Learning materials reusability in higher education: Elements for designing digital collections from a knowledge management perspective

Abstract

This paper reports on an exploratory reusability study of digital learning material. Materials from eight university professors and the corresponding chat interviews were collected and analyzed from a qualitative inquiry perspective and using the grounded theory method. Sensitizing initial concepts from education, design, computer and information science were used in the initial approach to collect data, but the analysis results were rooted in actual material and chat texts. Interviews with university professors and the analysis of different digital learning materials led the research team to define eight categories or code families which are related to reusability. Such code families are: (1) learning promotion, (2) access, (3) emotional appeal, (4) technical suitability, (5) effective graphical and textual communication, (6) creativity, (7) collaboration, and (8) subject authority and the y offer the structural elements for designing and implementing collections of digital learning material. The latter are the basis for knowledge management oriented systems aimed at sharing and preserving digital learning materials.