RECAL: a sustainable strategy for developing multilingual medical learning objects

Stewart Cromar, David Dewhurst and Michael Begg

Learning Technology Section, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, UK

LT S

Project Overview
Throughout the 1990s one cornerstone of computer-based learning in bio/medical sciences was the multimedia Computer-Assisted Learning (CAL) program - twenty years later few are still technologically viable. In many cases, however, the content is still relevant and high quality. The RECAL project based at the University of Edinburgh is providing methods and technologies that safeguard the educational content, while allowing for simple authoring/editing, adaptable delivery options, and establishing a future for CALs. Although the focus of RECAL has been existing pharmacology and physiology CALs the processes developed, which decouples the learning objects from their runtime application, is applicable to any discipline. Bespoke disaggregation tools allow RECAL to safely and systematically liberate the pedagogy, learning resources and sequencing from legacy applications. This methodology is achieved via architecture that consists of three key components: web-based tools a standards compliant assets repository extensible delivery/export options

Eastern European Translations

A major new survey was conducted in early 2010 focusing on the replacement of animal use in teaching in Eastern European Universities (in association with Professor Zvezdana Kojic, University of Belgrade). Following survey data analysis, the translation programme began in late 2010, and to date the RECAL process has now been used effectively to develop over 30 eastern-European language versions of several computer-based alternatives. The impact of this software as an effective alternative to physiology and pharmacology laboratory practical classes has been measured in a nal series of surveys targeted at both faculty and students. The 15-month translation process for these 33 CALs involved the management and coordination of 4 UK e-learning developers and 12 European academics (translators) from 7 different countries. Devising a quick and efcient logistics strategy ultimately resulted in the adoption of a number of low-tech, high-yield solutions. Project administration was effectively managed through Google docs, a natural t for a multi-site project. In regards to software choice for document translation, Microsoft Ofce was the common denominator and required no additional training (or licences). For the nal review stage, the academic authors would inspect the translated content online via a private URL. When signed off, each participating institute would receive both a webdeliverable and ofine CD-ROM version for distributing to the student end-users. Given the diverse academic user group (mostly non-technical), an advanced training programme would have been required to enable the translators to execute the translation process completely independently. If nancial resources were agreeable, additional e-learning development could have enabled this autonomous system.

Architecture and Methodologies

Collaborative CAL authoring, editing and publishing is achieved via an authenticated project website. Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) are described and catalogued as Dublin Core metadata records within a repository. CAL delivery is powered by a custom install of the Labyrinth engine - an experimental educational pathway authoring and delivery system developed within the University of Edinburghs Learning Technology Section. Key methodologies associated with the RECAL process are archived in a community written support wiki. The wiki documentation focuses on several key steps; CAL disaggregation, asset revitalization, data mining, RLO cataloguing and CAL publishing. Programs can be delivered to the end-user: 1. from the RECAL website 2. via a remote client on a secondary website 3. as a standalone CD-ROM (or .ZIP le) 4. exported as an IMS Content Package

Word document comparing English and Traditional Chinese

Guinea Pig Ileum DOS program

Adobe Flash asset in Traditional Chinese

Project Deliverables
Cat Nictitating Membrane IMS Content Package

an online suite of authoring, cataloguing and publishing tools 66 CAL programs disaggregated and revitalised

Online Surveys
Surveys using Bristol Online Survey (BOS) were conducted three times between September 2008 and October 2009. The main purpose of the surveys were to: 1) identify the current teaching practices in physiology and pharmacology for laboratory-based practical classes in different national settings in varied programmes, 2) explore lecturers perceptions towards the use of computer-based resources for teaching and 3) inform the development of a more effective dataretrievable questionnaire for future online surveys. Findings from these three surveys can be summarised as follows: developing countries seem to use more animals, as well as a wider range of animals universities in eastern and central Europe (e.g. Romania and Macedonia) appear to use a high number of animals the patterns of animal use, such as number of animals and species used, vary signicantly according to country there is a need to devise tactful questions to improve the response rate on the numbers of animal used and what kinds of tissue preparations are used for practical classes (only 30% of respondents answered these particular questions)

including 33 foreign language versions (Bulgarian, Czech, German, Greek, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Romanian, Serbian, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, and Ukrainian) almost 5000 discrete learning objects (interactives, images & text) have been catalogued and deposited

Contact Us
Please contact us for more information: email: stewart.cromar@ed.ac.uk browse: www.recal.mvm.ed.ac.uk tweet: @project_recal

Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the Lord Dowding Fund (NAVS, UK) for their generosity in providing the funds to enable these learning packages to be developed. browse: www.ldf.org.uk

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