Introduction to Learning Objects

General LO information
There are varying definitions about what a Learning Object is. Rehak & Mason define a learning object as: "a digitized entity which can be used, reused or referenced during technology supported learning" (p. 21). This is in contrast to a (they say) different common definition: "A small chunk of learning which serves a learning objective". (ibid)

However, there is general consensus that a learning object should be: (Rehak & Mason)
 * reusable - can be modified and versioned for different courses
 * accessible - indexed and retrieved using metadata
 * interoperable / portable - operate across different hard/software
 * durable - remain intact across upgrades of hard/software

Having a fully reusable set of Learning Objects (LOs) requires: (Rehak & Mason)
 * LOs themselves
 * their descriptions expressed in metadata
 * the purpose or goal of the LO in a particular learning ccontext
 * the overall learning context, including the learning approach, the learner audience, the learning objectives, and relationships to other LOs that make up the learning experience
 * the behaviour, descriptions of constraints and rules on the use and sequencing of the LOs within the overall learning experience
 * the delivery context (environment)

Other definitions are :
 * "Any entity, digital or non-digital, that may be used for learning, education or training"
 * "Any digital resource that can be reused to support learning"
 * "Web-based interactive chunks of e-learning designed to explain a stand-alone learning objective"

The Contradiction: note that Wiley and Rehak&Mason define LO as digital (and CETL says they are web-based and interactive), but the LOM standard states they may be non-digital...

Read:
 * Learning management system
 * 1) Use and Abuse of Reusable Learning Objects (Pithamber R. Polsani - Learning Technology Center, University of Arizona)

Explore:
 * 1) Content Commons (Connexions) - an repository of Learning Objects (Their circle of fifths learning object is cool, I think)

Metadata
Creating cute, interesting learning objects is probably going to become (if it hasn't already) a trendy educational craft for institutions in the coming years. LOs may even become a type of currency in an educational capital exchange system, if some folks have a say.

The nuts and bolts of how to store and retrieve them, advertise their existence, classify, homogenize and standardize them is a job terse enough for OOPies and quirky enough for Kurzweiliophiles.

The IEEE has come up with an open standard:
 * IEEE 1484.12.1 – 2002 Standard for Learning Object Metadata

(See Learning object and Learning object metadata)

Here's the simplified outline for a "standard" LOM model:

* 1 General o 1.1 Identifier + 1.1.1 Catalog + 1.1.2 Entry o 1.2 Title o 1.3 Language o 1.4 Description o 1.5 Keyword o 1.6 Coverage o 1.7 Structure o 1.8 Aggregation Level * 2 Life Cycle o 2.1 Version o 2.2 Status o 2.3 Contribute + 2.3.1 Role + 2.3.2 Entity + 2.3.3 Date * 3 Meta-Metadata o 3.1 Identifier + 3.1.1 Catalog + 3.1.2 Entry o 3.2 Contribute + 3.2.1 Role + 3.2.2 Entity + 3.2.3 Date o 3.3 Metadata Schema o 3.4 Language * 4 Technical o 4.1 Format o 4.2 Size o 4.3 Location o 4.4 Requirement + 4.4.1 OrComposite # 4.4.1.1 Type # 4.4.1.2 Name # 4.4.1.3 Minimum Version # 4.4.1.4 Maximum Version o 4.5 Installation Remarks o 4.6 Other Platform Requirements o 4.7 Duration * 5 Educational o 5.1 Interactivity Type o 5.2 Learning Resource Type o 5.3 Interactivity Level o 5.4 Semantic Density o 5.5 Intended End User Role o 5.6 Context o 5.7 Typical Age Range o 5.8 Difficulty o 5.9 Typical Learning Time o 5.10 Description o 5.11 Language * 6 Rights o 6.1 Cost o 6.2 Copyright and Other Restrictions o 6.3 Description * 7 Relation o 7.1 Kind o 7.2 Resource + 7.2.1 Identifier # 7.2.1.1 Catalog # 7.2.1.2 Entry + 7.2.2 Description * 8 Annotation o 8.1 Entity o 8.2 Date o 8.3 Description * 9 Classification o 9.1 Purpose o 9.2 Taxon Path + 9.2.1 Source + 9.2.2 Taxon # 9.2.2.1 Id                     # 9.2.2.2 Entry o 9.3 Description o 9.4 Keyword

Simple enough, eh? See Learning Object Metadata for the Topic:MediaWiki Learning Object integration project. If there is enough interest, we will look into incorporating Learning Object Metadata into the MediaWiki engine. See also MediaWiki Project.

Human Touch
Section 5 - the Educational part of the specification is perhaps the most interesting in terms of Human-machine interface and the socio-technical usage of such a specification or model. We'll see if we can make some sense:


 * 1) 5.1 Interactivity Type
 * 2) 5.2 Learning Resource Type
 * 3) 5.3 Interactivity Level
 * 4) 5.4 Semantic Density
 * 5) 5.5 Intended End User Role
 * 6) 5.6 Context
 * 7) 5.7 Typical Age Range
 * 8) 5.8 Difficulty
 * 9) 5.9 Typical Learning Time
 * 10) 5.10 Description
 * 11) 5.11 Language

Read:
 * m:Talk:Learning object metadata - Conversation between me and JWSurf about the possibility of using LOM in a Wiki environment

Explore: Do some searches for "Learning Object" adding the terms above to your search. Let's see what you find:

Object Orientation
Object-Oriented Programming as developed by Booch, Rambaugh, and Jacobsen is terse and complex, but the UML is a way to visualize these complexities. Here are some ideas that may help to create programmable learning objects in UML terms here at Wikiversity: Object-Oriented Programming of learning objects can be done at a higher level of abstraction using a UML model to define learning objects and their interfaces. For example, learning objects intended for sharing knowledge in the subject of Geography most certainly would include maps. A UML model of a class in Cartography could use a shared map at Google maps. The map itself would become what is called a metaobject with a set of points of interest each being a learning object containing data and geographic information about that point. As the shared map is explored by a learning community, its value as a learning object increases as participant content is added. This pattern of usage will quickly fill in the LOM (learning object metadata) form as the "metamap" grows into a full-fledged learning object that becomes reusable, accessible, interoperable, portable and durable. Even though Google hosts the map itself, the descriptions, photos, articles, factoids and other entries reside in a completely abstracted model that is reconstructed and adapted fluently at a very low cost each time it is used.
 * 1) Entity relationships – institution/faculty/student_body -> curriculum
 * 2) Model and schema – learning community / collaborative learning -> curriculum
 * 3) Role, identity, activity – teacher/learner dialog
 * 4) Metaobject facility – Wikiversity

Research
Think with me. Are Templates Learning Objects in themselves? Talk with me.