On the Design of Collective Applications

Paper presented at SocialCom 2009 Vancouver, 2009In this paper we define collective applications as those that employ the aggregated distinct behaviours of individuals in a crowd to shape their environment and to provide structure and influence in that environment. Such behaviour can be seen in most systems that aggregate user-generated content, whether or not that is the intention of the designers or contributors. We identify the necessary features of such applications and observe that they pose a particularly wicked set of design problems, because important characteristics of the system, including processing and presentation, reside outside the program in the behaviour of the crowd itself. We suggest some approaches to dealing with these problems

The learning analytics cycle: closing the loop effectively

This paper develops Campbell and Oblinger's five-step model of learning analytics (Capture, Report, Predict, Act, Refine) and other theorisations of the field, and draws on broader educational theory (including Kolb and Schön) to articulate an incrementally more developed, explicit and theoretically-grounded Learning Analytics Cycle. This cycle conceptualises successful learning analytics work as four linked steps: learners generating data that is used to produce metrics, analytics or visualisations. The key step is 'closing the loop' by feeding back this product to learners through one or more interventions. This paper seeks to begin to place learning analytics practice on a base of established learning theory, and draws several implications from this theory for the improvement of learning analytics projects. These include speeding up or shortening the cycle so feedback happens more quickly, and widening the audience for feedback (in particular, considering learners and teachers as audiences for analytics) so that it can have a larger impact

Improving the Learning Process in the Higher Education Through the Use of a Predictive Tool (Dashboard)

Improving the learning process in the high education through the use of a predictive tool (dashboard). De Jesús Liriano, Rubėn and Sevillano, María C., 2018: A Florida Distance Learning Association Journal (FDLA) Paper to be published in a special section of the US Distance Learning Association Professional Journal Distance Learning. Interaction/Predictive Tools/Dashboard/Evaluation Learning Process/Automated Process/eLearning Environment/Learning Environment/Learning Management System (LMS)/Cloud Computing/ Learning Performance, and Learning Analytics. The purpose of this study was the initial step in providing a clear understanding of the use of a predictive tool (dashboard) to improving the learning process in the higher education field. Through further applications and research, the predictive tool must be refined to increase accuracy, and provide expeditious, reliable feedback about the students’ progress in an online environment. This information will benefit e-learning facilitators in the following ways: 1) knowing their students and, therefore, identifying how best to deliver content to them; 2) applying the right predictive tool to capitalizing on the new experience and new opportunity; 3) taking value-added approaches to student engagement; 4) bridging connections in a precise manner between enriched content and e-learning; and 5) transforming e-learning into digital experience

MOOCs and the funnel of participation

Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) are growing substantially in numbers, and also in interest from the educational community. MOOCs offer particular challenges for what is becoming accepted as mainstream practice in learning analytics. Partly for this reason, and partly because of the relative newness of MOOCs as a widespread phenomenon, there is not yet a substantial body of literature on the learning analytics of MOOCs. However, one clear finding is that drop-out/non-completion rates are substantially higher than in more traditional education. This paper explores these issues, and introduces the metaphor of a ‘funnel of participation’ to reconceptualise the steep drop-off in activity, and the pattern of steeply unequal participation, which appear to be characteristic of MOOCs and similar learning environments. Empirical data to support this funnel of participation are presented from three online learning sites: iSpot (observations of nature), Cloudworks (‘a place to share, find and discuss learning and teaching ideas and experiences’), and openED 2.0, a MOOC on business and management that ran between 2010-2012. Implications of the funnel for MOOCs, formal education, and learning analytics practice are discussed

DIGITAL RESEARCH PROFICIENCY IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY SKILLS EMPLOYED BY SECRETARIAL STAFF AND BUSINESS TEACHERS IN DAY-TO-DAY ADMINISTRATION AND TRAINING IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Not only does Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have the potential to increase the efficacy and efficiency of teaching and learning, it also has the potential to lessen administrative obligations. This study investigates the extent to which secretarial staff and business teachers use of digital research proficiency in information and communication technology skills in their day-to-day interactions in secondary schools in Benue State. Specifically, a descriptive survey research approach was used for this investigation.The study tested four hypotheses and answered four research questions at 0. 05 level of significance. The study\u27s population was 53 respondents that comprised 38 business teachers and 15 secretaries from public secondary schools in zone C of Benue State which were drawn from 15 secondary schools that offer Business subjects through simple random sampling technique. The entire population of 53 respondents was sampled because of the manageability. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. To answer the research questions, the collected data were analysed using mean and standard deviation while T- test statistics were used to test the null hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. It was suggested based on the findings that Business personnel can exchange diverse ideas using ICT without being constrained by any factor or area by adopting the relevant skills required for each task. The study findings also suggest that teaching can be improved once the students understand the mechanics of classroom-related technologies

Scripting and monitoring meet each other: Aligning learning analytics and learning design to support teachers in orchestrating CSCL situations.

From the conceptualization to the evaluation of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) scenarios, teachers address multiple tasks, sometimes being overwhelmed on account of the required time and associated burden. To support teachers in this endeavor, we propose to connect the pedagogical decisions made at design time with the analysis of the participants' interactions. Thus, teachers would be provided with relevant and coarse-grained information that could help them manage their CSCL scenarios. This paper synthesizes the main contributions obtained from a 3-year design-based research process, and presents the findings obtained from the evaluation of the current proposal in two authentic CSCL scenarios. The participant teachers valued the proposal positively and stated that it was helpful for their orchestration of CSCL scenarios

Scripting and monitoring meet each other: Aligning learning analytics and learning design to support teachers in orchestrating CSCL situations.

From the conceptualization to the evaluation of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) scenarios, teachers address multiple tasks, sometimes being overwhelmed on account of the required time and associated burden. To support teachers in this endeavor, we propose to connect the pedagogical decisions made at design time with the analysis of the participants' interactions. Thus, teachers would be provided with relevant and coarse-grained information that could help them manage their CSCL scenarios. This paper synthesizes the main contributions obtained from a 3-year design-based research process, and presents the findings obtained from the evaluation of the current proposal in two authentic CSCL scenarios. The participant teachers valued the proposal positively and stated that it was helpful for their orchestration of CSCL scenarios

Towards a Script-Aware Monitoring Process of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Scenarios

The increasing complexity of CSCL scenarios makes the classroom management highly demanding. Teachers invest considerable effort to design the learning scenario and to be aware of what happens during the enactment. We hypothesise that providing monitoring information closely related to the teachers' pedagogical intentions will help them to understand the unfolding of the learning situation, empowering them to intervene. This article presents a script-aware monitoring process which uses the knowledge about the learning design to guide the analysis of the educational data generated throughout the learning processes. The proposal is illustrated by an example based on a real CSCL scenario in an university course. This example shows how the script-aware monitoring provides useful feedback for the teacher and reduces the effort devoted to management tasks

Monitoring-Aware Learning Design Process: Pilot Studies in Authentic CSCL Scenarios

ICT tools offer the possibility to store, analyse and visualise large amounts of educational data. However, in order to make sense of these analyses, teachers need meaningful information connected to their pedagogical intentions. We envision an enriched learning-design process, which supports the integration of the issues related to monitoring in the script. This paper presents a study where the first author and a teacher iteratively co-designed two authentic learning scenarios with the aim of defining and evaluating a monitoring-aware design model and process. These two proposals, the model and the process, were positively evaluated by the participant teacher, and are the basis for the future implementation of an authoring tool that will support the proposed monitoring-aware design process