This summer I happened across a couple great resources on the web for educational multimedia addicts like me:
MERLOT: Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching. MERLOT is a great place to find online learning objects and simulations.
JOLT: the Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, where I found a wonderful article on designing virtual courseware.
Robert A. Desharnais (California State) and Melvin Limson (American Physiological Society) combine efforts to clearly and concisely outline a comprehensive set of guidelines to follow when creating online, learning simulations. I think it a very worthwhile read for anyone undertaking such a task. I hope you find it as valuable as I have. I’ll post their abstract and ten guiding principals here to whet your appetite:
Web-based learning objects continue to evolve as technological advances enhance our ability to create and share high-quality learning resources. An important class of learning objects are simulations intended to supplement traditional science instruction. After several years of experience in this endeavor, the Virtual Courseware Project has arrived at a set of ten design principles that it uses to guide its development of new web-based learning activities. These guiding principles place an emphasis on educational standards, open-ended inquiry-based learning, scientific methodology, critical thinking, and an intuitive and interactive user interface that includes linear tours, assessment tools, and documentation.
The Ten Guiding Principals -
(1) Align to learning standards or objectives
(2) Make the software web-based and easily accessible
(3) Design with the three “i’s” in mind: interactive, intuitive, and inquiry-based
(4) Reinforce scientific methodology and critical thinking skills
(5) Create open-ended simulations with linear demonstration tours
(6) Use randomization algorithms that simulate experimental error
(7) Provide mechanisms that allow students to record and save experimental results
(8) Incorporate assessment tools
(9) Allow customization by instructors
(10) Provide online help for students and supporting documentation for instructors
(Full Article)
The article goes into finer detail about each of the above principals. I’m not sure I’m convinced you need each and every one to make a fine learning simulation, but each does play an important part when it comes to such endeavors. I also found it re-assuring that I have always tried to hit at least six of the ten when designing my own.
And take a look at ScienceCourseware.org – The Virtual Courseware Project. There is some really good stuff here for science teachers.
