59,210 research outputs found

    A generic framework for the development of standardised learning objects within the discipline of construction management

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    E-learning has occurred in the academic world in different forms since the early 1990s. Its use varies from interactive multimedia tools and simulation environments to static resources within learning management systems. E-learning tools and environments are no longer criticised for their lack of use in higher education in general and within the construction domain in particular. The main criticism, however, is that of reinventing the wheel in order to create new learning environments that cater for different educational needs. Therefore, sharing educational content has become the focus of current research, taking e-learning into a whole new era of developments. This era is enabled by the emergence of new technologies (online and wireless) and the development of educational standards, such as SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) and LOM (Learning Object Metadata) for example. Accordingly, the broad definition of the construction domain and the interlocking nature of subjects taught within this domain, makes the concept of sharing content most appealing. This paper proposes a framework developed to describe the various steps required in order to enable the application of e-learning metadata standards and ontology for sharable learning objects to serve the construction discipline. The paper further describes the application of the proposed framework to a case study for developing an online environment for learning objects that are standardised, sharable, transparent and that cater for the needs of learners, educators and curricula developers in Construction Management. Based on the framework, a learning objects repository is developed incorporating educational and web standards. The repository manages objects as well as metadata using ontology and offers a set of services such as storing, retrieving and searching of learning objects using Semantic Web technologies. Thus, it increases the reusability, sharability and interoperability of learning objects

    Volitional-supported learning with Open Educational Resources

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    User-centred web applications such as Wikis or Weblogs are becoming increasingly popular. In contrast to the early Internet, these applications especially focus on the participation of people, on the creation, sharing and modifying of content and on an easy access. Based on this, they are assumed to contribute to self-regulated and life-long learning which is on the agenda of most industrialized countries throughout Europe. However, as shown in the recently published road mapping work of the Open E-Learning Content Observatory Services (OLCOS) project, comprehensive frameworks for learning processes that make use of Open Educational Resources (OER) are missing. In particular it remains unclear how OER can actually contribute to forms of self-regulated learning since this requires a great deal of volitional competence, i.e. the ability to deal with distractions and fluctuations of motivation or emotion which is therefore regarded as a crucial factor (Deimann & Keller, 2006). In this regard, the Volitional Design Model (Deimann, 2007) provides a useful instrument to unfold the potentials of OER by (1) targeting key aspects of the learner’s behaviour in the learning process, and (2) suggesting powerful strategies to tackle decreased motivation. An exemplified volitional design approach using OER will be discussed. (DIPF/Orig.

    Using the Internet to improve university education: Problem-oriented web-based learning and the MUNICS environment

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    Up to this point, university education has largely remained unaffected by the developments of novel approaches to web-based learning. The paper presents a principled approach to the design of problem-oriented, web-based learning at the university level. The principles include providing authentic contexts with multimedia, supporting collaborative knowledge construction, making thinking visible with dynamic visualisation, quick access to content resources via Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), and flexible support by tele-tutoring. These principles are used in the Munich Net-based Learning In Computer Science (MUNICS) learning environment, which is designed to support students of computer science to apply their factual knowledge from the lectures to complex real-world problems. For example, students can model the knowledge management in an educational organisation with a graphical simulation tool. Some more general findings from a formative evaluation study with the MUNICS prototype are reported and discussed. E.g., the students' ignorance of the additional content resources is discussed in the light of the well-known finding of insufficient use of help systems in software applicationsBislang wurden neuere Ansätze zum web-basierten Lernen in nur geringem Maße zur Verbesserung des Universitätsstudiums genutzt. Es werden theoretisch begründete Prinzipien für die Gestaltung problemorientierter, web-basierter Lernumgebungen an der Universität formuliert. Zu diesen Prinzipien gehören die Nutzung von Multimedia-Technologien für die Realisierung authentischer Problemkontexte, die Unterstützung der gemeinsamen Wissenskonstruktion, die dynamische Visualisierung, der schnelle Zugang zu weiterführenden Wissensressourcen mit Hilfe von Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien sowie die flexible Unterstützung durch Teletutoring. Diese Prinzipien wurden bei der Gestaltung der MUNICS Lernumgebung umgesetzt. MUNICS soll Studierende der Informatik bei der Wissensanwendung im Kontext komplexer praktischer Problemstellungen unterstützen. So können die Studierenden u.a. das Wissensmanagement in einer Bildungsorganisation mit Hilfe eines graphischen Simulationswerkzeugs modellieren. Es werden Ergebnisse einer formativen Evaluationsstudie berichtet und diskutiert. Beispielsweise wird die in der Studie festgestellte Ignoranz der Studierenden gegenüber den weiterführenden Wissensressourcen vor dem Hintergrund des häufig berichteten Befunds der unzureichenden Nutzung von Hilfesystemen beleuchte

    Desktop multimedia environments to support collaborative distance learning

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    Desktop multimedia conferencing, when two or more persons can communicate among themselves via personal computers with the opportunity to see and hear one another as well as communicate via text messages while working with commonly available stored resources, appears to have important applications to the support of collaborative learning. In this paper we explore this potential in three ways: (a) through an analysis of particular learner needs when learning and working collaboratively with others outside of face-to-face situations; (b) through an analysis of different forms of conferencing environments, including desktop multimedia environments, relative to their effectiveness in terms of meeting learner needs for distributed collaboration; and (c) through reporting the results of a formative evaluation of a prototype desktop multimedia conferencing system developed especially for the support of collaborative learning. Via these analyses, suggestions are offered relating to the functionalities of desktop multimedia conferencing systems for the support of collaborative learning, reflecting new developments in both the technologies available for such systems and in our awareness of learner needs when working collaboratively with one other outside of face-to-face situations

    A Pedagogy for Original Synners

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    Part of the Volume on Digital Young, Innovation, and the UnexpectedThis essay begins by speculating about the learning environment of the class of 2020. It takes place entirely in a virtual world, populated by simulated avatars, managed through the pedagogy of gaming. Based on this projected version of a future-now-in-formation, the authors consider the implications of the current paradigm shift that is happening at the edges of institutions of higher education. From the development of programs in multimedia literacy to the focus on the creation of hybrid learning spaces (that combine the use of virtual worlds, social networking applications, and classroom activities), the scene of learning as well as the subjects of education are changing. The figure of the Original Synner is a projection of the student-of-the-future whose foundational literacy is grounded in their ability to synthesize information from multiple information streams

    Using the Internet to improve university education

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    Up to this point, university education has largely remained unaffected by the developments of novel approaches to web-based learning. The paper presents a principled approach to the design of problem-oriented, web-based learning at the university level. The principles include providing authentic contexts with multimedia, supporting collaborative knowledge construction, making thinking visible with dynamic visualisation, quick access to content resources via information and communication technologies, and flexible support by tele-tutoring. These principles are used in the MUNICS learning environment, which is designed to support students of computer science to apply their factual knowledge from the lectures to complex real-world problems. For example, students may model the knowledge management in an educational organisation with a graphical simulation tool. Some more general findings from a formative evaluation study with the MUNICS prototype are reported and discussed. For example, the students' ignorance of the additional content resources is discussed in the light of the well-known finding of insufficient use of help systems in software applications

    Real‐time interactive social environments: A review of BT's generic learning platform

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    Online learning in particular and lifelong learning in general require a learning platform that makes sense both pedagogically and commercially. This paper sets out to describe what we mean by generic, learning and platform. The technical requirements are described, and various trials that test the technical, educational and commercial nature of the platform are described Finally, the future developments planned for the Real‐time Interactive Social Environments (RISE) are discusse

    Using multimedia to enhance the accessibility of the learning environment for disabled students: reflections from the Skills for Access project

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    As educators' awareness of their responsibilities towards ensuring the accessibility of the learning environment to disabled students increases, significant debate surrounds the implications of accessibility requirements on educational multimedia. There would appear to be widespread concern that the fundamental principles of creating accessible web‐based materials seem at odds with the creative and innovative use of multimedia to support learning and teaching, as well as concerns over the time and cost of providing accessibility features that can hold back resource development and application. Yet, effective use of multimedia offers a way of enhancing the accessibility of the learning environment for many groups of disabled students. Using the development of ‘Skills for Access’, a web resource supporting the dual aims of creating optimally accessible multimedia for learning, as an example, the attitudinal, practical and technical challenges facing the effective use of multimedia as an accessibility aid in a learning environment will be explored. Reasons why a holistic approach to accessibility may be the most effective in ensuring that multimedia reaches its full potential in enabling and supporting students in learning, regardless of any disability they may have, will be outlined and discussed

    New trends in ICT regarding education

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    In the 21st century and because of the exponential growth of the Internet and Information Communication Technologies (ICT), people lived in a technological age, in all areas and in all contexts, we have daily contact with technology, with access to information, linked to it, we have a constant update of technological services and tools that change the method we study, work, communicate and socialize on an unprecedented scale. These constant changes oblige everyone regardless the age, gender or profession to possess a range of functional and critical thinking skills, such as Information Literacy, Media Literacy and Technology Literacy. This evolution, forces, the promoters of education, to be always aware of changes that society is introducing outside of the classroom. Today students don’t have the same role that used to, independently of age, they are very active and no longer the same introverted child that studied a few years ago in the classrooms. Also the educational environments can be created anywhere and used everywhere. According to this, students are used to seeking different forms and ways of motivation in and out of the classroom, they need that the learning and teaching process move along with the society and ICT changes. In order to ensure the success of today’s students, it’s important to give them the technological skills to make the correct use of ICT, to perform essential tasks for their training such as research and information selection, problems solvers and decision makers, creative and effective users of productivity tools and communicators, collaborators, publishers and producers of contents. The main purpose of this communication is, to show a part of ICT tools that can be used in educational settings to support learners, helping them to develop key skills in their training process, it’s also relevant to show how these tools can help teachers to achieve these objectives on the daily activities.No século XXI e por causa do crescimento exponencial da Internet e das Tecnologias de Comunicação da Informação (TIC), as pessoas vivem numa era tecnológica, em todas as áreas e em todos os contextos. Temos contacto diário com tecnologia, com acesso à informação e associado a este fenómeno existe uma constante atualização de serviços tecnológicos e ferramentas que mudam os métodos de estudo, trabalho, comunicação e socialização numa escala sem precedentes. Essas mudanças constantes obrigam a todos, independentemente da idade, sexo ou profissão, a possuir uma gama de habilidades de pensamento funcional e crítico, como literacia para a informação, literacia para os media e literacia tecnológica. Essa evolução, força os responsáveis da educação, a estarem sempre conscientes das mudanças que a sociedade está introduzindo fora da sala de aula. Hoje, os alunos não têm o mesmo papel que há uns anos atrás. As crianças são muito ativas, não revelando os comportamentos introvertidos que anteriormente evidenciavam. Além disso, os ambientes educacionais podem ser criados em qualquer lugar e usados em todo o lado. Os alunos estão habituados a procurar diferentes formas de motivação dentro e fora da sala de aula, eles precisam que o processo de ensino-aprendizagem acompanhe as mudanças da sociedade e das TIC. A fim de garantir o sucesso dos estudantes de hoje, é importante dar-lhes as habilidades tecnológicas para fazer o uso correto das TIC, para executar tarefas essenciais para sua formação, como a pesquisa e seleção de informações, aprender a solucionar problemas e a tomar decisões a ser utilizadores efetivos das ferramentas de produtividade, comunicação e colaboração, bem como serem editores e produtores de conteúdos. O principal objetivo desta comunicação é mostrar uma parte das ferramentas de TIC que podem ser usadas em ambientes educacionais para apoiar os alunos, ajudando-os a desenvolver habilidades-chave no seu processo formativo. Pretendemos também mostrar como é que essas ferramentas podem ajudar os professores a alcançar os objetivos pedagógicos nas atividades diárias
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