11 research outputs found
Analyses on tech-enhanced and anonymous Peer Discussion as well as anonymous Control Facilities for tech-enhanced Learning
An increasing number of university freshmen has been observable in absolute number as well as percentage of population over the last decade. However, at the same time the drop-out rate has increased significantly. While a drop in attendance could be observed at the same time, statistics show that young professionals consider only roughly thirty percent of their qualification to originate in their university education. Taking this into consideration with the before mentioned, one conclusion could be that students fail to see the importance of fundamental classes and choose to seek knowledge elsewhere, for example in free online courses. However, the so acquired knowledge is a non-attributable qualification. One solution to this problem must be to make on-site activities more attractive. A promising approach for raised attractiveness would be to support students in self-regulated learning processes, making them experience importance and value of own decisions based on realistic self-assessment and self-evaluation. At the same time, strict ex-cathedra teaching should be replaced by interactive forms of education, ideally activating on a meta-cognitive level.
Particularly, as many students bring mobile communication devices into classes, this promising approach could be extended by utilising these mobile devices as second screens. That way, enhanced learning experiences can be provided. The basic idea is simple, namely to contribute to psychological concepts with the means of computer science. An example for this idea are audience response systems. There has been numerous research into these and related approaches for university readings, but other forms of education have not been sufficiently considered, for example tutorials. This technological aspect can be combined with recent didactics research and concepts like peer instruction or visible learning. Therefore, this dissertation presents an experimental approach at providing existing IT solutions for on-site tutorials, specifically tools for audience responses, evaluations, learning demand assessments, peer discussion, and virtual interactive whiteboards. These tools are provided under observation of anonymity and cognisant incidental utilisation. They provide insight into students\' motivation to attend classes, their motivation to utilise tools, and into their tool utilisation itself. Experimental findings are combined into an extensible system concept consisting of three major tool classes: anonymous peer discussion means, anonymous control facilities, and learning demand assessment. With the exception of the latter, promising findings in context of tutorials are presented, for example the reduction of audience response systems to an emergency brake, the versatility of (peer) discussion systems, or a demand for retroactive deanonymisation of contributions. The overall positive impact of tool utilisation on motivation to attend and perceived value of tutorials is discussed and supplemented by a positive impact on the final exams\' outcomes.:List of Definitions, Theorems and Proofs
List of Figures
List of Tables
Introduction and Motivation
Part I: Propaedeutics
1 Working Theses
1.1 Definitions
1.2 Context of Working Theses and Definitions
2 Existing Concepts
2.1 Psychology
2.1.1 Self-Regulation and self-regulated Learning
2.1.2 Peer Instruction, Peer Discussion
2.1.3 Learning Process Supervision: Learning Demand Assessment
2.1.4 Cognitive Activation
2.1.5 Note on Gamification
2.1.6 Note on Blended Learning
2.2 Computer Science
2.2.1 Learning Platforms
2.2.2 Audience Response Systems (ARS)
2.2.3 Virtual Interactive Whiteboard Systems (V-IWB)
2.2.4 Cognisant Incidential Utilisation (CIU)
2.3 Appraisal
3 Related Work
3.1 Visible Learning
3.2 auditorium
3.3 Auditorium Mobile Classroom Service
3.4 ARSnova and other Audience Response Systems
3.5 Google Classroom
3.6 StackOverflow
3.7 AwwApp
Part II: Proceedings
4 Global Picture and Prototype
4.1 Global Picture
4.2 System Architecture
4.2.1 Anonymous Discussion Means
4.2.2 Anonymous Control Facilities
4.3 Implementation
4.3.1 The Prototype
5 Investigated Tools
5.1 Note on Methodology
5.2 Anonymity
5.2.1 Methodology
5.2.2 Visible Learning Effects
5.2.3 Assertion
5.2.4 Experiments
5.2.5 Results
5.2.6 Conclusions
5.3 Learning Demand Assessment
5.3.1 Methodology
5.3.2 Visible Learning Effects
5.3.3 Tool Description
5.3.4 Assertion
5.3.5 Experiments
5.3.6 Results
5.3.7 Conclusions
5.4 Peer Discussion System
5.4.1 Methodology
5.4.2 Visible Learning Effects
5.4.3 Tool Description
5.4.4 Assertion
5.4.5 Experiments
5.4.6 Results
5.4.7 Conclusions
5.5 Virtual Interactive Whiteboard
5.5.1 Methodology
5.5.2 Visible Learning Effects
5.5.3 Tool Description
5.5.4 Assertion
5.5.5 Experiments
5.5.6 Results
5.5.7 Conclusions
5.6 Audience Response System and Emergency Brake
5.6.1 Methodology
5.6.2 Visible Learning Effects
5.6.3 Tool Description
5.6.4 Assertion
5.6.5 Experiments
5.6.6 Results
5.6.7 Conclusions
5.7 Evaluation System
5.7.1 Methodology
5.7.2 Visible Learning Effects
5.7.3 Tool Description
5.7.4 Assertion
5.7.5 Experiments
5.7.6 Results and Conclusion
6 Exam Outcome
7 Utilisation and Motivation
7.1 Prototype Utilisation
7.2 Motivational Aspects
Part III: Appraisal
8 Lessons learned
9 Discussion
9.1 Working Theses’ Validity
9.2 Research Community: Impact and Outlook
9.2.1 Significance to Learning Psychology
9.3 Possible Extension of existing Solutions
10 Conclusion
10.1 Summary of scientific Contributions
10.2 Future Work
Part IV: Appendix
A Experimental Arrangement
B Questionnaires
B.1 Platform Feedback Sheet
B.1.1 Original PFS in 2014
B.1.2 Original PFS in 2015
B.2 Minute Paper
B.3 Motivation and Utilisation Questionnaires
B.3.1 Motivation 2013 and 2014
B.3.2 Motivation 2015
B.3.3 Utilisation 2014
B.3.4 Utilisation 2015, Rev. I
B.3.5 Utilisation 2015, Rev. II
C References
C.1 Auxiliary Means
D Publications
D.1 Original Research Contributions
D.2 Student Theses
E Glossary
F Index
G Milestones
AcknowledgementsÜber die vergangene Dekade ist eine zunehmende Zahl Studienanfänger beobachtbar, sowohl in der absoluten Anzahl, als auch im Bevölkerungsanteil. Demgegenüber steht aber eine überproportional hohe Steigerung der Abbruchquote. Während gleichzeitig die Anwesenheit in universitären Lehrveranstaltungen sinkt, zeigen Statistiken, dass nur etwa ein Drittel der Berufseinsteiger die Grundlagen ihrer Qualifikation im Studium sieht. Daraus könnte man ableiten, dass Studierende den Wert und die Bedeutung universitärer Ausbildung unterschätzen und stattdessen Wissen in anderen Quellen suchen, beispielsweise unentgeltlichen Online-Angeboten. Das auf diese Art angeeignete Wissen stellt aber eine formell nicht nachweise Qualifikation dar. Ein Weg aus diesem Dilemma muss die Steigerung der Attraktivität der universitären Lehrveranstaltungen sein. Ein vielversprechender Ansatz ist die Unterstützung der Studierenden im selbst-regulierten Lernen, wodurch sie die Wichtigkeit und den Wert eigener Entscheidung(sfindungsprozesse) auf Basis realistischer Selbsteinschätzung und Selbstevaluation erlernen. Gleichzeitig sollte Frontalunterricht durch interaktive Lehrformen ersetzt werden, idealerweise durch Aktivierung auf meta-kognitiver Ebene. Dies ist vielversprechend insbesondere, weil viele Studierende ihre eigenen mobilen Endgeräte in Lehrveranstaltungen bringen. Diese Geräte können als Second Screen für die neuen Lehrkonzepte verwendet werden. Auf diese Art kann dann eine verbesserte Lernerfahrung vermittelt werden.
Die Grundidee ist simpel, nämlich in der Psychologie bewährte Didaktik-Konzepte durch die Mittel der Informatik zu unterstützen. Ein Beispiel dafür sind Audience Response Systeme, die hinlänglich im Rahmen von Vorlesungen untersucht worden sind. Andere Lehrformen wurden dabei jedoch unzureichend berücksichtigt, beispielsweise Tutorien. Ähnliche Überlegungen gelten natürlich auch für bewährte didaktische Konzepte wie Peer Instruction oder Betrachtungen in Form von Visible Learning. Deshalb präsentiert diese Dissertation einen experimentellen Ansatz, informationstechnische Lösungen für vor-Ort-Übungen anzubieten, nämlich Werkzeuge für Audience Response Systeme, Evaluationen, Lernbedarfsermittlung, Peer Discussion, sowie virtuelle interaktive Whiteboards. Die genannten Werkzeuge wurden unter Beachtung von Anonymitäts- und Beiläufigkeitsaspekten bereitgestellt. Sie erlauben einen Einblick in die Motivation der Studierenden Tutorien zu besuchen und die Werkzeuge zu nutzen, sowie ihr Nutzungsverhalten selbst. Die experimentellen Ergebnisse werden in ein erweiterbares Systemkonzept kombiniert, das drei Werkzeugklassen unterstützt: anonyme Peer Discussion, anonyme Kontrollwerkzeuge und Lernbedarfsermittlung. Für die ersten beiden Klassen liegen vielversprechende Ergebnisse vor, beispielsweise die notwendige Reduktion des Audience Response Systems auf eine Art Notbremse, die Vielseitigkeit von (Peer-)Discussion-Systemen, oder aber auch der Bedarf für eine retroaktive Deanonymisierung von initial anonymen Beiträgen. Der allgemein positive Einfluss der Werkzeugnutzung auf die Motivation an Tutorien teilzunehmen sowie den wahrgenommenen Wert der Tutorien werden abschließend diskutiert und durch verbesserte Abschlussklausurergebnisse untermauert.:List of Definitions, Theorems and Proofs
List of Figures
List of Tables
Introduction and Motivation
Part I: Propaedeutics
1 Working Theses
1.1 Definitions
1.2 Context of Working Theses and Definitions
2 Existing Concepts
2.1 Psychology
2.1.1 Self-Regulation and self-regulated Learning
2.1.2 Peer Instruction, Peer Discussion
2.1.3 Learning Process Supervision: Learning Demand Assessment
2.1.4 Cognitive Activation
2.1.5 Note on Gamification
2.1.6 Note on Blended Learning
2.2 Computer Science
2.2.1 Learning Platforms
2.2.2 Audience Response Systems (ARS)
2.2.3 Virtual Interactive Whiteboard Systems (V-IWB)
2.2.4 Cognisant Incidential Utilisation (CIU)
2.3 Appraisal
3 Related Work
3.1 Visible Learning
3.2 auditorium
3.3 Auditorium Mobile Classroom Service
3.4 ARSnova and other Audience Response Systems
3.5 Google Classroom
3.6 StackOverflow
3.7 AwwApp
Part II: Proceedings
4 Global Picture and Prototype
4.1 Global Picture
4.2 System Architecture
4.2.1 Anonymous Discussion Means
4.2.2 Anonymous Control Facilities
4.3 Implementation
4.3.1 The Prototype
5 Investigated Tools
5.1 Note on Methodology
5.2 Anonymity
5.2.1 Methodology
5.2.2 Visible Learning Effects
5.2.3 Assertion
5.2.4 Experiments
5.2.5 Results
5.2.6 Conclusions
5.3 Learning Demand Assessment
5.3.1 Methodology
5.3.2 Visible Learning Effects
5.3.3 Tool Description
5.3.4 Assertion
5.3.5 Experiments
5.3.6 Results
5.3.7 Conclusions
5.4 Peer Discussion System
5.4.1 Methodology
5.4.2 Visible Learning Effects
5.4.3 Tool Description
5.4.4 Assertion
5.4.5 Experiments
5.4.6 Results
5.4.7 Conclusions
5.5 Virtual Interactive Whiteboard
5.5.1 Methodology
5.5.2 Visible Learning Effects
5.5.3 Tool Description
5.5.4 Assertion
5.5.5 Experiments
5.5.6 Results
5.5.7 Conclusions
5.6 Audience Response System and Emergency Brake
5.6.1 Methodology
5.6.2 Visible Learning Effects
5.6.3 Tool Description
5.6.4 Assertion
5.6.5 Experiments
5.6.6 Results
5.6.7 Conclusions
5.7 Evaluation System
5.7.1 Methodology
5.7.2 Visible Learning Effects
5.7.3 Tool Description
5.7.4 Assertion
5.7.5 Experiments
5.7.6 Results and Conclusion
6 Exam Outcome
7 Utilisation and Motivation
7.1 Prototype Utilisation
7.2 Motivational Aspects
Part III: Appraisal
8 Lessons learned
9 Discussion
9.1 Working Theses’ Validity
9.2 Research Community: Impact and Outlook
9.2.1 Significance to Learning Psychology
9.3 Possible Extension of existing Solutions
10 Conclusion
10.1 Summary of scientific Contributions
10.2 Future Work
Part IV: Appendix
A Experimental Arrangement
B Questionnaires
B.1 Platform Feedback Sheet
B.1.1 Original PFS in 2014
B.1.2 Original PFS in 2015
B.2 Minute Paper
B.3 Motivation and Utilisation Questionnaires
B.3.1 Motivation 2013 and 2014
B.3.2 Motivation 2015
B.3.3 Utilisation 2014
B.3.4 Utilisation 2015, Rev. I
B.3.5 Utilisation 2015, Rev. II
C References
C.1 Auxiliary Means
D Publications
D.1 Original Research Contributions
D.2 Student Theses
E Glossary
F Index
G Milestones
Acknowledgement
Programming Robosoccer agents by modelling human behavior
The Robosoccer simulator is a challenging environment for artificial intelligence, where a human has to program a team of agents and introduce it into a soccer virtual environment. Most usually, Robosoccer agents are programmed by hand. In some cases, agents make use of Machine learning (ML) to adapt and predict the behavior of the opposite team, but the bulk of the agent has been preprogrammed. The main aim of this paper is to transform Robosoccer into an interactive game and let a human control a Robosoccer agent. Then ML techniques can be used to model his/her behavior from training instances generated during the play. This model will be used later to control a Robosoccer agent, thus imitating the human behavior. We have focused our research on low-level behavior, like looking for the ball, conducting the ball towards the goal, or scoring in the presence of opponent players. Results have shown that indeed, Robosoccer agents can be controlled by programs that model human play.Publicad
Studies related to the process of program development
The submitted work consists of a collection of publications arising from research carried out at Rhodes University (1970-1980) and at Heriot-Watt University (1980-1992). The theme of this research is the process of program development, i.e. the process of creating a computer program to solve some particular problem. The papers presented cover a number of different topics which relate to this process, viz. (a) Programming methodology programming. (b) Properties of programming languages. aspects of structured. (c) Formal specification of programming languages. (d) Compiler techniques. (e) Declarative programming languages. (f) Program development aids. (g) Automatic program generation. (h) Databases. (i) Algorithms and applications
Proceedings of the NASA Conference on Space Telerobotics, volume 2
These proceedings contain papers presented at the NASA Conference on Space Telerobotics held in Pasadena, January 31 to February 2, 1989. The theme of the Conference was man-machine collaboration in space. The Conference provided a forum for researchers and engineers to exchange ideas on the research and development required for application of telerobotics technology to the space systems planned for the 1990s and beyond. The Conference: (1) provided a view of current NASA telerobotic research and development; (2) stimulated technical exchange on man-machine systems, manipulator control, machine sensing, machine intelligence, concurrent computation, and system architectures; and (3) identified important unsolved problems of current interest which can be dealt with by future research
Computer science: Key to a space program renaissance. The 1981 NASA/ASEE summer study on the use of computer science and technology in NASA. Volume 2: Appendices
Adoption of an aggressive computer science research and technology program within NASA will: (1) enable new mission capabilities such as autonomous spacecraft, reliability and self-repair, and low-bandwidth intelligent Earth sensing; (2) lower manpower requirements, especially in the areas of Space Shuttle operations, by making fuller use of control center automation, technical support, and internal utilization of state-of-the-art computer techniques; (3) reduce project costs via improved software verification, software engineering, enhanced scientist/engineer productivity, and increased managerial effectiveness; and (4) significantly improve internal operations within NASA with electronic mail, managerial computer aids, an automated bureaucracy and uniform program operating plans
Skill reconstruction as induction of LQ controllers with subgoals
Controlling a complex dynamic system, such as a plane or a crane, usually requires a skilled operator. Such a control skill is typically hard to reconstruct through introspection. Therefore an attractive approach to the reconstruction of control skill involves machine learning from operators' control traces, also known as behavioural cloning. In the most common approach to behavioural cloning, a controller is induced in the form of a rule set or a decision or regression tree that maps system states to actions. Unfortunately, induced controllers usually suffer from lack of robustness and lack typical elements of human control strategies, such as subgoals and substages of the control plan. In this paper we present a new approach to behavioural cloning which involves the induction of a model of the controlled system and enables the identification of subgoals that the operator is pursuing at various stages of the execution trace. The underlying formal basis for the present approach to beha..
An investigation of transitional management problems for the NSTS
Analysis and recommendations were provided to the National Space Transportation System (NSTS) on managing the transition from a research and development (R/D) structure to an operational structure. Summaries of published literature on the theory and applications of transition, or change management, and the results of interviews with additional industry personnel whose organizations either have gone through or are now going through change are contained. The issues of flight rates and the flight decision are addressed. The use of a computer simulation model to analyze the effect of varying different parameters on the flight rate was also discussed. The issue of NASA's changing demographics was examined and why this may be a cause for concern. The impact of the whole shuttle system structure on the Challenger accident was presented along with the highlights of the Rogers Commission Report. The proposed reorganization of the NSTS management structure is discussed and how this transition from R/D to operations can be performed