Reuse of Digital Learning Resources in Collaborative Learning Environments

With background in the proliferation of Information- and Communication Technologies(ICTs) in educational institutions, there is a growing interest in deploying ICT that complies with specifications and standards for learning technologies in these institutions. A key to obtaining the benefits of cost-efficiency and quality that motivate this interest is reuse of digital learning resources. Despite the significant efforts being made in design and deployment of learning technology standards facilitating the reuse of learning resources, the phenomenon of reuse is understudied. Central standardization initiatives originate in the requirements for training in large corporations and the US military. My research is concerned with learning resource reuse in educational institutions, with a particular interest in pedagogical approaches emphasizing the social aspects of learning. The central aim of my research is to develop a conception of reuse that facilitates systematic analysis of learning resource reuse in ICT-mediated collaborative learning environments. This aim locates my research at the intersection between learning technology standardization and the research area of Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL). The theoretical basis for my research is sociocultural perspectives on human learning and development. This perspective contends that the process of learning is essentially a social process, situated in cultural and historical contexts. The sociocultural understanding of technological agency, that human actions are mediated by artifacts, has fundamentally shaped my understanding of learning resource reuse. I have used the more specific approach of Cultural-Historical Activity Theory as my analytical framework,which implies that I have studied the students, teachers, and technology designers’ engagement with learning resources as activity. The empirical basis for the research is formed by three interpretive case studies. Two of the case studies were carried out on an introductory course on object-oriented programming at the University of Aarhus in Denmark, during two consecutive semesters. The third case study was conducted on the development of a framework for technology-enhanced inquiry learning at the University of California, Berkeley, USA. The most important contribution of my research is that it brings the issue of how learning resources are reused in educational institutions into the foreground. The intermediate conv cept of reuse developed in this thesis informs the two research areas CSCL and learning technology standardization. It serves as a mechanism for discussing the issue of scalability of CSCL systems, and provides empirically informed perspectives on reuse to the learning technology standardization community. I argue that standardization will become more relevant for CSCL research as experimental CSCL systems are brought into educational institutions and help shape the everyday practice in these institutions. Learning technology standards represent an opportunity for the CSCL research community to reify findings on productive collaborative interactions, and to implement sustainable CSCL systems in educational institutions. The conception of reuse can be used in deliberations on standards deployment in educational institutions. It can help guide decisions on which learning resources to design according to standards, and the findings on how the specifications SCORM and IMS Learning Design accommodate collaborative learning approaches can assist decision-makers in choosing appropriate mechanisms for facilitating reuse of learning resources. For the design of learning technology standards, the conception of reuse offers an opportunity to think about how well the standards reflect reuse practice. The findings on how learning resources are reused can also be used for redesigning standards with respect to reducing complexity. In addition to the findings on reuse, my empirical research on social interactions in distributed CSCL settings has yielded new insights on the communicative conditions constituted by CSCL environments in the problem domain of university-level introductory objectoriented programming. My research pays particular attention to how the mediating ICTs shape these interactions, as well as taking other aspects of the learning situations into account

Ubiquitous Technology for Lifelong Learners

Nowadays, most people change their career throughout their lives, many times independently on what they learned during their formal education period. Therefore, the necessity to continually keep our skills sharp and up-to-date becomes increasingly important in a rapidly changing job market. The European Commission stressed the importance of lifelong learning as a key challenge for the knowledge society to adapt to the pace in which digital technology is transforming every aspect of people’s lives. Later on, the Commission published a reference framework comprising eight competences to flexibly adapt to a rapidly changing and highly interconnected world. In this thesis, we aim at supporting learners to understand the way they can better learn in-context using technology, therefore we focus on two specific competences, namely, learning to learn and digital competence

Desenvolvimento e implementação de um modelo de Blended-Learning com objectos de aprendizagem no ensino superior

Tese de doutoramento em Ciências da Educação (ramo conhecimento em Tecnologia Educativa)O ensino superior é actualmente confrontado com profundas mudanças decorrentes da aplicação do Processo de Bolonha com vista à criação de um Espaço Europeu de Ensino Superior e à passagem para um modelo de aprendizagem centrado no aluno e assente no desenvolvimento de competências. Neste enquadramento, as tecnologias de informação e comunicação assumem um papel preponderante no desenvolvimento de novos modelos de organização do ensino e aprendizagem. A necessidade de encontrar um método de ensino que não passe exclusivamente por sessões de natureza colectiva e que atribua aos alunos um papel mais activo na aprendizagem levou ao desenvolvimento e implementação de um modelo de blendedlearning com base no Modelo Múltiplas Perspectivas, um modelo para ensino a distância que visa a aquisição de conhecimentos de nível avançado em domínios complexos através da aprendizagem independente e dos recursos de comunicação existentes nos sistemas de gestão de aprendizagem (LMS). O Modelo Múltiplas Perspectivas resultou de vários contributos: da Teoria da Flexibilidade Cognitiva (TFC) manteve o processo de desconstrução; dos resultados dos estudos realizados com hiperdocumentos TFC substituiu as travessias temáticas por questões no fórum e dos objectos de aprendizagem centrou o estudo no caso como entidade auto-suficiente, que é combinado com outros casos num módulo de uma unidade curricular ou de um curso. Começou-se por definir os limites, a estrutura e as características dos objectos de aprendizagem baseado neste modelo, assim como, as especificações necessárias para facilitar a sua reutilização. Na sua criação utilizou-se as ferramentas eXeLearning+ e Reload e recorreu-se às normas SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model), LOM (Learning Object Metadata) e às licenças Creative Commons. Os conteúdos, a usabilidade e o potencial dos objectos de aprendizagem foram avaliados por peritos, e a sua qualidade gráfica e compreensão foram avaliadas por alunos. Com o objectivo de se aplicar e avaliar o modelo de blended-learning proposto recorreu-se à metodologia de investigação-acção. Esta metodologia envolveu três ciclos de estudos ao longo dos quais o modelo foi aplicado, avaliado e reformulado até satisfazer os objectivos de ensino e aprendizagem a que se propôs. No estudo participaram 40 alunos do 1.º ano do ensino superior tendo sido estudadas as temáticas de arquitectura de computadores, redes de computadores e segurança e privacidade. A aprendizagem presencial foi importante para os aprendentes se familiarizarem com o LMS e iniciarem a exploração da temática. Os aprendentes consideraram que os casos disponibilizados, sob a forma de objectos de aprendizagem, os ajudaram a compreender mais facilmente a matéria e os prepararam para resolver situações problemáticas. O chat mostrou ser uma boa ferramenta para esclarecer dúvidas e socializar, promovendo uma maior aproximação entre os aprendentes e entre estes e o professor. Os aprendentes referiram que as sessões de chat os ajudaram a perceber que não dominavam determinados assuntos do módulo e facilitaram a comunicação entre estes e o professor. Estes também indicaram que a criação das respostas às questões disponibilizadas no fórum os obrigou a um maior envolvimento com as matérias dos módulos, permitindo-lhes perceber que não dominavam determinados assuntos dos módulos, e que os comentários do professor às respostas contribuíram para a sua aprendizagem. A análise dos resultados permite concluir que a maioria dos aprendentes gostou muito ou bastante de ter aprendido estas temáticas online, estando receptivos a fazer mais módulos online e preferindo esta metodologia relativamente à aprendizagem presencial e à aprendizagem totalmente online. Por seu lado, os resultados dos testes de conhecimentos revelam a existência de diferenças estatisticamente significativas nos três módulos. Este modelo de blended-learning constitui assim uma opção válida para todos os professores que procuram métodos de ensino mistos baseados em objectos de aprendizagem.Higher education is now facing major changes resulting from the Bologna Process. This process aims to create a European Higher Education and it promotes a learning model centred on students and on the development of skills. In this context, information and communication technologies play a significant role in the development of new organisational models for teaching and learning. The need to find a teaching method which not only includes collective sessions but also gives individual students a more active role in learning has led us to develop and implement a blended-learning Multiple Perspectives Model. A distance-learning model that aims at acquiring advanced knowledge in complex areas through the independent learning and communication resources provided by learning management systems (LMS). The Multiple Perspectives Model is based on several contributions: from the Cognitive Flexibility Theory (CFT) it has retained the deconstruction process; based on the results of studies performed with CFT hyperdocuments, thematic criss-crossing have been replaced by forum questions; and as far as learning objects are concerned the study has been focused on the case as a self-sufficient entity combined with other cases in a course module or unit. Based on this model we started by defining the limits, the structure and characteristics of learning objects as well as the necessary specifications to facilitate its reuse. To create them we used eXeLearning+ and Reload as well as SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) and LOM (Learning Object Metadata) standards and Creative Commons licenses. The contents, usability and potential of learning objects have been evaluated by experts and its graphic quality and understandability have been evaluated by students. An action-research approach was used in the study of the blended-learning model. This research involved three study cycles where the model has been applied, evaluated and reformulated until the aims of the blended-learning model were achieved. The modules focused on Computer Architecture, Computer Networks, and Safety and Privacy. The study involved the participation of 40 first-year students. Face-to-face learning helped learners to familiarise themselves with the LMS and start thematic exploration. Learners found that the cases provided as learning objects have made it much easier for them to understand the subject matter and prepared them to solve new situations. The chat turned out to be a good tool to answer questions and socialise, promoting closer interactions between learners and instructors and among learners themselves. The learners referred that chat sessions helped them to recognise gaps in some topic matters and facilitated communication with the instructor. They also referred that drawing up the answers to the questions provided in the forum led to their greater involvement in module contents and helped them realise that there were gaps in their understanding of subject matters and also that the instructor’s feedback greatly contributed to their learning. The results showed that most learners enjoyed this learning experience and were open to take more online modules, preferring blended-learning to face-to-face or to distance-learning. The results from the tests, in turn, reveal that learning occurs in the three modules, and statistical differences were achieved from pre-test to post-test. This blended-learning model is a valid option for all instructors seeking an approach based on learning objects

Semantic adaptability for the systems interoperability

In the current global and competitive business context, it is essential that enterprises adapt their knowledge resources in order to smoothly interact and collaborate with others. However, due to the existent multiculturalism of people and enterprises, there are different representation views of business processes or products, even inside a same domain. Consequently, one of the main problems found in the interoperability between enterprise systems and applications is related to semantics. The integration and sharing of enterprises knowledge to build a common lexicon, plays an important role to the semantic adaptability of the information systems. The author proposes a framework to support the development of systems to manage dynamic semantic adaptability resolution. It allows different organisations to participate in a common knowledge base building, letting at the same time maintain their own views of the domain, without compromising the integration between them. Thus, systems are able to be aware of new knowledge, and have the capacity to learn from it and to manage its semantic interoperability in a dynamic and adaptable way. The author endorses the vision that in the near future, the semantic adaptability skills of the enterprise systems will be the booster to enterprises collaboration and the appearance of new business opportunities

ICTERI 2020: ІКТ в освіті, дослідженнях та промислових застосуваннях. Інтеграція, гармонізація та передача знань 2020: Матеріали 16-ї Міжнародної конференції. Том II: Семінари. Харків, Україна, 06-10 жовтня 2020 р.

This volume represents the proceedings of the Workshops co-located with the 16th International Conference on ICT in Education, Research, and Industrial Applications, held in Kharkiv, Ukraine, in October 2020. It comprises 101 contributed papers that were carefully peer-reviewed and selected from 233 submissions for the five workshops: RMSEBT, TheRMIT, ITER, 3L-Person, CoSinE, MROL. The volume is structured in six parts, each presenting the contributions for a particular workshop. The topical scope of the volume is aligned with the thematic tracks of ICTERI 2020: (I) Advances in ICT Research; (II) Information Systems: Technology and Applications; (III) Academia/Industry ICT Cooperation; and (IV) ICT in Education.Цей збірник представляє матеріали семінарів, які були проведені в рамках 16-ї Міжнародної конференції з ІКТ в освіті, наукових дослідженнях та промислових застосуваннях, що відбулася в Харкові, Україна, у жовтні 2020 року. Він містить 101 доповідь, які були ретельно рецензовані та відібрані з 233 заявок на участь у п'яти воркшопах: RMSEBT, TheRMIT, ITER, 3L-Person, CoSinE, MROL. Збірник складається з шести частин, кожна з яких представляє матеріали для певного семінару. Тематична спрямованість збірника узгоджена з тематичними напрямками ICTERI 2020: (I) Досягнення в галузі досліджень ІКТ; (II) Інформаційні системи: Технології і застосування; (ІІІ) Співпраця в галузі ІКТ між академічними і промисловими колами; і (IV) ІКТ в освіті