“Learning Object” Defined

Due to various definitions attributed to the term, it is rather confusing and difficult to communicate exactly what a “learning object” is. Most generally, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) defines a learning object as:

"...any entity, digital or non-digital, which can be used, re-used or referenced during technology supported learning; examples include multimedia content, instructional content, learning objectives, instructional software and software tools, and persons, organizations, or events referenced during technology supported learning" (IEEE, LTSC, 2003).

Chiappe further defines learning objects as: "A digital self-contained and reusable entity, with a clear educational purpose, with at least three internal and editable components: content, learning activities and elements of context. The learning objects must have an external structure of information to facilitate their identification, storage and retrieval: the metadata. " (Chiappe, Segovia, & Rincon, 2007).

In short, a learning object is a resource, usually digital and web-based, that can be used and re-used to support learning, education, or training.  It is a new way of thinking about learning content. Instead of learning content coming in a more traditional timeframe of several hour chunks, learning objects are much smaller units of learning, typically ranging from 2 – 15 minutes. Also, these modular digital resources are uniquely identified and metatagged to support learning.  The main idea of “learning objects” is to break educational content down into smaller chunks that can be reused in various learning environments.

Here is a screenshot from an online learning object website:

Primary Characteristics of Learning Objects

• Self – contained: Each learning object can be taken independently
• Reusable: A single learning object may be used in multiple contexts for multiple purposes
• Can be aggregated: Learning objects can be grouped into larger collections of content, including traditional course structures
• Tagged with metadata: Every learning object has descriptive information allowing it to be easily found by a search

What is Metadata?

One of the key issues in using learning objects is their identification by search engines. This is usually facilitated by assigning descriptive learning object metadata (LOM). Just as a book in a library has a record in the card catalogue learning objects must also be tagged with metadata. See figure 1 for schematic representation of the hierarchy of elements in the LOM data model.

 (Figure 1) A schematic representation of the hierarchy of elements in the LOM data model

Michael Shaw (2003): Contextual Learning

Object (CLO) and Mutated Learning Object

(MLO)

According to Shaw (2003), the foundation of a created learning object has much to do with who the learner is, and what the learner needs to know and why, or in other words, what its’ actual purpose is in context. Therefore, a learning object must have a specific use and function in regards to an objective and an outcome in the context of the learner.

He offers up two (additional) categories and definitions of learning objects:

 1.     A contextual learning object (CLO): a chunk of instruction or a supporting mechanism that has been originally designed to have specific meaning and purpose to an intended learner, so that meaningful knowledge and/or learning can be derived from it, applied, linked to other knowledge, or simply retained.

 2. A mutated learning object (MLO): a learning object that has been re-purposed and/or re-engineered, changed or simply re-used in some way different from its original intended design - to one with a different implicit or explicit purpose, and/or outcome, and/or learner, while retaining an acceptable level of (educational) validity or use.

Consider the following scenarios:

Frank is a nuclear physicist, and has located a learning object in a repository that includes a graph on the long-term effects of residual radiation on the residents of Chernobyl. He is 40 years old, has a Ph.D., and understands the context of the information presented, in that he learns from it. Sally is a 5th grade student. She has discovered the same graph on the Internet, but it means absolutely nothing to her. Is this graph a learning object? Obviously, the information presented has very different meanings to different people, because the context is different.

Peggy is a 5th grade teacher and is looking for resources on the potential dangers of nuclear energy. She locates the same object in a repository, and simplifies it by adding an interpretation to it that fits in with the curriculum that she is teaching. Her husband is a math teacher and finds the graph useful. He breaks down the components of the graph and provides his students with a simple discovery exercise in statistical representation by contrasting the colors on it. The learning object has mutated to provide more meaning and purpose to a variety of intended audiences. Peggy and her husband can actually submit their ‘mutated’ learning objects and/or metadata description back into the repository for other 5th grade teachers to use. Joe is a mental patient. He likes to propagate his personal conspiracy theories, and has discovered these resources and taken them to new limits to spread his version of truth.

In conclusion, as seen from these real-life scenarios, defining exactly what a learning object is can be problematic, as it depends on its purpose and educational validity. Therefore, a learning object is contextual; whether or not a valid learning objective and a learning outcome is well defined can depend on who is mutating them and why.  

Online Learning Object Resources

Many learning objects that can enhance one’s e-learning are freely available online. Here are some links to open and free repositories:

References:

Beck, Robert J., "What Are Learning Objects?", Learning Objects, Center for International Education, University of Wisconson -          Milwaukee. Retrieved on May 12, 2009, from http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CIE/AOP/LO_what.html

Chiappe, Andres.; Segovia, Yasbley; Rincon, Yadira (2007), "Toward an instructional design model based on learning objects", in Boston,      Springer (html), Educational Technology Research and Development, Boston: Springer, pp. 671-681

LTSC - Learning Technology Standards Committee (2003), available online at: [http://ltsc.ieee.org/wg12/]

Shaw, Michael (2003), "(Contextual and Mutated) Learning Objects in the Context of Design, Learning and (Re)Use", Teaching and

     Learning with Technology. Retrieved on May 12, 2009, from http://www.shawmultimedia.com/edtech_oct_03.html