Hypermedia support for argumentation-based rationale: 15 years on from gIBIS and QOC

Having developed, used and evaluated some of the early IBIS-based approaches to design rationale (DR) such as gIBIS and QOC in the late 1980s/mid-1990s, we describe the subsequent evolution of the argumentation-based paradigm through software support, and perspectives drawn from modeling and meeting facilitation. Particular attention is given to the challenge of negotiating the overheads of capturing this form of rationale. Our approach has maintained a strong emphasis on keeping the representational scheme as simple as possible to enable real time meeting mediation and capture, attending explicitly to the skills required to use the approach well, particularly for the sort of participatory, multi-stakeholder requirements analysis demanded by many design problems. However, we can then specialize the notation and the way in which the tool is used in the service of specific methodologies, supported by a customizable hypermedia environment, and interoperable with other software tools. After presenting this approach, called Compendium, we present examples to illustrate the capabilities for support security argumentation in requirements engineering, template driven modeling for document generation, and IBIS-based indexing of and navigation around video records of meetings

A case study of campus‐based flexible learning using the World Wide Web and computer conferencing

This paper explores the use of the World Wide Web (WWW) integrated with computer conferencing as a teaching and learning tool. The aim of the study described was to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of online materials designed in a flexible learning format and integrated with a computer conference. It was hoped that this would create additional opportunity for group discourse between campus‐based students. The paper is divided in the following way: a discussion of the context to new developments in teaching and learning is followed by an introduction to the case study. Finally the findings of the case study are discussed with reference to research from the field of collaborative systems (Orlikowski, 1992; Grudin, 1994) as a framework for reflection. Some tentative conclusions are made for future work

Teaching in the Collaborative Virtual Learning Environment of Second Life: Design Considerations For Virtual World Developers

Educators are seeking ways to better engage their students including the use of collaborative virtual learning environments (CVLEs). Some virtual worlds can serve as CVLEs as the advent of Second Life has created particular interest within the education community. Second Life, however, was not initially designed to facilitate education alone. I propose that as a CVLE, Second Life may be failing educators' expectations of its initial, ongoing, and future use as a system for supporting education. In order to determine how Second Life may be failing educators, I conducted a case study with a group of university-level educators that examined their reasons for and against adopting Second Life as a CVLE, the affordances they explored, the barriers they encountered, and how these affordances and barriers affected student learning and the participant's future use of Second Life and future virtual worlds in education. I then compare their use of Second Life to that of traditional groupware systems. As a result, I propose and detail the development of a rich integrated development environment, application programming interface, more flexible privacy policy, and more robust community tools for educators based on these comparisons

Professional Development in a Digital Age: Issues and Challenges for Standards−Based Reform

This paper discusses possible roles for online technologies in professional development begins by describing characteristics of professional development approaches that enable teachers to engage in standards−based teaching. Electronic technologies offer two leverage points that bridge time and place constraints imposed by onsite professional development: (1) ubiquitous access to resources that support student and teacher learning; (2) expanded opportunities for teachers' learning communities through electronic conferencing systems, whose common features, designs, and uses are described. Finally, challenges and potential solutions for making effective use of electronic technologies for professional development are described.This paper discusses possible roles for online technologies in professional development begins by describing characteristics of professional development approaches that enable teachers to engage in standards−based teaching. Electronic technologies offer two leverage points that bridge time and place constraints imposed by onsite professional development: (1) ubiquitous access to resources that support student and teacher learning; (2) expanded opportunities for teachers' learning communities through electronic conferencing systems, whose common features, designs, and uses are described. Finally, challenges and potential solutions for making effective use of electronic technologies for professional development are described

Professional Development in a Digital Age: Issues and Challenges for Standards−Based Reform

This paper discusses possible roles for online technologies in professional development begins by describing characteristics of professional development approaches that enable teachers to engage in standards−based teaching. Electronic technologies offer two leverage points that bridge time and place constraints imposed by onsite professional development: (1) ubiquitous access to resources that support student and teacher learning; (2) expanded opportunities for teachers' learning communities through electronic conferencing systems, whose common features, designs, and uses are described. Finally, challenges and potential solutions for making effective use of electronic technologies for professional development are described.This paper discusses possible roles for online technologies in professional development begins by describing characteristics of professional development approaches that enable teachers to engage in standards−based teaching. Electronic technologies offer two leverage points that bridge time and place constraints imposed by onsite professional development: (1) ubiquitous access to resources that support student and teacher learning; (2) expanded opportunities for teachers' learning communities through electronic conferencing systems, whose common features, designs, and uses are described. Finally, challenges and potential solutions for making effective use of electronic technologies for professional development are described

Leveraging knowledge in higher education organizations

Knowledge has become the key resource in the present post-industrial society.Organizations around the world are now required to cleverly manage their biggest assets: their knowledge capital, in order to gain competitive edge in the complex and dynamic environments confronting them.In Malaysia, the K-Economy Master Plan was launched in September 2002 to drive the nation towards this new imperative and various initiatives are now underway.As a result of these initiatives, the demand for education and training is expected to increase in the near future and beyond. Higher Education Organizations (HEOs) in the country are confronted with the challenge of meeting these needs.To cater for this, HEOs must first begin to manage their most valuable asset: their knowledgebase.Managing this requires a concerted and structured effort in implementing Knowledge Management (KM).But the problem is that leaders at various levels in many of our HEOs are still struggling to make sense of the KM imperative.It is thus proposed that, as a first step in implementing KM, leaders in HEOs consider the following variables: identify the knowledgebase; identify how knowledge is created, shared and used, identify the role of information and communication technology (ICT); identify an appropriate ICT system; and identify appropriate people management strategies. This paper reports the findings of an inquiry undertaken at two HEOs, one public and the other private, via interviews with academics, in identifying the key features of the variables stated above

Domus tutor: A CBR tutoring agent for student support

The changes introduced by the Bologna process in the educational paradigm, moving from a lecturer centered paradigm to a learner centered paradigm, involves a more supported learning process based on learning outcomes and the adoption of new pedagogical methodologies. In this paper we present our strategy of integration of tutoring agents in learning environments, using the features of intelligent tutoring systems adapted to collaborative environments. The Domus Tutor agent is the face of the adaptive learning environment that integrates Learning Design, groupware and collaborative work technologies. The adaptation of the system to the learner profile is based on case-based reasoning methodology; witch is one of the major reasoning paradigms in artificial intelligence.- (undefined