This document provides guidance for teachers on finding and creating educational resources. It discusses strategies for conducting searches on the open web, in open educational resource repositories, and on MOOC platforms. Various formats for resources are compared, including considerations for audio, video, text, and ebooks. Tables provide templates for teachers to audit existing resources and plan new content creation. Tools for making multimedia resources like audio, video, and ebooks are outlined. The goal is to help teachers effectively develop and adapt high-quality learning materials.

1. 1
Chapter Three – Create
The Create C is concerned with helping teachers find appropriate resources and
evaluate their relevance. It covers freely available resources, such as Open
Educational Resources (OER) and materials available on Massive Open Online
Courses (MOOCs), as well as materials that are not free. The Capture designs help
teachers decide how these resources will be used and to what extent they need
to be adapted to meet the context of the learning intervention. In addition, there
are designs that help teachers create new resources; such as interactive
multimedia, audio and video resources. In other words it covers the ways in
which search engines, OER repositories and social bookmarking can be used to
find and collate relevant resources and activities.
Resource audit
This design helps teachers to decide how they will source the content for their
module/course, including the possibility of incorporating OER produced
elsewhere. It consists of a template (Table 1); teachers brainstorm potential
content and then add the content they find to the appropriate cell in the
template. The table enables them to define what format the content is in, i.e. text
and graphics, audio, video, slides or other, as well as indicating to what extent
the content needs to be adapted or whether content needs to be created from
scratch. As well as providing them with an evolving and growing list of resources
for the course/module, it enables them to get a sense of how long it will take to
develop the content and the level of technical expertise needed.
In the case of text-based resources, the approximate number of words should be
indicated, along with a description of how the text will be displayed, i.e. as a web
page, or in a blog or wiki and, if possible, the link for the resource should be
included. The appropriate Creative Commons licence should be indicated for
OER. For audio, video and slide resources, the tool that is used to create the
resource should be noted, along with a link to it and the appropriate Creative
Commons licence. Similarly the tool used to create other kinds of resources
should be listed, along with the link and Create Commons licence.
Table 1: The Resource Audit Template
Content
(under the
appropriate
licences)
Format
Text and
graphics
Audio Video Slides
(such as
PowerPoint
or Prezzi)
Other
(such as
Adobe
presenter)
What I find
and reuse as is
What I find,
tweek and use

2. 2
What I find,
repurpose and
use
What I create
for this
course/module
What I get the
learners to
create!
Example of a completed resource audit
Table 2 provides an example of a completed resource audit
Table 2: An example of a completed resource audit
Content
(under the
appropriate
licences)
Format
Text and
graphics
Audio Video Slides
(such as
PowerPoint
or Prezzi)
Other
(such as
Adobe
presenter)
What I find
and reuse as is
OER for
section 1.
Reflective
task from
source Z.
Guidelines
on
assignment
writing
3 minute
Podcasts for
each
section,
introducing
the section,
the content
and the
objectives.
Ten minute
Podcast for
Section 3,
interview
with an
expert in
the field.
Four
iTunesU
resources
for Sections
1 and 7,
approximate
learning
time 2
hours. One
hour TED
video for
Section 4.
30 minute
Slideshare
with audio for
Section 5.
Organisation
X’s website
What I find,
tweek and use
OER
resource for
Section 2.
Assessment
rubric for X.
What I find,
repurpose and
use
OER for
Section 3.
New
Podcast
based on X.
Slides
adapted from
resource Y.
What I create
for this
course/module
Introduction
to all
sections of
the module.
5 e-tivities.
Summaries.
Assessment
rubrics
5 to 8-
minute
summaries
of key points
per section.
Advice and
guidance for
assessment.
A 5-minute
talking head
to introduce
the
programme
and the
academic
team.
Support slides
for sections 4,
7 and
Detailed
presentations
for sections 2,
3 and 6.

3. 3
Feedback on
draft
assignments.
What I get the
learners to
create!
An activity
getting the
learners to
contribute
to a wiki,
building up
a glossary
for the
course, on
the key
definitions
and
concepts.
Learners
keep a
reflective
blog of their
learning.
Each
learner is
assigned a
topic to
research
and is asked
to produce
a five-
minute
Podcast on
the topic.
Learners are
assigned to
group and
create a
shared
slideshare
presentation
on a
particular
topic.
Strategies for finding resources
If you ask teachers what would help them make more effective use of
technologies in their teaching, they want two things: relevant resources and
examples of how technologies can be effectively use, preferably in their subject
discipline, and people who they can connect with and discuss design practices
and effective teaching strategies. However, finding appropriate resources is non-
trivial and takes time. Furthermore, teachers lack the necessary digital literacy
skills to make informed evaluation judgments about the effectiveness of
resources that they find. This design provides guidance and support to address
these issues; it provides strategies for finding and evaluating resources. Table 3
provides a rubric consisting of questions and guidance for teachers on how to
carry out effective searching strategies. The first colum in the table provides
questions and guidance on finding resources, using: search engines, OER
repositories, MOOCs, discipline specific sites, publishing houses and professional
bodies. This includes links to useful websites of resources. In the second column
the teacher lists the topics for which they wish to find resources. In the third
column they list the resource they have found along with an indication of how
the resources will be used, which can feed into the Resource Audit design,
described earlier.
Table 3: Rubric of questions and guidance on finding resources
Question or guidance Descript
ion of
the topic
Detai
ls of
searc
h
resul
ts
Using search engines. Based on the topic, brainstorm key words, try and be
specific, as general words will generate a lot of links. Useful links for

4. 4
strategies for using search engines:
http://www.commoncraft.com/video/web-search-strategies
http://www.slideshare.net/LinscheidLib/using-search-engines
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/library/support/findinginfo/search-engines/
http://www.bruceclay.com/eu/seo/usekeywords.htm
http://www.google.com/insidesearch/features/images/searchbyimage.
html
http://google.about.com/od/googlepowersearches/qt/wildcardqt.htm
Using OER repositories. Some useful links to OER repositories and
resources:
https://openeducationalresources.pbworks.com/w/page/27045418/Fi
nding%20OERs
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELi7061.pdf
http://www.jorum.ac.uk/
http://www.edutopia.org/open-educational-resources-guide
http://www.col.org/resources/crsMaterials/Pages/OCW-OER.aspx
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/publications/programmerelated/2013/Openeduc
ationalresources.aspx
http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/infokits/oer/
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/new-to-
teaching/oer/introduction
http://www.cincinnatistate.edu/online/faculty-resources/online-
repositories-for-open-educational-resources
http://wikieducator.org/Exemplary_Collection_of_Open_eLearning_Cont
ent_Repositories
http://edtechreview.in/news/561-national-repository-of-open-
educational-resources-by-mhrd
http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm
http://www.elearning.eps.manchester.ac.uk/blog/2011/open-
educational-resources-list/
http://crln.acrl.org/content/73/6/334.full
Using MOOCs. Some useful links to MOOCs.
http://www.educause.edu/library/massive-open-online-course-mooc
http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-you-should-
know-about-moocs
http://www.mooc-list.com/
http://www.openculture.com/free_certificate_courses
http://www.technoduet.com/a-comprehensive-list-of-mooc-massive-
open-online-courses-providers/
http://www.moocs.co/
http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/distance-
learning/moocs-(massive-open-online-courses)/
http://distancelearn.about.com/od/isitforyou/tp/Top-Massively-Open-
Online-Courses-Moocs.htm
http://aelsnet.net/links-to-moocs/
http://www.teachthought.com/technology/list-75-moocs-teachers-
students/
http://www.connectivistmoocs.org/
http://moocnewsandreviews.com/mooc-around-the-world-our-global-
list-open-online-classes-part-3/
Discipline specific sites and resources. Some useful links to discipline
specific sites and resources:
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/disciplines
http://www.crlt.umich.edu/category/tags/discipline-specific-
resources
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/new-to-teaching
http://oerconsortium.org/discipline-specific/

5. 5
http://www.smu.edu/Provost/CTE/Resources/TeachCourse/Disciplin
e-SpecificIdeas
http://teachinglearningresources.pbworks.com/w/page/19919550/D
iscipline-specific%20Resources
http://www.ciwf.org.uk/resources/default.aspx?gclid=CIfHtbCDjb0CF
WvjwgodI5wATg
http://medicaleducation.wikifoundry.com/page/Discipline+Specific+R
esources
http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/k-leand/craft/disciplines.html
http://www.texascollaborative.org/disciplinespecificresources.htm
Publishing houses and resource from professional organisations:
http://www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk/?gclid=CKitqZ6Djb0C
FenjwgodPnQAfw
http://highered.mcgraw-
hill.com/sites/0073383775/student_view0/discipline-
specific_resources.html
http://www.cisco.edu/s/926/index.aspx?pgid=569&gid=1
Tools to create resources
This design provides guidance and support on creating resources, whether these
are interactive multimedia resources, audio resources, video resources,
presentations or other types of resources. It includes advice on which format is
most appropriate in a given context, suggested tools and tips and hints for
creating the resources. Resources can be displayed as simple web pages or in an
institutional Learning Management System (LMS). Bird lists the following free
mobile-friendly LMSs for interactivity: Edmodo, Course Sites (the free version of
Blackboard), iTunes U Course, Wordpressblogs, Facebook private groups, and
Xerte which was developed by Nottingham university. Making materials
available on iTunes U is increasingly popular. There are a number of advantages:
it is possible to distribute the materials in pdf, epub, mp3 and mp4 formats, it is a
mechanism for sharing materials with the world, it is compatible with both
Windows and Mac computers, it is possible to create an iTunes U Course as an
individual teacher, and iTunes U Course is private to your students. Note,
however, that iTunes U Course is IOS only.
Table 4 compare the different formats that resources can be displayed in,
highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Table 4: Comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of different formats
Medium Positives Negatives Reason for
choosing or not
choosing
Text Speed
Reuse of preexisting
material
Flat
Does not
communicate emotion
Image A lot can be
communicate in a
single image
Can be misleading
without context
Audio More can be
communicated
Not seen as flashy as
video

6. 6
through audio than
just words
Convenient for
multitasking, learners
can listen whilst
doing other things
Video The most information
is conveyed via video
Great for
demonstrating skills
Bulky and padded
Demands attention
With the increased interest in the use of smart phones and mobile devices,
ebooks are being used more and more for displaying content. These devices
mean that learning anywhere, anytime is now a reality and an increasing number
of learners have mobile devices. They are also particularly useful in developing
countries or areas where there is limited access to the interest. There are a
number of ways in which these can be created. Table 5 provides a summary of
the different formats that can be created for ebooks and their advantages and
disadvantages. Bird suggests the following advice in terms of choosing which
format to use. For phones she suggests using epub, although you might also want
to consider .mobi. For tables use pdf and if BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) create
both if pssible. Calibre is a good tool for creating ebook resources. First you need
to save a word file as html. Then you import into Calibre and save as either an
epub or mobile. Note that pdf to epub does not work well. An alternative tool is
epubud.com. Given the prevalence of iPads and iPad Minis iBooks Author is
worth considering. It can be used to create engaging and attractive resources.
Bird also lists the following as additional facts about ebooks: embedded
multimedia ebooks are only IOS at the moment, a useful App for Android devices
for epub books is Aldiko, the Kindle App is versatile and can be used on any
device, if your institution has a production department, it is worth considering
buying inDesign and, finally, if you are an individual producer you might want to
consider buying a Mac and getting pages for creating documents. Picture books
are useful and popular with learners. They can be just simple pdfs and can
include illustrations, maps and drawings.
Format Devices Advantages Disadvantages Reason for
choosing or
not choosing
pdf Everything Runs on
everything
Does not flow so
hard to read on
small screens
epub Everything but
Kindle
Best for phones
Flows, takes
advantage of the
device’s power
Futureproofed
Cannot view on a
computer screen
unless a reader is
installed, such as
Calibre
Mobi Kindle Kindle is big Kindle only
iBooks Apple iBooks
only
Pretty and easy
iPad is market
leader for now
Apply iBooks only
Notation is a
problem
There are a number of advantages of sound. Firstly, copyright is easier if the
sound is from recorded lectures and there are now a number of video capture

7. 7
systems that can be used to create not just video but sound, such as Echo360 and
Panopto. One advantage of audio over video is that the file size is considerably
smaller. Another advantage is that the listener can do something else at the same
time. One of the disadvantages of video is that many academics are reluctant to
see themselves on screen, this is not an issue with audio. Another advantage is
that voices conveys more than text and it is possible to convey emotion. Audio
has been useful used to provide learners with feedback on their assignments for
example. Finally, it is an excellent and easy way to close distance, particularly
useful with distance learners, who can often feel isolate. The following is a list of
common and free tools for creating audio: Audacity, Garageband, and Window
Sound Recorded. It is advisable to save as mp3 rather than wma or wav. Two
other useful tools to consider are AudioBoo and SoundCloud, these are similar in
quality to YouTube in terms of sound. With these tools you record in the
browser. It is possible to attach comments in the browser or simply upload.
However, there is a limit to the length of the recording with these tools. It is also
possible to create threaded sound discussions, particularly useful if you are
wanting learners to collaborate. Three useful tools are: WimbaVoiceBoard, Voice
Thread and Voxopop. Bird lists the following as ways in which audio can be used
by learners: for audio feedback on assigments – there is evidence from research
that this results in increased marks and student retention rates,1 voice
discussion, for use with field work, for example a learner can listen to a teacher’s
description of a flower and then they can audio-record their own comments and
findings, and finally, learners can generate their own content, for example by
using AudioBoo for the iPhone.
As described in the table, video presents the richest presentation mode. YouTube
is one of the most popular sites for sharing video, although it is important to note
that it is not available in some countries, such as China. Key statistics about
YouTube include: the fact that there is a ten minute limit, it is easy to embed in
blogs and LMSs, comments can be added, YouTube provides good statistics on
how the video is being used, an excellent way of sharing and branding
institutional resources, and it is a good way to convert files to mp4 format.
However, a disadvantage is that it is difficult to download videos from YouTube.
An alternative to YouTube is Vimeo. It is possible to create longer videos than
with YouTube, there is much less junk, it is easy to use and to download the
videos. Other tools or sites include: ScreenR, Screencast-O-Matic (browser
based), CamStudio which is a free Windows application, Quicktime Pro, free on
Macs. Other alternatives include: Camtasia, Captivate and Articulate with are all
very good and can enable you to create rich interactive materials, but these tools
are not free.
There is increasing demand from students for having lectures recorded, so that
they can go back and replay. There are a number of options, the whole lecture
can be recorded, just the audio can be made available, or audio plus slides. Two
options are possible, live streaming or making the lectures available as
downloads. One issue is that a significant amount of server space is required and
this is expensive. Screen capture software include: QuickTime, Camtasia and
1 See for example the Duckling project, http://www.le.ac.uk/duckling

8. 8
iShowU. Simple narrated Powerpoints are particularly effective and can be
created on sites such as Slideshare or within PowerPoint.