If you have been thinking about implementing a multimedia database at your institution, then this workshop is for you! In this session, the instructors will discuss issues, tools, and techniques related to implementing and maintaining a multimedia database for health science education. Topics to be discussed include technical issues (software architecture and the necessary application environment); cataloging and metadata issues (how to use a controlled vocabulary and choose relevant metadata for health sciences multimedia); and social and political obstacles (copyright issues, encouraging faculty participation, and quality assurance). The instructors will present an example of a distributed, IMS-compliant multimedia database called the Health Education Assets Library (HEAL). HEAL is available as an open source application; the instructors will give detailed instructions to implement HEAL at your institution.

Prerequisites: An interest in implementing a multimedia database for the health sciences. No knowledge of database or Web programming software is assumed.

BENEFIT TO PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING SESSION: 

Participants will become familiar with the issues and obstacles related to implementing and maintaining a multimedia database. Participants will learn about appropriate software architectures needed to set up a multimedia database, issues to consider when cataloging resources, and how to overcome technical and political obstacles. In addition, they will learn how to implement a database that can be used for access to privately available local resources as well as publicly shared Web resources.

Sebastian Uijtdehaage, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Instructional Design and Technology Unit UCLA School of Medicine
60-051 Center for the Health Sciences
Box 951722
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Phone: 310/794-9009
Fax: 310/267-0320
Email: bas@ucla.edu
Website: http://www.healcentral.org/

CO-AUTHORS:
Sharon E. Dennis, M.S.
Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library University of Utah
10 North 1900 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
sdennis@lib.med.utah.edu
Website: http://www.healcentral.org/

Chris Candler, MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center 1100 N. Lindsay
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
405/271-9333, Ext 48527
Email: chris-candler@ouhsc.edu