Efficiency and Usability of E-Learning Systems : Project-Oriented Methodology Guide

The book presents the efforts of the NBU team to put forward an integralmethodology for evaluation of E-Learning systems. It has been created within the WELKOM project (2004-2006), financed by the Leonardo da Vinci EC program. The methodology given here has been applied successfully for deploying and optimizing three different E-Learning systems in three different contexts – a private industrial company (Turbomeca, France), a SAP training company (VBS, Bulgaria), and a university (NBU, Bulgaria)

The use of visual strategies by educators at tertiary level and its influence on student teachers' development of mathematical concepts.

Masters Degree, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Abstract available in pdf

The relationship between learning styles, modes of content presentation and visuo-semiotic reasoning in Biology

In the 21st century, acquiring knowledge of the life sciences, particularly in the discipline of biology, requires attaining a set of visualisation skills among students. These skills include the ability to interpret, reason and understand the discipline by processing visual stimuli to comprehend spatial relationships between objects, and to visualize images. Since the start of the 4th industrial revolution, the use of visuo-semiotic models in teaching and learning have increased. The integration of visuo-semiotic models, such as images and visual presentations in textbooks and computer interfaces, have promoted more effective learning of visually and spatially complex topics in biology and molecular biology. The integration and interpretation of visuo-semiotic models is a complex process and depends on prior knowledge of the domain of biology, as well as familiarity with visualisations and complexities of the visuo-semiotic model. Consequently, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between learning styles, modes of content presentation and visuo-semiotic reasoning in biology. This will aid in understanding how both teaching and learning can be enhanced through visuo-semiotic models, in a preliminary manner. The present study adopted a quantitative, quasi-experimental research approach. A non-probability, purposive sampling method was used to select participants from a public school located in Gauteng, West of Johannesburg. Data was obtained from selfadministered questionnaires which were completed by Grade 10 biology students (n=76). The findings of this study suggests that a relationship exists between learning styles, modes of content presentation and visuo-semiotic reasoning associated with learning difficulties related to conceptual understanding of the cell cycle. Furthermore, the results also showed that content knowledge, which was presented using simulations, performed by using bead-work, animation and paper-based worksheets did not improve student performance.Science and Technology EducationM. Ed. (Natural Science Education

Investigation and development of a tangible technology framework for highly complex and abstract concepts

The ubiquitous integration of computer-supported learning tools within the educational domain has led educators to continuously seek effective technological platforms for teaching and learning. Overcoming the inherent limitations of traditional educational approaches, interactive and tangible computing platforms have consequently garnered increased interest in the pursuit of embedding active learning pedagogies within curricula. However, whilst Tangible User Interface (TUI) systems have been successfully developed to edutain children in various research contexts, TUI architectures have seen limited deployment towards more advanced educational pursuits. Thus, in contrast to current domain research, this study investigates the effectiveness and suitability of adopting TUI systems for enhancing the learning experience of abstract and complex computational science and technology-based concepts within higher educational institutions (HEI)s. Based on the proposal of a contextually apt TUI architecture, the research describes the design and development of eight distinct TUI frameworks embodying innovate interactive paradigms through tabletop peripherals, graphical design factors, and active tangible manipulatives. These computationally coupled design elements are evaluated through summative and formative experimental methodologies for their ability to aid in the effective teaching and learning of diverse threshold concepts experienced in computational science. In addition, through the design and adoption of a technology acceptance model for educational technology (TAM4Edu), the suitability of TUI frameworks in HEI education is empirically evaluated across a myriad of determinants for modelling students’ behavioural intention. In light of the statistically significant results obtained in both academic knowledge gain (μ = 25.8%) and student satisfaction (μ = 12.7%), the study outlines the affordances provided through TUI design for various constituents of active learning theories and modalities. Thus, based on an empirical and pedagogical analyses, a set of design guidelines is defined within this research to direct the effective development of TUI design elements for teaching and learning abstract threshold concepts in HEI adaptations

Automatic detection of learner-style for adaptive eLearning

The advent of modern wireless technologies has seen a shift in focus towards the design and development of educational systems for deployment through mobile devices. The use of mobile phones, tablets and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) is steadily growing across the educational sector as a whole. Mobile learning (mLearning) systems developed for deployment on such devices hold great significance for the future of education. However, mLearning systems must be built around the particular learner’s needs based on both their motivation to learn and subsequent learning outcomes. This thesis investigates how biometric technologies, in particular accelerometer and eye-tracking technologies, could effectively be employed within the development of mobile learning systems to facilitate the needs of individual learners. The creation of personalised learning environments must enable the achievement of improved learning outcomes for users, particularly at an individual level. Therefore consideration is given to individual learning-style differences within the electronic learning (eLearning) space. The overall area of eLearning is considered and areas such as biometric technology and educational psychology are explored for the development of personalised educational systems. This thesis explains the basis of the author’s hypotheses and presents the results of several studies carried out throughout the PhD research period. These results show that both accelerometer and eye-tracking technologies can be employed as an Human Computer Interaction (HCI) method in the detection of student learning-styles to facilitate the provision of automatically adapted eLearning spaces. Finally the author provides recommendations for developers in the creation of adaptive mobile learning systems through the employment of biometric technology as a user interaction tool within mLearning applications. Further research paths are identified and a roadmap for future of research in this area is defined

Human-Computer Interaction

In this book the reader will find a collection of 31 papers presenting different facets of Human Computer Interaction, the result of research projects and experiments as well as new approaches to design user interfaces. The book is organized according to the following main topics in a sequential order: new interaction paradigms, multimodality, usability studies on several interaction mechanisms, human factors, universal design and development methodologies and tools

A computational model of observer stress

Stress is a major growing concern in our age, adversely impacting individuals and society. Stress research has a wide range of benefits with the potential to improve health and wellbeing, personal day-to-day activities, increase work productivity and benefit society as a whole. This makes it an interesting and socially beneficial area of research. It motivates objective understanding of how average individuals respond to events they observe in typical environments they encounter, which this thesis investigates through artificial intelligence particularly bio-inspired computing and data mining. This thesis presents a review of the sensors that show symptoms which have been used to detect stress and computational modelling of stress. It discusses non-invasive and unobtrusive sensors for measuring computed stress. The focus is on sensors that do not impede everyday activities which could be used to monitor stress levels on a regular basis. Several computational techniques have been developed previously by others to model stress based on techniques including machine learning techniques but these are quite simplistic and inadequate. This thesis presents novel enhanced methods for modelling stress for classification and prediction using real-world stress data sets. The main aims for this thesis are to propose and define the concept of observer stress and develop computational models of observer stress for typical environments. The environments considered in this thesis are abstract virtual environments (text), virtual environments (films) and real environments (real-life settings). The research comprised stress data capture for the environments, multi-sensor signal processing and fusion, and knowledge discovery methods for the computational models to recognise and predict observer stress. Experiments were designed and conducted to acquire real-world observer stress data sets for the different environments. The data sets contain physiological and physical sensor signals of observers and survey reports that validate stress in the environments. The physiological stress signals in the data sets include electroencephalogram (EEG), electrocardiogram (ECG), galvanic skin response, blood pressure and the physical signals include eye gaze, pupil dilation and videos of faces in visible and thermal spectrums. Observer stress modelling systems were developed using analytics on the stress data sets. The systems generated stress features from the data and used these features to develop computational models based on techniques such as support vector machines and artificial neural networks to capture stress patterns. Some systems also optimised features using techniques such as genetic algorithm or correlation based techniques for developing models to capture better stress patterns for observer stress recognition. Additionally, a computational stress signal predictor system was developed to model temporal stress. This system was based on a novel combination of support vector machine, genetic algorithm and an artificial neural network. This thesis contributes a significant dimension to computational stress research. It investigates observer stress, proposes novel computational methods for stress, models stress with novel stress feature sets, and proposes a model for a temporal stress measure. The research outcomes provide an objective understanding on stress levels of observers, and environments based on observer perceptions. Further research suggested includes investigating models to manage stress conditions and observer behaviours

Seasoned with Salt: An Exploration of the Teaching Techniques of the Master Teacher, Jesus Christ, to Determine Their Correlation with a Variety of Individual Learning Styles

A comprehensive examination of each of the four Gospels was utilized to perform an historical analysis of the teaching techniques of Jesus Christ for insights into student application in the teaching/learning process of contemporary Christian education. The objective of this exploration was to ascertain if Jesus used the necessary variety of instructional methods to meet the perceptive requirements of every learning style as defined by the Visual/Auditory/Read-Write/Kinesthetic (VARK) Learning Style model. Each event and circumstance in the life of Christ was then classified using the VARK rubric. Out of 71 extant learning style models, of which seven representing the more widely-known systems are discussed in some depth, VARK was chosen as the principal investigatory paradigm, as its definitive learning preference categories and their corresponding didactic techniques can still be readily discerned through biblical narratives exclusive of the need for individual, personalized assessments-- now impossible to obtain at the remove of over two centuries. Throughout history, Christ has been hailed as a Master Teacher, even by those who do not accept His deity. This research has determined that the teaching practices of the Master Teacher did meet the learning style preferences of individuals in each category of learner. Thus those of us who do worship Him as the sinless Son of God, who follow His perfect model and teach in His Name, must likewise seek to incorporate and employ His entire repertoire of instructional techniques into our personal methodologies in order to successfully meet all our pupils’ learning style needs

Breaking Virtual Barriers : Investigating Virtual Reality for Enhanced Educational Engagement

Virtual reality (VR) is an innovative technology that has regained popularity in recent years. In the field of education, VR has been introduced as a tool to enhance learning experiences. This thesis presents an exploration of how VR is used from the context of educators and learners. The research employed a mixed-methods approach, including surveying and interviewing educators, and conducting empirical studies to examine engagement, usability, and user behaviour within VR. The results revealed educators are interested in using VR for a wide range of scenarios, including thought exercises, virtual field trips, and simulations. However, they face several barriers to incorporating VR into their practice, such as cost, lack of training, and technical challenges. A subsequent study found that virtual reality can no longer be assumed to be more engaging than desktop equivalents. This empirical study showed that engagement levels were similar in both VR and non-VR environments, suggesting that the novelty effect of VR may be less pronounced than previously assumed. A study against a VR mind mapping artifact, VERITAS, demonstrated that complex interactions are possible on low-cost VR devices, making VR accessible to educators and students. The analysis of user behaviour within this VR artifact showed that quantifiable strategies emerge, contributing to the understanding of how to design for collaborative VR experiences. This thesis provides insights into how the end-users in the education space perceive and use VR. The findings suggest that while educators are interested in using VR, they face barriers to adoption. The research highlights the need to design VR experiences, with understanding of existing pedagogy, that are engaging with careful thought applied to complex interactions, particularly for collaborative experiences. This research contributes to the understanding of the potential of VR in education and provides recommendations for educators and designers to enhance learning experiences using VR