Networked learning

Synonym: learning object. One piece of knowledge/information created by the author for educational aim. Digital learning element are delivered (stored) in standard digital formats (txt, jpg, htm, xml, etc.). The medium of delivery could be picture, text, audio, video, animation.
To access and search learning objects they should be described with metadata, which are arbitrary (artificially defined) descriptors, essential attributes. (The number and type of metadata will be defined by Tenegen Consortium in the phase of developing the repository according SLOOP concept.). The metadata gives the possibility to create a searchable, accessible relational database (RDB) for storing learning elements. According their pedagogical aims, the learning elements may be categorized as: explanation, concept, tasks, tests, problems, etc.

learning objects – “separable units of educational material which
can be combined and reused in a variety of contexts”

Synonyms: aims, purposes, goals. The LOs express the intentions of the instructor, describe what he/she want to achieve within the module. They are clear concepts to express the direction of the module, they are descriptions of the most important competences the module will develop. Broad statements that will include many subordinate competences.
All the applied tools (learning elements, course components, methods, coaching) to deliver the module, should promote the participants to achieve the LOs. The teaching effectiveness of the instructors’ will be evaluated against the objectives.

Learning Outcome (OC) is the fixed, measurable result of one or more events of teaching/learning.
Learning outcomes are the competences planned to develop by the learning activities within one or more units. The OCs will be demonstrated by the students’ assignments. (OCs define “what we get back from the students” versus LOs which define “what the instructor intended”).
Between the LOs and OCs there is a one-to-many relationship, which means that to one objective belong several learning outcomes, connected to the units.
To formulate the outcomes is suggested to use Bloom’s Taxonomy (see Annex 2.). The description of module LOs and OCs should have a standard taxonomy within a course, that is the reason why we should create a so called competency framework. CF is nothing else but a table, in which the competences of the modules can be seen together.
Remark: in the module syllabuses we must pay attention on the dependency among the units-OCs-assessments. Between the assessment element there are “many-to-many” relationship. In one assignment the student may be asked to prove several competences, and inversely one special competence may be assessed in different assignments. This fact could give arise difficulties in the course design.