Subject: Using LO a metaphor
rparson@Lmail.cencol.on.ca
Date: Wed 16 Feb 2000 - 17:41:43 MET
From: rparson@Lmail.cencol.on.ca Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 11:41:43 -0500 Subject: Using LO a metaphor
I feel that the use of learning objects is a useful and effective way of taking
advantage of available resources. Yes, there are problems or challenges around
content and style and look. However, what if we pretend for a moment that the
Web is like a very big museum and it is filled with learning objects, in the
form of paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, artifacts and interactive exhibits.
Each of these objects would be different, unique and, outside of the interactive
exhibits, not to be tampered with. Could I use these learning objects in a
course?
Absolutely, and for much more than art or archeology.
Off the top of my head, here are ways that I could incorporate learning objects
into a course or courses. I supply the instructional design and strategy, the
unity of style and home base for the learners. The learning objects (which I
don
?t modify) are their learning materials. Here are some example exercises:
Write a composition on the theme of this or that work or collection
(objects).
Analyze how this/these sculptures (objects) reflect the particular
period/movement/ that is being depicted.
As a group, find or create other texts (learning objects) that communicate
the opposite message from what is being sent in these texts (objects).
Explain how do these four models of inventions, demonstrate the theories of
(physics, chemistry, etc.) as they were understood then. Demonstrate how you
could change the models to reflect modern beliefs.
The above are valid learning exercises that could be altered in many different
ways for a variety of learning situations.
Challenges remain, but perhaps by considering the learning objects as something
more familiar (the objects in a museum) we can overcome our reticence and
discover new ways to incorporate these valuable resources into our teaching.
This museum metaphor is not exact: metaphors can only carry a concept a certain
distance before they disappear. But I invite you to use it as a tool for
imagining how we could design, codify and implement learning objectives.
thank you,
Robert Parson
Instructional Designer
Centennial College
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