Instructional Technology Conference 2008

Title: Developing Learning Objects for Online Role‐Play & Student Collaboration

Name: Pam Taylor, PhD, RN BC, CPHIMS

Audience Level: Advanced Beginner to Intermediate

Audience: Faculty

Length: 1 hour

Abstract:
Pushing past the often flat and boring online collaborative environment of weekly discussion questions where students struggle or not) to add one more crumb of substantial content can be a challenge for course designers. Creating online collaborative learning objects can take your course to a higher level of interaction and increase learning otcomes. This presentation will demonstrate an online collaborative learning object that incorporates role play, team collaboration, and joint development of selected course assignments.

Description:
Using the discussion tool in your course management system has long been one answer for providing student interaction and buildng a learning community for an online course. While discussion questions can serve a useful role, overuse and redundancy is a typical mistake made in the online teaching/learning environment. The use of online collaborative learning objects can take your course to a higher level of interaction, increase learning outcomes particularly in the application of concepts and skills, and keep the course fresh and exciting.

This presentation will demonstrate the design, development, and implementation of an online collaborative learning object entitled ACME Healthcare. It was designed for graduate students to provide an opportunity to incorporate role play and team collaboration in their onlie learning experiences. While this particular learning object is complex as it spans the greater part of a semester, the concept is transferable to smaller applications for all levels of students.

Designing a collaborative learning object starts with listing the learning outcomes that you want your students to achieve throgh this learning activity. Working backward from these outcomes, the design can then incorporate the necessary content, application scenario(s), role definitions, and support resources that will form the learning object. The development of the learning object requires some creative energy and close attention to developing clear student instrucions AND expectations. Let your creativity flow as you design the various components to produce an engaging learning object that students will remmber. While the design and development of the overall learning object should be complete prior to implementation, you can add to the excitement by leaving a/some variable(s) open to see how the students respond. Based upon their response - you can change the storyline or outcome.

This keeps the learning activity fresh for both the students and you as it is used in subsequent semesters.

The ACME Healthcare Project has been used for three semesters. Each subsequent semester has resulted in further refinement and the addition of support materials. During this presentation, you will have the opportunity to see not only the content of the learning object, but also how the discussion tool was managed to create the collaborative environment.

Session Type: Lecture/Presentation

Contact information/affiliation:
Pam Taylor, PhD, RN BC, CPHIMS
MTSU School of Nursing
ptaylor@mtsu.edu
Phone: 615‐653‐1712

Equipment: Projector, computer with Internet access

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