What are learning objects?

The term "learning objects" has been the source of some confusion. In the field of Instructional Design it is a term that describes shareable "chunks" of content; in computer engineering it is an extension of "object oriented" programming to the field of learning management; among educators it can describe both content and processes. Teachers working in traditional classroom settings tend to be distrustful of the term, but in the context of e-learning or Web-based teaching, learning objects are becoming accepted as the building blocks of course design.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) originally defined a Learning Object very loosely as: "any entity, digital or non digital, that can be used for learning, education or training"; however in practice learning objects are normally digital, discrete units of instruction that are distributed via a computer network as components of a web-based learning management system.

In the context of LEARNet, learning objects

• are self-contained units of learning - each learning object can be taken independently;
• are reusable - a single learning object may be used in multiple contexts for multiple purposes;
• can be updated - as they reside on the Internet, revised versions are immediately available to users;
• can be aggregated - learning objects 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 by a search.

Why not just search the Web?

Finding useful, credible, timely resources on the Web is a lottery. Even with the most modern search engines, the job is tedious and the results are not always useful. In Europe, Australasia and North America, groups of universities have tackled the problem through the development of repositories of sharable educational resources, e.g. MERLOT (California), Careo (Canada), ARIADNE and SchoolNet (Europe), LRC (Universitas 21).

Learning Objects Metadata (LOM)

XML metadata has become the de-facto standard for indexing, defining and searching learning objects and all of the repositories mentioned above use metadata standards developed under the IEEE's Learning Object Metadata (LOM) project. Standard formats include IMS, Dublin Core, CanCore and associated projects, such as the Cnn/ISSS European vocabularies initiatives (for multilingual indexing). The LOM differs from library catalogue systems in that it incorporates data relevant to curriculum design and teaching methodology in addition to descriptions of content and authorship. However, efforts are being made to reconcile LOM with library systems as well as with learning management systems, such as WebCT, Blackboard, IVLE, etc.

In the future, LOM will also include intellectual property protection and digital rights management.

What are the benefits of a learning objects catalogue?

For teachers

• Save time in the development of lessons, course components and curriculum by reusing resources already in existence.
• Save money by not having to develop a resource that already exists.
• Share interdisciplinary expertise.

For students

• Find learning resources that are guaranteed to be accurate and up-to-date.
• All resources contain precise citation information.
• Search across disciplines by key words, author, institution, etc.

For developers

• Your materials may be peer-reviewed and evaluated and can be cited in your teaching portfolio and CV.
• You can update your resources and be sure that all subscribers have access to the latest version.
• Intellectual property rights can be safeguarded through IPR metadata records.
• Generate income if you choose to put a price on the use of your resources.

Some resources

(1) STANDARDS

IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee (LTSC)
Home page of the Learning Object Metadata (LOM) Committee of IEEE.

IMS Global Learning Consortium
IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. (IMS) is developing and promoting open specifications for facilitating online distributed learning activities, such as locating and using educational content, tracking learner progress, reporting learner performance, and exchanging student records between administrative systems.

SCORM Advanced Distributed Learning
The Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) defines a Web-based learning "Content Aggregation Model" and "Run-Time Environment" for learning objects.

CEN/ISSS
European-based workshop set up to define standards for learning object metadata

(2) LEARNING OBJECT REPOSITORIES

MERLOT
MERLOT is a free and open resource designed primarily for faculty and students of higher education. Links to online learning materials are collected here along with annotations, such as peer reviews and assignments.

CAREO
Campus Alberta Repository of Educational Objects (CAREO) is a project supported by Alberta Learning and CANARIE that has as its primary goal the creation of a searchable, Web-based collection of multidisciplinary teaching materials for educators across the province and beyond. CAREO is being undertaken jointly by the Universities of Alberta and Calgary in cooperation with Broadband Enabled Lifelong Learning Environment (BELLE), Canadian Network for the Advancement of Research in Industry and Education (CANARIE), the University of Calgary Health Education Cluster project, and as a part of the Campus Alberta initiative.

Teaching resources - Medicine on the Internet
Reference site at the University of NSW, based on the Learning Resources Catalogue.

Learning Resources Catalogue (LRC)
Catalogue developed for the Universitas 21 group of universities by the EdTech unit at the University of NSW. The above URL is for staff of the University of Hong Kong.

(3) DISCUSSIONS (articles, websties, webpages, and other reference materials)

The Instructional Use of Learning Objects, edited by David Wiley
An online version of the first, and most readable reference on the use of learning onjects in higher education.

A Primer on Learning Objects, Warren Longmire
An online article in the ASTD web magazine. Abstract in the source: Designers and developers of electronic learning today are being presented with a new content development landscape. Learning technology standards organizations are quickly moving towards open and industry-wide standards for learning objects. As learning content developers look at these initiatives that focus on packaging, identifying, and exchanging content, they are bound to ask, 'What does this mean for me? How will my work be different in the future?'

Learning Objects, an on-line essay by Stephen Downes (University of Alberta)
Abstract in the source: This essay discusses the topic of learning objects in three parts. First, it identifies a need for learning objects and describes their essential components based on this need. Second, drawing on concepts from recent developments in computer science, it describes learning objects from a theoretical perspective. Finally, it describes learning objects in practice, first as they are created or generated by content authors, and second, as they are displayed or used by students and other client groups.

Learning Object Tutorial
A website developed by Robby Robson of the Eduworks Corporation. The goal of the website, in the developer's own words, is to give an overivew of

• the learning object approach to creating learning content;
• the advantages (and disadvantages) of this approach;
• how learning objects are being implemented today;
• where to look for more information.

Learning Technology Newsletter: a publication of IEEE Learning
Technology Task Force, January 2003

http://lttf.ieee.org/learn_tech/issues/january2003/index.html (HTML version)
http://lttf.ieee.org/learn_tech/issues/january2003/%20learn_tech_january2003.pdf (PDF version)

Articles Include:

• Guest editorial: Learning objects metadata: implementations and open issues (Kateryna Synytsya)

• eduSource: Creating learning object repositories in Canada (Rory McGreal, Griff Richards, Norm Friesen, Gilbert Paquette and Stephen Downes)

• The Le@rning Federation Metadata Application Profile (Jon Mason and Nigelard)

• Implementing metadata collection: a projects problems and solutions (Ben Ryan and Steve Walmsley)

• Learning Object Metadata in Operations Research/Management Science
  (Leena Suhl and Stephan Kassanke)

• Implementing and Extending Learning Object Metadata For Learning-directed Assembly of Computer-based Training (Robert Farrell, Samuel S. Dooley, John C.
  Thomas, William Rubin and Stephen Levy)

• Introduction of the Core Elements Set in Localized LOM Model (Xin Xiang, Zhongnan Shen, Ling Guo and Yuanchun Shi)

• Two Scenarios Using Metadata (Javier Sarsa Garrido)

• IEEE LOM Standard Not Yet Ready For "Prime Time" (Frank Farance)

• Metadata vocabularies for describing learning objects: implementation and exploitation issues (Andrew Brasher and Patrick McAndrew)

• On the integration of IEEE-LOM Metadata Instances and Ontologies (Miguel-Ángel Sicilia Urbán and Elena García Barriocanal)

• Versioning of Learning Objects (Christopher Brooks, John Cooke and Julita Vassileva)

• A Framework for Creation, Integration and Reuse of Learning Objects (Liliana Patricia Santacruz-Valencia, Ignacio Aedo, Peter T. Breuer and Carlos Delgado
  Kloos)

• Using the IEEE LTSC LOM Standard in Instructional Planning (Bruno Q. Pinto, Carlos R. Lopes and Marcia A. Fernandes)

• Toward decoupling instructional context, learning objectives, and content in learning object metadata (Tom Murray)

• Standardized Content Archive Management ­ SCAM (Fredrik Paulsson and Ambjörn Naeve)

• Online Discussions: The First Premise for Interactive Learning (Muhammad K. Betz)

• University Infoline Service ­ Internet telephony for interactive communication in e-learning (Tatiana Kováciková and Pavol Segec)

Top

Links to Learning Object websites

Academic Articles

A collection of David Wiley's publications. Articles include:
"Learning Objects Need Instructional Design Theory"
"Learning Objects"
"Connecting Learning Objects to Instructional Design Theory: a definition, a metaphor, and a taxonomy"
"In Defense of the by-hand Assembly of Learning Objects"
"A Reformulation of Learning Object Granularity"
"Learning Object Design and Sequencing Theory"
"The Post-LEGO Learning Object"
"So What do I do with a Learning Object?"
http://wiley.ed.usu.edu/writings2.pl

Bringing legacy materials online: Re-purposing content using Learning Objects
Kevin Munson http://www.knowledgemechanics.com/downloads/repurpose.pdf

Learning Object Approach is Making Inroads, Tom Barron
An online article in the ASTD web magazine. The findings from a survey conducted by the Learning on Demand program of SRI Consulting Business Intelligence, which researches e-learning trends, in conjunction with Learning Circuits, found substantial interest in learning object methodologies from training professionals and others in a wide range of industries.
http://www.learningcircuits.org/2002/may2002/barron.html

Learning Object Pioneers, Tom Barron
An online article in the ASTD web magazine. Abstract in the source: A new model for digital learning--one in which learning content is free from proprietary "containers," can flow among different systems and be mixed, reused, and updated continuously--is inching closer to reality. At the center of this new model is the learning object, the modular building block that allows such a dynamic approach to managing e-learning content.
http://www.learningcircuits.org/mar2000/barron.html

Learning Objects and Instruction Components, Clark Quinn & Samantha Hobbs
In this paper the authors introduce the concept, review current work in the area, and discuss ways in which their research is leading them to push the standard in a particular way. They conclude with some questions that arise from their work.
http://ifets.ieee.org/periodical/vol_2_2000/discuss_summary_0200.html

(Learning) Objects of Desire: Promise and Practicality, Lori Mortimer
An online article in the ASTD web magazine. The author tries to separate fact from fiction--promise from practicality--by examining the learning object concept and the technologies and standards that define, create, and use it.
http://www.learningcircuits.org/2002/apr2002/mortimer.html

More of Stephen Downes' articles:
"Smart Learning Objects" in the May issue
"Design Principles for a Distributed Learning Object Repository Network" in the November issue
http://education.qld.gov.au/staff/learning/courses/sdownesapril.html

Objects of Interest, Clive Shepherd
An online article. Clive Shepherd sets about here to provide a workable definition of learning objects and to explain how they just might make a difference to real-world training. You could call this an object lesson.
http://www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/features/objects/objects.htm

Reusable Learning Objects - What does the Future Hold? by Peder Jacobsen
An online article in the e-learning magazine. The author frames the discussion of the future of Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) in three major areas: Are they here to stay? What's in the immediate future? And what's in the long-term future?
http://www.elearningmag.com/elearning/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=5043

The New Frontier of Learning Object Design, Ellen D. Wagner Ph.D
An on-line article to be located in the web site below. Introduction: Learning objects appear to have significant potential for creating highly personalized learning programs, easily updated courses, and performance support tools. However, as e-Learning has become heavily dependent on technologists, producers, and funders, learning designers have lost their voice and often seem to drop out of the conversation. Learning designers must think about better ways to conceptualize and create resources and programs. Here are some promising leads...
http://www.elearningguild.com/pbuild/linkbuilder.cfm?selection=fol.38

Useful websites:

All about Learning Objects, Robby Robson
A website developed by Robby Robson of the Eduworks Corporation.
http://www.eduworks.com/LOTT/tutorial/learningobjects.html

Reusable Learning Designs: opportunities and challenges, an international conference on 5 December 2002 hosted by University of Technology Sydney and sponsored by Australian Universities Teaching Committee
http://www.iml.uts.edu.au/autc/

Stephen Downes' web site for learning objects
A whole collection of information and links on learning objects, reusability, metadata, techniques/technology, and actual examples of application like the repositories.
http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/website/find.cgi?category=999809814

Stephen Downes' web site for learning object repositories
A whole collection of information and links on e-learning, learning objects, learning objects repositories, digital libraries, knowledge management etc.
http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/website/find.cgi?category=1020630035

The Promise and Pitfalls of Learning Objects: Current Status of Digital Repositories, Kathleen Bennett, Veronica Diaz, David McArthur and Susan Metros
Abstract: Learning objects gleaned from digital repositories promise a new and intelligent way of creating learning environments within and outside the boundaries of the traditional course. Digital repositories of high quality learning objects offer educators great value in terms of saving time and money in course development, increasing the reusability of content, enhancing students' learning environment, and engaging faculty in a dynamic community of practice. The central goal of the session is to familiarize participants with the key issues involved in developing digital repositories so that they serve the goals of higher education. To accomplish this, the session will familiarize participants with learning object terminology and standards initiatives. Presenters will demonstrate several digital repositories, describe projects underway, and identify the challenges and research questions involved in this evolving field, including issues that arise when using learning objects distributed across many repositories.
http://www.educause.edu/asp/doclib/abstract.asp?ID=NLI0201

Writing and Using Reusable Educational Materials - a Beginner's Guide, John Casey & Mhairi McAlpine
http://www.gla.ac.uk/rcc/staff/mhairi/

Critiques of Stephen Downes' Article:

A Critique of Stephen Downes' Article, "Learning Objects": a Middle Eastern Perspective, Osama Shata
http://www.irrodl.org/content/v2.1/shata.html

A Critique of Stephen Downes' Article, "Learning Objects": a Chinese Perspective, Fuhua (Oscar) Lin
http://www.irrodl.org/content/v2.1/lin.html

A Critique of Stephen Downes' Article, "Learning Objects": a Perspective from Bahrain, Muain H. Jamlan
http://www.irrodl.org/content/v2.1/jamlan.html

Technical articles on XML metadata

A collection of David Wiley's publications. Articles include:
"Collaboratively filtering Learning Objects"
"A non-authoritative Educational Metadata Ontology for Filtering and Recommending Learning Objects"
http://wiley.ed.usu.edu/writings2.pl

An introduction to AICC, SCORM and IMS (XML)
This course defines the common eLearning standards in use today and it discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each.
http://www.readygo.com/aicc/

An Intro to Metadata Tagging, Harvi Singh
An online article in the ASTD web magazine. Abstract in the source: What the Dewey Decimal Classification system is to books, metadata tagging is to e-learning. At its most basic level, metadata provides a common set of tags that can be applied to any learning resource, regardless of who created it, what tools they used, or where it's stored. Tags are, in essence, data describing data. There's a core set of 19 recommended metadata fields, but metadata tags can be used to describe broad or specific types of information. The scope depends entirely on each organization.
http://www.learningcircuits.org/dec2000/dec2000_ttools.html

Explanations of "Learning Objects", "Reusable Learning Materials", "Reusable Learning Designs" and the like

What are Learning Objects?
An easy to understand website introducing and explaining Learning Objects. Topics include "What are Learning Objects", "Why Learning Objects, "Creating Learning Objects", "Learning Object Standards", "Storing Learning Objects", "Finding Learning Objects", "Using Learning Objects", "Little Known Tools", "Background", and "Learning Resources".
http://adlcolab.uwsa.edu/lo/what.htm

Comprehensive and up-to-date information (simple definitions and explanations) on Learning Objects, Learning Objects Repositories, IMS Standards, XML, SGML, etc.
http://www.ibritt.com/resources/dc_objects.htm

A collection of links, presentations and publications about learning objects, the SCORM and the Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative
http://www.academiccolab.org/resources/learning_objects.html

Learning Objects, Distance Education Clearinghouse, University of Wisconsin-Extension, its partners and other UW institutions
A resourceful website on Learning Objects developed by UW
http://www.uwex.edu/disted/lo.html

Learning Objects Repositories

1. Advanced Distributed Learning initiative (ADL). To learn more about SCORM and find other terrific resources.
   http://www.adlnet.org/

2. Alliance of Remote Instructional Authoring and Distribution Networks for Europe (ARIADNE)
   http://www.ariadne-eu.org/

3. Aviation Industry CBT Committee (AICC)
   http://www.aicc.org/

4. Broadband Enabled Lifelong Learning Environment (BELLE) is a project to offer a searchable database of multimedia content (interactive and virtual environments, data sets, video, images, audio, text and applications) for use by adult learners and educators across the country. Learners will have access, for the first time, to a well-structured common portal offering peer-reviewed stores of data-intensive content, which can be searched and delivered into prototype learning environments connected to Canada's national and regional advanced Internets. Using bandwidth to increase quality of service, BELLE will implement and test a conceptual architecture for tagging learning objects and making them available via a national broadband test bed for multimedia serving.
   This site is the official home for documents, presentations and other resources related to the Canadian Core Learning Resource Metadata Protocol (CanCore) CanCore is based on and fully compatible with the IMS Learning Resource Meta-data Information Model. CanCore has defined a sub-set of data elements from this IMS model for the purposes of the efficient and uniform description of digital educational resources in Canada and elsewhere. It is intended to facilitate the interchange of records describing educational resources and the discovery of these resources both in Canada and beyond its borders.
   http://belle.netera.ca/

5. CAREO
   Campus Alberta Repository of Educational Objects (CAREO) is a project supported by Alberta Learning and CANARIE that has as its primary goal the creation of a searchable, Web-based collection of multidisciplinary teaching materials for educators across the province and beyond. CAREO is being undertaken jointly by the Universities of Alberta and Calgary in cooperation with Broadband Enabled Lifelong Learning Environment (BELLE), Canadian Network for the Advancement of Research in Industry and Education (CANARIE), the University of Calgary Health Education Cluster project, and as a part of the Campus Alberta initiative.
   http://careo.netera.ca/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Repository

6. CEN/ISSS
   http://www.cenorm.be/isss/Workshop/LT/

7. Center for International Education: Learning Objects. University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee
   http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CIE/AOP/learningobjects.html

8. Design for Reusability Website of a Project on Reusable Learning Objects funded by TAFE, Queensland, initiated by Queensland Department of Employment and Training
   http://www.tnqit.tafe.net/RLO/index.htm

9. Dublin Core Metadata Initiative
   http://dublincore.org/

10. Educause
    http://www.educause.edu/

11. Educational Object Economy (EOE) Originally at Apple, but now an independent foundation.
    http://www.eoe.org/FMPro?-db=portals.fp3&-format=default.htm&-script=UpdateFrontPage&-Findall

12. IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee. To learn more about learning object metadata. Also see the IEEE P1484.12 Learning Object Metadata Working Group
    http://ltsc.ieee.org/

13. IMS Global Learning Consortium. Learn more about content packaging.
    http://www.imsproject.org/

14. ISO's International Standards in the areas of Learning, Education, and Training
    http://jtc1sc36.org/

15. Learning Objects and Learning Standards
    http://www.learnativity.com/standards.html

16. Learning Objects: Collections, University of Wisconsin Centre for International Education
    http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CIE/AOP/LO_collections.html

17. Learning Resources Catalogue (LRC) Catalogue developed for the Universitas 21 group of universities by the EdTech unit at the University of NSW. The above URL is for staff of the University of Hong Kong.
    http://www.hkulrc.unsw.edu.au/

18. MERLOT Project MERLOT is a free and open resource designed primarily for faculty and students of higher education. Links to online learning materials are collected here along with annotations, such as peer reviews and assignments.
    http://www.merlot.org/Home.po

19. Microsoft Learning Resource iNterchange (LRM) is toolkit for marking up data in the IMS format.
    http://www.microsoft.com/elearn/

20. Reusability.org. David Wiley's terrific website includes links to several interesting articles on learning objects.
    http://www.reusability.org/

21. Teaching resources - Medicine on the Internet Reference site at the University of NSW, based on the Learning Resources Catalogue.
    http://www.library.unsw.edu.au/%7Ebiomed/Info_Skills_Docs/
    Medicine_on_the_Internet/teachingmoti.html

22. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) basic standards for the World Wide Web forming the basis for virtually all learning standards.
    http://www.w3.org/