Designing and Developing Learning Objects: Tales from the Trenches Jeannette McDonald Margaret Volkmann Calier Worrell University of Wisconsin-Madison

–Arkansas State University –Colorado State University - Pueblo –George Washington University –Indiana University –Montana State University –University of Detroit –University of Kansas –University of North Dakota –University of Northern Colorado –University of Wisconsin NEAT Project: Partner Schools

What is our definition of a Learning Object? “Any digital resource that can be reused to support learning.” Wiley, 2002

Level One – Raw Elements

Level Two – Informational Objects Endotoxemia Animation

Level Three – Interactive Mini Lectures

Level Four – Simulations/Case Studies

Goal: Create appropriate learning objects for common teaching and learning challenges. Deans decided on the two main topics: –Health Disparities –Patient Safety Two Design Teams with faculty representatives –Delphi process for narrowing the subjects –Identified learning objectives to address Production Teams of content expert, instructional designer, and media specialist Peer review and revisions

Collaborative Strategies to Develop and Share Content Identification of common teaching challenges Development of learning objects Virtual Teaching Guide, Tips & Tricks NEAT Learning Objects Repository

Challenges for development and use of learning objects: Shelf-life Cost of developing and updating objects Need for technical/design support Dissemination and accessibility –Locating, evaluating, and using LOs Reusability – address course needs across settings Variable access to, and comfort with, technology Engaging faculty

Challenges for the Designer Role of faculty content experts: –Limited time –Money provided not an incentive –Willing to provide content that is already developed; not as willing to develop new content

Faculty Orientation Folder Learning Object Development Process Overview Learning Object Planning Worksheet Bloom’s Taxonomy at a Glance Work-for-Hire Agreement Virtual Teaching Guide -

Design Challenges Powerpoints don’t easily morph into LOs Lecture/outlines don’t either! LO medium does not easily accommodate higher level thinking skills Difficult to provide real, interactive feedback Learners can’t interact with each other or the instructor

Designers need to become: Mini-experts on each topic Ghost writers Researchers Jugglers Cheerleaders “The only reason the project gets done is because the TLC team does all the work.” Content expert

Tips and Tricks - Development Start small – focus on meeting present needs Streamline design, development, and delivery Provide faculty support Involve users in development and evaluation Study exemplars of good learning objects Consider online resources to assist with design Fight “scope creep”

How can we increase faculty participation in development and use? Address communication barriers –Teachers talk in terms of courses, units, lessons… –Designers speak of metadata, granularity, interactivity… The common ground is enhanced student learning.

Development Challenges Organization, organization, organization! Communication, communication, communication! Be flexible Get agreement on the design and elements before investing in graphics and interactivity

File Structure is important for organization and continuity.

Members of your team can work more efficiently when everything is in a central location.

Just words…

If the navigation and different components are complicated then the designer will story- board the project out. This process explains the navigation and how all the sections link together.

Now the fun starts…

Design at this phase is cheap.

… listen to your content experts. Consider your audience...

Evaluations Peer evaluations Faculty user evaluations Student user evaluations

Create a virtual guide

NEAT Learning Objects Repository Partnership with University of Texas Medical Branch See list of Learning Objects in the Repository Used for collecting student and faculty evaluations

Examples of NEAT Project Learning Objects Understanding American Indian Health Disparities Swiss Cheese Model: How Systems Fail The Impaired Nurse: Impact and Indicators What is Race/Ethnicity? “My Side of the Story”: Implications of Medical Errors