Welcome NESC Webinar

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WelcomeNESC Webinar 3

• E-learning for Improvement
• Dr Jean Penny Fred Riley

This training comes with sound
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Agenda

• Welcome
• University of Nottingham RLO CETL
• The Improvement RLO project
• Q A
• Feedback

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Fred Riley

• Learning Technologist
• School of Nursing, University of Nottingham
• Background programmer, web/database developer,
  e-learning developer, languages
• fred.riley_at_nottingham.ac.uk
• Staff page

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SONET

• School of Nursing Educational Technology Group
• www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing/sonet/
• A SIG of Nursing teachers interested/involved in
  e-learning and teaching
• Staff
• Director
• Academic Coordinator
• 3.5 x Media Developers
• Funded by SoN, RLO-CETL, and contracted work (eg
  NHSI)

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RLO-CETL

• Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
  (CETL) for Reusable Learning Objects (RLO)
• www.rlo-cetl.ac.uk
• HEFCE-funded, 3.4M funding (2005 2010)
• Partner universities London Metropolitan (lead),
  Cambridge, Nottingham

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SONET RLO-CETL

• Independent but complementary

SONET
RLO-CETL
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What the _at_! is a RLO?

• Reusable Learning Object
• Definitions
• Learning Objects are ... any entity, digital or
  non-digital, which can be used, re-used or
  referenced during technology supported learning.
  (IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee,
  2000)
• any person, place, thing, or idea that has
  existed at anytime in the history of the
  universe (Wiley 2000)
• any digital resource that can be reused to
  support learning. (Wiley 2000)
• "an interactive WWW-based resource based on a
  single learning objective which can be used in
  multiple contexts" (SONET)

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Further Reading

• SONET RLO FAQ
• Wikipedia Learning Objects
• Wiley, David (ed). 2000. The Instructional Use of
  Learning Objects Online Version. 2000. (Chapter
  1 discusses Learning object definitions)

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RLO format

• Most RLOs comprise Flash movies wrapped in web
  pages
• older RLOs have Shockwave (Director) movies
• Nearly all SONET, and most RLO-CETL, RLOs have
  audio narrations
• Video used occasionally (eg Abdominal
  Examination)
• RLOs are played in web browsers with standard
  plugins, and are thus cross-platform

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RLO Usage

• reusability is the raison dêtre of RLOs
• accessed via SONET and RLO-CETL repositories
• IMS content packages for VLE import
• usage requires resource discovery, discovery
  requires a LO repository and good quality
  metadata
• eg NHS Intralibrary installation, SONET RLO
  database, RLO-CETL Intralibrary installation,
  MERLOT, HEAL, Wisconsin Online Learning Object
  Repository
• they cant use it if they dont know about it
• SONET and RLO-CETL RLOs freely available on WWW
• Used by teachers, students, and Joe and Jane
  Public

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RLO Content

• Content is sovereign
• no content, no e-learning
• High-quality content essential for reuse and
  teacher/student confidence
• quality assurance by peer-review
• SONET and RLO-CETL RLOs driven by pedagogy and
  teaching needs
• demand-led, not supply-led
• Nearly all SONET, and most RLO-CETL, RLOs have
  audio narrations

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RLO Production process

• RLOs go through a software lifecycle, using
  iterative development
• concept
• specification (examples)
• specification peer-review
• technical development
• RLO peer-review
• release
• user feedback
• Peer-reviews are crucial to quality control
• Methodology pioneered by UCEL
• UCEL schematic diagram of lifecycle (Word)
• UCEL lifecycle flowchart (PDF)

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RLO production management

• A real pain in the donkey!
• Production database is essential to keep track of
  whats been done, and what has to be done, when,
  and by whom
• Each RLO needs a manager/mentor to push the
  production process along, arrange audio
  recording, nag for reviews, quality assurance,
  and more
• Keep the number of people involved low! Cock-up
  potential increases exponentially with each extra
  person
• with multiple authors and/or developers, have one
  contact/rep for each group
• Clarity! Make sure everyone knows what s/hes
  doing, why, and by when.
• Using freelance developers adds to process
  complexity, but is sometimes unavoidable if
  in-house staff are overloaded

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Future Developments

• Authorable RLO templates/shells/tools
• Generative Learning Objects (GLOs)
• GLO Maker tool
• Xerte online templates
• Powerpoint and Flash conversion
• eg Menstrual Cycle, Virtual Portfolio Tool
• Xerte developer tool
• Integrating RLOs into module teaching
• School of Nursing e-Learning Strategy 2008-13
• dissemination and promotion of RLOs and
  e-learning
• e-learning mentors to be appointed at SoN centres
• integration into WebCT

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Thats all, folks!
FIN
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Any questions?
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Thank you

• http//www.nesc.nhs.uk