Spring 2005

Online teaching & learning

Getting down to basics

The Le@rning Federation’s (TLF) decision to adopt the learning object model to fulfil its brief to make adaptable, re-usable digital resources that meet specific curriculum needs of Australian and New Zealand school sectors is now bearing fruit. OLIVIA CLARKE explains how and why.

CLASSROOM EXPERIENCES ARE PROVIDING clear indications that TLF’s learning objects, which are based on sound instructional design principles, are meeting a range of teachers’ needs in supporting both their teaching practice and the learning needs of their students. Implementation trials indicate teachers are taking advantage of the flexibility and adaptability of the objects and the quality instructional design. They appreciate the curriculum focus of the objects and that the content allows them to provide learning opportunities not normally possible in the standard classroom.

Diverse, flexible access and use

Across the country, teachers are selecting, using and re-using learning objects in an extraordinary diversity of ways. Teachers browse, search, select and access the objects from CD-ROMs loaded onto individual computers or on school networks; from digital repositories provided by their State or Territory education jurisdiction; via Learning Management Systems such as BELTS, Myinternet/Myclasses, Blackboard, WebCT or LAMS.

Teachers and students use learning objects in laboratories or one-computer classrooms; in classrooms of 4–6 computers; and on laptop and desktop computers in pods of computers between classrooms. They view them projected onto screens, walls, whiteboards and, increasingly, on interactive whiteboards. In some instances students have access to the objects from home.

In addition to diverse access methods, teachers are using the online content for a range of different pedagogical purposes and desired learning outcomes. In the classroom, learning objects are used:

• for teacher demonstrations
• as introductory ‘tuning in’ activities
• as a basis for whole class discussions
• as self-paced, individualised learning activities
• for peer collaboration, discussion and negotiation of learning tasks
• for rotating, learning station activities
• to facilitate cross-age tutoring
• for practice and revision of skills and concepts
• together with other online, offline, text and hands-on activities
• as a means of formative and/or summative assessment
• as a basis for further student research
• as a trigger or support for new student learning products
• as extension activities.

The variety of learning objects enables the learning objects to be used in a multitude of ways: whole group introductory lessons, small group focus/research tasks or individual work. They also provide a resource for students with special learning needs to work independently.

(Judy Wooldridge, Trinity Beach State School, Qld)

Our class viewed the learning object using our interactive whiteboard. This makes the objects even more effective, as we can complete them as a whole class and hold discussions as questions arise.

(Rebecca Grigg, Ingle Farm Primary School, SA)

Same resource, different context, different application

Re-usability is a key characteristic for learning objects (Wiley 2000). Polsani (2003) describes a learning object as ‘an independent and self-standing unit of learning content that is predisposed to re-use in multiple instructional contexts’. Teachers’ use of TLF learning objects provide clear evidence that learning objects are being used and re-used in all manner of different ways to match different instructional needs and different learner characteristics and levels. The following three examples illustrate this.

Heroes of the air

‘Heroes of the air’, a learning object that utilises original source materials to enable students to explore the early aviation exploits of Charles Kingsford Smith and colleagues, provides diverse opportunities for use and re-use for teaching and learning. Wendy Bastow, Redeemer Lutheran College, used ‘Heroes’ as part of a topic on Australian and local history and historical fiction. Critical literacy was the focus of another learning task using ‘Heroes’ by Helen Turner of Charters Towers School of Distance Education. In this case her students were asked to identify effectively designed learning objects and multimedia applications, and to develop a set of criteria to compare and evaluate learning objects.

As part of a topic on transport with his upper primary students Ken James, Sacred Heart Catholic School, explains:

We used the slideshow capability of the object to retell the story of Charles Kingsford Smith’s flight across the Pacific. Children viewed and then sequenced the text and video clips to give what they considered to be the best version. As a class we then discussed how successful their attempts had been and made suggestions for improvement.

In Cooroora Secondary College, Paul O’Neil used the learning object for a unit on Heroes of Australia.

We used it to launch the theme and outline what a hero might be and how you can record and diarise the life and times of a hero.

The rap machine

‘The rap machine’ learning object is another example of a learning object used by different teachers in different contexts for different purposes. As part of an integrated unit on the environment, students in the year 5/6 class at Tongala Primary School worked through ‘The rap machine’, gaining an understanding of the rap genre. They then created and performed their own raps on a significant environmental issue in their local community.

Indigenous junior secondary students at Indulkana Anangu School wrote lyrics after first exploring the ideas and models provided in the learning object. In a unit exploring their community’s need for rules and laws, devised by student teacher Brooke Smalley, they were able to use both their knowledge about rules and laws and the structure of a rap to write their own.

In both cases, the teachers commented on how engaged the students were with the topic and on their ability to clearly express an opinion in this non-traditional literacy format.

Rap Machine

You’re gonna have misery
If you cut down them trees
Stealin the homes of the animals Yo!
Don’t ruin our lives
Don’t chainsaw me Yo!
You’re gonna be sorry you see
When you cut down these trees
Reckin the bush and makin a mess Yo!

(Zoe, Tongala Primary School, Vic)

Old Bernie’s pond and Old Bernie’s story

‘Old Bernie’s pond’ and ‘Old Bernie’s story’, which enable students to explore human influence on the environment, have also been used in a range of units at different levels of schooling for different purposes. For example, to enable students to compare and contrast habitat destruction in one area with examples in students’ local area; to teach questioning skills for face to face interviews; and to consider appropriate restorative community action.

Although it’s early days, indications are that teachers are taking advantage of the flexibility and re-usability of TLF learning objects to enhance their pedagogical repertoire.

References

Polsani, P R (2003). ‘Use and abuse of learning objects’ in Journal of Digital Information, 3 (4), article 164, 2003, available at http://jodi.ecs.soton.ac.uk/Articles/v03/i04/Polsani/?printable=1

Wiley, D (2000). ‘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 (online version, chapter 1), available at http://reusability.org/read/chapters/wiley.doc

Olivia Clarke is the program implementation advisor at The Le@rning Federation.

The author owns the copyright in this article. For information related to the reuse of this work in any form please contact the publisher denise.quinn@curriculum.edu.au