Survey Aims to Gauge Educators’ Attitudes Toward Online Search, Awareness of LRMI

Responses will highlight challenges around discoverability of quality educational resources

WILMINGTON, DE, February 19, 2013 – The Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) has launched round two of its LRMI educator survey, asking teachers, library media specialists, curriculum specialists, and others involved in searching for educational resources to share their experiences and challenges. A co-leader of the Learning Resource Metadata Initiative (LRMI) to improve learning resource discoverability online, AEP also hopes to get a sense of how much awareness of the LRMI has increased since the first deployment of the survey in Spring 2012. The survey is available online from February 19 through March 5, 2013.

The LRMI, co-led by AEP and Creative Commons and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, aims to improve the search experience for educators and students via the creation and implementation of a standard metadata framework for educational content.

“The end goal of the LRMI is to give educators and students fast, easy access to the best learning resources and tools to fit their specific needs,” said Dave Gladney, LRMI project manager for AEP. “We strongly urge the education community to participate in this follow up survey because the more insight we can gain about educators’ search needs, the better we can address those needs.”

The survey includes 13 questions and should take roughly five minutes to complete. It includes questions like “How often do you search for instructional resources online?” and “If search engines offered the ability to filter results by standard instructional criteria such as grade level, subject area, media type, etc., would that improve your level of satisfaction with Internet searches for educational resources?” Surveys must be completed by March 5, and those who complete the survey and provide their email address will be entered to win one of five $25 Amazon gift cards.

For the latest information on the LRMI, please visit lrmi.net. To see results from last year’s educator survey click here. 

About the Association of Educational Publishers (AEP)

The only professional organization that serves the diverse needs of the entire educational resource community, the Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) encourages and advocates for professional, quality content for teaching and learning. The membership of AEP represents the wide range of individuals, institutions and businesses dedicated to delivering progressive learning resources in all media and for any educational setting. Founded in 1895, AEP now helps its members navigate the global realities of educational publishing in the 21st Century.

AEP is at the forefront of the educational publishing industry, leading initiatives that help drive the future of content development and delivery. It has taken a leading role in many efforts supporting the industry, including the Learning Resource Metadata Initiative (LRMI), which is changing the way educational materials are found on the Internet; Innovation Through Inclusion, promoting industry-wide diversity; and representation of educational publishers on matters such as new legislation and funding. Through its events, publications and recognition programs, AEP works to inform and advance the industry and to define and applaud excellence in the field. For more information, please visit www.AEPweb.org.