EN ISO/IEC 19788-2:2012

Information technology - Learning, education and training - Metadata for learning resources - Part 2: Dublin Core elements (ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011)

ISO/IEC 19788 specifies metadata elements and their attributes for the description of learning resources. ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011 provides a base-level data element set for the description of learning resources, from the ISO 15836:2009 Dublin Core metadata element set, using the framework provided in ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011. Those data elements being cast into the metadata learning resources framework can be used with data elements defined in other parts, in order to address specific user communities' needs for extensions, modularization or refinement.

Informationstechnik - Lernen, Ausbilden und Weiterbilden - Metadaten für Lernressourcen - Teil 2: Datenelemente aus Dublin Core (ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011)

Technologies de l'information - Apprentissage, éducation et formation - Métadonnées pour ressources d'apprentissage - Partie 2: Éléments "Dublin Core" (ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011)

L'ISO/CEI 19788 spécifie les éléments de métadonnées et leurs attributs nécessaires à la description de ressources pédagogiques. L'ISO/CEI 19788-2:2011 fournit un ensemble d'éléments de données de base pour la description de ressources pédagogiques, qui a été déterminé à partir de l'ensemble d'éléments de métadonnées «Dublin Core», à l'aide du cadre conceptuel fourni dans l'ISO/CEI 19788‑1. Ces éléments peuvent être ensuite combinés à d'autres éléments de description, notamment ceux provenant d'autres parties, répondant aux besoins particuliers de communautés d'utilisateurs en termes d'extensions, de modularisation ou de raffinement.

Informacijska tehnologija - Učenje, izobraževanje in usposabljanje - Metapodatki za učne vire - 2. del: Podatkovni elementi za Dublin Core (ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 11-Dec-2012
• Withdrawal Date: 29-Jun-2013
• ICS: 03.100.30 - Management of human resources
• ICS: 35.240.90 - IT applications in education
• ICS: 35.240.99 - IT applications in other fields
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 353 - Information and Communication Technologies for Learning, Education and Training
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 353 - Information and Communication Technologies for Learning, Education and Training
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 12-Dec-2012
• Due Date: 03-Feb-2014
• Completion Date: 12-Dec-2012
• Ref Project: SIST EN ISO/IEC 19788-2:2014 - Information technology - Learning, education and training - Metadata for learning resources - Part 2: Dublin Core elements (ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011)

Relations

• Revised: prEN ISO/IEC 19788-2 - Information technology for learning, education and training - Metadata for learning resources - Part 2: Dublin Core elements (ISO/IEC DIS 19788-2:2025)
• Effective Date: 14-Apr-2025

Overview

EN ISO/IEC 19788-2:2012 (ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011) defines a base-level metadata element set for describing learning resources by casting the Dublin Core elements into the ISO/IEC 19788 “Metadata for Learning Resources (MLR)” framework. Published by CEN as a European adoption of the ISO/IEC work, this part enables consistent expression of existing Dublin Core records as MLR records, improving interoperability between learning repositories, LMS, digital libraries and discovery services.

Key topics and requirements

• Defines a mapped set of Dublin Core data elements (Title, Creator, Subject, Description, Publisher, Contributor, Date, Type, Format, Identifier, Source, Language, Relation, Coverage, Rights) within the ISO/IEC 19788 data element specification model.
• Uses the framework and attribute rules from ISO/IEC 19788-1 to standardize element identifiers, content values and attributes.
• Specifies resource classes (e.g., “Resource” and “Learning Resource”) to clarify element domains and applicability.
• Introduces predefined rule sets (e.g., MLR String, Date) and normative vocabularies to ensure consistent formatting and values.
• Requires use of related standards for coding and formatting: ISO 15836 (Dublin Core), ISO 8601 (dates/times), ISO 639-2 (language codes), and character set guidance (ISO/IEC 10646).
• Designed to be modular: elements from this part can be combined with other ISO/IEC 19788 parts or external refinements for extensions, modularization or refinement.

Applications

• Harmonizing existing Dublin Core metadata records with the MLR model for federated search, metadata harvesting and repository exchange.
• Building application profiles and cataloguing schemas for educational content (see ISO/IEC 19788-3 for a basic application profile).
• Implementing metadata in digital repositories, institutional LMS, OER portals, learning object stores and library systems to support discovery, evaluation and reuse.
• Enabling automated processes (harvesting, aggregation, search ranking) to interpret learning resource metadata consistently across systems.

Who should use this standard

• Metadata architects, librarians and repository managers who maintain learning resource collections.
• LMS and digital content platform vendors implementing standardized metadata exchange.
• Instructional designers, educational publishers and e-learning integrators who need consistent resource description for discovery and reuse.
• Standards implementers and developers creating application profiles or mapping Dublin Core to MLR.

Related standards

• ISO 15836:2009 - Dublin Core metadata element set
• ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011 - MLR framework
• ISO/IEC 19788-3 - Basic application profile (recommended)
• ISO 8601 - Date/time formats
• ISO 639-2 - Language codes
• IEEE 1484.12.1-2002 - LOM (for refinement/combination)

EN ISO/IEC 19788-2:2012 is a practical bridge between Dublin Core and the richer MLR framework, enabling consistent metadata for learning resources across educational and library systems.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-marec-2014
,QIRUPDFLMVNDWHKQRORJLMD8þHQMHL]REUDåHYDQMHLQXVSRVDEOMDQMH0HWDSRGDWNL
]DXþQHYLUHGHO3RGDWNRYQLHOHPHQWL]D'XEOLQ&RUH,62,(&
Information technology - Learning, education and training - Metadata for learning
resources - Part 2: Dublin Core elements (ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011)
Informationstechnik - Lernen, Ausbilden und Weiterbilden - Metadaten für
Lernressourcen - Teil 2: Datenelemente aus Dublin Core (ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011)
Technologies de l'information - Apprentissage, éducation et formation - Métadonnées
pour ressources d'apprentissage - Partie 2: Éléments "Dublin Core" (ISO/IEC 19788-
2:2011)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO/IEC 19788-2:2012
ICS:
03.180 Vzgoja in izobraževanje Education
35.240.99 8SRUDEQLãNHUHãLWYH,7QD IT applications in other fields
GUXJLKSRGURþMLK
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN ISO/IEC 19788-2
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
December 2012
ICS 03.100.30; 35.240.99
English Version
Information technology - Learning, education and training -
Metadata for learning resources - Part 2: Dublin Core elements
(ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011)
Technologies de l'information - Apprentissage, éducation et Informationstechnik - Lernen, Ausbilden und Weiterbilden -
formation - Métadonnées pour ressources d'apprentissage Metadaten für Lernressourcen - Teil 2: Datenelemente aus
- Partie 2: Éléments "Dublin Core" (ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011) Dublin Core (ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 11 November 2012.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European
Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national
standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same
status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United
Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B-1000 Brussels
© 2012 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO/IEC 19788-2:2012: E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
Foreword .3

Foreword
The text of ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011 has been prepared by Technical Committee JTC 1 “Information
technology” of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) and has been taken over as EN ISO/IEC 19788-2:2012 by Technical Committee
CEN/TC 353 “Information and Communication Technologies for Learning, Education and Training” the
secretariat of which is held by UNI.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical
text or by endorsement, at the latest by June 2013, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at
the latest by June 2013.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the following
countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011 has been approved by CEN as a EN ISO/IEC 19788-2:2012 without any
modification.
INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 19788-2
First edition
2011-06-15
Information technology — Learning,
education and training — Metadata for
learning resources —
Part 2:
Dublin Core elements
Technologies de l'information — Apprentissage, éducation et
formation — Métadonnées pour ressources d'apprentissage —
Partie 2: Éléments «Dublin Core»

Reference number
ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011(E)
©
ISO/IEC 2011
ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011(E)
©  ISO/IEC 2011
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from either ISO at the address below or
ISO's member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
Case postale 56 • CH-1211 Geneva 20
Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11
Fax + 41 22 749 09 47
E-mail [e-mail]
Web www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction.v
1 Scope.1
2 Normative references.1
3 Terms and definitions .2
4 Abbreviated terms.3
5 Data element specifications .4
5.1 Title (DES0100).4
5.2 Creator (DES0200).5
5.3 Subject (DES0300).5
5.4 Description (DES0400).6
5.5 Publisher (DES0500).7
5.6 Contributor (DES0600).7
5.7 Date (DES0700).8
5.8 Type (DES0800).9
5.9 Format (DES0900).9
5.10 Identifier (DES1000).10
5.11 Source (DES1100).11
5.12 Language (DES1200).12
5.13 Relation (DES1300).12
5.14 Coverage (DES1400).13
5.15 Rights (DES1500).14
6 Resource Classes.15
6.1 The resource class “Resource”.15
6.2 The resource class “Learning Resource”.15
7 Predefined rule sets .16
7.1 Predefined rule sets from Part 1 and other Parts .16
7.1.1 PRS0001 MLR String.16
7.1.2 PRS0002 Date.16
7.2 Predefined rule sets introduced in this Part.16
Annex A (normative) MLR vocabularies.17
A.1 Vocabularies from other Parts (by reference only).17
A.2 Vocabularies introduced in this Part.17
Annex B (normative) Human interface equivalents: ISO English, ISO French and ISO Russian.18
B.1 Terms and definitions from Clause 3 .18
B.2 Vocabularies and data element names .18
Bibliography.19

© ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved iii

ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of
ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work. In the field of information
technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of the joint technical committee is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for voting. Publication as
an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the national bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO/IEC 19788-2 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 36, Information technology for learning, education and training.
ISO/IEC 19788 consists of the following parts, under the general title Information technology — Learning,
education and training — Metadata for learning resources:
⎯ Part 1: Framework
⎯ Part 2: Dublin Core elements
⎯ Part 3: Basic application profile
The following parts are under preparation:
⎯ Part 5: Educational elements
⎯ Part 6: Availability, distribution, and intellectual property elements
Technical elements will form the subject of a future Part 4.
iv © ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011(E)
Introduction
The primary purpose of ISO/IEC 19788 is to facilitate:
a) the description of a learning resource by providing a standards-based approach to the identification and
specification of the metadata elements required to describe a learning resource, e.g. as a metadata
learning resource (MLR) record; and
b) the search, discovery, acquisition, evaluation, and use of learning resources, for instance by learners,
instructors or automated software processes.
ISO/IEC 19788 is modularly structured with all subsequent parts corresponding to a specified set of user
requirements for the identification and specification of metadata elements having a particular focus and
intended use in the description of a learning resource. This includes categories of metadata elements focused
on technical perspectives, pedagogical aspects, availability and intellectual property aspects, bindings, etc.
This part of ISO/IEC 19788 uses the data element specification model and framework provided in
ISO/IEC 19788-1 to set Dublin Core ISO 15836:2009 elements and associated remarks into the framework of
ISO/IEC 19788 so that they can later be used with other data elements from type 1 parts of ISO/IEC 19788,
addressing specific user communities' needs for extensions, modularization or refinement.
ISO/IEC 19788-3 provides a recommended approach to further enhance interoperability through an
application profile based on the data element specifications from this part of ISO/IEC 19788 as is, or with
added constraints.
© ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved v

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011(E)

Information technology — Learning, education and training —
Metadata for learning resources —
Part 2:
Dublin Core elements
1 Scope
ISO/IEC 19788 specifies, in a rule-based manner, metadata elements and their attributes for the description of
learning resources. This includes the rules governing the identification of data elements and the specification
of their attributes.
These metadata elements are used to form the description of a learning resource, i.e. as a metadata learning
resource (MLR) record.
This part of ISO/IEC 19788 provides a base-level data element set for the description of learning resources,
from the ISO 15836:2009 Dublin Core metadata element set, using the framework provided in
ISO/IEC 19788-1. This provides interoperability at the time of expressing existing Dublin Core records within
MLR.
These elements can later be combined with other descriptive elements, including those from other type 1
parts of ISO/IEC 19788 or other standards, including Dublin Core refinements and IEEE 1484.12.1-2002, in
order to address more specific topics such as technical or educational information.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.
1)
ISO 639-2:1998 , Codes for the representation of names of languages — Part 2: Alpha-3 code/Codes pour la
représentation des noms de langue — Partie 2: Code alpha-3
ISO 8601:2004, Data elements and interchange formats — Information interchange — Representation of
dates and times
ISO 15836:2009, Information and documentation — The Dublin Core metadata element set
ISO/IEC 10646:2003, Information technology — Universal Multiple-Octet Coded Character Set (UCS)
ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, Information technology — Learning, education and training — Metadata for learning
resources — Part 1: Framework
1) This part of ISO/IEC 19788 uses Table 2 Terminology code set, hereafter referred to as “ISO 639-2/T”. For additional
information, see ISO 639-2:1998, 4.1, Form of language codes.
© ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved 1

ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011(E)
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/IEC 19788-1 apply.
NOTE The following terms and definitions from ISO/IEC 19788-1 are the most important for the comprehension of
this document.
3.1
content value
information recorded as the content of the data element (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.11), in compliance with its
data element specification (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.14)
[ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.10]
3.2
definition
representation of a concept by a descriptive statement which serves to differentiate it from related concepts
[ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.15]
3.3
domain
〈data element〉 resource class (3.9) whose resources (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.30) are described by the
data element (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.11) under consideration
[ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.16]
3.4
identifier
sequence of characters capable of uniquely identifying an entity (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.17)
[ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.19]
3.5
learning resource
resource (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.30) used for learning, education and training
[ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.20]
3.6
name
designation of an object by a linguistic expression
[ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.25]
3.7
range
〈data element〉 resource class (3.9) to which the content values (3.1) of the data element
(ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.11) belong, or set of literals (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.21) comprising the string
representations of the permissible values of the data element under consideration
[ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.28]
2 © ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC 19788-2:2011(E)
3.8
refine
〈data element specification〉 have an associated property which is a sub-property of the property associated
with
NOTE 1 This implies that the value of the domain attribute of the first data element specification is identical to or a
proper subset of the value of the domain attribute of the second data element specification and that the value of the range
attribute of the first data element specification is identical to or a proper subset of the value of the range attribute of the
second data element specification.
NOTE 2 Data element instances of the first data element specification are said to refine data element instances of the
second data element specification.
EXAMPLE 1 Property “is son of” refines property “is child of”.
EXAMPLE 2 Property “has mother” refines property “has parent”.
[ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.29]
3.9
resource class
set of resources (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.30) that can be identified by listing or description of boundaries
and meaning and whose properties and behaviour follow the same rule (ISO/IEC 19788-1:2011, 3.32)
NOTE 1 A resource cla
...