Online experimentation and interactive learning resources for teaching network engineering

This paper presents a case study on teaching network engineering in conjunction with interactive learning resources. This case study has been developed in collaboration with the Cisco Networking Academy in the context of the FORGE project, which promotes online learning and experimentation by offering access to virtual and remote labs. The main goal of this work is allowing learners and educators to perform network simulations within a web browser or an interactive eBook by using any type of mobile, tablet or desktop device. Learning Analytics are employed in order to monitor learning behaviour for further analysis of the learning experience offered to students

FORGE: An eLearning Framework for Remote Laboratory Experimentation on FIRE Testbed Infrastructure

The Forging Online Education through FIRE (FORGE) initiative provides educators and learners in higher education with access to world-class FIRE testbed infrastructure. FORGE supports experimentally driven research in an eLearning environment by complementing traditional classroom and online courses with interactive remote laboratory experiments. The project has achieved its objectives by defining and implementing a framework called FORGEBox. This framework offers the methodology, environment, tools and resources to support the creation of HTML-based online educational material capable accessing virtualized and physical FIRE testbed infrastruc- ture easily. FORGEBox also captures valuable quantitative and qualitative learning analytic information using questionnaires and Learning Analytics that can help optimise and support student learning. To date, FORGE has produced courses covering a wide range of networking and communication domains. These are freely available from FORGEBox.eu and have resulted in over 24,000 experiments undertaken by more than 1,800 students across 10 countries worldwide. This work has shown that the use of remote high- performance testbed facilities for hands-on remote experimentation can have a valuable impact on the learning experience for both educators and learners. Additionally, certain challenges in developing FIRE-based courseware have been identified, which has led to a set of recommendations in order to support the use of FIRE facilities for teaching and learning purposes

Innovating Pedagogy 2015: Open University Innovation Report 4

This series of reports explores new forms of teaching, learning and assessment for an interactive world, to guide teachers and policy makers in productive innovation. This fourth report proposes ten innovations that are already in currency but have not yet had a profound influence on education. To produce it, a group of academics at the Institute of Educational Technology in The Open University collaborated with researchers from the Center for Technology in Learning at SRI International. We proposed a long list of new educational terms, theories, and practices. We then pared these down to ten that have the potential to provoke major shifts in educational practice, particularly in post-school education. Lastly, we drew on published and unpublished writings to compile the ten sketches of new pedagogies that might transform education. These are summarised below in an approximate order of immediacy and timescale to widespread implementation

Global Innovations in Measurement and Evaluation

We researched the latest developments in theory and practice in measurement and evaluation. And we found that new thinking, techniques, and technology are influencing and improving practice. This report highlights 8 developments that we think have the greatest potential to improve evaluation and programme design, and the careful collection and use of data. In it, we seek to inform and inspire—to celebrate what is possible, and encourage wider application of these ideas

SLR - Análisis del Aprendizaje Basado en Juegos Serios en las Prácticas de los Estudios de Ingeniería

Este trabajo se trata de un Análisis Sistemático de la Literatura del uso de los juegos serios en los estudios de ingeniería.15 página

FORGE enabling FIRE facilities for the eLearning community

International audienceMany engineering students at third-level institutions across the world will not have the advantage of using real-world experimentation equipment, as the infrastructure and resources required for this activity are too expensive. This paper explains how the FORGE (Forging Online Education through FIRE) FP7 project transforms Future Internet Research and Experimentation (FIRE) testbed facilities into educational resources for the eLearning community. This is achieved by providing a framework for remote experimentation that supports easy access and control to testbed infrastructure for students and educators. Moreover, we identify a list of recommendations to support development of eLearning courses that access these facilities and highlight some of the challenges encountered by FORGE

Understanding Collaboration in Virtual Labs: A Learning Analytics Framework

Online education is increasing and progress within technology has inspired the development of virtual laboratories, which allow students to conduct experiments online. One of the main challenges of virtual laboratory environments is facilitating collaboration similar to those existing in physical laboratory settings. This research explores how one can obtain a better understanding of collaboration in virtual labs through the use of learning analytics. The research work of this thesis was carried out within the frame of design science research, where the main contribution is an artefact in the form of a learning analytics framework. The aim of the artefact is to provide a guiding framework for the integration of learning analytics to better understand and support learning and collaboration in virtual labs. The artefact was evaluated in two iterations using semi-structured interviews with seven experts. It was found through the artefact development process that social network anal- ysis, statistical analysis, natural language processing, and sentiment analysis are valuable data analysis methods for identifying patterns within collaboration in virtual labs. A proposal of a learning analytics dashboard has proved to be a valuable tool to visualise the analysis to the stakeholders in question (students and instructor). The overall reception of the framework was understandable and well-presented. The contribution of this research provides opportunities for future work which involves putting the framework into practice. The implementation of learning analytics to support collaboration in virtual labs can make it easier for students to reflect on their own performances and thereafter improve from it, as well as supporting instructors to reflect on their teaching methods and provide assistance to students in need.Masteroppgave i informasjonsvitenskapINFO390MASV-INF

Learning Analytics in Collaborative Online Lab Environments: A Systematic Scoping Review

With the increase in online education arises the challenge of replicating physical laboratories and teamwork online. This poster presents a brief overview of a scoping review of the current research within the area of learning analytics and collaboration in online laboratory environments, including results on the used learning analytics method. A gap of knowledge in the current research where there is a lack of research addressing this topic has been identified. This calls for the need of further research within this area.publishedVersio

Mobile laboratories as an alternative to conventional remote laboratories

Remote laboratories have been playing an important role on the improvement of flexibility and the extent of practical activities in teaching and learning activities in engineering and technology. However, the current remote laboratories model does not consider dynamic scenarios including collaboration, peer-to-peer labs and mobile labs. This paper presents a set of tools for creating collaborative online mobile laboratories that allow students to develop their own labs and share them with classmates and teachers. The approach used is compatible with the machine and network configurations that the target user has in schools and at home, and provides the retrieval of information for learning evaluation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio