MetaTest: evaluation of metadata from generation to use

We are studying metadata from its initial generation to its use in accessing desired educational resources. With a testbed of lesson plans and activities, we are comparing the manually and automatically generated metadata for their retrieval effectiveness (i.e. ability to retrieve the most relevant resources); conducting a subjective evaluation of manually and automatically generated metadata as representations of the resource as judged by subject matter experts, and; conducting studies of users´ search and navigation behavior when accessing the digital library. These evaluations successfully combine what we believe are necessary foci on how and whether metadata affects the user and system performance.