Generating Learning Objects

Generating Learning Objects and GLO Maker

Last week, I attended a seminar provided from CEEBL (Centre for Excellence in Enquiry Based Learning) at the UoM on Generating Learning Objects (GLOs).
The seminar demonstrated and investigated the flexibility and pedagogical richness of GLOs and some of the ways in which they may be used to support personalised learning.
Learning Objects are defined as reusable digital educational resources with a clear learning objective, aim or goal.
They are basically small chunks of digital material specifically designed to engage and motivate student learning. The key is to describe in what context a user might learn something from the particular learning object. LOs are grounded in the object-oriented paradigm and they can be used for quick instruction and can be incorporated into online education curricula.
A learning object usually includes content presentation, activities, assessment practices, a glossary and multimedia – all centred around a particular learning aim.

Characteristics of Learning Objects are:

1. Digital and web based


2. Flexible and content is highly adaptable


3. Reusable pedagogical designs


4. Self contained, granular


5. easily searchable – metadata tags


6. Multimedia content - for example graphics, text, audio, animation, interactive tools


7. Smaller, portable material


8. support and increase student learning


9. Productivity ( easy to create)


10. self contained smaller reusable learning items

The biggest benefit in GlOs that I witnessed from an elearning technologist perspective is that I saw pasionate academics engaging in elearning activity, excited for their creations and enthused to share good practice amongst their colleagues.

The examples of GLos presented at the seminar ranged in disciplines and were primarily used as student preparation for weekly lectures, establishing prior knowledge and self testing. The examples focused on high order questions and included more visuals, interactivity and sensory experiences.
Examples follow:

• Eleanor Okell demonstrated how eMI design (engaging with multiple interpretations) was employed in Humanities disciplines to support students understanding of recognising and negotiating the range of possible answers to questions.


• Janet Tatlock used GLOs to introduce students to some of the ways in which they will be required to contribute to scholarly debate at the uni. Students explore the ways in which objects may be invested with value and who or what may determine value.


• Kate Cooper and Jamie Wood developed a digital learning framework that would help students to engage with and carry out enquiry activities into the numerous papyri fragments that are preserved in John Ryland university library.


• Phd students have produced GLOs on the eMI pattern which explores the different ways in which theses related disciplines may investigate an object or concept.

The seminar focused on GLO Maker, a free, easy to use authoring tool for creating learning resources developed from London Met . Pedagogical designs have been built into GLO Maker , making it extremely easy for academics to add their content to produce learning objects. All designs are executables (.exe) and run on the web and in VLEs, such as Moodle and Blackboard.

As any other tool , it has its advantages and disadvantages but learning object repositories continue to grow and interest is still high.


Further links
GLO Maker: http://www.glomaker.org/index.html
RLO- CETL http://www.rlo-cetl.ac.uk/joomla/index.php
GLO example: RLO determining the clinical importance of trial results available at http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nmp/sonet/rlos/ebp/trial_results/2.html
RLOs free for use http://www.rlo-cetl.ac.uk/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=246&Itemid=297
Download GLO maker http://www.glomaker.org/downloads.html
GLO Maker Support guides: http://www.glomaker.org/guides.html