Learning Materials
Scran Learning Materials
Case Study
1. Author details
| Name: | Martyn Gorman |
| Job title: | Reader in Zoology |
| Institution: | University of Aberdeen |
About the author:
I have been teaching zoology for over 30 years, first at the University of the South Pacific, Fiji and then at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. My main research is in the ecology of mammals but I have very broad interests in zoology. I have been involved in computing since the early 1970s. More recently I have become involved in using the Internet to deliver teaching materials. I would say that I am proficient in IT.
2. The materials
‘The Slaughter of the Whales’ was written to support a second year undergraduate class in Ocean Biology. However, I think and hope that it will be useful for anyone interested in whales and whaling, from the upper primary school onwards.
Why did you want to create these materials?
There is a rich body of images in Scran that help people to appreciate just what is was like to go whaling in the 19th century and also to make them appreciate just how widely whale products were used in past times. Humans, as apes, are a very visual species and the use of rich images helps enhance their learning experience in every way.
How will your materials benefit learners?
By seeing things for themselves, rather than just by reading about topics and then imagining them.
3. Creating the materials
The application that I have produced is web-based. I used Dreamweaver to construct and manage the site and Paint Shop Pro to manipulate the images that I have used.
What additional support did you need in creating the materials?
I employed an artist to produce a couple of paintings to support the project.
What are the main skills required in creating materials like this?
An ability to use and to search the internet; a reasonable proficiency in writing web pages; some experience in manipulating images; some aptitude for graphic design; an ability to distil large amounts of information into a short account suitable for the web; an enthusiasm for the subject.
Describe any difficulties you experienced and how you went about addressing them.
None really.
What would you do differently next time?
Nothing.
What hints and tips would you offer to a colleague planning to create a similar resource?
Plan the project carefully from the beginning. Have a clear consistent layout throughout the site. Make sure that the navigation is easy, consistent and obvious. Strictly limit the amount of information on a single page – reduce scrolling to a minimum.
Recommendations – please note any reading, software, websites, online courses etc that were useful to you.
Dreamweaver and Paint Shop Pro are a dream, and highly recommended!
