Constructing Learning Objects

Presented by:

Gary E. Kaiser

Professor of Microbiology

Biology Department, D-203F

The Community College of Baltimore County, Catonsville Campus

Baltimore, MD 21228

Phone: (410) 455-4289

Web Page: The Grapes of Staph at http://student.ccbcmd.edu/~gkaiser/goshp.html

Background

The following background information is courtesy of Project Synergy, a MHEC grant project of MarylandOnline.

A Learning Object is basically a digital resource that is used as an element to support learning experiences.

· Learning Objects can range in size from a graphic or chart to an entire web site.

· Learning Objects can be composed of a number of smaller learning objects.

An Enhanced Learning Object is a Learning Object that includes learning assignments, lesson plans, or other instructions for use. These can be used as activity-sized or lesson-sized learning experiences.

When constructing Learning Objects, keep in mind that they should usually be:

· activity-sized -- large enough to be used as an activity within a lesson or module, or large enough to be a lesson by itself

· accessible -- easy to locate and use

· durable -- retain utility over a long period of time

· interoperable -- can be used on a variety of platforms or course management systems

· reusable -- can be used to create other learning activities within a given content area or other content areas (Reusable Learning Objects)

Learning Objects

In constructing each of my Learning Objects I've tried to include:

• A list of learning objectives for that object telling the learner what they should be able to do after completing that Learning Object;
• Illustrations, photographs, and/or animations to help the visual learner; and
• A self-assessment component.

While Learning Objects are not entire courses, they can be nested together to create courses. I am currently in the process of converting my Microbiology course into a series of nesting Learning Objects. The first two lecture units have been completed and can be found at http://student.ccbcmd.edu/~gkaiser/goshp.html. Many of these Learning Objects are reusable and are found repeated a number of times throughout the course for review, preview, or reinforcement of relative information.

I've also created a number of on-line Biology Tutorials for use in our general Biology course and other Biology courses. These are also presented as Learning Objects and can be found at http://student.ccbc.cc.md.us/biotutorials/index.html.

Some good sources for a variety of on-line materials that could be adapted as Learning Objects include:

· The MicrobeLibrary at www.microbelibrary.org. Over 1,000 original, peer-reviewed visual and curriculum resources, articles and reviews for teaching undergraduate microbiology.

· Microbes.Info at http://www.microbes.info/, an Internet web site designed to bring useful and interesting microbiology informational resources to students and professionals that is managed by Al Chan.

· The MERLOT Web Site at http://www.merlot.org/Home.po. MERLOT is a free and open resource designed primarily for faculty and students in higher education.

You are also, of course, free to use materials from my website at http://student.ccbcmd.edu/~gkaiser/goshp.html.

Using the Internet to Support Microbiology Lectures and Labs

Providing Students with the Information

I use my website to present course content to both my web students and my traditional students. My lectures are presented in a smart classroom and I use the Internet much in the manner of a Power Point presentation. Students are required to have a hard copy my on-line Lecture Guide and my Lab Manual.

Students are able to:

1. Purchase a hard copy printed by our college press from the college bookstore.

2. Print a PDF copy from my website. This is especially nice if they have a color printer.

3. Purchase a CD-ROM containing the Lecture Guide and Lab Manual. This is prepared in house and is great for students with slower modems or those with access to computers not connected to the Internet.

Supporting Lecture and Lab with Visuals

All totaled, my web site contains approximately 500 pages of text, 1000 illustrations (computer generated graphics, photographs, photomicrographs, electron micrographs, etc.), 250 animations, and many links to other relevant web sites. Visual aids are a key component of my Learning Objects.

1. Computer generated graphics

I drew these with Adobe Illustrator 10.0. These programs can be picked up pretty quickly and I find making the illustrations fun.

2. Animations

I used Adobe Illustrator 10.0 to draw the individual cells. They were animated using CoffeeCup Gif Animator 6.0. These were initially time consuming but a lot of fun to make. With experience, they can be produced fairly quickly and students really seem to appreciate them.

3. Photomicrographs

Most of these have been taken using an Olympus BH-2 microscope with a Nikon DS-L1 camera control unit and a DS-5M camera head

4. Electron Micrographs

Some of these are flat bed scans of electron micrographs colleagues have let me use. Others have been captured and used with permission from other web sites. A special thanks goes out to Dennis Kunkel of Dennis Kunkel Microscopy, Inc. at http://www.DennisKunkel.com/ for permitting me to use a good number of his excellent electron micrographs.