m-Learning in the education of multimedia technologists and designers at the university level: A user requirements study

This article is available open access through the publisher’s website. Copyright @ 2010 IEEE.An extensive user requirements study was carried out to define the scope of functionality for the applications of m-learning with the potential to enhance the student performance and experience within the BSc Multimedia Technology and Design (MMTD) course at the School of Engineering and Design, Brunel University, United Kingdom. Based on participatory action research and user-centered design, the study involved 58 students attending the course at Level 2. All students participated in three sequential study sessions. The first session included a presentation of the concept of m-learning and a selection of related applications and underlying technologies. The second session consisted of 13 moderated semistructured focus groups. The groups were steered to specify their ideas as to how m-learning could best contribute to the MMTD course. In the third session, working in the same groups as in the second, the students were briefed to refine the ideas arising from the focus group discussions and "translate?? them into the concept of the single m-learning application (one per group) that was seen as being potentially the most beneficial for the course. The 13 smart-phone-based m--learning applications that were thus generated were subsequently analyzed and their individual functions broken down and grouped into five main functionality themes. These themes, outlining the scope of functionality for m-learning in the context of education of multimedia technologists and designers at the university level, are: administration, presentation, feedback, motivation, and innovation

m-Learning in the education of multimedia technologists and designers at the university level: A user requirements study

This article is available open access through the publisher’s website. Copyright @ 2010 IEEE.An extensive user requirements study was carried out to define the scope of functionality for the applications of m-learning with the potential to enhance the student performance and experience within the BSc Multimedia Technology and Design (MMTD) course at the School of Engineering and Design, Brunel University, United Kingdom. Based on participatory action research and user-centered design, the study involved 58 students attending the course at Level 2. All students participated in three sequential study sessions. The first session included a presentation of the concept of m-learning and a selection of related applications and underlying technologies. The second session consisted of 13 moderated semistructured focus groups. The groups were steered to specify their ideas as to how m-learning could best contribute to the MMTD course. In the third session, working in the same groups as in the second, the students were briefed to refine the ideas arising from the focus group discussions and "translate?? them into the concept of the single m-learning application (one per group) that was seen as being potentially the most beneficial for the course. The 13 smart-phone-based m--learning applications that were thus generated were subsequently analyzed and their individual functions broken down and grouped into five main functionality themes. These themes, outlining the scope of functionality for m-learning in the context of education of multimedia technologists and designers at the university level, are: administration, presentation, feedback, motivation, and innovation

Near-Optimal Active Learning of Halfspaces via Query Synthesis in the Noisy Setting

In this paper, we consider the problem of actively learning a linear classifier through query synthesis where the learner can construct artificial queries in order to estimate the true decision boundaries. This problem has recently gained a lot of interest in automated science and adversarial reverse engineering for which only heuristic algorithms are known. In such applications, queries can be constructed de novo to elicit information (e.g., automated science) or to evade detection with minimal cost (e.g., adversarial reverse engineering). We develop a general framework, called dimension coupling (DC), that 1) reduces a d-dimensional learning problem to d-1 low dimensional sub-problems, 2) solves each sub-problem efficiently, 3) appropriately aggregates the results and outputs a linear classifier, and 4) provides a theoretical guarantee for all possible schemes of aggregation. The proposed method is proved resilient to noise. We show that the DC framework avoids the curse of dimensionality: its computational complexity scales linearly with the dimension. Moreover, we show that the query complexity of DC is near optimal (within a constant factor of the optimum algorithm). To further support our theoretical analysis, we compare the performance of DC with the existing work. We observe that DC consistently outperforms the prior arts in terms of query complexity while often running orders of magnitude faster.Comment: Accepted by AAAI 201

Encouraging students’ motivation and Involvement in STEM degrees by the execution of real applications in mathematical subjects: the population migration problem

This paper presents a simplified model of the population migration problem, addressed to first-year engineering students in order to show them the use of linear algebra tools. The study consists of predicting the census in the city centre and in the suburbs, determining the city population equilibrium point, and making a sociological interpretation of population flows. This practical problem is part of the seminar “Applications of Linear Algebra in Engineering”, which is being held at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (UPC). This seminar consists in the learning of linear algebra by the implementation of real applications where mathematical tools are required to resolve them. This paper presents an application of linear algebra to the population migration problem and analyses students’ appreciation through anonymous surveys and personal interviews. The surveys assessed students’ motivation towards the subject of linear algebra and their learning of mathematical concepts. Personal interviews were conducted for students in order to let them express in detail their opinion about the seminar. The results confirm that the introduction of real applications in the learning of mathematics increases students’ motivation and involvement, which implies an improvement in students’ performance in the first courses of STEM degrees.Peer ReviewedObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::4 - Educació de QualitatPostprint (published version

Data analysis and tools applied to modeling and simulation of a PV system in Ecuador

This paper presents a research was carried out for the management of a photovoltaic system in a Microgrid, with applications and the use of tools applied to modeling and computational simulation in the Microgrid laboratory implanted in the facilities of the University of Cuenca (Ecuador). Additionally, through the use of automatic learning techniques, the behavior of the photovoltaic system has been modeled in the study area based on radiation and temperature with very good results. In addition, several applications can be made in real engineering studies such as feasibility, performance analysis, energy estimation, educational models, etc

Systems thinking, systems design and learning power in engineering education

Educating Engineers in systems thinking and systems design require an approach to teaching and learning in which the purpose is to achieve competence rather than to acquire specialised subject knowledge, abstracted from its socio-technical context. Such an approach is structured by context-driven enquiry, supported by learning power, positioned at the interface of knowledge generation and use, and grounded in a commitment to sustainable development. Rather than beginning with pre-defined abstract subject knowledge, the students begin with an engineering problem in a particular territory or a place, and develop a systems architecture, a holistic way of defining that territory, which facilitates synergy as well as analysing performance. In order to do this, students need to be able to uncover the different knowledge systems through which their territory can be perceived and known, and explore the different parameters and measurements which can be applied to them. Such 'systems architecting' cannot be achieved through rote learning or the cognitive application of pre-defined knowledge, since by definition the solution to the problem to be solved cannot be known in advance. Rather it depends on the ability to learn, and to progress through an open-ended, formative, dynamic learning process. It is framed by a selected purpose, fuelled by learning power (including creativity, meaning making, curiosity and resilience) and cogenerated through knowledge structuring processes. It begins with experience and observation and concludes with a product which is a unique application of knowledge for a particular engineering purpose. One of the challenges of technology enhanced learning is how to integrate learning design in an architectural framework which leverages mobile, social and 'big' data to enhance the processes and social relationships of learning, rather than simply providing information or evaluating outcomes. The approach presented in this paper outlines what can be understood as 'learning design principles' which support the development of semantic web applications, through the application of learning power and knowledge structuring processes. A pilot study demonstrates that students who successfully undertook an assignment requiring the development of a systems architecture increased in the strategic awareness-a key dimension of learning power. This small pilot study makes a contribution to the debate about the education of Chartered Engineers characterised "by their ability to develop appropriate solutions to engineering problems, using new or existing technologies, through innovation, creativity and change" (UK Engineering Council)