What is RESL?

RESL, the Re-usable Educational Software Library, is an online database of resources centred around re-using educational software.  This includes some software, but participants across UK HE have indicated that its sharing experience in reusing software that is most valuable.  Thus the library contains links to case-studies, articles, reports etc.

RESL does not store the resources themselves, but only information (metadata) about them.  Thus the resources owner keeps complete control of it.  However, it is possible to have RESL host resources if required.  This can help projects who are ending their funding and life-cycle, but who wish to keep their resources available online.

Why is there so little software?

It is true that RESL has little software compared to case studies about using software.  This is because participants from across UK HE have indicated this is more useful.  Software dates quickly, and is often hard to re-use.  However, peoples' experience in trying to re-use it is valuable and transferable.  Hence these representations of good practice make up most of RESL's content.

See the SoURCE evaluation report for more info.

Project background

RESL was developed as part of SoURCE, a TLTP3 project run by The Open University with partners the University of Wales at Bangor, De Montfort University and Middlesex University.  SoURCE (Software Use Re-use and Customisation in Education) worked in cooperation with other TLTP3 project, TALENT, EFFECTS and ASTER to develop a pilot online library of resources around re-using educational software.  The aim was to investigate most effective ways of sharing good practice.  After the pilot’s initial success in 2001, it has been given continuation funding to be developed more fully by the Institute of Educational Technology (IET) at the OU during 2002.

More information on the SoURCE project and RESL can be found on the SoURCE website (opens in new window), and particularly in the SoURCE evaluation report.

About our metadata and vocabularies
Click here for more information.

About the technology behind RESL
Click here for more information.

The Project Team
The current RESL team:

James Aczel - Development manager
Patrick McAndrew - Academic consultant
Doug Clow - Project coordinator
Pascale Hardy - Project manager
Juanita Foster Jones - Library & metadata consultant
David Massey - SoURCE librarian
Alex Little - Knowledge Network programmer
Alexander Muir - SoURCE research fellow
Peter Twining - previous SoURCE project director

Contact The RESL team, The Open University, or ring Alexander Muir 01908 653543.