UMass Strategic Initiative Grant
Learning Objects and Media Education for the 21st Century
Project Narrative: Learning Objects and Media Literacy Skills
UMass
Dartmouth
The project explores new opportunities for building multi-layered learning and effective learning environments through the development of learning objects, which are web-based, self-contained learning units. Learning increasingly takes place in diverse environments, and learning objects are accessible, adaptable and flexible in any place of learning. Learning objects, however, are not new resources on the pedegogical landscape nor is the idea of a repository for these learning resources (e.g., Wisconsin Online Resource Center). UMass Dartmouth's project, however, differentiates itself by its awareness of and integration with the recent media literacy research, which recognizes that media environments are altering our understanding of literacy. As a result, students need to develop habits of mind and ways of processing information that are distinct from previous generations.
What is a Learning Object?
Learning objects contain content that is small enough to be embedded in a learning activity, are portable and can be used in multiple learning environments and across disciplines. Types of learning objects might include assessments, simulations, drills and practices; their formats can be diverse, such as video, PowerPoint, Flash, animations, mp3 files. An example of a learning object would be a short video of a chemical reaction. Once produced, such a learning object could be shared within a department.
"The Play capacity to experiment with one's surroundings as a form of problem solving; Performance, the ability to adop alternative identities for the purpose of improvisation and discovery; Simulation, the ability to interpret and connect dynamic models fo real-world processes; Appreciation, the ability to meaningfully sample and remix media content; Multitasking, the ability to scan ont's environment and shift focus as needed to salient details; Distributed Cognition, the ability to interact meaningfully with tools that expand mental capacities; Collective Intelligence, the ability to pool knowledge and compare notes with others towards a common goal; Judgment, the ability to evaluate the reliability and credibility of different information sources; and Transmedia Navigation, the ability to follow the flow of stories and information across multiple modalities ." (Jenkins 3-4)
Latest publications/recognitions
UMASS Instructional Technology Conference 2008 Grant Recipient
The Scholarship of Teaching & Learning - "Making IT Matter"