# Introduction to Learning Objects
## General LO information

There are varying definitions about what a Learning Object is. Rehak & Mason define a learning object as: "a digitized entity which can be used, reused or referenced during technology supported learning" (p. 21). This is in contrast to a (they say) different common definition: "A small chunk of learning which serves a learning objective". (ibid)
However, there is general consensus that a learning object should be:
* reusable - can be modified and versioned for different courses
* accessible - indexed and retrieved using metadata
* interoperable / portable - operate across different hard/software
* durable - remain intact across upgrades of hard/software
(Rehak & Mason)
Having a fully reusable set of Learning Objects (LOs) requires:
* LOs themselves
* their descriptions expressed in metadata
* the purpose or goal of the LO in a particular learning ccontext
* the overall learning context, including the learning approach, the learner audience, the learning objectives, and relationships to other LOs that make up the learning experience
* the behaviour, descriptions of constraints and rules on the use and sequencing of the LOs within the overall learning experience
* the delivery context (environment)
(Rehak & Mason)
Other definitions are :
* "Any entity, digital or non-digital, that may be used for learning, education or training"
* "Any digital resource that can be reused to support learning"
* "Web-based interactive chunks of e-learning designed to explain a stand-alone learning objective"
The Contradiction: note that Wiley and Rehak&Mason define LO as digital (and CETL says they are web-based and interactive), but the LOM standard states they may be non-digital...
Read:
* Learning management system
* Use and Abuse of Reusable Learning Objects (Pithamber R. Polsani - Learning Technology Center, University of Arizona)
Explore:
* Content Commons (Connexions) - an repository of Learning Objects (Their circle of fifths learning object is cool, I think)

## Metadata

Creating cute, interesting learning objects is probably going to become (if it hasn't already) a trendy educational craft for institutions in the coming years. LOs may even become a type of currency in an educational capital exchange system, if some folks have a say.
The nuts and bolts of how to store and retrieve them, advertise their existence, classify, homogenize and standardize them is a job terse enough for OOPies and quirky enough for Kurzweiliophiles.
The IEEE has come up with an open standard:
* IEEE 1484.12.1 – 2002 Standard for Learning Object Metadata
(See Learning object and Learning object metadata)
Here's the simplified outline for a "standard" LOM model:
Simple enough, eh? See m:Learning Object Metadata for the Topic:MediaWiki Learning Object integration project. If there is enough interest, we will look into incorporating Learning Object Metadata into the MediaWiki engine. See also MediaWiki Project.

## Human Touch

Section 5 - the Educational part of the specification is perhaps the most interesting in terms of w:Human-machine interface and the socio-technical usage of such a specification or model. We'll see if we can make some sense:
* 5.1 Interactivity Type
* 5.2 Learning Resource Type
* 5.3 Interactivity Level
* 5.4 Semantic Density
* 5.5 Intended End User Role
* 5.6 Context
* 5.7 Typical Age Range
* 5.8 Difficulty
* 5.9 Typical Learning Time
* 5.10 Description
* 5.11 Language
Read:
* m:Talk:Learning object metadata - Conversation between me and JWSurf about the possibility of using LOM in a Wiki environment
Explore: Do some searches for "Learning Object" adding the terms above to your search. Let's see what you find:

## Object Orientation

Object-Oriented Programming as developed by Booch, Rambaugh, and Jacobsen is terse and complex, but the UML is a way to visualize these complexities. Here are some ideas that may help to create programmable learning objects in UML terms here at Wikiversity:
* Entity relationships – institution/faculty/student_body -> curriculum
* Model and schema – learning community / collaborative learning -> curriculum
* Role, identity, activity – teacher/learner dialog
* Metaobject facility – Wikiversity
Object-Oriented Programming of learning objects can be done at a higher level of abstraction using a UML model to define learning objects and their interfaces. For example, learning objects intended for sharing knowledge in the subject of Geography most certainly would include maps. A UML model of a class in Cartography could use a shared map at Google maps. The map itself would become what is called a metaobject with a set of points of interest each being a learning object containing data and geographic information about that point. As the shared map is explored by a learning community, its value as a learning object increases as participant content is added. This pattern of usage will quickly fill in the LOM (learning object metadata) form as the "metamap" grows into a full-fledged learning object that becomes reusable, accessible, interoperable, portable and durable. Even though Google hosts the map itself, the descriptions, photos, articles, factoids and other entries reside in a completely abstracted model that is reconstructed and adapted fluently at a very low cost each time it is used.

## Research

Think with me. Are Wikiversity:Templates Learning Objects in themselves? Talk with me.