Effective Strategies for Developing Interactive Learning

Objects

Tracy Penny Light

University of Waterloo

tracy@LT3.uwaterloo.ca 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?

Thank You!

Tracy Penny Light

tracy@LT3.uwaterloo.ca

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