Web Delivered e-Presentations

Learning & Teaching Conference 2010: Re-thinking the Curriculum

Dr Stephen McKinnellDirector of e-Learning

Dr Peter DangerfieldDirector of MBChB Year 1

Faculty of Health & Life Sciences

Drivers

Similar content delivered year on year;

Similar content delivered to students on different programmes;

Congested timetables - students;

Workload issues (teaching, research, clinical) – staff;

Student centred learning;

Reusable Learning Objects;

Enabling technologies now available.

Reusable Learning Objects

“any digital resource that can be reused to support learning”Wiley (2000)

Learning objects have the following key characteristics:• Small units of learning, typically ranging from 2

minutes to 15 minutes.• Are self-contained – each LO can be taken

independently• Are reusable – a single LO may be used in

multiple contexts for multiple purposes• Can be aggregated – LOs can be grouped into

larger collections of content, including traditional course structures• Are tagged with metadata – every learning object

has descriptive information allowing it to be easily found.

Beck (2009)

How?

Content Creation(Subject specialist)

LO Creation(Subject specialist &

e-technologist)

LO delivery to students(e-technologist)

Content Creation

Normal PowerPoints developed

Discrete chunks….multiple small PowerPoints instead of one large one

Consideration given to future use and how to lessen future re-recording/re-editing

LO Creation

Voice-narrated PowerPoint recording using Camtasia Studio

Outputted to “One Video with TOC” – intended for web delivery Output video format .FLV Embedded on html page Recorded at 1024 x 768 but delivered at 960 x

655 resolution

LO Delivery to Students

Multiple options Web CD i-Phone

VITAL / mapped drive / pcwww Secure delivery Ability to track use Single point of storage, multiple points of delivery

LO Delivery to Students

Web page in ‘public.www’ M: drive•Pseudo tagging of Los•Securely delivered to staff only

Mapped drive published to pcwww•Secure / public•Single instance

URL accessed through VITAL•Secure•Multiple instances•Utilises all Blackboards features

Conclusions

15 embryology themed and 4 growth and developed themed LOs already developed plus 6 supporting SSMs.

Available to multiple years on the MBChB programme (UG and PG entry), BDS programme and the BSc (Hons) Anatomy degree.

No analysis of student usage / views yet undertaken. But positive feedback has been received.

The approach undertaken and technology used is more than satisfactory.

The use of TOCs is a real advantage.

Issues

Not all content lends itself to this approach.

Additional front-loaded work for staff which may be onset against ‘savings’ later.

‘Team developed’ approach desirable to make appropriate / efficient use of skills (academic and e-learning technologist).

Student centre learning – emphasis on the independent learner.

Improved the student experience.

References

Beck, Robert J. (2009), "What Are Learning Objects?", Learning Objects, Center for International Education, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. http://www4.uwm.edu/cie/learning_objects.cfm?gid=56

Wiley, David A. (2000), "Connecting Learning Objects to Instructional Design Theory: A Definition, A Metaphor, and A Taxonomy", in Wiley, David A. (DOC), The Instructional Use of Learning Object. http://www.reusability.org/read/