2. Getting more from your learning objects
Jonathan Jowett
Copyright © knowledge tek ltd

3. Something to think about
What you know about learning objects today
How might you do things differently in the future?
Today

4. LO LO = learning object What do we know about them? Are small
Re-usable
Also known as / similar to:
Learning nuggets
Micro learning / teaching
Bite sized learning
Popular at the moment
Can be used for synchronous or asynchronous learning LO

5. Learning object output types
Create it once.
Edit it once.
Use it in many ways.
HTML 4 & 5
PDF
Guides & EPSS*
Interactive Simulations
Films
PowerPoint & Presentations
Word
* Electronic Performance Support System (Help at the point of need)

6. hierarchy Repository Module 1 – Introduction and objectives
Module 2 – Topic abc
Arrange*
Module X – Topic xyz (etc)
Module XXX – Summary and quiz/test
*Because they are small, we tend to end up with quite a lot of them in the repository so they need organising

7. Updates to Learning objects
One of the main advantages of a Learning Object based approach is that when a change happens, you only have Learning Object(s) to update, rather than full training courses.
SaaS models mean changes happen quite frequently

8. So… we traditionally use Learning Objects to teach people stuff
Can we use them in other ways though..?
Yes, of course we can. Here are three of our ideas.

9. IDEA number 1

10. Extend the Repository & leverage AICC*
LMS
Repository
Arrange
Module 1 – Introduction and objectives
Module 2 – Topic abc
Module X – Topic xyz (etc)
Module XXX – Summary and quiz/test
Arrange
Module 1 – Introduction and objectives
Module 2 – Topic abc
Module X – Topic xyz (etc)
Module XXX – Summary and quiz/test
AICC
*AICC – Aviation Industry CBT Committee is a different standard to SCORM but you don’t have to be in the aviation sector to use it!
(You do need your repository and LMS to support it though)

11. Reason 1 for extending the learning object repository
Publishing changes of LO updates is easier
Using SCORM or xAPI we publish content from the authoring tool into the LMS or xAPI device
This means we have to manually maintain the link
Version control is independent in both systems
With AICC the LMS simply links to the content in the authoring repository, so there is no manual re-publishing of changes
LMS
SCORM
Author

12. Reason 2 – we need better analytics
Generallly LMS’s track at the module (SCORM) level – not the Learning Object level and xAPI was partly developed for better reporting
Surveys tell you what the learner wants tell you
LMS’s are often all about pushing content to learners. It’s what you think they want.
Analytics tell you what learners really want from their content
xAPI (Tin Can) gives you richer reports if you have xAPI enabled experiences but it doesn’t focus on learning objects. Anything could be an experience in the xAPI way of thinking.
Yes, of course learners can self-enrol on courses using most LMS’s… but let’s think about pushing training materials and pulling them.
The technology landscape is different all around the world, and the needs of learners are different
e.g. learners searching for content that isn’t there or using browsers that are not supported (3rd world countries maybe?)
So – is it right to always push content?

13. Extend analytics beyond the LMS – go into the LO repository

14. IDEA number 2

15. Add meta-data to the LO’s to help with your content curation
A curator in a museum is the person who oversees the artefacts, how they are organised and how they are displayed.
A learning curator has a similar role. They organise, arrange, catalogue and oversee the content in the repository. But how do they do this?
If they only have a few things in the museum it’s quite simple…

16. How would you curate your Learning objects?
By product?
The courses they are used in?
When they were created?
Who created the content?
Was it approved by somebody?
By the importance to the project?
Who commissioned the work?
Etc..
What was the project name they were built for?
Was it an agile or waterfall based project?
What devices have they been tested on?
What language is the content in?
Are the pictures and images checked for copyright ownership?
Etc..

17. META Data in PowerPoint
Most authoring tools allow you to assign meta data in one way or another to learning objects/files.
This is an example from PowerPoint
But, the meta data is restricted by Microsoft to what they think you will want to tag your document with
It doesn’t reflect how you might want to curate your content
To get more from your meta data, you need a tool that allows you to create custom meta-data

18. Some Authoring tools allow custom meta data ON LOs

19. Simplified agile project for a software product
Sprint Planning
Feature List
Sprint
Sprint Hardening
Daily Scrum
Demo
Set a “ready” flag
Solution: add custom meta data for “ready” on the LO’s and set the flag as an output from the scrum meetings
Stories
Training Plan / LO ID
Create LOs
Publish
Update LOs
Publish
Problem: no way of tracking on a LO when it was ready to have content created in it.

20. Another example for why custom meta data is good
This uses standard meta data out of tt-performance suite reporting on LO development from a workflow perspective

21. Another example for why custom meta data is good
This uses custom meta data

22. IDEA number 3

23. Cost of support
According to research by MetricNet, the average cost of a support ticket is:
Level 1 - $22
Level 2 - $62
Level 3 - $85
How many tickets does your support desk handle? Tickets per year (at each level) x average cost = a big number Take the big number and if you can deflect only 15% of tickets being raised you are still saving a lot of money

24. Support Desks
Use your Learning Objects again in a support desk environment
Deflect support tickets being raised and move more towards self- help

25. Your learning object repository is a knowledge base
Support Agents
Repository
Integration Options
Support System Knowledge Base
Article
API’s
Article
Article
Article
Plugins
Copy/Paste

26. BONUS Idea

27. Learning objects drive an EPSS
Context sensitive help based on what the learner is doing
Your learners application(s)
Repository

28. Knowledge Tek Ltd
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