Welcome to the Repositories page. Here you will find links to some key learning object repositories.

Some central themes to explore might be:

• Centralized versus decentralized approach: How many repositories should there be (i.e., one big one for all; or many smaller ones linked together somehow)?
• Critical mass: How many objects should there be to make it worthwhile (i.e., searchers have enough choice to find what they want)?
• eCommerce: Can private, for-profit repositories coexist with public, not-for-profit repositories?
• Sustainability: Is the learning object community as it exists now sustainable?

We invite you to ponder these questions, then join us in the "Discussion" area to explore ideas/solutions together.

Merlot: Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching

Merlot is arguably the most widely known of the Learning Object Repositories and references approximately 10,000 "Learning Objects" in a wide array of disciplines. Merlot was founded in 1997 within the California State University System, and has grown into a collaborative consortium of higher education institutions. It should more aptly be called a "referratory" as it doesn't actually house the objects: It houses the metadata and provides links to the home locations of the objects. Of significance is the peer review system developed by Merlot to evaluate the quality of the objects contained within. Members contribute objects to Merlot (anyone may join Merlot and there is no cost or obligation to do so); anyone may view and use the objects (provided the criteria for use is met by the creator of the object).

CAREO: Campus Alberta Repository of Educational Objects

CAREO is Canada's most well known repository, referencing approximately 3,600 objects in a wide array of disciplines. CAREO is a product of a consortium of partners including Merlot, the CanCore Protocol (Canadian Core Learning Resource Metadata Protocol), and others. CAREO is both a repository and a referratory, linking to and housing learning objects. Anyone may view the objects contained within CAREO although members enjoy a greater variety of services. Membership is free and open to anyone.

CLOE: Cooperative Learning Object Exchange

CLOE was founded at the University of Waterloo and currently consists of 17 university partners in Ontario. Of significance is that CLOE attempts to foster a collaborative model for the development, use, and reuse of learning objects. Fundamental to this is the creation of a virtual market economy whereby virtual credits are awarded for objects that are used and reused the most. Membership in CLOE is closed. You must register to use the services of CLOE.

Others

The Academic ADL Co-Lab in Wisconsin has complied a list of active repositories.

The Centre for International Education at the University of Wisconsin has compiled a list of general, discipline specific, and commercial repositories.

The goal of EduSource is to create an infrastructure (tools, systems, protocols, practice) to link repositories across Canada. The government of Canada funds EduSource federally

The University of Texas at San Antonio has compiled a list of learning object repositories complete with quick reference information; for example: the educational level each repository is geared towards, founding organization, country of origin, current status, and access policy.