46,206 research outputs found
Modelling a layer for real-time management of interactions in web based distance learning
In the last few years, the University of Aveiro, Portugal, has been offering several distance learning courses
over the Web, using e-learning platforms.
Experience showed that different editions of a same course, using the same contents and structure, and having
similar target learners, had different success rates. What would be the reason for that?
A hypothesis was considered: The level of success could be directly related with the remote follow-up of the
learnersâ participation in the courses; the best results usually occur when the follow-up is closer.
The existing e-learning platforms offer and the standardization works being developed by organizations and
consortiums like IMS (IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc), ADL SCORM (Advanced Distributed Learning
Sherable Content Object Reference Model), IEEE LTSC LOM (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
Learning Technologies Standard Committee Learning Object Metadata), ARIADNE (ARIADNE Foundation
for the European Knowledge Pool), AICC CMI (Aviation Industry CBT Committee Computer Managed
Instruction), etc, donât cover the course monitorization concerns mentioned. Those projects were focused on
aspects like contents and its delivery in the context of the execution of the coursesâ activities. This is even
true in the SCORM project that doesnât include any reference to the management of the e-learning processes.
Recently, in the context of the IMS Global Consortium, a new project designated IMS LD (Learning Design) is
under development, providing a framework for the description of learning units under a three level model. In
the most recently defined level, the C level, some functionalities related to notifications were proposed,
expressing similar concerns to the ones that triggered our research. However, the extent at which IMS LD
takes the functionalities is, from our point of view, not complete.
This article describes a proposal of a reference model and functionalities towards a specification of a layer for
real-time management of user interactions on LMSs, and its possible integration with the ADL SCORM
standard proposal. The paper includes a discussion of the management metadata model for the LMS
sub-system and how the integration of the management module under SCORM may be achieved
MODELLING A LAYER FOR REAL-TIME MANAGEMENT OF INTERACTIONS IN WEB BASED DISTANCE LEARNING
Abstract In the last few years, the University of Aveiro, Portugal, has been offering several distance learning courses over the Web, using e-learning platforms. Experience showed that different editions of a same course, using the same contents and structure, and having similar target learners, had different success rates. What would be the reason for that? A hypothesis was considered: The level of success could be directly related with the remote follow-up of the learners' participation in the courses; the best results usually occur when the follow-up is closer. The existing e-learning platforms offer and the standardization works being developed by organizations and consortiums like IMS (IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc), ADL SCORM (Advanced Distributed Learning Sherable Content Object Reference Model), IEEE LTSC LOM (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Learning Technologies Standard Committee Learning Object Metadata), ARIADNE (ARIADNE Foundation for the European Knowledge Pool), AICC CMI (Aviation Industry CBT Committee Computer Managed Instruction), etc, don't cover the course monitorization concerns mentioned. Those projects were focused on aspects like contents and its delivery in the context of the execution of the courses' activities. This is even true in the SCORM project that doesn't include any reference to the management of the e-learning processes. Recently, in the context of the IMS Global Consortium, a new project designated IMS LD (Learning Design) is under development, providing a framework for the description of learning units under a three level model. In the most recently defined level, the C level, some functionalities related to notifications were proposed, expressing similar concerns to the ones that triggered our research. However, the extent at which IMS LD takes the functionalities is, from our point of view, not complete. This article describes a proposal of a reference model and functionalities towards a specification of a layer for real-time management of user interactions on LMSs, and its possible integration with the ADL SCORM standard proposal. The paper includes a discussion of the management metadata model for the LMS sub-system and how the integration of the management module under SCORM may be achieved
A HCI principles based framework to assess the user perception of web based Virtual Research Environments. Special issue on Capacity building for post disaster infrastructure development and management
Due to various challenges and opportunities such as globalisation of research agenda and advancements in information and communication technologies, research collaborations (both international and national) have become popular during the last decade more than ever before. Within this context, the concept of Virtual Research environments(VRE) is an emerging concept looking at addressing the complex challenges associated with conducting collaborative research. Even though concept of VRE is at its infancy, it is important to assess user perception
about those, both to establish its success of uptake and future development strategies. However, to date, there is no formal method established to evaluate VREs .This paper reports a strategy adopted within an international collaborative research project (EURASIA) to evaluate
its custom built VRE, VEBER, using the well known Computer Human Interaction principles
Achieving success in collaborative research: the role of virtual research environments
Due to various challenges and opportunities such as globalisation of research agenda and advancements in information and communication technologies, research collaborations (both international and national) have become popular during the last decade more than ever before. Within this context, the concept of Virtual Research Environments is an emerging concept looking at addressing the complex challenges associated with conducting collaborative research. The research reported within this paper investigated how the success factors of collaborative research can be achieved by deploying a Virtual Research Environment
Managing personal learning environments: the voice of the students
The main purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the kind of educational work to be done with higher education students (undergraduate) in order to encourage them to create and use personal learning environments (PLEs) as a strategy for learning (Attwell, 2007). Based on our current classroom work with students of the 2nd year of a degree in Education and mainly using the functionalities of the Ning system (Copyright © 2010 Ning, Inc.), as well as other tools available on the Internet, we tried to implement a strategy based not only on the presentation of content by the teacher, but also on the recognition of the importance of studentâs leadership in the organisation and management of their own learning. Therefore, in addition to face-to-face lectures, we tried to extend the discussion outside the classroom walls using the different services offered by Ning, proposing to integrate the work done by students in their individual evaluation (50% of the final classification). At the end of the semester we observed evidence of a general difficulty felt by the students, particularly in terms of self-regulation and personal organisation. So we decided to try to understand the problem observed in depth. For the purpose of understanding the nature and the extent of these difficulties, we used a methodology focused on analysis of a questionnaire applied to the students about their perception of the difficulties in managing the learning process and about the strategies used for dealing with those difficulties. Although the students acknowledge that the development of the individual online portfolio in a PLE requires that, for the most part, largely they themselves have to get organised and manage of their own learning (Barrett, 2000; Attwell, 2007), one can see that they do not feel prepared for this, experiencing difficulties in personal organisation, time management and regular participation in the proposed activities. In strategic terms, they value the appraisals and/or suggestions given by the teachers, but do not adopt an attitude of reflection or interaction and sharing with others, as catered for by the platform and its functionalities
Achieving success in collaborative research: the role of virtual research environments
Due to various challenges and opportunities such as globalisation of research agenda and advancements in information and communication technologies, research collaborations (both international and national) have become popular during the last decade more than ever before. Within this context, the concept of Virtual Research Environments is an emerging concept looking at addressing the complex challenges associated with conducting collaborative research. The research reported within this paper investigated how the success factors of collaborative research can be achieved by deploying a Virtual Research Environment
Open source in libraries: Implementation of an open source ILMS at Asia e-University library
Open source systems for libraries have improved significantly to gain the confidence of librarians. The main focus of the paper is to describe the selection process and criteria that led to the implementation of Koha the first open source Integrated Library Management System at the AeU Library. A study was made based on the set criteria used to compare and contrast with the more popular propriety library management systems. The paper presents the findings of the study which led to the selection of Koha, and a brief introduction to features of open source systems for libraries. The reasoning and conditions for accepting Koha are discussed. A brief account of the implementation process and related experience of the open source ILMS are given. AeU library implemented the various modules of the system: cataloging, online public access (OPAC), circulation, patron management and acquisitions. The expanding influence and acceptance of OSS in libraries is here to stay. Malaysian libraries may need to look into the credible options and benefits of utilizing open source systems and harness this development in ILS
Towards personalization in digital libraries through ontologies
In this paper we describe a browsing and searching personalization system for digital libraries based on the use of ontologies for describing the relationships between all the
elements which take part in a digital library scenario of use. The main goal of this project is to help the users of a digital library to improve their experience of use by means of two complementary strategies: first, by maintaining a complete history record of his or her browsing and searching activities, which is part of a navigational user profile which includes preferences and all the aspects related to community involvement; and second, by reusing all the knowledge which has been extracted from previous usage from other users with similar profiles. This can be accomplished in terms of narrowing and focusing the search results and browsing options through the use of a recommendation system which organizes such results in the most appropriate manner, using ontologies and concepts drawn from the semantic web field. The complete integration of the experience of use of a digital library in the learning process is also pursued. Both the usage and information organization can be also exploited to extract useful knowledge from the way users interact with a digital library, knowledge that can be used to improve several design aspects of the library, ranging from internal organization aspects to human factors and user interfaces. Although this project is still on an early development stage, it is possible to identify all the desired functionalities and requirements that are necessary to fully integrate the use of a digital library in an e-learning environment
Enhancing web supported learning in higher education by adding a management layer to LMSs
There are many situations in the e-Learning experiences
that can compromise the success of the courses. Many
times simple reasons are great enough to motivate people
to abandon them. For example, if someone does not
execute a programmed activity inside the defined window
of time, it can compromise the rest of the course to that
person. In such situations it would be important that the
teacher knew about the situation in useful time, to be able
to take any corrective action.
Another example could be presented, involving the
professor and the learners. Let us assume that an activity
A2 is programmed to be executed by the learners and that
it depends on the previous knowledge of the result of the
evaluation of a work submitted by the learners to the
teacher (activity A1). If the teacher doesnât inform the
learners about their classification in useful time, that can
compromise the execution of the activity A2.
It seems to be necessary to use mechanisms of automatic
management, in real time, of the envolvement of each
participant in a distance learning course using LMS
(Learning Management System). Such a functionality
allows the detection of deviations to the scheduled
activities planned for each actor. If it is the case, the
referred mechanism can initiate the process of sending
notifications to the relevant entities, enabling the
correction of these deviations.
Several organizations and consortiuns, involving the
industry, governmental institutions and universities, are
developing projects of standardization. It seemed
important to us to see how the referred aspects were
covered by those projects, and to perceive how it could be
possible to articulate our work with the ones that are
available from these organizations and consortiuns.
This article describes the work that the authors are
developing towards the specification of a layer for
real-time management of user interactions with LMSs,
during the operationalization of a course, and also
includes a management meta-data model, related to that
management layer
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