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Reusing Learning Objects: Pedagogical goals direct resource choices for first year chemistry labs

Reusing Learning Objects: Pedagogical goals direct resource choices for first year chemistry labs. Cyprien Lomas and Joanne Nakonechny The Science Centre for Learning and Teaching (Skylight) University of British Columbia, Canada. What is a Learning Object?.

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Reusing Learning Objects: Pedagogical goals direct resource choices for first year chemistry labs

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  1. Reusing Learning Objects: Pedagogical goals direct resource choices for first year chemistry labs Cyprien Lomas and Joanne Nakonechny The Science Centre for Learning and Teaching (Skylight) University of British Columbia, Canada

  2. What is a Learning Object? • A (very) loose description of a learning object: • A reusable, digital resource • Reusable in different contexts • What about in similar contexts?

  3. Discipline Setting • American Chemical Society;Canadian Society for Chemistry • Biennial Conference on Chemical Education • ChemCONF mailing list, online conferences • Journal of Chemical Education • Project: • Academic Committee for the Creative Use of Learning Technologies (ACCULT) • creation of a mixed-mode course for 1st year chemistry laboratories • annual enrolment of approximately 1800-2000 students • Learning Object Approaches: • technological or pedagogical

  4. Pedagogical Process • Deep vs surface learning • Deep structure learning focuses on concepts not facts = surface structure • Deep structure learning is difficult for novice learners Authentic scholars at any university level requires confidence based on deep structure knowledge How does this influence choice of LOs?

  5. Learning Objects need to reflect key goals of the course: The chemistry students need to be able to: • identify a problem • find information in the literature • pose scientific questions • formulate a hypothesis • design experiments to test the hypothesis • learn new experimental techniques • analyze data & drawing conclusions • recognize safety issues

  6. Transformation

  7. How did we get there?

  8. Elements for Selecting Learning Objects User response User response Author control Author control Pedagogical goals Pedagogical goals Concept articulated Concept articulated LO LO Object granularity Rigidity continuum Rigidity continuum Type (text, image etc.) Type (text, image etc.) Data object Data object

  9. Selecting/Developing Learning Objects Flexible parameters can be completely modified shared Lab manual (malleable) Rigid parameters cannot be modified Bridging to the Lab (product) calculator (prescriptive) Customizable parameters can be partially modified Commercial or open- source VL, WebCT (container) Rigidity Continuum Author Control

  10. Bridging to the Lab User response User response Author control Author control Pedagogical goals Concept articulated Concept articulated LO LO Object granularity Rigidity continuum Type (text, image etc.) Data object Data object Process: • Development of an experimental methodology. • Visualization of multi-step sequences. Tool aids by using: • Theory + method + guided application RIGID

  11. Virtual Lab User response User response Author control Author control Pedagogical goals Concept articulated Concept articulated LO LO Object granularity Rigidity continuum Type (text, image etc.) Data object Data object Process: • Development of an experimental methodology. • Implementation of multi-step sequences. Tool aids by connecting: • Theory + method + independent application. (tutorial required) CUSTOMIZABLE

  12. Glossary User response User response Author control Author control Pedagogical goals Concept articulated Concept articulated LO LO Object granularity Rigidity continuum Type (text, image etc.) Data object Data object • Additional Support: • In-house • technique modules • Glossary • Tool aids by connecting: • Students to the • actual laboratory FLEXIBLE

  13. Lessons Learned Pedagogical goals Type Object granularity Author control Rigidity continuum User response Concept articulated Data object

  14. Reuse within a discipline • It ain’t easy. • Need to keep the pedagogical goals in mind when choosing Learning Objects. • It’s time consuming. It took two years to put together the course. • May need to change the style and function of other course resources. We re-wrote the lab manual, wrote instructional resources, developed quizzes etc. • It’s on-going. We’re still developing resources, re-writing resources, finding new learning objects. • Would we do it again? YES!

  15. Development Team: Dr. Sophia Nussbaum (Director) • Dr. Matt Le Page • Dr. Cyprien Lomas (Skylight) • Dr. Joanne Nakonechny (Skylight) • Students: • Alexei Polishchuk • Zev Thompson • Illustrations: • Elizabeth Varty • Librarian: • Kevin Lindstrom • THANK YOU TO THE UBC ACADEMIC COMMITTEE FOR THE CREATIVE USE OF LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES FOR THEIR SUPPORT (ACCULT).

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