TOPIC 1

relevance easy to use technology audio visuals communication

Dear participants, The official start of the e-Conference will take place at 13:00 (GMT +0.00). During that time, the first questions that will elaborate on each topic will be published. To be able to participate in the initial discussions, we kindly ask you to use the time left, to familiarize yourselves with some of the resources and reading material that are provided in the first page of the Forum (folder: RESOURCES). With kind regards, Nikos Palavitsinis

[quote="zvavanyanger3"] relevance easy to use technology audio visuals communication [/quote] Dear colleague, So if I am getting this correctly, you mean: - Relevance to the topic it addresses - To be easy to use, providing clear steps and an educational process - To provide audio & visual aids Is this correct? Please let me know if I misunderstood something. Also, what do you actually mean by communication? Can you elaborate a little bit on that?

Dear e-Conference participants, Initiating the discussion on Topic 1, we would like to provide you with a set of questions that focus on various aspects of the proposed topic. As you will see, some of the questions are more generic, whereas others focus on specific stakeholder groups (i.e. content/course creators, users of the content, etc.). The idea here is to start elaborating on these topics, clarifying and delving into the characteristics of a quality learning resource. To facilitate the discussion, we would like to ask you to start replying by indicating the question number addressed (i.e. Q1), so that our colleagues that read you answers can easily identify the question you refer to. 1. What is a learning resource for you? Which is the definition that describes your perception of learning resources? 2. Do you have a pre-defined process of creating learning resources? Do you apply any specific criteria that must be followed? 3. Do you have ways of assessing the quality of the learning resources you are using or have created yourselves? 4. Do you find it easy to retrieve content online that will help you create new learning resources? 5. Do you share your resources online? Do you attach any Intellectual Property Rights to them? With kind regards, Nikos Palavitsinis - Moderator - Topic 1

[quote="nikospalavitsinis"] To facilitate the discussion, we would like to ask you to start replying by indicating the question number addressed (i.e. Q1), so that our colleagues that read you answers can easily identify the question you refer to. 1. What is a learning resource for you? Which is the definition that describes your perception of learning resources? [/quote] Dear all, thank you for setting up this interesting topic. Even though I haven't been involved in the educational process for a long time, I will provide a quick reply to Q1 and the rest will follow. Q1. For me educational resource in any material that can be used for educational purposes. It can be of digital or analog format, a simple image or a multimedia presentation with video, audio and text, a set of slides comprising a presentation on a specific topic etc. It may be an electronic article found in a blog or a hard copy of a scientific article. I believe that it's not the mean of the resource that matters, but how one is going to facilitate this resource and implement it in his educational process.

Dear colleagues, Below some quick reflections about the questions posed. Q1. Learning resources are of a very different kind, from simple diagrams to complete course materials. However, when we are thinking on sharing learning resources, the important issue is reusability, i.e. resources prepared for reuse in different context. This is the notion of "learning object": http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/viewArticle/155/236 Q2: Yes, in different context. For the resources I prepare for students, I first do a decomposition phase, then work them independently and then "glue" them together with some form of narrative. This helps in producing more reusable resources. Q3: A priori you can use questionnaires as LORI (Learning Object Review Instrument), but the best is using them and getting feedback. Q4: Not at all. Most resources are still poorly prepared for reuse. There is still a long way to Q5: Yes, when I feel they are good enough or useful :-) I use CC licenses. With kind regards, Miguel-Angel Sicilia

Some more answers to the questions set by NikosPalavitsinis: Q2. I have developed a more-or-less standard process for creating learning material, even though I mostly use already existing material. This process mostly covers a quality control of the produced resources, in order to avoid mistakes in both content and format. Steps: 1. Make a draft of the text with bullets, notes, sketches etc. This helps me clear things and follow a specific pathway. 2. Find the appropriate multmedia resources (such as photos, videos etc) that will support and enrich my learning material. 3. Combine draft text with multimedia and build a strong frame. 4. Fill this frame with full text and create the learning resource. Q3. I already mention the quality control process of the resources I produce myself. When using educational resources created by others, I try to cross-check the provided information by using supplementary material from different sources or compare specific points with some reference sources. Q4. I have already created a list of available online repositories and portals that provide copyright-free content on my research areas. This list includes Organic.Edunet web portal, TrAgLor, Bio@gro portal, FAO's document repositories, OrgEprints etc. I prefer these sources over the simple Google search because in this way I can get more accurate and in-topic results. So the answer to this question is YES, I find it easy to retrieve educational resources online. Q5. I share my resources online and I use Creative Commons licences, corresponding to each specific case.

[quote="vprot"] Q4. I have already created a list of available online repositories and portals that provide copyright-free content on my research areas. This list includes Organic.Edunet web portal, TrAgLor, Bio@gro portal, FAO's document repositories, OrgEprints etc. I prefer these sources over the simple Google search because in this way I can get more accurate and in-topic results. So the answer to this question is YES, I find it easy to retrieve educational resources online. [/quote] I don't find particularly easy to find quality materials over the Web. Google is fine but resources retrieved thorugh it lack important information I need, such as educational level and the like... I don't want to examine long lists of resources as a pre-step to using them! So, I'd rather go to specialized repositories, where I can find good metadata and not only content. But apart from Organic.Edunet (which is nice but I feel the contents could be of a higher quality) I find it difficult to find what I look for. Best regards, Salvador

Q1& Q3: I agree that an educational resource could be any material used for educational purposes, but doesn't this complicate the process through which we define and control the quality of resources? Regarding the quality issue, which is a very complex one, I believe that quality should mainly be defined based on the efficiency of the materials, and less on some pre-defined standards. That is because when we talk about education the focus should be on learning and on the outcomes of the learning process. The same resource might be appreciated differently by different learners; the same learning outcome might be reached by following very different learning paths. Therefore, it is very difficult, and I am not sure if really necessary either, to try to build detailed quality assurance tools for the educational resources. I believe that it might be easier and probably more helpful to concentrate on building/using efficient assessment tools to assess our students' performances rather than the resources used. On the other hand, this approach might be riskier, as we can't get much information about the usefulness of the resources we use until after having used them on our students. In this case, belonging to a community of teachers that exchange information and experiences is essential.

1. I am covered by Vassilios Protonotarios definition. Also, as Miguel-Angel argued, the important issue is reusability. 2. I do have a pre-defined process of creating learning resources. a. I make a draft of what the final resource should be b. I search for appropriate content c. I evaluate the retrieved content d. I create the educational resource e. I evaluate the produced outcome 3. A have a simple evaluation process, assessing the learning resource using criteria from the LORI questionnaire. Due to the differences in the context each time I select only the related criteria. 4. It is still very difficult to find free related content online that could be used to create a new learning resources? Most of the high-quality content it is still under commercial licences and even they can't always be used (at least by me) too easily to create a new learning resource. 5. I share my resources online and I use Creative Commons licences.

In the next lines I will try to give some answers to Niko's queries. Q1) Learning Resource is a resource designed with the educational intent. Typically, even if it is hard to find a specific definition on that issue, the learning resources are inextricable part of the process for the creation / development / improvement / evaluation of an educational material Q2) Actually, I use my own defined process for the creation of a new learning resource, which is updated regularly. The following steps are recommended: 1. To define the audience of the learning resource and prepare it according to their expected needs 2. To develop the structure of the learning resource with all the topics, which could be included into the introductive 3. To decide the format of the final learning object (ppt, pdf etc) 4. To search for the most accurate and up-to-dated content 5. To select the most appropriate content (videos, photos etc), in order to make the learning resources more attractive and acceptable for the user 6. To include modern and up-to-date material 7. To evaluate the final learning resource. One of the main criteria is that the learning resource should be based on qualified and certified content in order to meet the high level needs of the audience Q3) The users of the learning resource should be asked if their opinion about the quality and type of content of it. Author's contact details (email) should be included into the learning resource for sending further comments by the user. This will be valuable for further improvement or addition of new topics Q4) Plenty of sources that could be used for the development of the learning resource is available via the internet. Most of them are not freely available and it is hard to be used in practice. Q5) My personal learning resources are freely available via the bioagro (www.bioagro.gr) and Organic.edunet platforms (http//portal.organic-edunet.eu). In all cases, I use Creative Common Licenses and learning resource is free on charge for the public With Kind regards, Charalampos Thanopoulos

Besides the quality of the content itself, I think that the quality of a learning resource heavily relies on its reusability. In one hand, the use of widely accepted formats and standards must guarantee the compatibility across different systems, OS, LMS, etc. In the other hand, the resource must be developed as context independent as possible. In many cases, learning resources are tightly bound or associated to a particular grading procedure, which makes them less reusable. Also the addressed content must comprise a well defined field of knowledge. I also think that reusability of learning resources could be enhanced by inheriting some interoperability principles from other domains, like for example the one of healthcare systems and EHRs. Best regards, Leonardo Lezcano

Q1. A file (e.g. multimedia file, text file etc) that can be easily used to address specific knowledge needs on a specific topic Q2. No predefined processes. Only trying to make the resource as easy as possible to understand and as focused as possible to the specific topic addressed. Q3. The most reliable quality indicator is the feedback of the people to which the resource is addressed. Q4. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Depends mainly on the popularity of the topic. Q5. No IPRs attached. Knowledge should be free to distribute.

Dear colleagues, Q1. For me, it would be any resource which can be successfully used in a learning environment. But if I had to highlight only one feature, it would be the quality of reusability. Q2. Being honest, I don't have a strict methodology, and from resource to resource the creation process may vary. Q3. I have used LORI, but it is just a way of measuring the opinions of the users, which are in last term the ones who can evaluate the quality of a given resource. Q4. It's not very easy, as the generalist search mechanisms (such as Google) have some problems when searching for very specific topics; and the new semantic mechanisms are still a little immature. Q5. Yes, I do. I use CC and GFDL licenses. Best regards, Ramiro

Dear all, here my first thoughts and answers on the questions in brief: I will be pleased to give more detailed explanations at the MTSR2010 next week in Alcalá de Henares. 1. What is a learning resource for you? Which is the definition that describes your perception of learning resources? Anything can become a learning resource, it depends on the learning situation, context and environment... 2. Do you have a pre-defined process of creating learning resources? Do you apply any specific criteria that must be followed? I'm not creating learning resources but consulting and helping other people and organizations for the creation: I always recommend to follow the international ISO quality standard RFDQ = ISO/IEC 19796-1: There are a lot of successful applications and usage scenarios. 3. Do you have ways of assessing the quality of the learning resources you are using or have created yourselves? The same recommendation he international ISO quality standard RFDQ = ISO/IEC 19796-1 as the standard is covering all processes from needs analysis via design, production and realization up to evaluation and assessment. 4. Do you find it easy to retrieve content online that will help you create new learning resources? Definitely not. 5. Do you share your resources online? Do you attach any Intellectual Property Rights to them? No, but we are offering all our materials and articles here: www.qed-info.de www.qualitydevelopment.eu And normally we are using Creative Commons licenses (as you will see on our websites). Best regards Christian M. Stracke

3. Do you have ways of assessing the quality of the learning resources you are using or have created yourselves? To assess the quality of a learning ressource I have no standard method - I compare the information I find with what I find in other ressources, and consider whether it is easily accessible and easy to understand compared to other similar ressources. To assess the quality of a learning ressource I have created myself, I first of all put emphasis on whether or not students use it and make sure to get their evaluation. I also discuss it with fellow researchers/learning ressource providers to have their evaluation.

Dear friends 1. What is a learning resource for you? Which is the definition that describes your perception of learning resources? I completely agree with those saying that a simple resource will become (or not) a learning resource during the learning process and I think the quality of a resource itself is not that important! Just want to say that a very good high quality [u]teaching[/u] material we can find online does not neccesarily mean that it is a good [u]learning[/u] material. So it mainly depends on whether we can reuse the resource and more important, how do we use it! 2. Do you have a pre-defined process of creating learning resources? Do you apply any specific criteria that must be followed? Not officially, 'keep it simple' and 'give them something to digest' are some of the criterias I'll try to follow. 3. Do you have ways of assessing the quality of the learning resources you are using or have created yourselves? feedback from the students is the main way 4. Do you find it easy to retrieve content online that will help you create new learning resources? Definitely yes... if you know where and how to find it :wink: 5. Do you share your resources online? Do you attach any Intellectual Property Rights to them? Yes, the materials are shared online (https://ois.emu.ee/) and I can define who can access the materials. Best Ragnar

Dear colleagues, On Monday 25/10, Mrs Amee Evans Godwin, from the Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education, gave a Keynote, addressing some of the main questions of the e-Conference. More information on the Keynote and ISKME activities, can be found in the Resources section, HERE To replay the Keynote, please click HERE and choose the "Replay" option in the popup page. With kind regards, Nikos Palavitsinis

1. What is a learning resource for you? Which is the definition that describes your perception of learning resources? For me an LR is something that I can use to assist in imparting knowledge. 2. Do you have a pre-defined process of creating learning resources? Do you apply any specific criteria that must be followed? For me there is really no strict predefined criteria.It really depends much on my targeted audience,their level of prior knowledge of the subject and the intended goal /objective .I try to make it as relevant as possible to their duties 3. Do you have ways of assessing the quality of the learning resources you are using or have created yourselves? Again no strict ways for assessing quality.i look at the effectiveness of the result of using the LR i.e Practicability.I am more basing on the improvement of perfomance/output in terms .If the way of conducting things gets better,then I rate the LR as more understandable,relevant and hence of comparable higher quality. 4. Do you find it easy to retrieve content online that will help you create new learning resources? It could be much easier but within the enviroment I am working in.Internet access remains a challenge because of its cost and actual speed and availability. 5. Do you share your resources online? Do you attach any Intellectual Property Rights to them? There is really more that could be shared but in the present its little. [/quote]