USING LEARNING OBJECTS TO ENHANCE DISTANCE OR BLENDED LEARNING FACRL Fall, 2013

CONTACT INFORMATION Susan Ariew Maryellen Allen

Objectives for Today’s Session Identifying characteristics of learning objects Classifying types of learning objects & their uses for instruction Recognize three instructional design principles that will guide your selection/creation of learning objects Tips on how to get started in creating and using learning objects

Responding to the Poll 1. Open up text messaging on your phone 2. In the “To:” field, type (it’s ok if the phone inserts a hyphen) 3. In the message field, type and your comment(s) 4. Click “Send”

What Qualities Define Learning Objects? Respond to the poll Enter your thoughts on what qualities define a Learning Object LO Poll

What Are Learning Objects? “A learning object is any digital resource that can be reused to mediate learning.” “Learning Objects in Higher Education”, EDUCAUSE Research Bulletin, Vol. 2001, Issue 19, October 1, Or… Small, self-contained, reusable units of learning that can be aggregated into larger collections of content, including traditional course structures. Adapted from Wisc-Online

Definition of LOs “Learning Objects are small stand-alone “chunks” of information designed to be easily reused and repackaged to meet the needs of different audiences. They are typically designed to achieve a certain narrow learning objective and may contain an assessment to determine success against that objective.” (Learning Objects Network, 2004, para 1)

LOs Explained

Characteristics of Digital LOs Are Reusable Are Portable Are Accessible Are Sharable and stand alone Mediates learning

Learning Objects and Course Management Systems Course management systems (CMS) and Learning Management Systems (LMS) have made the concept of learning objects very popular. A CMS provides a portal with a structured interface accommodating many types of media files (Learning Objects) Learning Objects can be the building blocks on which you can base your curriculum

The CMS and the Embedded Librarian The Embedded Librarian Becoming an integral part of courses and curricula—moving from coordination, cooperation to collaboration & partnerships Allows for a new model of library instruction Interact with online/distance students in a more meaningful way Design/modify LOs based on observed need- more dynamic “Flip” your classroom!

Embedded-ness & Instruction Push out the basics: Tutorials, webcasts, podcasts in the course management system so face to face instruction is at a higher level Include content that helps scaffold student learning (handouts, PowerPoints, and other materials). Supports the “Flipped Classroom” model.

Practical Use of LOs Learning Objects can be time-consuming to create from scratch Start with LO repositories Become a consumer first, then a critic, then a creator

Finding Ready Made LOs Examples: Creative Commons Merlot PRIMO Database YouTube Google Videos BYU Harold B. Lee Library Channel Not all LOs are created equal. Make sure you evaluate them!

Evaluating Learning Objects Ready-made learning objects can be effective instructional tools, but it’s important to make sure they meet certain instructional design criteria: Contain more than one type of media (i.e., Images, sound, video, text, etc.) Provide some degree of interactivity Provide opportunities for learner practice or reflection Take no longer than 10 minutes to view or complete

Example L.O.’s Generating Search Terms Cooperative Library Instruction Project under Creative Commons License cc-by-nc-sa Avoiding Plagiarism: What Do I Need to Cite? Advanced Writing: Evaluating Sources LibGuides! LibGuides

BUILDING A LEARNING OBJECT Criteria to Consider

Using images to show rather than tell patrons what you want them to know Common Image Tools Screen Capturing Tools Photos and Images

Images with Sound Combining those images with sound make learning objects more accessible and effective Edgar Dale, American educationist known for his “Cone of Experience” (Dale, 1969) The model suggests the more concrete (and therefore effective) nature of audio-visual experiences, rather than the abstractness of simple text. Even the Addams Family knows... For Your Consideration: Screencast tools Dale, E. (1946, 1954, 1969). Audio-visual methods in teaching. New York: Dryden.

SCREENCASTING

Making Screencasts Screencasts are digital movies in which the setting is partly or wholly a computer screen and in which audio narration describes the on-screen action. There are lots of them out there Screencasting

What Tools Have You Used? Participate in the poll: j117s

What Are the Challenges in Creating Screencasts? Have you tried creating a screencast? What are some of the challenges you’ve encountered?

Challenges Learning curve—Learning and mastering new technology and skills Quality of production Ability to post and share online

Screencasting: Best Practices Start with something basic. JING (see demo) a cool toolsee demo Quicktime (on Mac OS) Plan your screencast out completely before you begin recording Write a script and use it. Also aids in the creation of a closed caption file, if needed “Chunk” your material into manageable sections if you end up going over 10 minutes

One More Thing: Authoring Tools for Interactive Learning Objects Authoring tools allow you to create interactive learning objects without having to learn programming Examples Include: SoftChalk (NOT free) Scratch (free) Scratch SmartBuilder (free) SmartBuilder All include a steep learning curve, but can be worth it SoftChalk example (Broadening and Narrowing a Topic) SoftChalk example

Helpful Links Learning Objects LibGuide: (special thanks to Lori Mestre) Learning Object Tutorial:

Questions/Comments? ?