Learning Objects of Desire

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(Learning) Objects of Desire

• Robin Bartoletti
• robinb_at_unt.edu
• Instructional Consultant
• Center for Distributed Learning
• UNT

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(Learning) Objects of Desire
With the proliferation of on-line courses and
materials, the Web is now replete with vast
amounts of duplicated data and information.
There are thousands of learning institutions.
They all teach some common topics
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The world does not need thousands of different
descriptions of how to do CPR on the web.
Example CPR online
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That is where Learning Objects come in

• What are "learning objects"
• (a.k.a. reusable learning objects RLOs)?
• Variety of definitions
• Any digital resource that can be reused to
  support learning"  -- David A. Wiley, "Connecting
  Learning Objects to Instructional Design Theory
  "The main idea of 'learning objects' is to break
  educational content down into small chunks that
  can be reused in various learning environments,
  in the spirit of object-oriented programming

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• Any entity, digital or non-digital, which can be
  used, re-used or referenced during technology
  supported learning" -- Learning Object Metadata
  Working Group of the IEEE Learning Technology
  Standards Committee (LTSC)
• An item for teaching and learning on the web
  that is reusable, tagged with metadata and can be
  linked into a teaching course University of
  Birmingham

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• Wisconsin Online Resource Center Small units of
  learning, typically ranging from 2 to 15 minutes
• Self-contained each learning object can be
  taken independently,
• Reusable a single learning object may be used
  in multiple contexts for multiple purposes,
• Can be aggregated learning objects can be
  grouped into larger collections of content,
  including traditional course structures
• Tagged with metadata every learning object has
  descriptive information allowing it to be easily
  found by a search

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What a Learning Object is not

• Not a shrink wrapped product you can buy
• Not a proprietary tool or technology
• Not monolithicincludes smaller objects
• Not always reusable
• Not always one page or file
• Not always apparent
• Not just for one purpose can be used for
  education, training, information, quick
  reference, as job aids, and for entertainment

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Huh?

• Chunks of educational content
• Can be used in diverse contexts
• Portable across electronic platforms
• The exact definition of learning varies but
  overall the issue is one of how to improve the
  reusability of the academics work.
• A Learning Object is basically a digital resource
  that is used as an element to support learning
  experiences.

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Why should I care?

• Design and produce once
• Save money
• Reuse infinitely - in multiple modes for multiple
  needs
• Sell content
• Purchase others content

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Nothing New
Reality Chamber Technology supported
collaborative environment providing shared
learning experiences, rich multimedia images,
real-time interactions and Visual, audible and
tactile feedback.
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Nothing New

• High-density, lap-top information display-
  Nonvolatile memory with zero power consumption.
  Able to display at 10,000 dp square millimeter in
  monochrome or up to 32,000 colors. Features
  simple, intuitive, direct manipulation user
  interface with sequential and random access.

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Nothing new

• Instructomatic
• Processor Heuristically guided dialog processor
  with fuzzy logic reasoning system and adaptive
  multitasking scheduler
• Inputs Fault tolerant natural language
  understanding system able to evaluate free-form
  input. Augmented with gestural and optical
  character recognition
• Outputs Complete multimedia capabilities
  displayed words, spoken word, static and animated
  pictures, musicall delivered interactively in a
  rugged environment

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Supports Contemporary Learning Theories

• There are a number of existing instructional
  design theories that provide explicit scope and
  sequencing support that are applicable to
  learning objects
• Reigeluths Elaboration Theory (Reigeluth, 1999)
• van Merriënboers Four-component Instructional
  Design model (van Merriënboer, 1997),
• Gibbons and his colleagues Work Model Synthesis
  approach (Gibbons et al., 1995)
• Wiley (2000) recently synthesized these and other
  instructional design theories into a learning
  object-specific instructional design theory,
  called Learning Object Design and Sequencing
  Theory.

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Use of Learning Objects
To answer problems Search for objects relevant
to a course problem or case As part of a course
Object may link to related background learning
materials and resources For online discussion and
support Focus for shared discussion and learning
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Best Ideas?

• Reusable pieces
• Indexed
• Enhanced Learning Object
• Activity-sized
• Accessible
• Durable
• Interoperable
• In constructing Learning Objects include
• A list of learning objectives for that object
  telling the learner what they should be able to
  do after completing that Learning Object
• Illustrations, photographs, and/or animations to
  help the visual learner and
• A self-assessment component.

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Example

• Web course on cooking skills
• Learning objective identify three different
  types of pans.
• The set of screens that comprise that objective
  would be saved as a single learning object, with
  proper meta tag descriptions, etc. Then it would
  be uploaded to a database, along with the other
  objectives that form the complete cooking course.
• Once in the database, the learning object about
  pans could be used by other designers and
  learners for an entirely different course,
  perhaps on the history of cooking.

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• Issue re-usable objects require some kind of
  standardization methodology that make them
  actually re-usable. (metadata)
• Each learning object should be given a unique
  name/number in a content management system so it
  is easy to reuse and repurpose material for new
  or different courses.
• The tricky part is creating the learning object
  so it can stand alone.
• In most courses you need transitions fromtopic
  to topic or section to section. These should not
  be included in learning objects. Instead the
  instructional designer blend the learning objects
  together.

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• The learning object should be a raw material
  for the educator who needs to understand
• How to use it in the most appropriate way
• Producing a standardized and replicable sequence
  of learning events
• Which may be a mix of simple or complex objects
  and acts of communication according to a designed
  strategy.
• Use the objects to provoke reaction, thought,
  creativity, exchange, etc.

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Opportunities and Advantages

• ability to be able to share and reuse resources
• supports and encourages the design of online
  settings that support knowledge construction.

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More information on Learning Objects 

• Stephen Webb from the University of Alberta
  provides a very detailed description of learning
  objects.
• Wiley, D. (2001). The Instructional Use of
  Learning Objects. http//reusability.org/read/1
• http//www.alivetek.com/learningobjects/
• All About Learning Objects
• Learning Objects and Standards Resources
• Learning Management Systems (LMS) Learning
  Content Management Systems (LCMS) - E-Learning as
  an Enterprise Application? (Paul Stacey, T-Net
  British Columbia)
• PROMETEUS Promoting Multimedia Access to
  Education and Training in European Society
  http//www.prometeus.org/

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• References
• Gibbons, A.S., Bunderson, C.V., Olsen, J.B., and
  Rogers, J. (1995). Work models Still beyond
  instructional objectives. Machine-Mediated
  Learning, 5(34), 221-236.
• Gibbons, A. S., Nelson, J., Richards, R.
  (2000). The nature and origin of instructional
  objects. In D. A. Wiley (Ed.), The instructional
  use of learning objects. Bloomington , IN
  Association for Educational Communications and
  Technology.
• Reigeluth, C. M. (1999b). What is instructional
  design theory and how is it changing? In C. M.
  Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional design theories
  and models A new paradigm of instructional
  theory. (pp. 5-29). Hillsdale , NJ Lawrence
  Erlbaum Associates.
• Reigeluth, C. M. Frick, T. W. (1999). Formative
  research A methodology for creating and
  improving design theories. In C. M. Reigeluth
  (Ed.), Instructional design theories and models
  A new paradigm of instructional theory. (pp.
  5-29). Hillsdale , NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
  Associates.
• van Merriënboer, J. J. G., (1997). Training
  complex cognitive skills A four-component
  instructional design model for technical
  training. Englewood Cliffs, NJ Educational
  Technology Publications.
• Wiley, D. A. (2000). Learning object design and
  sequencing theory. Unpublished doctoral
  dissertation, Brigham Young University .
  Available http//davidwiley.com/papers/dissertati
  on/dissertation.pdf