInformationOnStudentAssociations |