57 A Year in Practice

Summer 2019

“A year in practice” is a good title for this assignment.  We’ve been at this just long enough for me to realize that this really will be a year of “PRACTICE” (along with trials and tribulations).  The one thing we all need is the one thing we really can’t have.  Time!  Even the tiniest creation can be excruciatingly slow because its’ all so new.  In some ways it’s like learning a new language.  Not complaining.  Just had to adjust expectations on what can actually be accomplished in a given time period.

My M.O. has become create, delete, start over.  Create, delete, try with a different tool. Mumble some words that in an earlier time would have ended with a bar of soap in my mouth.  Create, delete, start over.  Jump for joy because it works!  It’s not unusual to spend 2-3 hours trying to create something and literally have nothing to show for it at the end.

Nonetheless, I’m pretty excited about the interactive learning tools that we have at our disposal. Not only do I want to create more interactive learning objects for my students to enhance their learning, but I want to engage them in the creation of these as well.  And then make them Open under a CC license so other faculty and students in our field will have access.

One of the tools that is in beta at H5P is the Branching Scenario.  The Branching Scenario allows for the creation of a simulation game.  The branching scenario

is a flexible content type that enables authors to present a variety of rich interactive content and choices to learners. Learners make choices that determine the content they will see.  The authoring tool… allows authors to structure the content as a tree with multiple branches and endings.

I can see great potential for a cluster project or cluster course where we bring together Communications and Media Studies students (video production) and Theatre students (scriptwriting and acting) with students in the Health and Human Enrichment Cluster to create some interprofessional (healthcare) interactive scenarios.  An example of this type of branching scenario is available here https://h5p.org/branching-scenario.

I’ll continue to muddle through and eventually become proficient at using these tools.  I’m hoping to connect with others that are using H5P and Pressbooks.  There is quite a learning curve and I think we could help each other.