Review by: Frencken, Henk (2005-09-13)

The book ‘Reusing Online Resources. A sustainable approach to e-learning’ is a must for those who want to familiarise themselves with ‘Learning Content Management Systems’ (LCMS) quickly.

The term ‘Learning Content Management System’ does not occur in the book at all, however the book does deal with what the use of an LCMS revolves around: how can learning content and processes be computerised so that they can be stored, used, combined and contextualised? And not just whether that can be done, but also whether it will be done. In short, of what use is it for a provider, recipient or designer of teaching?

The seven questions about the reuse and sharing of resources which the book poses are:

• How can digital resources be used to support learning?
• How can resources be reused in different teaching models?
• Why is standardisation necessary?
• Is there an optimal size for reusable resources?
• Should resources include contextual information?
• How will educational institutions change?
• Is it possible to share resources on a global scale?

These questions form Chapter 1 of the book. Each question is briefly explained, and these explanations can be read again on www.reusing.info. Chapter 1 and the introductions to the next four parts of the book can be found there in their entirety. An ongoing debate can be found there and useful resources. A page with a list of all the web links that are in the book would have been handy, as there are some very useful things tucked away there. Take a look sometime at: reusability.org, www.tasi.ac.uk/newusers.html, or: otis.scotcit.ac.uk.

But back to the seven questions. In the book twenty-nine authors attempt to answer all seven in nineteen chapters. They do not always succeed, but most of the chapters are fascinating and enlightening. Some observations on a number of the chapters now follow.

Chapter 3, ‘Keeping the learning in learning objects’, goes in detail into the concept of Learning Objects. LOs are the digital building blocks in an LCMS, sometimes represented as small lego pieces with teaching content. Threaded together, they produce as if of their own accord dynamic and completely computer-controlled lessons and courses. This chapter shows that fortunately the world is more complicated than that. A great many aspects are discussed: the relationship with the context of the course and the method of approach; the paradox between separate learning blocks and constructivist learning theory; the need for both metadata and the willingness to apply it; and so on. By reading this chapter I was able to ditch a number of professional prejudices about LOs and their usefulness.

Chapter 4 ‘Engaging with the learning object economy’ subsequently aroused my enthusiasm. The paradigm in the university world by which people are appraised on publications and not on teaching is a stubborn one. The chapter argues that good Learning Objects, with the metadata associated with them, can become the currency in the learning object economy: “…within public sector education, we are … likely to see the emergence of micro trading economies where resources are exchanged within and between recognized communities of practice.” This is then underpinned with good arguments and inspiring examples.

In Section 5 Rob Koper of the Netherlands Open University establishes the link between reusable learning resources and pedagogically meaningful learning units. As one might expect, the work of the Netherlands Open University in the area of metadata and standards is prominent. But a solid attempt is also made to link that work to a realistic picture of a psychology lecturer who is trying to put a new course together in the short amount of time available to him.

Chapter 7 ‘Reusable educational software: a basis for generic learning activities’ struck another chord with me: Learning Objects need not consist only of content, or of exercises or tests. Learning activities can be described generically and embedded in templates. In turn these templates then themselves become Learning Objects. My explanation here is probably not convincing. But I was immediately able to apply the idea in an application from a faculty for Leiden University’s ICT&O innovation fund. So it’s a good book.

Some wonderful discoveries are hiding in the chapters of this book, too many to mention in this review, such as that from Betty Collis, in another ‘Dutch’ contribution to the book. There are also some very nice ones in the penultimate chapter, ‘An incremental approach to staff development in the reuse of learning resources’, by Allison Littlejohn, the editor of the book, such as the use of storyboarding from the video world in learning to design courses.

This review is originally published on the SURF E-learning Themesite http://e-learning.surf.nl