The development of a tool to enhance online teaching materials

By Luke Miller

ScHARR (School of Health and Related Research)

Acronyms to watch out for...

MOPE (My Online Page Editor)MOLE (My Online Learning Environment, aka Bb Learn)VLE (Virtual Learning Environment)DL (Distance Learning)UoS (University of Sheffield)

• Current state of affairs!• Higher Education Institutions turning to online learning ( + border

agency rules)• Students wanting to learn more flexibly

• ScHARR developing 3 new online programmes:• IHTAPR (International Health Technology Assessment, Pricing and

Reimbursement)• Masters of Public Health (Distance Learning)• MSc in Advanced Emergency Care

• Largely based on face-to-face modules• Hence, lots of content to convert to online

• Developed with ‘competitive’ timescale• A solution was needed!

Background

• My Online Page Editor (MOPE) was born• Why MOPE? – we like acronyms (MUSE, MOLE etc.)• Model of a Learning Technologist putting all content in our VLE was not

favoured:• A bottleneck• Staff should be trained / self-sufficient

• MOPE developed organically working with academic staff• What is it?

• Content page builder with a pedagogical focus• Easy to use – allows staff to build pages of content based on page ‘elements’• Spits out disposable HTML code which can be pasted into the UoS’s VLE as pages in a

Learning Module• Pages can be previewed• Also pages can be saved to your computer

Approach

• MOPE written in-house, by me, over period of 16 months, using Visual Studio

• Links to style sheets (.css files) stored centrally in VLE’s Content Collection

Approach

• Runs on any PC connected to shared network drive – not on Macs (yet)

What can MOPE pages include?• Text• Images (attributed)• Videos / screencasts *• Weblinks• Glossary terms• References• Approximate study time• Tables• Quotation boxes• MCQs *• Reveal boxes *• Tasks / activities *• “Tutor says...” boxes *• Etc.

Results

And what do MOPE pages look like?

Here is an example. This one includes:

• Suggested study time

• Friendly video welcome from tutor

• Defined session objectives

• Introduction

• A ‘tutor says’ box prompting self-reflection

Results

What is so special about MOPE?• Pedagogical merits (3 elements)• Activity boxes, tutor says & reveal boxes

Results

Staff evaluation:• 14 staff ‘trained’ to use MOPE • Includes academic, administrative

and 2 Learning Technologists

“most staff are able to use MOPE because it is so intuitive and straightforward.”

“the MOPE tool has proved essential. Any member of staff can quickly and easily create highly functional pages with clearly-defined, interactive content”

Conclusion

Student Evaluation:• What students think? What did

they ‘like about the modules’?

“The availability of the content and method of delivery was excellent, a good mix of approaches and easy to use/read”

"Information was presented in a very logical and clear format”

“I really enjoyed the course, the content was excellent, the instructions were really clear, and the teaching was fantastic”

The future of MOPE• Growing organically (based on student, staff feedback)• Where I want to take it (educating staff more esp. creative commons)• Expanding into other departments / schools• An online version is being developed

• Can use from anywhere, any browser across any platform

• Support website under redesign – launches in Jan 2013

Does anybody want to have a trial?

If so, express an interest via: http://tinyurl.com/usemope

Conclusion