As we develop online courses for the NET Project, faculty and our instructional designer identify learning content that is potentially reusable in a variety of settings. Once identified, we package the content into a single unit known as a learning object (LO). Learning Objects are small, reusable components of instructional media, much like instructional building blocks. Multiple blocks can be joined together to form a more comprehensive instructional unit, or individual blocks can be used to emphasize a particular aspect of learning. How you decide to piece together the instructional blocks of your learning unit is up to you!

We invite you to copy the URLs below and make use of these LOs in your course.

Educator Development

Concept Mapping
Concept mapping is a technique for visually representing the structure of information - how concepts within a subject are interrelated. At the end of this activity, users will understand how mapping can be used in education.

Teaching with Distributed Teams
In education, distributed teams are most often associated with online learning and are used to enhance learning through case-based or problem-based learning. This activity discusses the problem solving cycle and introduces tips and tools that insructors can use to enhance the progress of distributed teams. See companion learning object below that is intended to increase students' success in distrubuted teams.

Working in Distributed Teams
This activity introduces the problem solving cycle that distributed teams can use to solve problems; identifies tools to enhance the progress of distributed teams and identifies strategies to resolve problems associated with non-contributing or absent team members. Target audience: students.

Lecture Method
A well planned and carefully delivered lecture can dramatically improve knowledge retention and make connections to students. In this activity users will learn how to integrate lectures with other instructional methods to promote active learning.

Using and Writing Multiple Choice Items
Multiple choice items are a common way to measure student understanding and recall. At the end of this activity, users will be able to construct quality multiple choice test items and identify when to use them in assessments.

Using and Writing True-False Items
True-False questions are good for judging the accuracy of declarative statements. At the end of this activity, users will be able to construct quality true-false items and when to use them in assessments.

Using and Writing Matching Items
Matching questions are good for comparing related ideas, concepts or theories. At the end of this activity, users will be able to to construct quality matching items and identify when to use them in assessments.

Using and Writitng Short Answer Items
Short answer items are an effective measure of a student’s ability to recall accurately specific, target information. At the end of this activity, users will be able to to construct quality short answer questions and identify when to use them in assessments.

Using and Writing Essay Questions
Essay questions assess students' thought processes and their ability to apply, analyze, and synthesize knowledge. At the end of this activity, users will be able to write high quality essay questions and identify when to use them in assessments.

Anatomy of a Syllabus
The primary purpose of a syllabus is to communicate what a course is about, why the course is taught, where it is going, and what will be required of the students for them to complete the course with a passing grade. The Anatomy of a Syllabus presents the essential components of a syllabus.

The Testing Process
Though it is often considered linear in nature, test development is actually a cyclical process. Although, students change from semester to semester, assessment in an individual course is ongoing. At the end of this activity, users will be able to use this testing process to improve assessments.

Item Analysis
Educators strive to make valid and reliable classroom tests. As part of this process, institutions often provide educators with Item Analysis Reports. These reports provide a lot of data to educators that they can use to revise and improve their tests. After completing this exercise users will be able to read the reports and use them to revise their test items.

Navigating the World of Grading - With Audio
Navigating the World of Grading - No Audio
Problems in grading can arise because there's not one right way to score a problem. Expert graders will often differ, sometimes considerably, in their evaluations. In this activity, you will learn how to apply good grading practices to your assessments that will help you avoid inconsistent data and unfair scoring.

Creating an Inclusive and Effective Learning Environment
Providing an inclusive and effective learning environment that meets the needs of diverse populations is the goal of all good teachers. This activity provides suggestions for creating such an environment from course planning to in-class communication.

Legal Issues in Education
Academic institutions must comply with certain laws regarding equal opportunity, program and building accessibility, and privacy for both students and employees. This activity contains the essentials of four preeminent federal laws that protect your students’ rights.

Health Careers Workforce Diversity

Exploring Health Careers
Getting children interested in health careers at an early age helps them think about their options and make plans for schooling. This virtual visit to a clinic is appropriate for middle school-aged children. It introduces them to many health careers that are available to them.

Tips for Recruiting Minorities into Health Careers
To be part of the global society, colleges and universities need students from diverse backgrounds. Likewise, it is important to have diversity in health care professionals. This activity introduces users to many strategies for recruiting minorities into the health professions.

Working with Children

Learning Styles
When teaching, one must consider presenting materials for different learning styles. To compare styles it is helpful to examine one task being taught in each of the three learning styles: auditory, kinesthetic, and visual. Users will see examples of different ways of teaching children how to wash their hands.

Developmental Stages of Children
When mentoring children, it is important to know what characteristics they possess so that you can prepare age-appropriate learning activities. In this activity, users can explore the general, physical, emotional, social, and mental characteristics of children from 5 to 16 years old.

Nursing Profession

Nursing Organizations and Legislation Timeline
This timeline documents major organizational and legislative events in the nursing profession.

Nurse Practitioner History Timeline
This timeline documents major events impacting the Nurse Practitioner profession.

Clinical Nurse Specialists History Timeline
This timeline documents major events impacting the Clinical Nurse Specialist profession.

Nurse Educator History Timeline
This timeline documents the major events of the Nurse Educator profession.

Additional Resources

Additional reuseable content objects in the areas of Health Disparities and Patient Safety are available from the NEAT project website.