Defining adaptation in a generic multi layer model : CAM: the GRAPPLE conceptual adaptation model

Authoring of Adaptive Hypermedia is a difficult and time consuming task. Reference models like LAOS and AHAM separate adaptation and content in different layers. Systems like AHA! offer graphical tools based on these models to allow authors to define adaptation without knowing any adaptation language. The adaptation that can be defined using such tools is still limited. Authoring systems like MOT are more flexible, but usability of adaptation specification is low. This paper proposes a more generic model which allows the adaptation to be defined in an arbitrary number of layers, where adaptation is expressed in terms of relationships between concepts. This model allows the creation of more powerful yet easier to use graphical authoring tools. This paper presents the structure of the Conceptual Adaptation Models used in adaptive applications created within the GRAPPLE adaptive learning environment, and their representation in a graphical authoring tool

Defining adaptation in a generic multi layer model : CAM: the GRAPPLE conceptual adaptation model

Authoring of Adaptive Hypermedia is a difficult and time consuming task. Reference models like LAOS and AHAM separate adaptation and content in different layers. Systems like AHA! offer graphical tools based on these models to allow authors to define adaptation without knowing any adaptation language. The adaptation that can be defined using such tools is still limited. Authoring systems like MOT are more flexible, but usability of adaptation specification is low. This paper proposes a more generic model which allows the adaptation to be defined in an arbitrary number of layers, where adaptation is expressed in terms of relationships between concepts. This model allows the creation of more powerful yet easier to use graphical authoring tools. This paper presents the structure of the Conceptual Adaptation Models used in adaptive applications created within the GRAPPLE adaptive learning environment, and their representation in a graphical authoring tool

A spiral model for adding automatic, adaptive authoring to adaptive hypermedia

At present a large amount of research exists into the design and implementation of adaptive systems. However, not many target the complex task of authoring in such systems, or their evaluation. In order to tackle these problems, we have looked into the causes of the complexity. Manual annotation has proven to be a bottleneck for authoring of adaptive hypermedia. One such solution is the reuse of automatically generated metadata. In our previous work we have proposed the integration of the generic Adaptive Hypermedia authoring environment, MOT ( My Online Teacher), and a semantic desktop environment, indexed by Beagle++. A prototype, Sesame2MOT Enricher v1, was built based upon this integration approach and evaluated. After the initial evaluations, a web-based prototype was built (web-based Sesame2MOT Enricher v2 application) and integrated in MOT v2, conforming with the findings of the first set of evaluations. This new prototype underwent another evaluation. This paper thus does a synthesis of the approach in general, the initial prototype, with its first evaluations, the improved prototype and the first results from the most recent evaluation round, following the next implementation cycle of the spiral model [Boehm, 88]

Integrating serious games in adaptive hypermedia applications for personalised learning experiences

Game-based approaches to learning are increasingly recognized for their potential to stimulate intrinsic motivation amongst learners. While a range of examples of effective serious games exist, creating high-fidelity content with which to populate games is resource-intensive task. To reduce this resource requirement, research is increasingly exploring means to reuse and repurpose existing games. Education has proven a popular application area for Adaptive Hypermedia (AH), as adaptation can offer enriched learning experiences. Whilst content has mainly been in the form of rich text, various efforts have been made to integrate serious games into AH. However, there is little in the way of effective integrated authoring and user modeling support. This paper explores avenues for effectively integrating serious games into AH. In particular, we consider authoring and user modeling aspects in addition to integration into run-time adaptation engines, thereby enabling authors to create AH that includes an adaptive game, thus going beyond mere selection of a suitable game and towards an approach with the capability to adapt and respond to the needs of learners and educators

Development of a personalization model for web applications in a context of model-driven development

ABSTRACT: This dissertation develops and validates a maintainable approach to improve the modifiability of personalized web applications and to reduce the technical complexity to integrate personalization strategies in a short time in a business environment. The Software Reference Architecture to face the maintainability problem was proposed and the MAMPA framework (Model-driven Approach to enhance the Modifiability of Personalized Web Applications) was implemented

Supporting delivery of adaptive hypermedia

Although Adaptive Hypermedia (AH) can improve upon the traditional one-size-fitsall learning approach through Adaptive Educational Hypermedia (AEH), it still has problems with the authoring and delivery processes that are holding back the widespread usage of AEH. In this thesis we present the development of the Adaptive Delivery Environment (ADE) delivery system and use the lessons learnt during its development along with feedback from adaptation specification authors, researchers and other evaluations to formalise a list of essential and recommended optional features for AEH delivery engines. In addition to this we also investigate how the powerful adaptation techniques recommended in the above list and described in Brusilovsky and Knutov’s taxonomies can be implemented in a way that minimises the technical knowledge of adaptation authors needed to use these techniques. As the adaptation functionality increases, we research how a modular framework for adaptation strategies can be created to increase the reusability of parts of an AH system’s overall adaptation specification. Following on from this, we investigate how reusing these modular strategies via a pedagogically based visual editor can enable adaptation authors without programming experience to use these powerful adaptation techniques

Manual and automatic authoring for adaptive hypermedia

Adaptive Hypermedia allows online content to be tailored specifically to the needs of the user. This is particularly valuable in educational systems, where a student might benefit from a learning experience which only displays (or recommends) content that they need to know. Authoring for adaptive systems requires content to be divided into stand-alone fragments which must then be labelled with sufficient pedagogical metadata. Authors must also create a pedagogical strategy that selects the appropriate content depending on (amongst other things) the learner's profile. This authoring process is time-consuming and unfamiliar to most non-technical authors. Therefore, to ensure that students (of all ages, ability level and interests) can benefit from Adaptive Educational Hypermedia, authoring tools need to be usable by a range of educators. The overall aim of this thesis is therefore to identify the ways that this authoring process can be simplified. The research in this thesis describes the changes that were made to the My Online Teacher (MOT) tool in order to address issues such as functionality and usability. The thesis also describes usability and functionality changes that were made to the GRAPPLE Authoring Tool (GAT), which was developed as part of a European FP7 project. These two tools (which utilise different authoring paradigms) were then used within a usability evaluation, allowing the research to draw a comparison between the two toolsets. The thesis also describes how educators can reuse their existing non-adaptive (linear) material (such as presentations and Wiki articles) by importing content into an adaptive authoring system

Supporting authoring of adaptive hypermedia

It is well-known that students benefit from personalised attention. However, frequently teachers are unable to provide this, most often due to time constraints. An Adaptive Hypermedia (AH) system can offer a richer learning experience, by giving personalised attention to students. The authoring process, however, is time consuming and cumbersome. Our research explores the two main aspects to authoring of AH: authoring of content and adaptive behaviour. The research proposes possible solutions, to overcome the hurdles towards acceptance of AH in education. Automation methods can help authors, for example, teachers could create linear lessons and our prototype can add content alternatives for adaptation. Creating adaptive behaviour is more complex. Rule-based systems, XML-based conditional inclusion, Semantic Web reasoning and reusable, portable scripting in a programming language have been proposed. These methods all require specialised knowledge. Hence authoring of adaptive behaviour is difficult and teachers cannot be expected to create such strategies. We investigate three ways to address this issue. 1. Reusability: We investigate limitations regarding adaptation engines, which influence the authoring and reuse of adaptation strategies. We propose a metalanguage, as a supplement to the existing LAG adaptation language, showing how it can overcome such limitations. 2. Standardisation: There are no widely accepted standards for AH. The IMSLearning Design (IMS-LD) specification has similar goals to Adaptive Educational Hypermedia (AEH). Investigation shows that IMS-LD is more limited in terms of adaptive behaviour, but the authoring process focuses more on learning sequences and outcomes. 3. Visualisation: Another way is to simplify the authoring process of strategies using a visual tool. We define a reference model and a tool, the Conceptual Adaptation Model (CAM) and GRAPPLE Authoring Tool (GAT), which allow specification of an adaptive course in a graphical way. A key feature is the separation between content, strategy and adaptive course, which increases reusability compared to approaches that combine all factors in one model

Amélioration de l'expérience d'apprentissage dans un système hypermédia adaptatif éducatif grâce aux données extraites et inférées à partir des réseaux sociaux

Avec l'émergence des formations en ligne accessibles pour tous, la personnalisation de l'apprentissage devient de plus en plus cruciale et présente de nouveaux défis aux chercheurs du domaine. Il est actuellement nécessaire de tenir compte de l'hétérogénéité du public cible et lui présenter des contenus éducatifs adaptés à ses besoins et sa façon d'apprendre afin de lui permettre de profiter au maximum de ces formations et éviter le décrochage. Ce travail de recherche s'inscrit dans le cadre des travaux sur la personnalisation de l'apprentissage à travers les systèmes hypermédias adaptatifs utilisés en éducation (SHAE). Ces systèmes ont la vocation de personnaliser le processus d'apprentissage selon des critères bien spécifiques, tels que les pré-requis ou plus souvent les styles d'apprentissage, en générant un chemin d'apprentissage adéquat. Les SHAE se basent généralement sur trois modèles principaux à savoir le modèle apprenant, le modèle du domaine et le modèle d'adaptation. Bien que la personnalisation du processus d'apprentissage offerte par les SHAE actuels soit avantageuse pour les apprenants, elle présente encore certaines limites. D'un côté, juste le fait de personnaliser l'apprentissage augmente les chances que le contenu présenté à l'apprenant lui soit utile et sera ainsi mieux compris. Mais d'un autre côté, la personnalisation dans les SHAE existants se contente des critères niveau de connaissances et style d'apprentissage, et elle s'applique seulement à certains aspects qui n'ont pas évolué depuis leur création, à savoir le contenu, la présentation et la navigation. Ceci remet en question la pertinence des objets d'apprentissage attribués aux apprenants et la motivation de ces derniers à faire usage des SHAE sachant que ceux-ci se basent essentiellement sur les questionnaires pour la constitution de leur modèle apprenant. Suite à une étude empirique d'une cinquantaine de SHAE existants, révélant leurs atouts et limites, certains objectifs de recherche ont été identifiés afin d'améliorer l'expérience d'apprentissage à travers ces systèmes. Ces objectifs visent à établir un modèle de SHAE capable de (i) déterminer les données du modèle apprenant de façon implicite à partir des réseaux sociaux tout en répondant aux standards associés à ce modèle afin de construire le modèle apprenant; (ii) favoriser la collaboration entre les différents apprenants qui seraient mieux motivés à apprendre en collaborant; (iii) personnaliser, de façon automatique, de nouveaux aspects à savoir l'approche pédagogique, la collaboration et le feedback selon les traits de personnalité de l'apprenant en plus des trois volets existants. Un modèle de SHAE a été proposé pour répondre à ces objectifs. Ce modèle permet d’extraire les données personnelles de l'utilisateur à partir de ses réseaux sociaux et de prédire ses traits de personnalité selon son interaction avec ces réseaux. Par la suite, il est possible d'adapter les objets d'apprentissage, sur la base d'un système de recommandation, à ces traits de personnalité en plus du style d'apprentissage et du niveau de connaissances des apprenants. L'adaptation aux traits de personnalité de l'apprenant selon le modèle Big Five a permis de personnaliser de nouveaux aspects tels l'approche pédagogique, le type de collaboration et le feedback. Un prototype, "ColadaptLearn", conçu à partir de ce modèle et expérimenté avec un ensemble d'étudiants a permis de valider les choix du prototype pour les objets d'apprentissage, selon les règles préétablies, en les confrontant aux choix faits par les étudiants. Ces données ont été utilisées pour développer un réseau bayésien permettant de prédire les objets d'apprentissage adéquats aux futurs apprenants. Les résultats de l’expérimentation ont montré qu'il y a une bonne concordance entre les choix du prototype et ceux des apprenants, en plus d'une satisfaction de ces derniers par rapport aux feedbacks reçus, ce qui appuie le rajout des nouveaux aspects proposés. Comme suite à cette thèse, il est envisageable d'appliquer le modèle proposé dans des environnements d'apprentissage plus larges de types cours en ligne ouverts et massifs, jeu sérieux ou même des formations mobiles, ce qui contribuerait à mieux valider les propos amenés. Il est aussi possible d’utiliser des techniques d'apprentissage automatique autres que les réseaux bayésiens pour la prédiction des objets d'apprentissage adaptés. Finalement, il serait intéressant d'explorer d'autres sources de données qui pourraient fournir plus d'informations sur l'apprenant de façon implicite tels ses centres d'intérêt ou ses émotions auxquels un SHAE pourrait s'adapter.With the growth of online learning accessible to all, learning personalization is becoming increasingly crucial and presents new challenges for researchers. It is currently essential to take into account the heterogeneity of the target audience and adapt educational content to their needs and learning style in such a way that they are able to fully benefit from these learning forms and prevent them from dropping out. This research work addresses learning personalization through adaptive educational hypermedia systems (AEHS). These systems are designed to customize the learning process according to specific criteria, such as prerequisites or, more often, learning styles, by generating a suitable learning path. AEHS are generally based on three main models: the learning model, the domain model and the adaptation model. Although the learning process customization offered by current AEHS is beneficial to learners, it still has some limitations. On one hand, just the fact of personalizing learning increases the likelihood that the content presented to the learner will be useful and thus better understood. But on the other hand, customization in existing AEHS is limited to the criteria knowledge level and learning style and applies only to certain aspects which have not evolved since their creation, namely content, presentation and navigation. This questions the relevance of the learning objects assigned to learners and their motivation to use such AEHS, knowing that they rely essentially on questionnaires to build their learner model. After conducting an empirical study of 50 existing AEHS, revealing their strengths and limitations, some research objectives were identified to improve the learning experience through such systems. These objectives aim to establish an AEHS model which is able to (i) implicitly identify the learning model data on the basis of social networks while meeting the associated standards; (ii) promote collaboration between different learners who would be better motivated to learn while collaborating; (iii) automatically customize new aspects such as the teaching approach, collaboration and feedback according to learners' personality traits in addition to the three existing ones. An AEHS model has been proposed to meet these objectives. This model makes it possible to extract the user's personal data from his social networks and to predict his personality traits depending on his interaction with these networks. Thereafter, it is possible to adapt the learning objects, on the basis of a recommendation system, to these personality traits in addition to the criteria learning style and knowledge level. Adapting to the learner's personality traits according to the Big Five model enabled the customization of new aspects such as the pedagogical approach, the collaboration type and the feedback. A prototype, "ColadaptLearn", based on this model and experimented with a group of students, validated the prototype's choices for learning objects while confronting them to the students' choices. These data were then used to build a Bayesian network to predict the appropriate learning objects for future learners. The experimental results showed that there is a good match between the prototype choices and those of learners, in addition to learners' satisfaction regarding the feedback received, which supports the addition of the proposed new aspects. As a follow-up to this thesis, it is possible to apply the proposed model in a larger learning environment such as massive open online courses (MOOC), serious games or mobile learning, which would help to validate the proposals made. It is also possible to use other automatic learning techniques than Bayesian networks to predict suitable learning objects. Finally, it would be interesting to explore other data sources that could implicitly provide more information about the learner, such as his or her interests or emotions that an SHAE could adapt to