Using ontologies to search learning resources

Abstract

Even if the keyword-based search played an important role in finding the learning resources, it cannot satisfy users' needs because of lack of the semantics of learning resources. This paper used two kinds of ontologies, core and domain, to search learning resources relevant to given users' query. The general semantics of learning resources are represented by the core ontology, constructed from the metadata of learning resources. In our prototype, we built the domain ontology about middle school Mathematics with help of domain experts. And our system used the OWL-DL and SWRL to represent ontologies, and the reasoning engine, KAON2 and BOSSAM to handle these ontologies. This system will be used by the EDUNET - the largest nationwide service of sharing learning resources, that is operated by KERIS for students and instructors throughout Korea. Our performance results show that the proposed mechanism is better than the keyword-based mechanism. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.