India-UK Conference on Information & Technology (ICT)in Education & Training

• Kate Dickens• “Reusable Learning Objects

(RLOs): English for Academic Purposes”

• eLanguages, University of Southampton, UK

Overview

• Introduction– eLanguages at Southampton

• Learning objects • Concepts of re-usability and re-purposing

(RLOs)• Southampton as a case study• Feedback from students and tutors• Future direction

Introduction

• Consortium of 6 UK universities led by Southampton: Bristol, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, York

• Funded to develop e-tutor supported online English for Academic Purposes (EAP) modules (IELTS 5.5 – 6.5)

• Initially designed for use on newly developed learning environment (SUN systems)

• Successfully used on UKeU/ Blackboard/ WebCT/Moodle virtual learning environments (VLEs) in both blended and distance modes

E-learning material

• Developed in the form of reusable learning objects (RLOs)

• The ‘building blocks’ for stand-alone online modules in EAP or online support programs in blended learning environments

• Designed to be interoperable and therefore, platform-independent

Learning Objects

• … are internally contextualised• … are activity-based• … use text, audio. Video, animation,

interactive exercises, threaded discussion, real-time voice and text chat

Create LOs Submit for editorial comment

Carry out any revisions

Checklist LOs

Submit LOs to Southampton Final editing

Final checklisting Move LOs from working to master folders

Upload to web-based learning environment

Learning Object Production

Design new course Retrieve suitable LOs from existing bank

Carry out any revisions

Create any new LOs needed

Edit and checklistnew LOs

Review and revise course structure and content

Create course structure in VLE Move LOs from

working to master folders

Upload LOs to VLE

Reusing and repurposing

Use by tutors and students

• Tutor-supported online courses– Distance– On campus

• Online resource materials banks– Course enhancement by tutors– Independent study, guided by tutor– Self-access by students– In the classroom with the tutor

Current stage of development

• 1300 learning objects (30 - 45 mins each)• 4 x 12 week EAP modules (150 hours)• 3 x 9 week skills-based short courses (50

hours)• 5 x advanced skills self-access courses (up

to 25 hours)• Resource-banks of LOs for independent

study (up to 150 hours)

Use at the University of Southampton

• 400 University of Southampton students will have used the materials 2004-2005

• Conducted research with students and tutors

• Received feedback from over 200 students who have already completed courses

Research methodology

• 58 observations of student online use of resource bank

• 194 student questionnaires• 21 tutor questionnaires• Up to 100 student comments from

self-access learning logs• Data from tracking within VLE

Feedback

• Overwhelmingly positive response to the learning materials

• Majority of users used them with both specific aim in mind and for browsing

• Emphasis on ease of use (90%)• Most popular resources (in order):

– Writing– Listening and notetaking– Reading and critical thinking

Students comments Tutor Comments

“I feel that this is much more than useful and helpful”

“They have been a real help!”

“I want to keep on using the online materials after the course – please make it possible”

“The materials were useful in addressing the specific difficulties students had …”

“I very much appreciate the quality of the course, the structure of the material and the logic of the content”

“Would you support the use of the online materials if they were available in a future course?Yes, definitely”