An adaptive feedback approach for e-learning systems

The adaptive e-learning systems are a hot topic of educational research. The approach presented is a knowledge-based. There are several types of adaptation of an e-learning system to the learner: content adaptation, interface personalization, etc. This paper dials with a model for adaptation of the learner assessment and the content of one learning system. The model is based on Computer Adaptive Test Theory (CAT) and organization of the learning domains. The learning objects (LO) and the test item ontology play a central role as resource structuring. It supports flexible adaptive strategies for assessment and navigation through the content. Learner knowledge is assessed by CAT and then the system returns the learner to the right leaning material corresponding to the knowledge shown. The congruence between CAT item bank and the LO pool is based on intelligent agents. It supports adaptive feedback to the students depending on the learner evaluation

Instructional and Technological Design of E-Learning Courses

Diseño de un modelo tecnológico e instruccional para impartir cursos e-learning

A Pedagogical Application Framework for Synchronous Collaboration

Designing successful collaborative learning activities is a new focus of research within the E-Learning community. The social dimension inside the traditional face-to-face collaborative learning is important and must be included in the online learning designs. In this thesis, we introduce the concept of Pedagogical Application Frameworks, and describe Beehive, a pedagogical application framework for synchronous collaborative learning. Beehive guides teachers in reusing online collaborative learning activities based on well-known pedagogical designs, to accomplish their educational objectives within a certain educational setting, and also simplifies the development of new pedagogical collaboration designs. Beehive’s conceptual model has four abstraction layers: Pedagogical Techniques, Collaboration Task patterns, CSCL Components, and CSCL script. By following the framework’s guidelines and specifications, developers will place the control of designing pedagogical collaboration tools in the teacher’s hand rather than in the software designer’s

A Pedagogical Application Framework for Synchronous Collaboration

Designing successful collaborative learning activities is a new focus of research within the E-Learning community. The social dimension inside the traditional face-to-face collaborative learning is important and must be included in the online learning designs. In this thesis, we introduce the concept of Pedagogical Application Frameworks, and describe Beehive, a pedagogical application framework for synchronous collaborative learning. Beehive guides teachers in reusing online collaborative learning activities based on well-known pedagogical designs, to accomplish their educational objectives within a certain educational setting, and also simplifies the development of new pedagogical collaboration designs. Beehive’s conceptual model has four abstraction layers: Pedagogical Techniques, Collaboration Task patterns, CSCL Components, and CSCL script. By following the framework’s guidelines and specifications, developers will place the control of designing pedagogical collaboration tools in the teacher’s hand rather than in the software designer’s

An Evaluation Method for Virtual Learning Applications

Tietojärjestelmien ja sovellusten evaluointimenetelmät ovat olleet tutkimuskohteena jo 1970 alkaen. Tutkijat ovat pyrkineet kehittämään erilaisia evaluointimenetelmiä päätöksenteon tueksi. Erityisesti tietojärjestelmien hankinnat ja niiden perusteluihin käytettävät menetelmät ovat olleet aikaisemmin tutkimuskohteina. Investointien arviointi ja takaisinmaksuaikojen laskeminen on muodostanut tärkeän tutkimuskohteen monissa tutkimuksissa. Nykyään erilaisten sovellusten hankkiminen voi tapahtua ns. valmissovelluksina. Julkishallinnolliset organisaatiot ovat kiinnostuneet hankkimaan valmissovelluksia. Opetusta tarjoavat yhteisöt kuten yliopistot ja ammattikorkeakoulut ovat lisänneet virtuaaliopintoja, jolloin esille on kohonnut tarve hankkia käyttöön soveltuva tai soveltuvia virtuaalisia oppimissovelluksia. Usein virtuaalisovellusten käyttö alkoi asiasta kiinnostuneiden opettajien toimesta. Koko organisaation näkökulmasta strategiset, taktiset ja operatiiviset tavoitteet jäivät taka-alalle. Tarve löytää evaluointimenetelmä, jossa voidaan ottaa huomioon erilaiset tavoitteet ja eri asianomaisryhmien tarpeet systemaattisesti on ollut tämän tutkimuksen tausta-ajatuksena. Ennen hankintapäätöstä tarvitaan ns. ex-ante evaluointimenetelmä, missä voidaan ottaa huomioon keskeisten vaikuttajaryhmien opiskelijoiden, opettajien, tietohallinnon ja johdon tavoitteet muodostavat tutkimuksen keskeisen tavoitteen asettelun. Evaluointimenetelmän kehittäminen perustuu valittuun opetusmenetelmään; yhteisöllinen ongelmalähtöinen opetusmenetelmä, johon perustuen on johdettu evaluointimenetelmän arviointkohteet ja kriteerit. Opiskelijoiden, opettajien, tietohallinnon ja johdon vaatimuksiin perustuvassa arviointimenetelmässä arviointikriteereiden arvojen laskenta perustuu analyyttiseen hierarkkiseen menetelmään (AHP). Tutkimusprosessissa käytetään hyväksi suunnittelutieteen tutkimusmetodia, josta on muokattu tähän tarkoitukseen soveltuva metodi. Kehitetty arviointimenetelmä on demonstroitu käyttämällä yhtä tapausta. Demonstraation avulla voidaan osoittaa, että kehitetty evaluointimenetelmä tuottaa käyttökelpoisia suosituksia päätöksenteon tueksi. Tieteellisenä tuotoksena tutkimusprosessissa on saatu kehitettyä evaluointimenetelmä virtuaalisia oppimissovelluksia varten. Menetelmä ottaa huomioon neljä asianosaisryhmää samanaikaisesti, eikä erillisinä prosesseina.The importance of evaluation methods has been recognized as research subjects since the 1970s. Researchers suggest evaluation methods to use, as a tool for producing valuable information to support decision-making and justifying information system investments within organizations. An evaluation situation is a unique phenomenon in an organization and depends on time. Evaluation processes are identified by ex-ante, ongoing and ex-post evaluation. Off-the-shelf packages are considered to a small and medium sized organization as a solution, when decision-makers are solving the needs of information systems. At formal learning organizations, in many cases, the use of virtual learning environments is based on teacher s actions, not systematic evaluation and decision-making in previous years. At the organizational level, decision-makers are slowly recognizing the need for strategic and tactical aspects, and the need for systematic evaluation before making a decision; which kind of virtual learning environment meets the strategic, tactical and operative requirements and satisfies properties of a learning model. This dissertation investigates an evaluation situation and evaluation process, and it identifies stakeholders roles in the evaluation process as an evaluator and a decision-maker. The purpose is to develop an evaluation method based on requirements of strategic, tactical and operative levels of organization. The evaluation criteria are also identified by using the collaborative problem based learning method. An ex-ante evaluation method for a virtual learning application is developed and demonstrated. The developed ex-ante evaluation method utilizes the analytic hierarchy process (AHP)-method as a calculation tool, which is used to demonstrate the evaluation method s usability. The purpose of demonstration is to show how the developed evaluation method can be used in ex-ante evaluation. The result of this thesis is an evaluation method for a virtual learning application, showing that an evaluation method can be used in the specified evaluation situation at a formal learning organization. The developed ex-ante evaluation method takes into account requirements of four stakeholder groups: students, teachers, ICT-staff, and executives, properties of learning method and derived features of a virtual learning application

Proceedings of the 35th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences- 2002 Flexible instructional strategies for e-learning

This paper provides an overview on a German lighthouse research project called L3 in the area of e-learning systems that supply e-learning services via a virtual private network. More specifically this paper focuses on a new approach of meta-tagging learning elements to enable the flexible execution of courses depending on the individual learning style of the student. The notion of a content aggregation model is introduced and a set of tools and a first prototype of an associated run-time environment will be described. An extension to the existing standardization according to SCORM is given to project future developments in this area to allow more in-depth implementation of didactical knowledge into courseware systems. A basic ontology on instructional units is described and provides extensions to also allow advanced learning scenarios where group learning is supported in the design and implementation of the courseware. First results of the evaluation are provided, as the material becomes used in vocational training centers as part of the elearning service