Learning object repository technologies for telelearning: The evolution of POOL and CanCore

Repositories provide mechanisms to encourage the discovery, exchange and re-use of learning objects. This paper describes Portals for On-line Objects in Learning (POOL), a consortium project of the TeleLearning NCE to build a learning object repository scalable to the national level. Funded in part by the Canarie Learning Program, POOL contributes to the development of two focal technologies: “POOL POND and SPLASH” a distributed architecture for a peer-to-peer network of learning object repositories, and CanCore, a practical metadata protocol for cataloguing learning objects. Keywords: Learning object repositories, CanCore, POOL, metadata

Supporting student learning with digital audio: A low-tech approach

Advances in technology have made the use of digitized audio, often in the form of podcasts, more popular in recent years. The MP3 compression file format for such audio has become a defacto standard and the associated MP3 players are now ubiquitous. In the domain of eLearning, audio id perceived as a low-tech approach when compared with video technology. However such an approach can be useful as firstly, such audios can support mLearning as they can be listened to anywhere, and secondly, they are easy to produce for technology challenged instructors. This paper uses a teaching and learning framework as a basis for discussing how audio can support learning. It outlines some practical issues for instructors and students and provides suggestions for making the best use of audio. Some of the feedback obtained from online surveys that has been carried out with students at a university in Australia is utilised to support the discussion

Supporting Student Learning with Digital Audio: A Low-Tech Approach

Advances in technology have made the use of digitized audio, often in the form of podcasts, more popular in recent years. The MP3 compression file format for such audio has become a defacto standard and the associated MP3 players are now ubiquitous. In the domain of eLearning, audio id perceived as a low-tech approach when compared with video technology. However such an approach can be useful as firstly, such audios can support mLearning as they can be listened to anywhere, and secondly, they are easy to produce for technology challenged instructors. This paper uses a teaching and learning framework as a basis for discussing how audio can support learning. It outlines some practical issues for instructors and students and provides suggestions for making the best use of audio. Some of the feedback obtained from online surveys that has been carried out with students at a university in Australia is utilised to support the discussion

An evaluation of streaming digital video resources in on-and off-campus engineering management education

A recent television documentary on the Columbia space shuttle disaster was converted to streaming digital video format for educational use by on- and off-campus students in an engineering management study unit examining issues in professional engineering ethics. An evaluation was conducted to assess the effectiveness of this new resource. Use of the video was optional, and about half of the class reported using the video, though usage was 90.0% for off-campus students. Most on-campus students accessed the video on-line, while all off-campus students accessed the video via CD-ROM. Off-campus students rated the educational value of the video higher than on-campus students, and were more likely to indicate that the video helped them understand the issues being studied. Most students were able to view the videos without any technical playback problems.<br /

Edusource: Canada's Learning Object Repository Network

An alliance of Canadian Universities and government agencies pooled their resources to establish a network to share and combine Learning Objects from a variety of sources and further develop this technology. In the process, they resolved many learning, logistical, and legal problems and moved this technology forward by an order of magnitude. Principal goals include: nationwide interoperability, network of repositories, linked servers, repository software programs, national and international standards, digital rights management, business and management models, evaluation and feedback, dissemination of results, and bilingual access to all Canadians, particularly learners with disabilities. The defined tasks were sub-divided into nine work packages, each with a lead institution as package manager