System and method for obtaining metadata about content stored in a repository

1. A method of obtaining metadata for content stored in a first repository, the method to be performed at a second repository, the method comprising:

identifying a content object stored in the first repository, the content object comprising learning content usable in an electronic educational system to provide electronic learning, wherein the first repository is associated with an educational service provider, and wherein the first repository does not store one or more types of metadata descriptive of the learning content in an educational context;

identifying metadata for the content object stored in the first repository, the metadata associated with the learning content of the content object; and

harvesting the metadata associated with the learning content, wherein the harvesting of the metadata comprises:

indexing content stored on the first repository, wherein the content includes the content object;

retrieving information associated with the learning content from the first repository;

determining the metadata associated with the learning content that is descriptive of the learning content in the educational context; and

storing a harvested content object corresponding to the content object, wherein the harvested content object comprises the metadata associated with the learning content of the content object stored in the first repository, wherein the harvested content object comprises the one or more types of metadata that are not stored by the first repository with regard to the content object; and

communicating usage data about the harvested content object to the first repository such that usage information for the content object stored at the first repository is updatable based on the usage data about the harvested content object.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating information from the information associated with the learning content of the content object; and

if the harvested content object is located in a search for content objects performed at the second repository, providing the generated information along with the harvested content object in the search results so that when the search results are displayed, the generated information for the harvested content object is displayed in a similar manner as when corresponding information is displayed for local content objects stored at the second repository.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retrieving of the metadata is performed using a modified version of the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH) protocol, the modified version comprising an Extensible Markup Language (XML) schema that extends metadata items provided in the OAI-PMH protocol to include the metadata associated with the learning content.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the learning content comprises a Learning Management System (LMS) type of the content object.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

recognizing the LMS type of the harvested content object as being the LMS type of the content object;

determining an action that can be performed for the harvested content object based on the LMS type; and

performing the action for the harvested content object.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the LMS type comprises an assessment, and wherein the action comprises integrating the harvested content object into a LMS gradebook.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the action is the same as that which would be performed for a local content object that is also of the LMS type, stored at the second repository.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the learning content comprises the usage information for the content object.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the learning content comprises relationship information for the content object with respect to one or more other content objects.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the relationship information for the content object comprises structure information that indicates that the content object contains, or the content object is contained within, the one or more other content objects.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the relationship information for the content object comprises sequence information that indicates that the content object is recommended to be used before or after the one or more other content objects.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the relationship information for the content object comprises information indicating that the content object and the one or more other content objects are members of a same collection of content objects.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the learning content comprises at least one of: information indicating an instructor using the content object; information about a student who is able to access the content object; information indicating a course using the content object; and information indicating an institution using the content object.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for obtaining metadata for content stored in a first repository, wherein when the instructions are executed by a processor of a server hosting a second repository, the processor is configured to:

identify a content object stored in the first repository, the content object comprising learning content usable in an electronic educational system to provide electronic learning, wherein the first repository is associated with an educational service provider, and wherein the first repository does not store one or more types of metadata descriptive of the learning content in an educational context;

identify metadata for the content object stored in the first repository, the metadata associated with the learning content of the content object; and

harvest the metadata associated with the learning content, wherein the harvesting of the metadata comprises:

indexing content stored on the first repository, wherein the content includes the content object;

retrieving information associated with the learning content from the first repository;

determining the metadata associated with the learning content that is descriptive of the learning content in the educational context; and

storing a harvested content object corresponding to the content object, wherein the harvested content object comprises the metadata associated with the learning content of the content object stored in the first repository, wherein the harvested content object comprises the one or more types of metadata that are not stored by the first repository with regard to the content object; and

communicate usage data about the harvested content object to the first repository such that usage information for the content object stored at the first repository is updatable based on the usage data about the harvested content object.

15. A server comprising:

a memory that is configured to store instructions for hosting a second repository that obtains metadata for content stored in a first repository; and

a processor that is coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to

execute the instructions;

identify a content object stored in the first repository, the content object comprising learning content usable in an electronic educational system to provide electronic learning, wherein the first repository is associated with an educational service provider, and wherein the first repository does not store one or more types of metadata descriptive of the learning content in an educational context;

identify metadata for the content object stored in the first repository, the metadata being associated with the learning content of the content object;

harvest metadata associated with the learning content, wherein harvesting the metadata comprises:

indexing content stored on the first repository, wherein the content includes the content object;

retrieving information associated with the learning content from the first repository;

determining the metadata associated with the learning content that is descriptive of the learning content in the educational context; and

storing a harvested content object corresponding to the content object, wherein the harvested content object comprises the metadata associated with the learning content of the content object stored in the first repository, wherein the harvested content object comprises the one or more types of metadata that are not stored by the first repository with regard to the content object; and

communicate usage data about the harvested content object to the first repository such that usage information for the content object stored at the first repository is updatable based on the usage data about the harvested content object.

16. The server of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate information from the metadata associated with the learning content of the content object; and

if the harvested content object is located in a search for content objects performed at the second repository, to provide the generated information along with the harvested content object in the search results so that when the search results are displayed, the generated information for the harvested content object is displayed in a similar manner as when corresponding information is displayed for local content objects stored at the second repository.

17. The server of claim 15 , wherein the retrieving of the metadata is performed using a modified version of the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH) protocol, the modified version comprising an Extensible Markup Language (XML) schema that extends metadata items provided in the OAI-PMH protocol to include the metadata associated with the learning content.

18. The server of claim 15 , wherein the learning content comprises a Learning Management System (LMS) type of the content object.

19. The server of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

recognize the LMS type of the harvested content object as being the LMS type of the content object;

determine an action that can be performed for the harvested content object based on the LMS type; and

perform the action for the harvested content object.

20. The server of claim 19 , wherein the LMS type comprises an assessment, and wherein the action comprises integrating the harvested content object into a LMS gradebook.

21. The server of claim 19 , wherein the action is the same as that which would be performed for a local content object that is also of the LMS type, stored at the second repository.

22. The server of claim 15 , wherein the learning content comprises the usage information for the content object.

23. The server of claim 15 , wherein the learning content comprises relationship information for the content object with respect to one or more other content objects.

24. The server of claim 23 , wherein the relationship information for the content object comprises structure information that indicates that the content object contains, or the content object is contained within, the one or more other content objects.

25. The server of claim 23 , wherein the relationship information for the content object comprises sequence information that indicates that the content object is recommended to be used before or after the one or more other content objects.

26. The server of claim 23 , wherein the relationship information for the content object comprises information indicating that the content object and the one or more other content objects are members of a same collection of content objects.

27. The server of claim 15 , wherein the learning content comprises at least one of: information indicating an instructor using the content object; information about a student who is able to access the content object; information indicating a course using the content object; and information indicating an institution using the content object.

28. A method of providing metadata for content stored at a first repository, the method comprising:

providing a content object at the first repository, the content object comprising learning content usable in an electronic educational system to provide electronic learning, wherein the first repository is associated with an educational service provider, and wherein the first repository does not store one or more types of metadata descriptive of the learning content in an educational context;

providing metadata corresponding to the content object at the first repository, the metadata associated with the learning content of the content object, wherein the metadata is harvested from the content object stored at the first repository, and wherein to harvest the metadata comprises indexing content stored on the first repository, wherein the content includes the content object, and retrieving information associated with the learning content from the first repository;

transmitting information associated with the learning content to a second repository, wherein the second repository stores a harvested content object corresponding to the content object, and wherein the harvested content object comprises the metadata associated with the learning content of the content object, wherein the harvested metadata is descriptive of the learning content in the educational context, wherein the harvested content object comprises the one or more types of metadata that are not stored by the first repository with regard to the content object; and

communicating usage data about the harvested content object to the first repository such that usage information for the content object stored at the first repository is updatable based on the usage data about the harvested content object.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the second repository generates information from the metadata associated with the learning content of the content object, and if the harvested content object is located in a search for content objects performed at the second repository, the second repository provides the generated information along with the harvested content object in the search results so that when the search results are displayed, the generated information for the harvested content object is displayed in a similar manner as when corresponding information is displayed for local content objects stored at the second repository.