Pedagogically Sound Learning Objects

This seminar is co-organized by CITE & the Faculty of Education Learning objects recently received considerable attention in education and training community. The fundamental idea behind learning objects is that instead of traditional courseware packages, curriculum content can be broken down in small components. The components can be tagged with metadata descriptors and deposited in digital libraries for reuse. So called learning management standards have set essential technical requirements to ensure that learning objects are deployable across different learning management solutions. This is clearly defined from the technical perspective. However, learning objects are poorly defined in respect to pedagogy and use of technology in this context. What may be a better learning object other than some computer file catalogued in digital library for reuse? Purpose of this presentation is not simply to extent this debate about learning objects by providing yet another definition. Rather, the presenter will suggest what might be a better learning object based upon consideration of pedagogy and important affordances of contemporary technology for learning. In particular, the presented will demonstrate how visualization and interactivity enable creation of powerful representations for teaching and learning in science, mathematics, engineering and other disciplines. Many examples of learning objects will be demonstrated in this presentation. This presentation will briefly expand beyond learning objects and introduce other tools for learning by re-conceptualizing learning and kind of technology-based tools that are effective in supporting this essentially human activity.