Effective Strategies for Developing Interactive Learning
Objects
Tracy Penny Light
University of Waterloo
[email protected] MERLOT International Conference
August 7, 2003
Overview
• We will be “experiencing” the learning object design process
• We will reflect on different strategies for developing effective learning objects and using them in the classroom
• We will explore how we can use MERLOT to support the use and development of learning objects.
1. What is a Learning Object?
• Interactive Computer Program• Addresses one Instructional
Challenge• 15 minutes to 3 hours• One sitting?• Optional doesn’t work• Extra work not necessarily good• Must be integral to the course design
2. How do we Learn?
What are our own learning preferences?i.e. Solomon-Felder Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire
Reflective-----X---------------------Active
Sensing-----X---------------------Intuitive
Visual--------------X------------Verbal
Sequential---------------------X-----Global
3. Teamwork
Who is working on this project?Consider:• Your skills• Strengths/Weaknesses• Who will do what?• How will you compensate for
skills your group DOESN’T have?
4. Scoping the Project
Scoping and Managing the Project• Scoping the Project
Canada Food GuideLearning Object
Team Building
Healthy Hearts
4. Scoping the Project – The Current and Proposed Scenarios
Context
ContentAssessment
Methods
Goals
You and Your PhilosophyCourse Evaluation
Course Design Model
4. Scoping the Project
Scoping and Managing the Project• Gantt chart creation
– Spatial Representation
• Tasks -- Events with duration• Milestones -- Events without duration
Tasks
Time
5. Creating Learner Profiles
How do your target learners like to
learn?Consider:
• Learner preferences
• Learners’ background
• Outside interests
• Knowledge of topic?
6. Learning Object Analysis
Start with MERLOT to locate
learning object examples:Personal Trainer
The Pizza Explorer
7. Initial Storyboards
What might your project look like?Consider:
• Structure of module(s)
• Learning activities
• Look and feel
8. (Re)Articulating Your Scope
This exercise will help you to:• Describe the scope of your learning
object clearly to others outside your project;
• Ensure that your project is staying within the intended scope.
9. Paper Prototyping
As you prototype the learning
object you will consider:• Structure of Module(s)
• Learning Activities
• Look and Feel
9. Paper Prototyping
Designing Learning Activities• Who are your target learners?
• What learning level(s) do you want to address?
9. Paper Prototyping – Learning Activities
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Evaluation
Synthesis
Analysis
Application
Comprehension
Knowledge
10. User-Testing
What do others “see” when they
look at your project?Consider:
• Structure of module(s)
• Learning activities
• Look and feel
11. Evaluation
How can you evaluate the learning
impact of your learning object once
it is being used?
12. Presentation of Prototype
Students present:• An overview of the learning object
and how it works;
• A description of their design rationale – why they made the design decisions that they did.
Using this Process
• How can you envision using this process in your own institution?
• How can MERLOT support the needs of authors and developers of learning objects?
Reference urls
Solomon-Felder Index of Learning
Styles Questionnairehttp://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/ILSdir/ilsweb.html
Personal Trainerhttp://www.itdc.sbcss.k12.ca.us/curriculum/personaltrainer.html
The Pizza Explorerhttp://www.accessexcellence.org/pizza
ARTS 303 Web Sitehttp://lt3.uwaterloo.ca/ARTS303
MERLOThttp://www.merlot.org