DDI in Ontario Putting the Pieces Together

DDI in Ontario Putting the Pieces Together

A. Michelle Edwards, Ph.D.Data Resource Centre, University of

GuelphMay 16, 2007Presented at: IASSIST 2007

A. Michelle Edwards, Ph.D.Data Resource Centre, University of

GuelphMay 16, 2007Presented at: IASSIST 2007

Infant YearsInfant Years

In 2002 “Trials and Tribulations of

Developing DDI-Compliant Codebooks at the University of Guelph“

Move our HTML codebooks to XML DDI-compliant codebooks

In 2002 “Trials and Tribulations of

Developing DDI-Compliant Codebooks at the University of Guelph“

Move our HTML codebooks to XML DDI-compliant codebooks

Infant YearsInfant Years

Met many challengesLearning all about DDILearning XML and XSL

Developed an initial tagset – based on our HTML codebooks → expanded as needed -

Met many challengesLearning all about DDILearning XML and XSL

Developed an initial tagset – based on our HTML codebooks → expanded as needed -

Toddler StageToddler Stage

Nesstar became availableEasy to install ServerEasy User Interface – create metadata

Too much time and resources to retrofit our homegrown system

Started migration to Nesstar - 2004

Nesstar became availableEasy to install ServerEasy User Interface – create metadata

Too much time and resources to retrofit our homegrown system

Started migration to Nesstar - 2004

Teenage YearsTeenage Years

Nesstar in full production in Fall 2005Used Publisher along with homegrown

scripts to create DDI codebooksStarted with approx. 700 studies – Now

895 studiesAvailable to: University of Guelph

Wilfrid Laurier UniversityUniversity of Waterloo

Nesstar in full production in Fall 2005Used Publisher along with homegrown

scripts to create DDI codebooksStarted with approx. 700 studies – Now

895 studiesAvailable to: University of Guelph

Wilfrid Laurier UniversityUniversity of Waterloo

Teenage YearsTeenage Years

Training available for members of 3 UniversitiesOn-line tutorialsWorkshopsSeminars

Tweaking of system – few upgrades along the way

Training available for members of 3 UniversitiesOn-line tutorialsWorkshopsSeminars

Tweaking of system – few upgrades along the way

Teenage YearsTeenage Years

Continue to add tags to enhance the metadata available for users

Adding Question text when we can

Faculty and students like the new system – still growing pains along the way

Continue to add tags to enhance the metadata available for users

Adding Question text when we can

Faculty and students like the new system – still growing pains along the way

Making friends along the wayMaking friends along the wayThroughout this journey - worked

with members of the Ontario Academic community

Many institutions have homegrown systems

Through DLI – trainingHelp with new Nesstar specs and

setups

Throughout this journey - worked with members of the Ontario Academic community

Many institutions have homegrown systems

Through DLI – trainingHelp with new Nesstar specs and

setups

DDI Friends in OntarioDDI Friends in Ontario

Ontario institutionsQueens UniversityCarleton UniversityUniversité d’OttawaWindsor UniversityUniversity of TorontoUniversity of Western Ontario

Ontario institutionsQueens UniversityCarleton UniversityUniversité d’OttawaWindsor UniversityUniversity of TorontoUniversity of Western Ontario

Newest DDI friendNewest DDI friend

Statistics Canada author divisions and DLI are looking at creating DDI codebooks for dissemination

Joining forces and creating a high quality and consistent DDI document for all surveys available through DLI

Statistics Canada author divisions and DLI are looking at creating DDI codebooks for dissemination

Joining forces and creating a high quality and consistent DDI document for all surveys available through DLI

Pieces of the puzzle….Pieces of the puzzle….

Ontario Universities at different stages of DDI growth

Statistics Canada

Research Data CentresUniversities in other parts of the

country looking at DDI or using DDI

Ontario Universities at different stages of DDI growth

Statistics Canada

Research Data CentresUniversities in other parts of the

country looking at DDI or using DDI

How do the pieces fit?How do the pieces fit?

IDEAL SITUATION

Central dissemination point for Universities

Quality metadata (DDI codebooks) and data

“One stop-shopping”

IDEAL SITUATION

Central dissemination point for Universities

Quality metadata (DDI codebooks) and data

“One stop-shopping”

How do we accomplish this?How do we accomplish this?By taking small steps….

Ontario project:Developing best practices for

creating DDI compliant codebooksCreate complete codebooksMake available through a central

portal to participating OCUL members

By taking small steps….

Ontario project:Developing best practices for

creating DDI compliant codebooksCreate complete codebooksMake available through a central

portal to participating OCUL members

Next stepsNext steps

Interest in partner provinces

Start developing collaborations between interested institutions to avoid duplication

Can we develop a National one stop-shop?

Interest in partner provinces

Start developing collaborations between interested institutions to avoid duplication

Can we develop a National one stop-shop?

OntarioUniversities

Statistics Canada

Other Provincial Partners STC Research

Data Centres

Complete puzzle – one stop shopping for data and

accompanying metadata for all

Complete puzzle – one stop shopping for data and

accompanying metadata for all