Seven Steps in Designing the eWriting Learning Objects (LOs)

1. Seven Steps in Designing the eWriting Learning Objects (LOs) eWriting: ESL Writing Success September 2002 – August 2005 ESL/Foreign Languages Department Presented by: Michaela Tomova, FIPSE Grant Manager

2. Project Overview • Goals • Content and scope • Collaborators • Dissemination and publications

3. Step 1 :Defining an LO What is an LO? Definition of the eWriting LO: The LO is a one hour, self-contained, reusable unit of online instruction. It neither links out, nor does it depend on other LOs for pre or post instruction. It pre-tests students’ knowledge of the target concept, and measures learning through a post-test. It incorporates a variety of technology tools for online instruction and addresses all learning styles.

4. Defining an LO: First Steps The “Learning Clock”, FIPSE Focus Group, April 17, 2003, Group Work

5. Defining an LO: First StepsFIPSE Focus Group

6. Step 1: Defining an LOComponents of the eWriting LO: • Learning objective • Time on task • Pre-test • Warm-up/Introduction • Lectures (teacher talk with examples) • Activities • Post-test • Survey (paper and on-line version) • Answer key • Feedback to wrong answers • Links to additional online references to reinforce learning

7. LEARNING Pedagogical expectations: Learning objectives Range in scope and size Purpose and goals Teaching strategies Activities, content, assessment Learner focused Interactive, adaptable. NEW! Various learning styles addressed, LO themes introduced OBJECT Practical expectations: Easy to use Accessible Searchable Identifiable Customizable Integrate-able Improvable Sellable, etc, etc. Defining an LO: WebCT Online Seminar:

8. Step 2 :Team Selection and Writing the Curriculum(we’re almost there!) • Team selection • Training • Course design: • The college writing and grammar competencies • Developing a Table of Contents for the six levels • Outlining the writers’ instructions and format • Determining the pre and post test requirements • Providing a checklist of LO components • Setting the eWriting schedule

9. The “First steps” in piloting tested: The content in terms of appropriateness of level, length of the LO, students’ understanding, clarity of instructions, usefulness of activities, interest and positive response. Initially, classroom piloting facilitated: The evaluation process Revision and editing of LOs Evolution of piloting strategies and results: Revised piloting instructions Extended time for LO classroom delivery Error analysis and feedback for all activities in the LO Better feedback and evaluation data Step 3 : Classroom Test Piloting(work in progress)

10. Step 4 :Evaluation: Purposes and Tools (Dr. Barry Greenberg) • Classroom interviews • Measuring learning

11. Step 5: Programming(work in progress) • Hire and train programmers • Develop online tutorials • Design online templates • Select tools to develop online LOs • Hot Potatoes • Lectora

12. Step 6: Online Piloting(third year project) • Facilities: the ESL lab • Students’ surveys • Collection of final evaluation data

13. Step 7 :Evaluation and Final Product • Samples of online LO activities: Level 2 Level 6

14. Seven Steps in Designing the eWriting Learning Objects (LOs) THANK YOU!