Curriculum overlay model for embedding digital resources

This paper describes the design and implementation of a curriculum overlay model for the representation of adaptable curriculum using educational digital library resources. We focus on representing curriculum to enable the incorporation of digital resources into curriculum and curriculum sharing and customization by educators. We defined this model as a result of longitudinal studies on educators' development and customization of curriculum and user interface design studies of prototypes representing curriculum. Like overlay journals or the information network overlay model, our curriculum overlay model defines curriculum as a compound object with internal semantic relationships and relationships to digital library metadata describing resources. We validated this model by instantiating the model using science curriculum which uses digital library resources and using this instantiation within an application that, built on FEDORA, supports curriculum customization. Findings from this work can support the design of digital library services for customizing curriculum which embeds digital resources.