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MERLOT - A Digital Library of Learning Objects and the Librarians Role

MERLOT - A Digital Library of Learning Objects and the Librarians Role. Terry L. Weech Graduate School of Library & Information Science. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA Revised 25-5-04. Background: E-Learning Issues. Economics of E-Learning

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MERLOT - A Digital Library of Learning Objects and the Librarians Role

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  1. MERLOT- A Digital Library of Learning Objects and the Librarians Role Terry L. Weech Graduate School of Library & Information Science. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA Revised 25-5-04

  2. Background: E-Learning Issues • Economics of E-Learning • Cost Effectiveness (Part-time Teachers) • Cost Benefit (Students do not have to relocate) • Profit Center (Full tuition is paid) • Politics of E-Learning • Increase Diversity of Student Body • Fashionable method of delivery

  3. University of Illinois Experience • For more than 50 years had Off-Campus and Correspondence Courses • Proposed satellite program in Chicago not approved • Friday’s Only program for commuting students implemented in early 1990s • Need to meet needs of alternative students (racial and ethnic minorities, single mothers, etc.)

  4. University of Illinois Experience • In 1995 a Internet Web Based program was proposed • The program was originally call called Leep because it was a Library Education Experimental Program • LEEP was the first web-based degree granting program in the University and one of the first web-based LIS degree program in the U.S.

  5. LEEP Distance Education Program • Background • Masters of Science in Library & Information Science • Site independent • Primarily Internet-based • limited on-campus component • synchronous • asynchronous • Began 1996 - see http://leep.lis.uiuc.edu

  6. Teaching & Learning in LEEP • Students • 205 students. They have resided in 46 states (from Alaska to Florida), Washington DC, Virgin Islands, and 13 Countries around the world. • High retention, graduation, and placement rates (342 have graduated since established in 1996)

  7. Teaching and Learning in LEEP • Teachers • GSLIS full-time faculty (Perhaps 30% teach Leep) • Adjuncts (part-time) from 11 locations • Irvine, California to Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

  8. Teaching and Learning in LEEP • Courses • 48 different courses • Examples: • Core - reference, cataloging, administration, collection development • Serving special groups - media programs and services for children and young adults, adult public services, community information systems

  9. Support of E-Learning Faculty • Need to Support Faculty Developing e-learning materials • Need to Evaluate e-learning materials • To Reward Faculty for Developing e-learning materials (Tenure & Promotion) • MERLOT has been developed to take steps to meet these needs.

  10. What is MERLOT? • Merlot stands for: • Multimedia • Educational • Resource for • Learning and • Online • Teaching

  11. What is MERLOT? • MERLOT is an online repository of links to thousands of learning materials • MERLOT Provides a mechanism for evaluation of learning material by faculty peers in selected disciplines • MERLOT publishes sample assignments to demonstrate classroom applications • MERLOT links people with common interests in a discipline.

  12. Vision & Mission • MERLOT’S VISION is to be the place where faculty from around the world will share teaching-learning materials and pedagogy. • MERLOT’S MISSION is to improve the effectiveness of teaching & learning by expanding the quantity and quality of peer-reviewed online learning materials that can be easily incorporated into faculty designed courses.

  13. Aspects of MERLOT • MERLOT is a COOPERATIVE • INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS • ORGANIZATIONAL AFFILIATIONS • INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS • MERLOT is a SET OF PROCESSES Peer review of online teaching-learning materials and building online, discipline-based communities. • MERLOT is SOFTWARE A searchable database of online learning materials, pedagogical support, and people.

  14. THE SOFTWARE

  15. Browse Business Discipline Page

  16. Peer Review of “Computer Literacy”

  17. Member Comments on “Computer Literacy”

  18. Link to “Learning Style Questionnaire”

  19. Member Comments on Questionnaire

  20. Add Assignment Page

  21. THE PROCESSESMERLOT Principles • Be Faculty Focused • Recognition for Teaching & Learning • Faculty-led Evaluation • Be Focused on Teaching and Learning • A Teaching Community rather than Teaching Alone • Working Together Works • Make Tools EFFECTIVE, EASY, ENJOYABLE

  22. Biology Business Chemistry Engineering Faculty Development Health Sciences History Information Tech. Mathematics Music Physics Psychology Teacher Education World Languages MERLOT DISCIPLINE GROUPS

  23. Peer Reviews • Faculty Discipline Teams: • Adopt evaluation standards • quality of content • potential effectiveness for teaching & learning • ease of use • Develop peer review process • Develop roles and responsibilities as MERLOT reviewers • Use MERLOT Worksites to sustain productivity

  24. MERLOT’s Value The solutions to some local, institutional problems requires global strategies. • MERLOT is: • committed to free access for end users • built upon the principle of open exchange of ideas • almost 180 faculty working in concert • about 100 faculty development and academic technology personnel supporting its use • a leveraging of partner resources

  25. LIBRARY COLLEGE CONCEPT • The “Library College” is not just a College Library. It is a philosophy of delivering education through integration of library resources and services with classroom instruction. • It began as the development of an undergraduate teaching library that integrates classroom instruction with library resources through the assignment of both teaching faculty and librarians to “team teaching” projects involving the course content from course development through content delivery and student assessment. Essentially librarians are part of the teaching faculty team.

  26. MERLOT AND LIBRARIANS • MERLOT,as a database of evaluated learning objects in a variety of disciplines, provides an opportunity for librarians and teaching faculty to work together in planning and developing online course materials • TheLIBRARY COLLEGEconcept provides the tradition to facilitate this partnership between librarians and teaching faculty as in developing and assessing online learning materials

  27. MERLOT AND LIBRARIANS • Academic Librarians are impacted by course presentations and assignments given to students • Faculty are knowledgeable about subject content, but may not be aware of options for presenting content to students • Collaboration of faculty and librarians can improve outcomes

  28. MERLOT Library Initiative • Development of MERLOT taxonomy through collaboration of faculty, librarians, and publishers • Librarian Participation in Editorial Board activities • Improving metadata; contributing materials; • Reach out to librarians to participate in MERLOT

  29. Visit: http://taste.merlot.orgfor more informationThank You!Email: weech@uiuc.edu

  30. Questions?Contact: Terry L. Weech Illinois Project Director for MERLOT E-mail: weech@uiuc.edu

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