1. Using and re-using learning objects Julie Watson Academic Co-ordinator, eLanguages jw17@soton.ac.uk

2. Overview Our starting point Designing learning materials for online delivery and re-usability –Design features of Learning Objects (LOs) and Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) –Example Some applications of use and re-use Research overview Conclusions Research interests for the future

3. Our starting point… eLanguages Project Funded to develop e-tutored, online modules in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Currently… –Bank of 1500+ learning objects in EAP; generic and discipline-specific study skills for NS –Refined, re-templated, researched, increased and re-used

4. LO design features Designing for online delivery and re-usability –make learning activity-led –scaffold learning (provide sufficient feedback and help) –create clear and prominent task instructions –ensure consistency of style and granularity* –create context-independent LOs* –use single template and development tool* –recreate tasks using bank of interactive task templates* –connect and maintain weblinks easily* –develop LOs as single packages, interoperable - for use in different VLEs*

8. Brief summary of research to date Data Capture Methods Student questionnaires, Tutor questionnaires, Student observations, Student learning log entries, Semi-structured interviews with students, VLE user tracking Data Captured Student Questionnaires Student Observations Tutor Questionnaires Learning Log Entries Semi Structured Interviews Summer 2004 (Blended) 1945821120N/A Summer 2005 (Blended) 2601440N/A Summer 2005 (e-tutored) 46N/A 16

9. Research findings – summer 2004 Student Response  frequency of use (78% made use of learning materials ‘once a day’ to ‘once a week’)  ease of use (90% found materials ‘very easy’ or ‘easy’ to use)  perceived usefulness (88% found them ‘very useful’ or ‘useful’)  ease of access (19% chose to access them from two or more ‘locations’) Tutor Response  materials support students’ independent (non-tutor directed) study (81%)  materials support students’ lesson-related (tutor-directed) study (57%)  materials have a role in lessons (38%) NB Integrated use – 10-15% (estimate) of tutors made use of the learning materials in the classroom

10. Student and tutor feedback: summer 2004 Student comments:  I feel this is much more that just useful and helpful.  I want to keep the online materials after the course – please make it possible.  I very much appreciate the quality of the course, the structure of the material and the logic of the content. Tutor comments:  The materials were useful in addressing specific difficulties students had.  They have been a real help.  Would you support the use of online materials if they were available in a future course? Yes, definitely.

11. Conclusions Some LOs can be re-used as they stand Others need a degree of re-purposing to ‘fit’ new contexts of use Individual LOs can be broken down and re-combined Certain elements of LOs (e.g. task templates, instruction formats) can be re-used RLOs allow considerable time and cost savings

12. Research interests What role do LOs have in students’ learning in various applications of use? To what extent does discussion board activity and e- tutoring add value in different applications of use? How far should we map discussion board activity onto LOs?