Factors shaping the evolution of electronic documentation systems

The main goal is to prepare the space station technical and managerial structure for likely changes in the creation, capture, transfer, and utilization of knowledge. By anticipating advances, the design of Space Station Project (SSP) information systems can be tailored to facilitate a progression of increasingly sophisticated strategies as the space station evolves. Future generations of advanced information systems will use increases in power to deliver environmentally meaningful, contextually targeted, interconnected data (knowledge). The concept of a Knowledge Base Management System is emerging when the problem is focused on how information systems can perform such a conversion of raw data. Such a system would include traditional management functions for large space databases. Added artificial intelligence features might encompass co-existing knowledge representation schemes; effective control structures for deductive, plausible, and inductive reasoning; means for knowledge acquisition, refinement, and validation; explanation facilities; and dynamic human intervention. The major areas covered include: alternative knowledge representation approaches; advanced user interface capabilities; computer-supported cooperative work; the evolution of information system hardware; standardization, compatibility, and connectivity; and organizational impacts of information intensive environments

Augmentative communication device design, implementation and evaluation

The ultimate aim of this thesis was to design and implement an advanced software based Augmentative Communication Device (ACD) , or Voice Output Communication Aid NOCA), for non-vocal Learning Disabled individuals by applying current psychological models, theories, and experimental techniques. By taking account of potential user's cognitive and linguistic abilities a symbol based device (Easy Speaker) was produced which outputs naturalistic digitised human speech and sound and makes use of a photorealistic symbol set. In order to increase the size of the available symbol set a hypermedia style dynamic screen approach was employed. The relevance of the hypermedia metaphor in relation to models of knowledge representation and language processing was explored.Laboratory based studies suggested that potential user's could learn to productively operate the software, became faster and more efficient over time when performing set conversational tasks. Studies with unimpaired individuals supported the notion that digitised speech was less cognitively demanding to decode, or listen to.With highly portable, touch based, PC compatible systems beginning to appear it is hoped that the otherwise silent will be able to use the software as their primary means of communication with the speaking world. Extensive field trials over a six month period with a prototype device and in collaboration with user's caregivers strongly suggested this might be the case.Off-device improvements were also noted suggesting that Easy Speaker, or similar software has the potential to be used as a communication training tool. Such training would be likely 10 improve overall communicative effectiveness.To conclude, a model for successful ACD development was proposed

The Effectiveness of Aural Instructions with Visualisations in E-Learning Environments

Based on Mayer’s (2001) model for more effective learning by exploiting the brain’s dual sensory channels for information processing, this research investigates the effectiveness of using aural instructions together with visualisation in teaching the difficult concepts of data structures to novice computer science students. A small number of previous studies have examined the use of audio and visualisation in teaching and learning environments but none has explored the integration of both technologies in teaching data structures programming to reduce the cognitive load on learners’ working memory. A prototype learning tool, known as the Data Structure Learning (DSL) tool, was developed and used first in a short mini study that showed that, used together with visualisations of algorithms, aural instructions produced faster student response times than did textual instructions. This result suggested that the additional use of the auditory sensory channel did indeed reduce the cognitive load. The tool was then used in a second, longitudinal, study over two academic terms in which students studying the Data Structures module were offered the opportunity to use the DSL approach with either aural or textual instructions. Their use of the approach was recorded by the DSL system and feedback was invited at the end of every visualisation task. The collected data showed that the tool was used extensively by the students. A comparison of the students’ DSL use with their end-of-year assessment marks revealed that academically weaker students had tended to use the tool most. This suggests that less able students are keen to use any useful and available instrument to aid their understanding, especially of difficult concepts. Both the quantitative data provided by the automatic recording of DSL use and an end-of-study questionnaire showed appreciation by students of the help the tool had provided and enthusiasm for its future use and development. These findings were supported by qualitative data provided by student written feedback at the end of each task, by interviews at the end of the experiment and by interest from the lecturer in integrating use of the tool with the teaching of the module. A variety of suggestions are made for further work and development of the DSL tool. Further research using a control group and/or pre and post tests would be particularly useful

An adaptation algorithm for an intelligent natural language tutoring system

The focus of computerised learning has shifted from content delivery towards personalised online learning with Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS). Oscar Conversational ITS (CITS) is a sophisticated ITS that uses a natural language interface to enable learners to construct their own knowledge through discussion. Oscar CITS aims to mimic a human tutor by dynamically detecting and adapting to an individual's learning styles whilst directing the conversational tutorial. Oscar CITS is currently live and being successfully used to support learning by university students. The major contribution of this paper is the development of the novel Oscar CITS adaptation algorithm and its application to the Felder–Silverman learning styles model. The generic Oscar CITS adaptation algorithm uniquely combines the strength of an individual's learning style preference with the available adaptive tutoring material for each tutorial question to decide the best fitting adaptation. A case study is described, where Oscar CITS is implemented to deliver an adaptive SQL tutorial. Two experiments are reported which empirically test the Oscar CITS adaptation algorithm with students in a real teaching/learning environment. The results show that learners experiencing a conversational tutorial personalised to their learning styles performed significantly better during the tutorial than those with an unmatched tutorial

Personalising Learning with Dynamic Prediction and Adaptation to Learning Styles in a Conversational Intelligent Tutoring System

This thesis presents research that combines the benefits of intelligent tutoring systems (ITS), conversational agents (CA) and learning styles theory by constructing a novel conversational intelligent tutoring system (CITS) called Oscar. Oscar CITS aims to imitate a human tutor by implicitly predicting individuals’ learning style preferences and adapting its tutoring style to suit them during a tutoring conversation. ITS are computerised learning systems that intelligently personalise tutoring based on learner characteristics such as existing knowledge and learning style. ITS are traditionally student-led, hyperlink-based learning systems that adapt the presentation of learning resources by reordering or hiding links. Research suggests that students learn more effectively when instruction matches their learning style, which is typically modelled explicitly using questionnaires or implicitly based on behaviour. Learning is a social process and natural language interfaces to ITS, such as CAs, allow students to construct knowledge through discussion. Existing CITS adapt tutoring according to student knowledge, emotions and mood, however no CITS adapts to learning styles. Oscar CITS models a human tutor by directing a tutoring conversation and automatically detecting and adapting to an individual’s learning styles. Original methodologies and architectures were developed for constructing an Oscar Predictive CITS and an Oscar Adaptive CITS. Oscar Predictive CITS uses knowledge captured from a learning styles model to dynamically predict learning styles from an individual’s tutoring dialogue. Oscar Adaptive CITS applies a novel adaptation algorithm to select the best tutoring style for each tutorial question. The Oscar CITS methodologies and architectures are independent of the learning styles model and subject domain. Empirical studies involving real students have validated the prediction and adaptation of learning styles in a real-world teaching/learning environment. The results show that learning styles can be successfully predicted from a natural language tutoring dialogue, and that adapting the tutoring style significantly improves learning performance

Scoping a vision for formative e-assessment: a project report for JISC

Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning. If the relationship between teaching and learning were causal, i. e. if students always mastered the intended learning outcomes of a particular sequence of instruction, assessment would be superfluous. Experience and research suggest this is not the case: what is learnt can often be quite different from what is taught. Formative assessment is motivated by a concern with the elicitation of relevant information about student understanding and / or achievement, its interpretation and an exploration of how it can lead to actions that result in better learning. In the context of a policy drive towards technology-enhanced approaches to teaching and learning, the question of the role of digital technologies is key and it is the latter on which this project particularly focuses. The project and its deliverables have been informed by recent and relevant literature, in particular recent work by Black andIn this work, they put forward a framework which suggests that assessment for learning their term for formative assessment can be conceptualised as consisting of a number of aspects and five keystrategies. The key aspects revolve around the where the learner is going, where the learner is right now and how she can get there and examines the role played by the teacher, peers and the learner. Language: English Keywords: assessments, case studies, design patterns, e-assessmen

The design of speech-based automated mobile phone services using interface metaphors

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Interface metaphor is a widely used design technique for interactive computer systems. The advantages of using interface metaphors derive from their ability to promote active learning, which enables a user to transfer knowledge from a familiar real world domain, to an unfamiliar computing domain. Interface metaphor is not currently used for the design of automated phone services, and it was the aim of this thesis to examine whether interface metaphor could improve the usability of speech-activated automated mobile phone services. A human-centred design methodology was followed to generate, select, and develop potential metaphors, which were used to implement metaphor-based phone services. An experimental methodology was then used to compare the usability of the metaphor-based services with the usability of currently available number-based phone services. The first experiment examined the effect of three different interface metaphors on the usability of a mobile city guide service. Usability was measured as a range of performance and attitude measures, and was supplemented by telephone interview data. After three consecutive days of usage, participants both preferred, and performed better with, the service that was based on an office filing system metaphor. Experiment two was conducted over a six week period, and investigated the effect of users' individual differences, and the context of use, on the usability of both the office filing system metaphor-based service, and a non-metaphor service. The results showed that performance with the metaphor-based service was significantly better than performance with the non-metaphor service. The usability of the metaphor-based service was not significantly affected by users' individual characteristics and aptitudes, whereas the number-based service was, suggesting that metaphor-based services may be more usable for a wider range of potential users. Usability levels for both services were found to be consistent across both private and public locations of use, suggesting that speech-activated mobile phone services provide a flexible means of information access. Experiment three investigated the strategies used by participants when interacting with mobile phone services, specifically the visualisation strategy that was used by two thirds of the metaphor-based service participants in experiment two. In addition to the attitude and performance measures used for experiments one and two, face-to face interviews were conducted with participants. The results indicated that significantly more participants visualised the metaphor-based services relative to a non-metaphor service, and that visualisation of the service structure led to significant performance improvements. This thesis has demonstrated the usability benefits of interface metaphor as a design technique for speech-based mobile phone services. These benefits of metaphor appear to derive from their ability to provide a mental model of the phone service that can be visualised, and their ability to accommodate the individual differences of users

Instructional Design Literature Review

Gruber, M. R. (2009). Instructional Design Literature Review. MACE.This review focuses on instructional design literature for the MACE project. It shows the plenty of research in instructional design era for more than 20 years, and offers various approaches, concepts and models in this field. The findings relate to the following keywords: Instructional design in teaching, design architecture, and construction engineering. This report is divided in four sections: “Literature Reviews”, “Articles, Book Chapters and Studies”, “Books”, and “Web Resources”, and is organized in a schedular view. Each section implicates the information about literature reference or website title, keywords, abstract and URL/resource if available.MAC

Designing Embodied Interactive Software Agents for E-Learning: Principles, Components, and Roles

Embodied interactive software agents are complex autonomous, adaptive, and social software systems with a digital embodiment that enables them to act on and react to other entities (users, objects, and other agents) in their environment through bodily actions, which include the use of verbal and non-verbal communicative behaviors in face-to-face interactions with the user. These agents have been developed for various roles in different application domains, in which they perform tasks that have been assigned to them by their developers or delegated to them by their users or by other agents. In computer-assisted learning, embodied interactive pedagogical software agents have the general task to promote human learning by working with students (and other agents) in computer-based learning environments, among them e-learning platforms based on Internet technologies, such as the Virtual Linguistics Campus (www.linguistics-online.com). In these environments, pedagogical agents provide contextualized, qualified, personalized, and timely assistance, cooperation, instruction, motivation, and services for both individual learners and groups of learners. This thesis develops a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, and user-oriented view of the design of embodied interactive pedagogical software agents, which integrates theoretical and practical insights from various academic and other fields. The research intends to contribute to the scientific understanding of issues, methods, theories, and technologies that are involved in the design, implementation, and evaluation of embodied interactive software agents for different roles in e-learning and other areas. For developers, the thesis provides sixteen basic principles (Added Value, Perceptible Qualities, Balanced Design, Coherence, Consistency, Completeness, Comprehensibility, Individuality, Variability, Communicative Ability, Modularity, Teamwork, Participatory Design, Role Awareness, Cultural Awareness, and Relationship Building) plus a large number of specific guidelines for the design of embodied interactive software agents and their components. Furthermore, it offers critical reviews of theories, concepts, approaches, and technologies from different areas and disciplines that are relevant to agent design. Finally, it discusses three pedagogical agent roles (virtual native speaker, coach, and peer) in the scenario of the linguistic fieldwork classes on the Virtual Linguistics Campus and presents detailed considerations for the design of an agent for one of these roles (the virtual native speaker)