14 research outputs found

    Designing Adaptive Instruction for Teams: a Meta-Analysis

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    The goal of this research was the development of a practical architecture for the computer-based tutoring of teams. This article examines the relationship of team behaviors as antecedents to successful team performance and learning during adaptive instruction guided by Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs). Adaptive instruction is a training or educational experience tailored by artificially-intelligent, computer-based tutors with the goal of optimizing learner outcomes (e.g., knowledge and skill acquisition, performance, enhanced retention, accelerated learning, or transfer of skills from instructional environments to work environments). The core contribution of this research was the identification of behavioral markers associated with the antecedents of team performance and learning thus enabling the development and refinement of teamwork models in ITS architectures. Teamwork focuses on the coordination, cooperation, and communication among individuals to achieve a shared goal. For ITSs to optimally tailor team instruction, tutors must have key insights about both the team and the learners on that team. To aid the modeling of teams, we examined the literature to evaluate the relationship of teamwork behaviors (e.g., communication, cooperation, coordination, cognition, leadership/coaching, and conflict) with team outcomes (learning, performance, satisfaction, and viability) as part of a large-scale meta-analysis of the ITS, team training, and team performance literature. While ITSs have been used infrequently to instruct teams, the goal of this meta-analysis make team tutoring more ubiquitous by: identifying significant relationships between team behaviors and effective performance and learning outcomes; developing instructional guidelines for team tutoring based on these relationships; and applying these team tutoring guidelines to the Generalized Intelligent Framework for Tutoring (GIFT), an open source architecture for authoring, delivering, managing, and evaluating adaptive instructional tools and methods. In doing this, we have designed a domain-independent framework for the adaptive instruction of teams

    Modeling Learner Mood In Realtime Through Biosensors For Intelligent Tutoring Improvements

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    Computer-based instructors, just like their human counterparts, should monitor the emotional and cognitive states of their students in order to adapt instructional technique. Doing so requires a model of student state to be available at run time, but this has historically been difficult. Because people are different, generalized models have not been able to be validated. As a person’s cognitive and affective state vary over time of day and seasonally, individualized models have had differing difficulties. The simultaneous creation and execution of an individualized model, in real time, represents the last option for modeling such cognitive and affective states. This dissertation presents and evaluates four differing techniques for the creation of cognitive and affective models that are created on-line and in real time for each individual user as alternatives to generalized models. Each of these techniques involves making predictions and modifications to the model in real time, addressing the real time datastream problems of infinite length, detection of new concepts, and responding to how concepts change over time. Additionally, with the knowledge that a user is physically present, this work investigates the contribution that the occasional direct user query can add to the overall quality of such models. The research described in this dissertation finds that the creation of a reasonable quality affective model is possible with an infinitesimal amount of time and without “ground truth” knowledge of the user, which is shown across three different emotional states. Creation of a cognitive model in the same fashion, however, was not possible via direct AI modeling, even with all of the “ground truth” information available, which is shown across four different cognitive states

    Evaluation of the development and application of multimedia computer assisted learning in Higher Education.

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    This thesis deals with approaches to the evaluation of multimedia computer assisted learning in higher education. The thesis is presented in two parts. The first part consists mainly of a literature based review of the rationale and methods employed in the development of multimedia CAL systems focusing on the ability of such systems to deliver a variety of pedagogic aims and objectives which the literature on the subject generally attributes to them. This was done in order to identify and examine the important features which should be incorporated in the effective evaluation of such systems. 1) the pedagogical basis of multimedia learning environments with particular reference to the mechanism by which they claim to encourage an approach to learning which facilitates 'deep' rather than 'shallow' learning' (Chapters 3 and 4); 2) the basis on which multimedia CAL systems claim to provide interactive learning environments which allow the teaching materials to be tailored by learners to accommodate their own individual preferences for adopting particular learning strategies. In particular this focused on the importance of individual learning styles and learners' degree of computer confidence (Chapter 5); 3) the institutional/delivery factors which must be understood to explain fully the context in which evaluations are carried out and which may have important effects on the outcomes of evaluation (Chapter 6). This literature review, together with a practical survey of a range of existing CAL courseware and an e-mail survey of CAL developers provides the basis for presenting an approach to evaluation which differentiates systems on the basis of the pedagogic approach they adopt and the context in which they are implemented. Finally, a critical review of existing evaluation methods was undertaken and important elements within these methods were incorporated into a new framework for evaluation. The framework provides a tool for determining an evaluation strategy that encompasses all stages of development, formative and summative evaluation of CAL courseware. Evaluation is based on the explicit aims and objectives of the courseware being provided and is moderated by contextual factors that define the pedagogical approach being taken, any individual learner differences that must be taken into account, and the institutional/delivery context within which the courseware is used. An analysis of the implications of the framework when formulating an evaluation strategy demonstrates weaknesses in the assessment instruments currently being used in evaluation studies - particularly for providing reliable measures of 'learning effect' as part of summative evaluation and also with respect to accurate quantification of costs associated with development and use of CAL courseware. The second part of the thesis tests the framework. The approach taken was to develop and formatively and summatively assess a multimedia CAL system used to teach parts of a course on bibliographic classification to students at the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. Qualitative and quantitative tests to accomplish this are described and the result of statistical analyses of learner performance when using the system are presented. This empirical study provides further insights into the practical problems involved in developing and evaluating a multimedia CAL system and in particular highlights: 1) the influence which individual learning style (as measured by the Gregorc Style Delineator) has on student performance in a context in which postgraduate students were required to use the CAL courseware rather than attend lectures - results indicate that CAL does not serve all learners equally; 2) the importance of the delivery context in a study in which undergraduate students were provided with CAL materials to supplement the delivery of their course. The evaluation framework was found to be a robust framework for developing and testing didactic teaching packages which were developed in the context of improving the quality of the teaching and learning of bibliographic classification to both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Recommendations are provided for future research based on using the framework to explore other contexts in which courseware is developed and implemented

    Adaptive Course Flow and Sequencing through the Engine for Management of Adaptive Pedagogy (EMAP)

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    Abstract. The Engine for Management of Adaptive Pedagogy (EMAP) is the Generalized Intelligent Framework for Tutoring's (GIFT) first implementation of a domain-independent pedagogical manager. It establishes a framework within GIFT that adheres to sound instructional system design, while also providing tools and methods to create highly personalized and adaptive learning experiences. In this paper, we present the components of the EMAP, we highlight their utility when authoring an EMAP managed lesson, and we review the limitations associated with its first instantiation. Introduction The Generalized Intelligent Framework for Tutoring (GIFT) is being developed as a domain-agnostic solution to authoring, delivering, and evaluating adaptive training solutions across an array of domains and training applications. While GIFT's initial development focused on establishing a standardized architecture for building Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) functions to support distributed learning events, recent work has centered on extending the adaptive capabilities the framework affords. As a result, the Engine for Management of Adaptive Pedagogy (EMAP) was developed. The EMAP is based on an extensive literature review of instructional strategy focused research within computer-based trainin

    An investigation of the development and adoption of educational metadata standards for the widespread use of learning objects

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    This research investigates the development and adoption of educational metadata standards for the widespread use of learning objects. Learning objects, metadata, the related IEEE standard and the various application profiles derived from the standard are discussed. A number of standards and specifications for educational metadata used to describe learning objects are explored, namely the Dublin Core, IMS, SCORM, ARIADNE, CanCore and the UK LOM Core. Three metadata editors and the experience with using one of them, RELOAD, is described. These educational metadata specifications are used in a practical metadata implementation scenario and the experiences are extrapolated to derive a localised instance of the generic IEEE standard. A new application profile is proposed, “RU LOM Core”, for the South African higher education context. Some existing results are confirmed about the complexity of using the IEEE standard and it is demonstrated that it is possible to instantiate the standard for South African conditions. The results are largely qualitative and based on practical experience. However, the results concur with results from related research. Although the development of an application profile is certainly not new, the development of RU LOM Core illustrates that the IEEE standard, developed largely within the northern hemisphere, can be adapted to work in the South African scenario. RU LOM Core has been developed for the South African higher education environment and takes linguistic and cultural diversity and the low rate of technological literacy into consideration. The lessons learned and the proposed LOM core can be built upon in further research and collaboration to use and support the use of such standards within South Africa

    Proceedings of the 3rd international symposium for engineering education ISEE2010: Educating engineers for a changing world - leading transformation from an unsustainable global society

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    The twenty first century and beyond will present human society with a set of unprecedented challenges emanating from the unsustainable nature of the current societal model. Clearly society must find a transformative model to a sustainable future, and fast. Engineers, with their technical know-how and systems approach to problem solving, are well placed to lead this necessarily multidisciplinary and collaborative endeavour. However, engineering education must provide twenty first century engineers with the necessary tools to undertake the massive challenges ahead. The 3rd International Symposium of Engineering Education took place at University College Cork on 30th June - 2nd July 2010. This significant international conference explored a number of key issues pertaining to engineering education in the twenty first century. These include sustainability in engineering education, IT applications, pedagogical approaches & assessment for learning outcomes, Bologna and industry perspectives
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