The Learning Module -...

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TheLearningModule5.2CreatingaLearningModule5.2.0:First,abriefrationalefortheLearningModule.Asapedagogicaldesign,theLearningModuleisnotatextbook.Itisnotasyllabus.Itisnotalessonplan.Anditisallofthesethings,oritdoesthejobofallofthesethings,butdoesallthesethingsdifferently.

• Atextbooksummarizestheworld,transmittingcontenttolearnersinthesinglevoiceofthetextbookwriter.TheLearningModulecuratestheworld—weblinkstotextualcontent,videosandotherembeddedmedia.Itismultimodal.Anditusesavarietyofsources,requiringstudentstothinkcritically,notjusttomemorizecontentthathasbeenpre-digestedanddeliveredtothemtoconsume.

• Asyllabusoutlinescontentandtopicstobecovered.ALearningModulepromptsdialogue—anupdateprompts

classdiscussion;aprojectsetsintrainapeerreviewedwork;asurveyelicitsastudentresponse.Itisamediumtofacilitateactiveandcollaborativelearning,ratherthanindividualizedcontentacquisition.

• Alessonplanistheteacher’sprivateactivityoutline.TheLearningModulecanbesharedwiththeclass,and

optionallypublishedtotheweb,withinaschoolorbeyond,forotherteacherstouse,sobuildingaschool-basedpedagogicalknowledgebank.Forprofessionalcollaborationandlearning,aLearningModulecanbejointlywrittenandalsopeerreviewedbeforepublication.

LearningModuleshaveatwocolumnformat:a‘forthemember’sidewheretheteacherspeaksdirectlytothestudent,anda‘fortheadmin’sidewheretheteacherspeakstheprofessionaldiscourseofeducation,articulatinglearningaims,curriculumstandardsandteachingtips.ALearningModuleoffersthreemodesofinteractionwithandbetweenstudents:

1. Updatesthatcanbepushedintothestudent’sactivitystream,includingawiderangeofmultimediaformats.Eachupdatepromptscommentsfromstudentsandclassdiscussion.

2. Projects,includinginstructionstostudentsandarubricforpeer,selfand/orteacherreview.

3. Surveys,includingknowledgesurveysthatanticipaterightandwronganswers,andinformationsurveysthatdo

nothaverightorwronganswers(suchasanopinionsurvey).BeforeyoustarttocreateyourLearningModule,werecommendyouviewsection5.1,UsingLearningModulesfromtheScholarBookstore—thiswillgiveyouanideaofhowtheywork.TheLearningModuleisaworktypewithinScholar’sCreatorarea,soyouifyouhavenotusedCreatorbefore,werecommendyoufamiliarizeyourselfwithSection3ofthesetutorials.Beforeyougetstarted,wealsosuggestyoucreateatitleandabstractatAboutthisWork=>Info=>Work.Mouseovertolocatetheeditpencil.

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5.2.1:TherearetwowaystostarttocreateaLearningModule:

• Youwillreceivearequestfromanadminviaemailandthein-Scholarnotificationstocreateapeer-reviewedLearningModule.TakethelinkintherequestandyouwillreachablankLearningModule.Ifthisisthecase,jumpforwardto5.2.2.

• YoucanstarttocreateyourownLearningModuleatWorks=>New,thenfindaPublisherwhowilleitherpublishitdirectlyorarrangeapeer-reviewedprojectforyou.GotoAboutthisWork=>Publish.

5.2.2:GotoAboutthisWork=>Structure.Whenyougotocreateanewelement,youwillfindthattherearefourkindsofelementinaLearningModule:

• FullWidthSection,createsaheadingfollowedbyasectionthatcrossesbothcolumns.• Two-sidedSection,createsaheadingforatwocolumnsection.• Left(Member)SideofaTwo-sidedSection,isforcontentthatateachercanposttostudents.• Right(Admin)SideofaTwo-sidedSection,containscurriculumobjectives,standardsoradvicetoother

teachers.

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• TheinformationintheyellowpanelcomesfromAboutthisWork=>Info=>Work.• ThisisfollowedbyaFullWidthSection.

ThisishowyourLearningModuleshouldlookwhenitisfinished:

• Theinformationonthetop,whitepanelcomesfromaFullWidthSection.• TheheadinginblueistheheadingcreatedfortheTwo-sidedSection.• The‘FortheStudent’contentisfromaLeft(Member)SideofaTwo-sidedSection.• The‘FortheTeacher’contentisfromaRight(Admin)SideofaTwo-sidedSection.

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5.2.3:TocreateaTwo-SidedSection,usethepenciltooltorenamethe“UntitledElement”.ThetitlecouldreflectthecontentofthisUpdatesuchas“Overview”oraheadingfromaspecificcurriculumframework.Fortheelementtype,selectTwo-SidedSection.CheckDisplayHeadinginView/Outputbox.ThenSave.ThiselementisusedasatitlefortheUpdate.

5.2.4:Inordertocreatethetwosides–oneforthestudent/participantandonefortheteacher/instructor:-AddaNewElement,completetheelementheadingsomethinglike“FortheStudent”or“FortheParticipant”andsaveitasLeft(Member)SideofaTwo-sidedSection.-Repeatthisprocess,butcalltheelementheadingsomethinglike“FortheTeacher”or“FortheInstructor”andsaveitasaRight(Admin)SideofaTwo-sidedSection.

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5.2.6:RepeatthisprocessforasmanyUpdatesasyouwouldliketoincludeintheLearningModule.Youcanaddmoresections,deleteanysections,reordersectionsmouseoverthesectionlistingandusethe“move”symbol.Youcanalsoedittitlesusingthepencilsymbolatanytime.Alwayswaitforthegreencheckorticksignbeforetakingthenextaction—thistellsyouthatyourchangehassaved,andthisthatitisfinetomoveontothenextaction.

5.2.5:Thennestmember/adminsectionsundertheTwo-sidedSectionbyselectingthe“move”symboltotheleftoftheeditpencil,andmovingthemslightlytotheright.

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5.2.7:EnteryourcontentisintheCreatoreditorforeachelement,theLeft(Member)SideofaTwo-sidedSectionandundertheRight(Admin)SideofaTwo-sidedSection.TocheckwhattheLearningModulelookslikewhenitwillbepublished,justclickontheexport/printiconatanytimeand“ViewinBrowser”.

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HereisanupdatepostedtoacommunityfromaLearningModule.Somerecommendations:

• Ifatallpossibleincludemediaforstudentstomakeyourupdateinteresting(suchasanimageoravideo).Onemeasureofpotentialengagementofanupdateshouldbe,“howinterestingwouldthisupdatefeelinsocialmedia?”

• Ifyourstudentsreworkinginanunrestrictedcommunity,youmightalsosuggestherethekindofupdatethatyouwouldlikethemtomake.(Restrictedcommunitiesonlyallowadminstomakeupdates.Unrestrictedcommunitiesallowanycommunitymembertomakeanupdate.)

• Endtheupdatewithapromptorrequestforstudentstocommentordiscuss.Also,suggestthattheytalkamongthemselvesbystartingtheircomment.