User Interface Specification Issues for Computerized Educational Systems

Aside from the great progress in the field of humancomputer interaction, particularly in the last years the need for the development of adaptive user interfaces in several application areas has been recognized. Our research is concentrated on intelligent tutoring systems, a generation of computerized educational systems that attempt to mimic the capabilities of human tutor. In order to support the above reasoning, in this paper we elaborate on the case study of AKBB, a program intended for the development of an arbitrary domain knowledge base and of its user interface. In order to specify its design and behaviour, User Action Notation is advocated as a suitable method

Personalised learning environments: Core development issues for construction

The growth of e-Learning has been continual and sustained. This has been fuelled by developments in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) the nuances of which are starting to reap considerable benefits in the educational and business environments. Specific benefits have included e-interoperability, scalability, adaptability and the mass-customisation of learning packages to the distributed learner community. Notwithstanding the technology related issues, from a pedagogic perspective, learning styles and instructional strategies are now being intensively studied in the "traditional’ classroom setting to leverage advantage. However, there has been little research undertaken on the application of learning styles within the educational arena, perhaps because of limited authoring applications or explicit choice vis-à-vis the creation of instructional strategies for specific learning styles. In this context, some of the evidence identifies that the more thoroughly instructors understand the differences in learning styles, the better chance they have of meeting the diverse learning needs of learners. Therefore, the paradigm of "one size fits all", by default, can only address the generic learner issues (and not the specific ‘personalised’ learner requirements). This paper introduces the concepts and issues surrounding the development (and barriers) of personalised learning environments, which incorporates learning styles.The growth of e-Learning has been continual and sustained. This has been fuelled by developments in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) the nuances of which are starting to reap considerable benefits in the educational and business environments. Specific benefits have included e-interoperability, scalability, adaptability and the mass-customisation of learning packages to the distributed learner community. Notwithstanding the technology related issues, from a pedagogic perspective, learning styles and instructional strategies are now being intensively studied in the "traditional’ classroom setting to leverage advantage. However, there has been little research undertaken on the application of learning styles within the educational arena, perhaps because of limited authoring applications or explicit choice vis-à-vis the creation of instructional strategies for specific learning styles. In this context, some of the evidence identifies that the more thoroughly instructors understand the differences in learning styles, the better chance they have of meeting the diverse learning needs of learners. Therefore, the paradigm of "one size fits all", by default, can only address the generic learner issues (and not the specific ‘personalised’ learner requirements). This paper introduces the concepts and issues surrounding the development (and barriers) of personalised learning environments, which incorporates learning styles

A Serious Games Development Environment

Un ambiente per lo sviluppo di Serious Game