Implementation and Evaluation of a Course Concept Based on Reusable Learning Objects

This article describes the implementation and evaluation of a learning objects based computer aided system for an advanced engineering course at Ghent University, Belgium. A new syllabus concept was introduced: students had access to a Web-delivered component and received an identical printed component as two sources of information additional to the altered lectures. The latter were redesigned as interactive, application-oriented sessions, centered around two case studies which actively engaged students in the learning process. Both pre-test and post-test surveys were conducted to investigate the impact and the effects of the new teaching approach. The following issues were addressed: changes in students' attitudes toward the use of ICT; the impact of the new approach on students' ways of learning; and their appreciation for the entire course concept. The issue whether multimedia and lectures are complementary or alternative in nature as well as some gender related issues are also discussed.

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