Sarah Currier- Stòr Cùram Librarian; Gr á inne Hamilton and Jenny Niven-

1. the why and how of learning objectsan introduction to sharing, using and creating digital learning resources in social work education Sarah Currier- Stòr Cùram Librarian; Gráinne Hamilton and Jenny Niven- Stòr Cùram e-Learning Advisers Workshop presentation at JSWEC 2004, Glasgow, 9th July 2004

2. Workshop plan 11:35-11:45 Introduction to Stòr Cùram and learning objects - Sarah 11:45-12:00 How can learning objects support learning in social work education? - Gráinne 12:00-12:20 Finding learning objects in Stòr Cùram: a hands-on exercise - Sarah 12:20-12:40 Developing learning activities using learning objects: a practical exercise - Jenny 12:40-12:50 Discussion, comments, questions

3. Why Stòr Cùram? We wanted a Scottish identity, but not another acronym! … so: Stòr– pronounced ‘store’ - is Gaelic for storehouse Cùram– pronounced ‘coo-ram’ - is Gaelic for care

4. Specific project aims Funded by Scottish Institute for Excellence in Social Work Education until July 2005 to: • Develop a national ‘learning object repository’, or web-based library of learning resources. • Populate the library with reusable learning objects from three different sources. • Help social work educators embed these reusable learning objects in their teaching practice.

5. Whoops… jargon alert !!! • Designing multimedia ‘learning objects’ – Eh? Well … • Monolithic Web courses, CD-ROMs etc. are difficult to reuse- people often want only part, or to update. • Learning objects are bite-sized learning materials designed to be flexible, adaptable, and reusable in a range of contexts. • They usually focus on one or two learning objectives or concepts.

6. Project staff • Project Manager – Neil Ballantyne • Librarian – Sarah Currier • Learning Technologist – Ivanna Fernandez • Administrator – Romana McGlynn • e-Learning Adviser – Jenny Niven - Robert Gordon University • e-Learning Adviser – Gráinne Hamilton - University of Edinburgh University of Strathclyde

7. The digital repository Enable storage, search & retrieval

9. Three different sources of learning resources • Fifty new multi-media learning objects created by the project in consultation with the advisory group. • Repurposing existing learning resources – digital and non-digital. • Enabling learning resource exchange between social work educators – PowerPoint slides, learning activities, handouts, etc.

10. Developing new learning objects Develop new multimedia learning objects conceptual & case-based

11. New multi-media learning objects conceptual & case-based

12. Repurpose existing learning resources Reuse & repurpose learning resources

13. Exchanging learning resources Enable exchange of learning resources Learning activities PowerPoint presentations Handouts

14. Embedding e-learning resources e-learning advisers offer advice and guidance short courses and seminars to develop skills and understanding

15. Learning objects within social work education Gráinne Hamilton

16. Social Work e-Learning Strategy Group • Scottish Executive established a Social Work e-Learning Strategy Group • To achieve the best use of communication and information technology to support teaching and learning in the development of the social care workforce.

17. Elements of the e-learning strategy • The social nature of learning for social work education • Collaborative learning: learning for effective and ethical practice is active & collaborative • Problem-based learning: learning for effective and ethical practice is situated in real world problems

18. Elements of the e-learning strategy • The best use of learning technology for social work • Blended learning: flexible use of online & face to face • Learning objects: flexible, adaptable learning resources

19. What are learning objects? • Re-usable, accessible and adaptable • Small chunks of learning material which can be easily updated • Easy to blend with other resources whether digital or traditional • Adaptable to meet demands of local curricula • Designed to be used on a range of platforms

20. Examples of learning objects • Multi-media simulations and case studies • Web pages • Quizzes • Animations • Video clips • PowerPoint presentations • Word documents with learning activities, handouts, reading lists, etc. • Images, e.g. graphs, diagrams, photos, etc.

21. e-learning for effective and ethical practice? “The line between so called ‘classroom learning’ and ‘learning in practice’ needs to be blurred”

22. How can this be achieved? • Multi-media case studies • Video exemplars • Service users’ views • Rich media explanations of difficult ideas • Greater collaboration • Inter-disciplinary sharing • For use in classroom, to provoke group discussion, home study, revision before/during placements.

23. Multi-media case studies • Multi-media case studies focus academic learning on real world practice • Case based scenario introduced and then student can work through content, interactions, quizzes, assessments etc

24. Video • Video exemplars of expert practice • View anytime, anywhere • Provoke discussion on expert practice • Students see real life application of learning • Preparation for real life placement

25. Service users’ views • Authentic accounts of service users’ views • Gain understanding of service users’ views in context to what student is learning • Preparation for meeting service users

26. Difficult ideas • Rich media explanations of difficult ideas that can be reviewed and revised, and applied • Graphics, audio, interactions and quizzes used to improve knowledge transfer and test understanding

27. Collaboration • Greater collaboration and sharing of quality learning material through repository • Inter-disciplinary sharing of learning resources • Access to wide range of learning resources • Shared learning, communities of practice

28. Application • So, you are covering the topic “fact or professional judgement?” You want: • something you can use in the classroom to demonstrate the concept • a group discussion on the subject • students to reflect on discussion and do some home study…

29. What next? • That sounds great so how do I find these learning objects? Sarah….

30. Stòr Cùram: what is the “storehouse”? • A library (or repository) of learning objects for social work education. • Searchable by key words, educational attributes, etc. • Browseable by specially developed Stòr Cùram subject classification or taxonomy. • Accessible by all social work educators in Scotland. • A way of enabling Scotland wide collaboration in the creation and sharing of high quality, flexible, learning resources.

31. Developing learning activities using learning objects: a practical exercise Jenny Niven

32. Now that you’ve seen some examples • How could those help me? • Think of your courses and areas that students struggle with • How could such learning objects assist them in greater understanding of your content

33. Think up your own scenario • Provide an imaginary scenario where one of the existing learning objects has aided your course and improved the learning experience for the students.

34. Feedback • Please provide feedback to the group on the scenarios practical exercise. Comments, discussion and questions?

35. Contact details • Jenny Niven: j.niven@rgu.ac.uk • Grainne Hamilton: grainnehamilton@ed.ac.uk • Sarah Currier: sarah.currier@strath.ac.uk http://www.storcuram.ac.uk