Evaluation of Learning Materials in MERLOT

Evaluation: Learning Object Repository: “The Russian Revolution”

Authors: John Sutherlin, Ralph Brown III, and Edward Eller

Described as: "A learning object that explores the Russian Revolution of 1917"



Quality of Content:

1. Does the software present valid (correct) concepts, models, and skills?
The content presented was accurate and provided multiple global perspectives of material. Content is derived from primary and secondary sources that are implemented in the lesson. A month by month breakdown of the revolution centered on primary sources, and events make it easy for learner to study content chronologically.


2. Does the software present educationally significant concepts, models, and skills for the discipline?

The content is part of World History core content that is imperative in connecting concepts such as Nationalism, Imperialism, Militarism, and the shaping of new governments around the world. Teaching the Russian Revolution can be difficult for many teachers, however this learning object breaks down events in Russia in 1917 month by month in relation to revolutionary ideas and actions. This format is helpful for teachers and students alike to build on sequencing of events.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching-Learning Tool:

1. What stage(s) in the learning process/cycle could the materials be used?

This learning object could be used after High School level students have been introduced to Communist ideologies and readings, learning about Nationalism and Imperialism movements around the world, and learning about the political and military climate in Europe and the world before 1917. This learning object could be used to enhance student learning and understanding of individual perspectives of Russians during 1917 living through the revolution. This could also be used as an effect way to have students analyze primary and secondary documents and reflect and evaluate them individually or in groups.

1. Explanation or description of the topic/stating the problem

To teach student the sequential events that took place each month of 1917 in Revolutionary Russia. Evaluation and analysis of primary and secondary source material, new ideologies, and geographical context.

Demonstration of the curriculum/exploration of the problem

This learning objective could enhance student learning if used for primary and secondary analysis and evaluation by students. It could also be beneficial for auditory learners and visual learners because information is narrated and images enhance content. If material was presented without context students would not benefit. This learning object would also not be useful for independent student learning because lack of navigation and direction for content.

2. Practice using the curriculum/analysis of the outcomes from solving the problem

Students could use articles in learning object that specifically are from outsiders that address their view on the events studied. There are many New York Times article links that students could evaluate and reflect on their interpretation of why they believed the author(s) wrote what they did. Students could also create a journal or article from the viewpoint of a Russian citizen living in 1917.

3. Applying the curriculum to "new" problems/application of the outcomes to other problems

Students will be able to reflect on how the Russian Revolution of 1917 changed the shape of government ideology, how it contributed to WWI and its long term affects on Russia and its political history and the history of our modern world.


2. What is (are) the learning objective(s)? What should students be able to do after successfully learning with the materials?

Students should be able to define communism, Students should be able to recall names of revolutionaries and revolutionary parties, Students should be able to evaluate and analyze primary and secondary documents and reflect and interpret in writing, students should be able to understand the geography of the Russian Revolution in 1917.

3. What are the characteristics of the target learner(s)

High School and College level students who are visual and auditory learners and have skills in writing, analysis and evaluation skills of primary and secondary resources.

4. Does the interactive/media-rich presentation of material improve faculty and students' abilities to teach and learn the materials?

Yes because it provides images and links to articles and interactive maps for students, along with discussion questions to access and review throughout learning object.

5. Can the use of the software be readily integrated into current curriculum and pedagogy within the discipline?

This learning object could easily be used in a World History High School level class with some adaptation and background knowledge. However, lack of direction and interactive features that require student interaction and feedback would prevent independent student learning with this material. It would have to be teacher led and partly direct instruction.

6. Can the software be used in a variety of ways to achieve teaching and learning goals?

Absolutely, this learning object has great primary and secondary material and images included that could be used for anyone teaching the Russian Revolution of 1917. Teachers and students can use the great wealth of information in this learning object to best fit their goals.

7. Are the teaching-learning goals easy to identify?

One of the first things you see is a stated purpose: “This is a learning object on the Russian Revolution in 1917” but the learning and teaching goals are not easily identified in this material. There are discussion questions that guide teaching and learning, but no clear goals. Again, lack of clear direction and navigation through the object make it difficult.

8. Can good learning assignments for using the software application be written easily?

Absolutely, the possibilities are endless because this is such a broad subject and because there is a lot of content to be covered.

Ease of Use:

1. Are the labels, buttons, menus, text, and general layout of the computer interface consistent and visually distinct?

No. There is no navigational tools in place except months of the year, which are not labeled well.

2. Does the user get trapped in the material?

One could if they chose not to use the audio that coincides with the learning object because they are using it for their own goal or purpose.

3. Can the user get lost easily in the material?

It is possible because of the amount of links to resources and material in each month.
4. Does the module provide feedback about the system status and the user's responses?

No, there is no interaction between the user and system

5. Does the module provide appropriate flexibility in its use?

Yes because of amount of information and scope of subject matter and content

6. Does the learning material require a lot of documentation, technical support, and/or instruction for most students to successfully use the software?

Yes, I would not use this software without my guided instruction or supplemental lesson plan that coincides with resources and material in the learning objective. This is not for student led instruction or independent work.

7. Does the material present information in ways that are familiar for students?

Yes, basic image and text presentation that mirrors PowerPoint, however not as sequential or easy to navigate as other formats. The audio that accompanies the learning objective is a great feature.

8. Does the material present information in ways that would be attractive to students?

I do not believe so; very little student interaction and no input, along with lack of navigation would seem confusing for many students.

Personal Learning Reflection

When I sat down and re-read my Personal Growth Plan that I submitted the first week of class, I must say I was pleasantly surprised. I suppose that I did not realize that the goals I set the first week would actually be accomplished. I feel that CEP 810 allowed me to grow professionally and personally in so many ways.


Two specific goals that I had hoped to learn about during this course really stand out to me. First, I wanted to find ways to communicate and collaborate with educators outside of my building and district. By learning about PLN’s, RSS subscriptions and joining countless educational forums and blogs, I feel that I have only started to utilize the so many resources I have at my fingertips that I never existed. I plan to continue to grow my PLN for the rest of my career. This course gave me a chance to not only find the right path for educational collaboration, but also allowed me to follow what interests me.

The second goal I feel that I achieved during this course stated in my Personal Growth Plan is using free applications and software to collaborate and share my work. The SIG proposal, plan and presentation really was imperative in learning these tools. When working with a group that exclusively can only work through the Internet and collaboration tools, I learned great ways to create, share, modify, contribute and chat with people across the world. I have already begun to implement these collaborative tools and applications in my own classroom.

In this course I have not only found what teaching strategies work well for myself when integrating technology, but I also discovered many for my students. I now know that technology skills need to be built upon, and practiced. I also learned about Google Earth, Google Notebook and Wiki’s which have the potential to be great ways to effectively teach while integrating technology.

This course gave me the opportunity to evaluate resources that may or may not be useful for myself as an educator. I enjoyed how I was allowed to discover and make my own decisions, and was not forced to accept what the college believed were the best. By learning new avenues and expanding my PLN, I was given the opportunity to grow.

I believe that the SIG project really exemplified good teaching with technology. As students, we had to create, share, communicate and present together through the use of technology. I believe that student led learning is highly beneficial, and the SIG project had all the elements of a great way to teach with technology.

Throughout the past weeks, I have found myself being excited for the weeks lessons, and sharing what I am learning with friends, family and colleagues. I have so many new goals and ideas just from the lessons I learned in my first course in the Educational Technology program. A long term goal is to get my Masters in Educational Technology from MSU. I also have the goal of helping my district to implement technology in all grade levels. I also realize that I need to implement technology into my own classroom first, which is why I have the goal of having at least one element of technology in every lesson I teach. I understand that this will take years and a lot of work, but I am excited to get started! CEP 810 has been such a positive learning experience for me not only as an educator, but personally as well. I cannot wait to learn more!

Learning Styles

I can remember always being frustrated in school because my Visual learning style was always being distracted by auditory learners and lessons. I am the type of person who cannot study in groups, needs complete silence and have to read notes over and over to get a mental image for tests. I tend to picture the location of material I need to recall mentally. Independent learning was always my favorite in the classroom. I would prefer to go at my own pace and learn by myself. However, after I knew the material or understood the content, I always would teach my fellow classmates, putting it in my own words. I do learn well from lectures ironically, but I think it is because I take my own notes and can visualize the words on paper. As much as I try to vary my lessons to reach all learning styles in my classroom, I tend to teach to the auditory learner most. After reflecting on this learning style quiz and lesson, I realize that I probably would not do well in my OWN classroom. I plan to address this in a fashion that will hopefully reach all learners, not just visual learners like myself. Teachers always struggle with the best practice in their classroom, and the ultimate goal is to reach every student. Unfortunately, the reality is that we probably wont. I believe that our focus as teachers is to have student led instruction, which will allow students to dictate and take ownership of their personal learning. I have found that not only do student learn more in student led instruction, but they are also more engaged.

Creative Commons

I can use the image below in my World History class. I will use it to visually show my students how Japanese imperialism was planned. Students have just learned about European imperialism and it will be good for them to learn about imperialism in the east as well. Students will be able to understand how Nationalism can lead to imperialism all over the world.

Photo Attribution
Original Image: "Japans plan to take over the world"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kalleboo/2470237557/

By: Karl Baron
Released under an Attribution Licence
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

Be sure to check out my own Flickr page!