1
20th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning For more resources click here -> http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/
05.06
Incorporating Learning Objects in an Online Distance Education Course: A Firsthand Experience Mohamed Ally, Ph.D. Associate Professor Athabasca University Martha Cleveland-Innes, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Athabasca University
The use of learning objects in online learning has the potential to revolutionize the way instruction is designed and delivered online. Instructors can select learning objects from a repository to include in their courses or to customize for their courses. Students will be able to select learning objects, based on their learning styles, from a repository to allow them to achieve the learning outcomes for a course. Intelligent online learning systems will be able to “learn about the student” during the online interaction and prescribe learning objects based on the learner’s progress, style, and characteristics. If learning objects are going to add value for educators, trainers, and learners, the objects must be designed with the learner in focus and should be tagged for easy retrieval. This paper will provide background information on learning objects, how learning objects should be designed, and how they can be used in online courses. Finally, the paper will present the results of a study that looked at why students select learning objects in a course and their reactions to the learning objects. Learning Object There are many definitions of learning objects. IEEE (2002), in their metadata standards document, defines a learning object as any digital or non-digital entity that may be used for learning, education, or training. Wiley (2002) defines a learning object as any digital resource that can be reused to support learning. A more specific definition is any digital resource that can be combined into coherent segments and reused to achieve a specific learning outcome (Ally, 2004). Learning objects must be in a digital format to facilitate storage in a digital repository that can be searched and retrieved electronically. Learning objects must be designed so that they can be reused in different lessons or courses and different instructional interventions or situations. A learning object must be tied to a specific learning outcome so that appropriate content and assessment can be included in the learning object and the appropriate delivery medium can be identified for the learning object. Learning objects should be developed with the learner in focus and the purpose of learning objects is to make people learn and apply what they learn in real life settings and in creative ways. These are major benefits of using learning objects; however, to realize these benefits learning objects must be designed using proven instructional design techniques and should be based on learning theories (Wiley, 2002). The concept of “objects” has been used in other disciplines successfully. Computer science has used objects and modular concepts to develop software programs. Building software using objects and modules allow for reusability and ease of testing, implementation, and maintenance. Software objects are developed for one application and then re-used, adapted, or combined to develop other computer applications (Whitten, Bentley, & Dittman, 2001; Wiley, 2002). Education and training can benefit from the computer science field by developing online learning materials in the form of objects that provide the opportunity to re-use and adapt the objects and provide the flexibility to meet individual learners’ needs. Copyright 2005 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. Duplication or redistribution prohibited without written permission of the author(s) and The Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/
2
20th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning For more resources click here -> http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/
05.06
Benefits of Using Learning Objects There has been criticism that the use of learning objects make learning fragmented and does not give students the big picture. This criticism is due to the inability to comprehend how learning objects can be implemented. A learning object does not exist in isolation but is combined with other learning objects and appropriate instructional strategies for learning to occur and to allow students to achieve the course learning outcomes. To be effective, learning objects must have the following characteristics. Instructors should be able to customize lessons or courses by combining learning objects for just in time development and delivery (Longmire, 2000). They must be able to combine learning objects to build larger units of instruction. The learning objects should be linkable to form instructional events for a lesson or course. To make this possible, learning objects should be tagged with the appropriate learning level, difficulty level, outcome, and pre-requisite required. Learners, educators, and trainers should be able to customize learning objects to meet their individual needs. In addition, users should be able to customize lessons by selecting appropriate learning objects based on their needs and styles. The learner should be able to select learning objects from the repository to build a personalized learning sequence. Learning objects should be designed for use in different instructional settings. These include learning, remediation, just-in-time learning, job aids, and enrichment in the workplace. Learners should be able to access one or more learning objects to achieve knowledge and skills outcomes for a task. A worker on the job may be assigned to complete a procedure but does not remember how to complete the procedure or the procedure has changed. The worker should be able to access the procedure in a learning object job aid to learn the procedure or to compare the procedure with existing mental model. As learners complete a lesson, they may request enrichment activities. These enrichment activities can be developed as learning objects for learners to access at anytime and from anywhere. Trainers and educators should be able to reuse learning objects in multiple contexts and multiple lessons or courses. Learning objects must be designed with multiple users in mind and must be tested with multiple users before they are placed in the repository. The readability level and language must be appropriate for different audiences and the presentation of the information and learning activities must be appropriate for different styles of learners. Learning objects should be designed so that they can be used in different delivery modes (Barritt, 2002). Learning objects must be developed to cater for different learning styles. Learning style is a measure of individual differences and is referred to how a learner perceives, interacts with, and responds to the learning environment. A variety of learning objects should be developed and tagged appropriately to cater for learners with different learning styles. Methodology In this study, two groups of students were exposed to two treatments while taking an online course on soft skills for the workplace. One group used WebCT as the delivery system while the other group used vClass. The sample consisted of forty-four participants who were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The vClass group required scheduled participation at a specific time, on a specific day while the WebCT group did not require a formal meeting time. There were 23 participants in the WebCT asynchronous group and 21 participants in the vClass synchronous group.
Copyright 2005 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. Duplication or redistribution prohibited without written permission of the author(s) and The Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/
3
20th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning For more resources click here -> http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/
05.06
The WebCT group used the conferencing system in WebCT as an asynchronous tool to share ideas and to collaborate online while the vClass group used synchronous audio for real time engagement between students and between students and the instructor. WebCT offered specific instructional characteristics for the course. Asynchronous threaded discussion was part of each module, lasting one week in duration. Synchronous chat was available but not structured in any part of the course. Content presentation included text, audio clips and video clips. Exercise sheets, including workshop directions, were available in the same web-based location. Separate discussion areas and whiteboards provide support for group projects and their presentation. The site was available at all times, every day. vClass was available once per week, for one hour. This platform offers synchronous online presentation, with audio interaction among participants and between participants and the instructor. Synchronous text chat is available for those in the vClass session, during the session only. Group work and application sharing is available in the platform. Collaborative assignments provided the opportunity for students to work together outside of class time. During the course students in both groups were encouraged to access learning objects to reinforce the concepts in the course and to obtain additional information on the topics in the course. There were ten learning objects in repositories for students to access. The learning objects cover a variety of topics and were in different media formats. When students clicked on the name of the learning object to link to the object, they were given a pre- learning object questionnaire to determine why they chose the learning object. The questions asked whether they chose the learning objects because of the type of resources, the title, the author, or the description. They were also asked whether they chose the learning objects to increase their knowledge or skills. When students exited from a learning object, they were asked to complete a post-questionnaire. They were asked to rate the following statements.
I learned what I expected to learn from this resource. I found this resource beneficial to my learning. This resource was beneficial to this course. Results
The pre- and post-questionnaires on the learning objects were analyzed to determine why students chose the different learning objects and what benefits they received. The following sections present the results from the questionnaires. There were 10 learning objects available in the course for students to access. The 10 learning objects in the course were accessed 45 times by students. Table 1 lists the learning objects and the frequency of access of each learning object. The two learning objects that were accessed most frequently were “What is workplace stress” and “Components of a successful helpdesk”. Hence, the results of these two learning objects will be presented in this report.
Copyright 2005 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. Duplication or redistribution prohibited without written permission of the author(s) and The Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/
4
20th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning For more resources click here -> http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/
05.06
Table 1: Learning Objects and Frequency of Access
Learning Objects What is workplace stress The dirty dozen Components of a successful helpdesk Roadblocks to communication Stress on the job Defining stress Sources of stress in the workplace Minimizing your workplace stress Facts about Canadian workplace stress How can the employer help
Frequency of Access 15 7 8 5 2 2 3 1 1 1
For all of the learning objects students were asked to rate why they chose the learning object. For the learning object entitled “What is workplace stress?”, to increase knowledge and skills were rated the highest followed by the type of learning object, the learning object title, the description and then the author. This pattern was repeated for the “Components of a successful helpdesk” learning object. After students worked through the learning objects, they were asked about the benefits received from the learning objects. For the two learning objects that were analyzed, students said, it was what they were expecting from the learning object and the learning objects were beneficial for learning and for the course. Conclusion The frequency of access of the learning objects was different over the course. Those that were closely related to the course and those that were on the top of the list were accessed the most frequently. Based on the results of this study, students selected learning objects to increase their knowledge and skills. For the learning objects that were used frequently, students benefited from the learning object. The use of learning objects in education and training has to potential to revolutionize the way instruction is delivered; however, this will only be possible if the learning objects are designed and tagged properly to promote learning and maximize their use. The design of learning objects must keep the learner in focus and must be designed using sound instructional design principles. A major challenge is how to make learning objects universal since anyone may access the learning objects from anywhere in the world. Some issues that still need to be explored are who design and revise the learning objects and whether it is more feasible to use existing learning objects or develop learning objects for courses. Future online learning systems should use intelligent agents to match and adapt learning objects to meet individual learner needs during the learning process (Richards, 2002). References Ally, M. (2004). Designing effective learning objects. In R. McGreal (Ed.), Online education using learning objects. London: Routledge/Falmer. Barritt, C. (2002). Learning objects and ISD. Performance Improvement, 41(7), pp. 28-32.
Copyright 2005 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. Duplication or redistribution prohibited without written permission of the author(s) and The Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/
5
20th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning For more resources click here -> http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/
05.06
IEEE (2002). Final standard for Learning Object Metadata. Retrieved November 15, 2002, from http://ltsc.ieee.org/doc/wg12/ Longmire, W. (2000). A primer on learning objects. Learning Circuits: ASTD’s Online Magazine All About E-Learning. http://www.learningcircuits.org/mar2000/primer.html. Richards, G. (2002). The challenges of the learning object paradigm. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 28, 3, Fall 2002, pp. 3-9. Whitten, J.L., Bentley, D., & Dittman, K.C. (2001). Systems analysis and design methods. Burr Ridge, IL: Irwin/McGraw-Hill. Wiley, D. (2002). Connecting learning objects to instructional design theory: A definition, a metaphor, and a taxonomy. In D.A. Wiley (Ed.), The instructional use of learning objects. Bloomington, IN: Agency for Instructional Technology, pp. 1-35. Biographical Sketches Mohamed Ally is an Associate Professor at Athabasca University. He teaches courses in computer information systems and distance education. His research interests are in the areas of the use of learning objects in online learning; designing and delivering instruction for mobile learning; and the use of intelligent agents in online tutoring systems. He has a multidisciplinary background which allows him to work with researchers from other disciplines to conduct research on mobile learning (M-learning), online learning, and learning objects.
Address: 1 University Drive Athabasca, Alberta T9S 3A3, Canada E-mail:
[email protected] Phone: 780.675.6406 Dr. Martha Cleveland-Innes is an Assistant Professor, Centre for Distance Education at Athabasca University. She teaches graduate level research methods and issues in workplace learning. For the last 18 years, Dr. Cleveland-Innes has instructed, researched and published in the area of teaching and learning in higher education and the workplace. Current research interests include learner role adjustment, affective learning outcomes in distance education and learning in the workplace. Address: 1 University Drive Athabasca, Alberta T9S 3A3, Canada E-mail:
[email protected] Phone: 780.675.6426
Copyright 2005 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. Duplication or redistribution prohibited without written permission of the author(s) and The Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/
