Not Another PDF, please: Using ThingLink scenarios and Camtasia to build engaging virtual learning objects

In this resource showcase, I presented ‘Refine Your Writing: Better Proofreading,’ a multimedia digital learning sequence I created as a Writing Skills Officer in the Academic Skills Service of the University of Southampton. This learning object sprang from my (and colleagues’) dissatisfaction with...

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Main Author: Alice Stinetorf
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Association for Learning Development in Higher Education (ALDinHE) 2024-10-01
Series:Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education
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Online Access:http://journal.aldinhe.ac.uk/index.php/jldhe/article/view/1440
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author Alice Stinetorf
author_facet Alice Stinetorf
author_sort Alice Stinetorf
collection DOAJ
description In this resource showcase, I presented ‘Refine Your Writing: Better Proofreading,’ a multimedia digital learning sequence I created as a Writing Skills Officer in the Academic Skills Service of the University of Southampton. This learning object sprang from my (and colleagues’) dissatisfaction with existing resources about proofreading: these largely elevate the ‘what’ over the ‘how,’ comprising little more than checklists of potential errors to look out for. I set out to create a resource that went beyond cataloguing to instead equip students with active strategies to interact with and enhance their texts.   In developing this resource, I followed best practices conveyed via the Learning Object Review Instrument (LORI), as well as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles (Leacock and Nesbit, 2007; CAST, 2018). My presentation outlined how the ThingLink ‘Scenarios’ feature can be used to build inclusive virtual objects through which learners advance at their own pace. Incorporating original videos edited in Camtasia, the result was a resource that was not only accessible, but more likely than a text-based webpage or narrated PowerPoint webinar to sustain learners’ interest. Indeed, I argued that aesthetics and delivery energy must be prioritised in the creation of digital objects whose use is suggested to, but not required of, university learners (i.e., resources maintained by academic skills services, writing centres, and so on).   Although the primary focus was on inclusive virtual objects, my presentation was of interest to conference attendees looking to expand their knowledge of the IT skills, software, and platforms underpinning their resource designs. To support this, I shared my ‘lessons learned’ after diving into ThingLink and Camtasis with this project.
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publisher Association for Learning Development in Higher Education (ALDinHE)
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spelling doaj-art-253b260ff7f74cc39cf51ecbbf56b2b42025-08-20T02:17:59ZengAssociation for Learning Development in Higher Education (ALDinHE)Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education1759-667X2024-10-013210.47408/jldhe.vi32.1440Not Another PDF, please: Using ThingLink scenarios and Camtasia to build engaging virtual learning objectsAlice Stinetorf0https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5931-8094University of Southampton In this resource showcase, I presented ‘Refine Your Writing: Better Proofreading,’ a multimedia digital learning sequence I created as a Writing Skills Officer in the Academic Skills Service of the University of Southampton. This learning object sprang from my (and colleagues’) dissatisfaction with existing resources about proofreading: these largely elevate the ‘what’ over the ‘how,’ comprising little more than checklists of potential errors to look out for. I set out to create a resource that went beyond cataloguing to instead equip students with active strategies to interact with and enhance their texts.   In developing this resource, I followed best practices conveyed via the Learning Object Review Instrument (LORI), as well as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles (Leacock and Nesbit, 2007; CAST, 2018). My presentation outlined how the ThingLink ‘Scenarios’ feature can be used to build inclusive virtual objects through which learners advance at their own pace. Incorporating original videos edited in Camtasia, the result was a resource that was not only accessible, but more likely than a text-based webpage or narrated PowerPoint webinar to sustain learners’ interest. Indeed, I argued that aesthetics and delivery energy must be prioritised in the creation of digital objects whose use is suggested to, but not required of, university learners (i.e., resources maintained by academic skills services, writing centres, and so on).   Although the primary focus was on inclusive virtual objects, my presentation was of interest to conference attendees looking to expand their knowledge of the IT skills, software, and platforms underpinning their resource designs. To support this, I shared my ‘lessons learned’ after diving into ThingLink and Camtasis with this project. http://journal.aldinhe.ac.uk/index.php/jldhe/article/view/1440multimedia digital learningeducational videosIT learning skillslearning technologiesinclusive learning designasynchronous learning
spellingShingle Alice Stinetorf
Not Another PDF, please: Using ThingLink scenarios and Camtasia to build engaging virtual learning objects
Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education
multimedia digital learning
educational videos
IT learning skills
learning technologies
inclusive learning design
asynchronous learning
title Not Another PDF, please: Using ThingLink scenarios and Camtasia to build engaging virtual learning objects
title_full Not Another PDF, please: Using ThingLink scenarios and Camtasia to build engaging virtual learning objects
title_fullStr Not Another PDF, please: Using ThingLink scenarios and Camtasia to build engaging virtual learning objects
title_full_unstemmed Not Another PDF, please: Using ThingLink scenarios and Camtasia to build engaging virtual learning objects
title_short Not Another PDF, please: Using ThingLink scenarios and Camtasia to build engaging virtual learning objects
title_sort not another pdf please using thinglink scenarios and camtasia to build engaging virtual learning objects
topic multimedia digital learning
educational videos
IT learning skills
learning technologies
inclusive learning design
asynchronous learning
url http://journal.aldinhe.ac.uk/index.php/jldhe/article/view/1440
work_keys_str_mv AT alicestinetorf notanotherpdfpleaseusingthinglinkscenariosandcamtasiatobuildengagingvirtuallearningobjects