Learning Materials
Scran Learning Materials
Case Study
1. Author details
| Name: | Pauline Park and Kenneth Park |
| Job title: | Lecturers in Travel & Tourism |
| Institution: | Cardonald College |
About the authors:
Pauline has worked as a lecturer in Travel & Tourism at Cardonald College since 1994. She is particularly interested in the tourism planning system both in the UK and overseas. She has developed various web-based learning objects including a web-based induction programme and a travel geography programme.
Kenneth has worked as a lecturer in Travel & Tourism at Cardonald College since 1994. He is interested in delivering distance learning programmes over the internet and is currently developing learning objects for the Virtual Learning Environment at Cardonald College.
2. The materials
The materials were created for the SQA Unit Tourism Planning & Development that is delivered to second year HND Travel & Tourism students. It is intended to deliver the materials through the VLE at Cardonald (Blackboard). The materials will be used to encourage students to think about some of the very complex issues and arguments that can results from new tourism developments.
The materials were created as they allow the students to actually see (though photographs and video) the positive and negative impacts associated with tourism developments.
The materials allow the students to actually see the tourism development before, during and after construction in a way that is difficult to convey using traditional classroom methods. It is hoped that because these materials encourage the students to interact with ‘real’ people affected by the development, they will think more deeply about the arguments that surround the development.
3. Creating the materials
The following process was used to create the materials:
- A complete review of the relevant Scran assets was undertaken and the assets required for the project were identified.
- A timescale was drawn up and agreed between Pauline, Kenneth and John Edmonstone (the project coordinator at Cardonald College). This timescale highlighted a number of milestones that had to be achieved on certain dates.
- The author and the developer discussed a structure for the material.
- The author wrote the materials and the developer created a structure into which the machines were to be located.
- The developer inserted the written material into the structure, edited and modified the Scran assets, inserted these assets into the material and finally created the quizzes.
- The project coordinator proofread and tested the materials.
- The material was written to CD ROM.
The materials were authored in Dreamweaver with an add on called ‘CourseBuilder’ that is used to create quizzes. Photographic assets were manipulated in Photoshop and video assets were manipulated in Media Studio Pro.
What are the main skills required in creating materials like this?
- Experience in the subject area.
- Knowledge of the pedagogic issues related to electronic learning.
- Knowledge of a web authoring application.
Describe any difficulties you experienced and how you went about addressing them.
There were no major difficulties encountered when creating the materials other than a previously identified problem involving downloading Scran assets specifically at Cardonald College (assets were downloaded at home). The project also ran over the 50 hours allocated for authoring.
What hints and tips would you offer to a colleague planning to create a similar resource?
For colleagues considering future projects there are a number of points worth considering:
- Plan your project thoroughly.
- Think of your target audience at all times.
- Set realistic targets.
- Ask someone to proof read the materials.
