Best Practices in Learning Object Management and Pedagogy

TitleBest Practices in Learning Object Management and Pedagogy
Faculty/College/UnitVP Academic
StatusCompleted
Duration2 Year
Initiation04/01/2002
Completion03/31/2004
Funding Details
Year 1: Project TitleCoordinated Metadata Infrastructure for Learning Object Repositories at UBC
Year 1: Project YearYear 1
Year 1: Funding Year2002/2003
Year 1: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 1: Principal InvestigatorCathryn Jackson
Year 1: Funded Amount200,000
Year 1: Team Members

Cathryn Jackson, Chair, Faculty of Alliance for Technology in Education

Year 1: Summary

A wide range of educational materials is available in many formats (audio, video, animation, text and simulation) and is delivered through a variety of modes. However, much of these materials are 'hidden' within the discrete course or discipline for which they were created even though the potential exists for them to be used in multiple ways by multiple users. UBC requires a system where learning materials can be created, captured, shared and reused easily given its highly decentralized arrangement. The goal of this project is to create a coordinated set of Learning Object Repositories that share common standards and allow the sharing and reuse of pedagogical materials (Learning Objects) at UBC. This project will build a platform independent metadata framework that enables collaboration among projects, ensures that objects can be shared and searched in consistent ways, and that permits learning objects to work together in standard ways.

There are two significant objectives for this TLEF. The first one is to establish and communicate a set of standards that allow for cross-disciplinary sharing of pedagogical materials and resources. These standards will be applied to provide the teaching community with the infrastructure for collecting, cataloguing, retrieving and sharing of learning materials across campus and with other institutions. As World standards are emerging for the cataloging, storing and sharing of Learning Objects this project will build upon this work to establish the UBC standards.

The second project objective is to explore and develop the applications of learning objects to educational outcomes through project-based initiatives at the level of individual faculties and units. The main focus of this objective is to leverage strategic applications of information and educational technologies in ways that enhance and expand educational processes at UBC.

Specific goals that will guide the exploration and development of this project include:

  • Developing an appropriate standard for metadata at UBC.
  • Selecting the best technical solution for creating metadata to ensure ease of sharing information across multiple repositories.
  • Researching the pedagogical implications and opportunities surrounding learning objects.
  • Developing assessment strategies to measure the effectiveness of learning objects.
  • Assessing approaches to examine intellectual property rights management.
  • Ascertaining how learning objects interact with Learning Management Systems.
Year 2: Project YearYear 2
Year 2: Funding Year2003/2004
Year 2: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 2: Principal InvestigatorBrian Lamb
Year 2: Funded Amount120,000
Year 2: Team Members

Brian Lamb, Office of Learning Technology
Cathryn Jackson, Faculty of Applied Science
Jan Hare, First Nations Studies Program, Faculty of Arts
Uli Rauch, Faculty of Arts
Simon Albon, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Cyprien Lomas, Skylight
Joanne Nakonechny, Skylight
Larry Campbell, UBC Library
Jeff Miller, Distance Education and Technology
Jim Tom, IT Services
Janice Johnson, Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth

Year 2: Summary

This proposal focuses on the best practices in utilizing learning objects (LOs) to benefit teaching and learning, and promotes the efficient production, use and reuse of digital resources. Key strategies including promoting cases studies, providing assistance to users, and fostering communities of practice among instructors, students and developers. These strategies have been conceived to correspond to and partner with similar efforts in Canada and internationally.

The initiative builds on the 2002 TLEF project, “Coordinated Metadata Infrastructure for Learning Object Repositories at UBC.” The emphasis on technical matters in the initial phase will give UBC a solid infrastructure of local and central repositories, create a workable set of implementation guidelines for LOs, and address the growing interest in LOs at the university. In this second phase, we will leverage this infrastructure, and concentrate on the continuing challenge of integrating LOs into practices of UBC’s learning community.

The overall objective of this second phase is to develop practices that deliver the best digital resources to students, faculty and staff, optimize the quality of UBC’s instructional multimedia, and ensure that resources for educational technology are employed efficiently and effectively.

Specific Objectives:

  1. To enhance the growing awareness of the pedagogical value of LOs through a coordinated set of presentations, implementation workshops, faculty and students forums.
  2. To inform an emerging community of practice by developing and disseminating resources such as guidelines, tutorials, multimedia LOs and online discussion forums.
  3. To expand adoption of LOs by strengthening organizational capacity to support their use. This objective includes: technical support and consulting for ongoing LO projects within the applicant group; integrating previous work with that of new initiatives by providing technical support and consulting; testing and distributing new tools; and ensuring quality of metadata records by training and assistance.
  4. To provide a clear focus on the use and creation of LOs by students, such as in the TLEF-funded First Nations Studies Program (FNSP 200), and to analyze and present outcomes to promote similar use in other contexts.