Life @ Otis : Faculty Life

Learning Objects

Learning objects represent a new way of thinking about learning content. Traditionally, content comes in several hour chunks. Learning objects are much smaller units of learning – self contained, reusable, and web-based.

Learning objects do not take the place of teachers or textbooks. Rather, they are supplemental content designed to appeal to a variety of learning styles and provide students additional opportunities to learn.

Since LOs are small, self-contained, independent chunks of knowledge, they can be re-used by others in multiple contexts for multiple purposes and presented as components of instruction or as reference information.

They should be based on a clear instructional strategy – intended to cause learning through internal processing and/or action.

The best Learning Objects are interactive, requiring students to view, listen to, respond to or interact with the content in some way.

LOs are often aggregated, collected, and grouped into larger collections of content for broad dissemination. Some subjects, such as science, have hundreds of LOs available. There are very few in the area of the arts. (More about learning objects here or here.)

Learning Objects by Otis Foundation Faculty

The Foundation Faculty have created various learning objects that may help you with your projects. All of these videos are also available on the Otis College Channel on YouTube.


Building a 6 inch Cube Form and Space	Cross Contour Drawing: Apple Exercise Drawing and Composition	Digitally Photographing 2D Art Life Drawing


Planar Head Portrait Drawing with Gary Geraths Life Drawing	Portrait Drawing with Gary Geraths Life Drawing	Structural Life Drawing with Gary Geraths Life Drawing

Value Step Scales using Gouache Principles of Design	Value Step Scales using Graphite Pencil Principles of Design	Warm to Cool Color Harmony using Gouache Principles of Design

Learning Objects by Otis Students: Patty Kovic's Typography 5 Class

As part of the curriculum, students were asked to identify a subject taught at Otis, collaborate with a teacher, and create a learning object using Flash. Otis students were empowered to create learning experiences directed toward their younger peers. Since they have the excellent design skills, the results were extraordinary. Take a look at the examples are listed below:

How to Construct a Foam Pyramid by Scott Benoit
How to Sew a Button by Brooklyn Brown
Green Printing by Linda Sum
Type Master by Reggie Galang
How to Mix Ink for Letterpress Printing by Estefania Bentes
Fabric Remix by Ava Lui

Sample Learning Objects from Elsewhere

Causes of Color
Color Vision & Art
Frameworks Learning Object
Build Your Own Classroom
Keyboard Components
Modern Mediasphere Interactive
Pigments Through the Ages
Podcast About the Podcast
Searching Effectively Using AND, OR, NOT
SmARThistory Blog Discussion and Learning Objects Created by Art Historians
The Information Cycle (15 minute Flash movie)
What is Information Literacy? (8 minute movie)

Otis Grants for Learning Objects

A percentage of the TLC's mini-grants will be reserved for the creation of learning objects specifically to enhance the curriculum for the Otis Information Competency Program.