Multimedia learning objects for learning Java

Peter Chalk & Richard HaynesLondon Metropolitan University

Learning Objects for ComputingLTSN-ICS Workshop Jan 26th 2004

London Metropolitan University

www.unl.ac.uk/ltri/learningobjects

learning.unl.ac.uk/java1/

Summary

• Motivation

• Concept development

• Learning Object design & implementation

• Reusability in context

• Research & evaluation

• Issues for the future

Motivation

• Programming module failure rate• Students not engaging or enjoying• Evaluation report recommended redesign• Include on-line support: VLE & LOs• Team-based approach: academics,

researchers & developer• Prototyping methodology: evaluation &

feedback

Concept development

• Support needs identified for:– Introductory Java concepts (scaffolding)– IDE & getting started (JCreator)– Object World (now AWT) graphics library

• Requirements discussion team-based – developing text, visualisation, animation, code

and self-assessment quiz etc

Learning Object (LO) design & implementation

• Text as introduction and container

• Visualisation, animation & multimedia

• Control & GUI/ HCI– show animation– next frame

• Code animator

• Self-assessment & feedback

Text LO (also acts as container for animation)

Concept LO (while loop) plus code animation

Feedback LOs for self assessment – fill-in & drag/drop

Reusability in context

• Repository and archive– multiple module– multiple approaches/ texts– multiple topics/ weeks

• Use in context - WebCT module instance

• LO access list in WebCT for tracking page hits

Repository and archive

Use in context - WebCT module instance

List of Los in WebCT content module (for tracking page hits)

Research & evaluation

• Following slides show research data– LO page hits, comparative – usefulness

– time per page hit – quality

– student history of page hits shows learning paths or patterns (optimal/ failing)

– student evaluation – perceived usefulness

Usefulness of module components: 03/04

25

3630

46

35

25

65

54

41 44 47

58

10 11

29

10 913

0 0 1 0 1 4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Text learningaids

Animatedlearning aids

Lectures Labexercises

Text book Quizzes

%

Very useful

Useful

Not very useful

Useless

Issues for the future

• Repository:– Sharing & blending– meta data - IMS?– who? LTSN?

• Ease of use: index, keywords, browse

• Context (code) LOs – link to concept LOs

• Intelligent agent research

Links

LTRI: http://www.unl.ac.uk/ltri/learningobjects

LO list: http://learning.unl.ac.uk/java1/

WebCT module: http://webct.unl.ac.uk/SCRIPT/IM110/scripts/serve_home

JICC: http://www.ics.ltsn.ac.uk/events/jicc8/