widgets: the slicing and dicing (and splicing) of learning content mark c. marino assistant...

Widgets: The Slicing and Dicing (and Splicing) of Learning Content

Mark C. Marino

Assistant Professor (Teaching) of Writing

Writing Program, College of Letter, Arts and Sciences 

Susan E. Metros

Associate Vice Provost and Deputy CIO

Professor of Visual Design and Clinical Education

University of Southern California 1

Agenda

• Slicing, Dicing, Splicing and Modularizing Learning Content

• Widgets for Education

• Faculty Needs

• Institutional Enablers

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Modularizing Education

Course Course Course Course

Module Module ModuleModule Module

Topic Topic Topic Topic Topic

Curriculum

Program Program

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Modularizing Content

Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter

Textbook

Section Section

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Modularizing Digital Content

Asset Asset Asset Asset

Learning Object Repository

Subject Subject

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Learning Objects

Digital Asset

Learning Assessment

Learning Outcomes

Learning Assessment

Discipline ADiscipline A

Discipline BDiscipline BActivity

Learning Outcomes

Activity

What are the Top Three Reasons for Using Learning Objects?

1. To improve quality of the learning experience

2. To benefit from content reusability

3. To use course materials efficiently

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S u r v e y r e s u l t sECAR

Metros and Bennett, 2002

Modularizing Digital ContentNSF Digital Libraries

Academic Earth

Internet Archive

MERLOT

YouTube

Google

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Modularizing Digital Content

OER Commons

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Modularizing Digital Content

iGoogle

Pageflakes

NetVibes

Ning

Facebook

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Characteristics

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LO OER Widget

Digital X X X

Reusable X X X

Sharable X X X

Stand-alone X X X

Media Independent X X X

Open to everyone X

Interoperable X

Collaboratively authored X X X

Trusted collections X

Expert or peer-evaluated X X

Easy to aggregate and use X

Learning Object withRepository Model

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Link to Learning Object

Link to Learning Object

Widget withPortal-Aggregator Model

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Widget Widget

Widget Providers

Google Gadgets

Mac Dashboard WidgetsiPhone Apps

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Widgets are Proliferating….

• Widgetbox– 100,000+ with over 6 billion "served”

• Springwidgets– 36,000 +

• YourMinis – 10,000

• Google Gadgets– 45,000

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Widgetbox

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Widget VarietiesRSS Feeds

Blogs

News Sources

Images

Videos

Search ToolsBlog

Google

Swicki

WorldCat

Blank-a-DayWord-a-Day

Quote-a-Day

Image-a-Day

This Day in History

QuizzesLanguage

Trivia

Writing ToolsBlogs

Message Boards

To-Do lists

Post-Its

Misc. Games

Countdowns

Badges Lists

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Educational Widgets

• English Level Test

• Learnit: learn a language in no time

• Grammar Girl Quiz

• Eco-Calculator

• Step by Step Math Solving Calculator

• Classtools.net (online widget builder)

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Widget Capabilities

Widgets can do what the Web can do…

• Deliver Interactive Content

• Enhance Information Visualization

• Engage with Multimedia Presentation

• Provide “Real Estate” for Information Push

• Advertise Other Sites

• Network Users

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Where to Aggregate

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Netvibes

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iGoogle

•  

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Pageflakes

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Ning

Facebook

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USC Topoi Widget Stats

• Developed July-Aug, 2008

• Launched September 2008

• 26,000+ Widget Views

• 280 Installs

• Hosted on:– ning, webct, blogger, wetpaint, gmodules,

netvibes, pageflakes, wordpress

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Pam Hood, SFSU

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Jarod Anthony, Spokane Falls CC

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Michael Wesch, KSU

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The USC Topoi Widgets

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Standalone Widget

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Interactive Text Widget

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Interactive Text Widget

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JavaScript Widget

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Intro text

Samplelesson

Widgetinstructions

PortableWidget

Videos

InteractiveContentWidgetsFlash andnon Flash

Notepad

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Video Lessons

• Videos– Recreating

in-class and

office hour

experiences

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Video Tour• Tour of the page’s

contents

• Instruction on how to use the widgets

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Faculty Needs• Widget building support

– Programming– Design

• Video production• Testing• Revision, Editing• Porting into various formats: Widgetbox, Facebook• Environment: iGoogle, Pageflakes, netvibes, portal• Selection of Widgets

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Institutional Enablers

• Adoption and scalability plans

• Sustainability and integration model

• Assessment plan

• Support resources and/or funding

• Authoring tools

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Contact Information

Mark C. Marino

markcmarino@gmail.com

Susan E. Metros

smetros@usc.edu

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