School Libraries and Learning Objects: PORTABLE and REUSABLE

1. School Libraries and Learning Objects: PORTABLE and REUSABLE Rob Darrow (robdarrow@cusd.com) LMT on Special Assignment, Clovis Unified CSLA Conference. November 2003 Resources online at: www.cusd.com/calonline/rob

2. What do people create for the Web? • WS – Ways to reuse stuff we put on the Web? • What is the “stuff” people put on the Web? • What is the “stuff” library media teachers put on the Web? • Lego Activity • Each person fits their lego piece together on the front table

3. Definition of Learning Objects • “ any entity, digital or non-digital, which can be used, re-used or referenced during technology supported learning.” • David Wiley, Utah State University • (http://www.reusability.org/read/chapters/wiley.doc)

4. Learning Objects • Reusable • Portable • Shareable • Adaptable

5. Learning Objects are like… • Puzzle Pieces • And other examples???

6. Current Learning Objects (The stuff we currently put on the Web) • Pictures • Web sites • WebQuests • Text • Etc. • All in the way we think is best… • No standardization…

7. In Silos Mrs. Smith’s First Grade Units Library of Congress Web sites Video Clips

8. How We Currently Use Learning Objects • To create a lesson or unit... • We search for learning objects and arrange them into classes and courses • We edit or revise their content • We package the result and place on a Web site in PowerPoint or put on a disk or print out for others

9. Learning Object Thinking • The model: learning objects are bits of instruction or instructional objects strung together to form a course

10. An example to think about • How might this picture be used for instruction?

11. How would you catalog this? What subject? Category? Source: California Digital Library - http://californiadigitallibrary.org/

12. Learning Emerges over Time • The use of learning objects consists not in stringing them together, like a narrative, but in arranging them, like (a painting, an orchestra, a sand castle, … )

13. Learning Object Repositories • Create a learning object and place into a database • Tag these objects using a standard. • Content of tags – title, grade, classification, interactivity, subject, etc. – are used as parameters in a search. • Tags are the “meta data” of a digital object

14. Learning Object Metadata • Metadata is the content of a learning object, like the label on a can. • Learning Object metadata doesn’t describe an object, it describes a use of an object • That is why we need multiple metadata schemes, because we have multiple uses • Metadata • Definition from the Library of Congress: http://lcweb.loc.gov/standards/metadata.html

15. Example: Classification • Classification is a classic example. What is the topic of a learning object? • That depends on which classification scheme you use…

16. Example: Classification • How would you classify this picture? • Possibilities: • Hands? • Lines? • A runner? • Start position? • P.E.? • Health?

17. Who Uses Learning Objects? • Learning object designer creates tags for learning objects • Instructional designer (teacher, LMT, Web designer) brings learning objects together

18. Ideal Learning Object Use • The creation of metadata must occur in the use of a learning object by many people • These comments form part of the description of the object, aid in searching

19. Structure of the Learning Objects • Old: objects are placed in a sequence with limited branching – limited choices, need for uniformity, static, single focus – like in silos • New: objects are placed in an environment – multiple choices, room for diversity, dynamic, multiple points of focus

20. The Wider Context • Linear  Multi-threaded • Content Delivery  immersive, interactive • Static, paced  dynamic, unpaced • Demonstration  inference • Learning objectives  learner goals • Motivation  desire

21. Using Learning Objects (1) • Old: Static, paced • Objects are organized in a predetermined order – the idea of succession • The delivery or invocation of objects is determined by time or sequence • This delivery is defined by an instructional designer or teacher

22. Using Learning Objects (2) • New: dynamic, unpaced • Objects are not ordered; each persists independently of the others • The delivery ore invocation of objects is triggered by events • The use of learning objects is based on learner choices

23. A Learning Object Repository • Supports teachers teaching • Supports student learning

24. Learning Objects in Repositories: • Continuous, not interrupted • Task or project oriented, not subject oriented • Global, not local • Dynamically organized, not statically predetermined • Learner driven, not instructor driven

25. Learning Object Repositories • CAREO - Campus Alberta Repository of Educational Objects • http://www.careo.org • MERLOT – Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching • http://www.merlot.org/Home.po • LIBRARY OF CONGRESS (images, documents, etc.) • www.loc.gov • CALIFORNIA DIGITAL LIBRARY (images, diaries and letters, etc.) • http://californiadigitallibrary.org/

26. Fresno County Teaching American History Grant • Developing online content based on 5th, 8th and 11th grade American history content standards. • www.cusd.com/calonline/tah

27. LIBRARIES Books Learning Hub of School Lessons based on standards Information Literacy infused Other Examples? LO REPOSITORY Variety of media Central database for dynamic content Consistent standards in repositories Continual improvement and development Libraries and Learning Objects

28. How do we respond? • Knowledge • Promotion • Continue to share • Continue to promote sharing

29. Sources Used • Stephen Downes Web site and PowerPoint ideas (National Research Council of Canada) • http://www.downes.ca/ • David Wiley information about Learning Objects (Utah State University) • http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CIE/AOP/LO_collections.html

30. Contact Information • Rob Darrow • Library Media Teacher on Special Assignment, Online Learning Specialist • Clovis Unified School District, Clovis, California • Robdarrow@cusd.com • www.cusd.com/calonline/infolit Resources online at: www.cusd.com/calonline/rob