Learning Objects

Definition of Learning Objects

There are several definitions for Learning Objects. In the following, you will find some of the most commonly used:

  • any entity, digital or non-digital, that may be used for learning, education or training (IEEE, 2001)
  • anything and everything can be used for learning and therefore must be considered to be a LO (Downes, 2003)
  • any digital resource that can be reused to support learning (Wiley)
  • learning objects are a new way of thinking about learning content. Traditionally, content comes in 'chunks' covering several hour of study. Learning objects are much smaller units of learning, typically involving study ranging from 2 minutes to 15 minutes (Wisconsin Online Resource Center)

If you are interested in a deeper understanding of the different meanings associated with the Learning Object concept, please refer to:

Learning Objects: A Practical Definition, by Rory McGreal