National Antivisection Society
2004-05 Education - RLO approach to stimulating use of alternatives in education
For almost 20 years, the LDF has been working with Dr David Dewhurst of the University of Edinburgh to develop programmes replacing animals in university practicals, saving countless animals all over the world.
In November 2003, Dr Dewhurst’s team concluded a three-year project developing computer-based learning materials in biomedical sciences as alternatives to animals in undergraduate teaching. The LDF then began funding a new three-year project (RECAL) to create a package that would enable teachers to assemble personalised teaching and learning materials replacing animals in higher education.
The impact of alternatives such as CAL (computer-assisted learning) programmes on replacing animal experiments depends upon the willingness of academics. Academic diversity and institutional conservatism are often barriers to new learning materials – if a learning aid does not meet all the needs of an institution it will be rejected. This may lead to continued, and clearly unnecessary, use of animals in teaching.
Teachers have indicated that they would like to use certain components of the CAL programmes but would like to be able to customise them. For example, they may need a facility for drugs to be added to, or deleted from, a pharmacology programme, add different videos or translate from English. Another problem is that, typically, all the components of a multimedia CAL are locked into the application and linked intrinsically to its delivery mechanism. Also, changes in technology (such as the change from DOS to Windows) may result in the delivery mechanism becoming obsolete.
This project is developing a workable solution to these problems. This has now become possible with developments in Internet technologies and the concept of digital reusable learning objects (RLOs) and repositories. Thus, it is possible to give teachers the building blocks (digital RLOs) and tools to create their own learning resources. The RLOs are stored in a digital repository which can be searched and suitable RLOs can be downloaded. These can then be aggregated using tools and learning design templates. Teachers would be able to combine selected RLOs with new components of their own. They will have a choice between the existing CAL programmes developed with LDF funding, or they can create their own from these.
The project is also revitalising components where necessary and producing different languages, storing components in a readily available on-line repository; developing a simple to use authoring or reaggregation tool and learning design templates to enable teachers to reassemble assets, add new ones etc., as well as developing new learning objects.
Dr Dewhurst says: “Once initiated it is anticipated that this project will involve and benefit all teachers wishing to use alternatives both as donors and users of RLOs. It would overcome language problems and stimulate the introduction of alternatives into many new curricula with a consequent saving of animals and animal suffering. The potential for saving animals in education worldwide would be greatly increased by having different language versions which would work across any technology platform.”
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