Supporting the development of pedagogically sound learning environments using learning designs and learning objects

In a climate where Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is becoming mainstream within the higher education sector, academics are faced with the ongoing challenge of incorporating World Wide Web and Internet technology within their teaching practices. Coupled with a “quality” agenda, academics will be required to examine their instructional strategies and to offer high quality learning opportunities. Reuse, in the form of sharing learning resources and modelling expert practice are seen as strategies to help academics in this change process. Whilst online repositories of learning resources (learning objects) are flourishing, what is lacking are tools to support academics to design pedagogically sound learning environments. This paper describes a prototype tool, the Smart Learning Design Framework (SLDF), that uses “learning designs” to assist academics construct high quality learning environments in which learning objects are incorporated.