Learning the attachment theory with the CM-ED concept map editor

[EN] This paper presents a study carried out at the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU with the aim of evaluating the CM-ED (concept map editor) with social education students. Concept mapping is a widely accepted technique that promotes meaningful learning. Graphically representing concepts of the learning domain and relationships between them helps students integrate new knowledge into their current cognitive structure. Due to the flexibility of computer-aided drawing graphs, several concept mapping tools have been developed and their use has been studied over the last few years. CM-ED is a multilingual and multimedia software program designed for drawing concept maps. Until recently, CM-ED had been mainly used and evaluated in computer science university degree. This paper represents a qualitative step in the evaluation of CM-ED: from technical students to students of more theoretical fields. The main characteristics of the CM-ED editor and the carried out study are presented in this paper.This work is supported by the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU (UE06/19), the MEC (TIN2006-14968-C02-01) and the Gipuzkoa Council in an EU Program.Rueda Molina, U.; Arruarte, A.; Elorriaga, JA.; Herrán, E. (2009). Learning the attachment theory with the CM-ED concept map editor. Computers & Education. 52(2):460-469. https://doi.org/10.1016/i.compedu.2008.09.015S46046952

Using genetic programming to evolve action selection rules in traversal-based automated software testing: results obtained with the TESTAR tool

[EN] Traversal-based automated software testing involves testing an application via its graphical user interface (GUI) and thereby taking the user's point of view and executing actions in a human-like manner. These actions are decided on the fly, as the software under test (SUT) is being run, as opposed to being set up in the form of a sequence prior to the testing, a sequence that is then used to exercise the SUT. In practice, random choice is commonly used to decide which action to execute at each state (a procedure commonly referred to as monkey testing), but a number of alternative mechanisms have also been proposed in the literature. Here we propose using genetic programming (GP) to evolve such an action selection strategy, defined as a list of IF-THEN rules. Genetic programming has proved to be suited for evolving all sorts of programs, and rules in particular, provided adequate primitives (functions and terminals) are defined. These primitives must aim to extract the most relevant information from the SUT and the dynamics of the testing process. We introduce a number of such primitives suited to the problem at hand and evaluate their usefulness based on various metrics. We carry out experiments and compare the results with those obtained by random selection and also by Q-learning, a reinforcement learning technique. Three applications are used as Software Under Test (SUT) in the experiments. The analysis shows the potential of GP to evolve action selection strategies.Esparcia Alcázar, AI.; Almenar-Pedrós, F.; Vos, TE.; Rueda Molina, U. (2018). Using genetic programming to evolve action selection rules in traversal-based automated software testing: results obtained with the TESTAR tool. Memetic Computing. 10(3):257-265. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12293-018-0263-8S257265103Aho P, Menz N, Rty T (2013) Dynamic reverse engineering of GUI models for testing. In: Proceedings of 2013 international conference on control, decision and information technologies (CoDIT’13)Aho P, Oliveira R, Algroth E, Vos T (2016) Evolution of automated testing of software systems through graphical user interface. In: Procs. of the 1st international conference on advances in computation, communications and services (ACCSE 2016), Valencia, pp 16–21Alegroth E, Feldt R, Ryrholm L (2014) Visual GUI testing in practice: challenges, problems and limitations. Empir Softw Eng 20:694–744. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10664-013-9293-5Barr ET, Harman M, McMinn P, Shahbaz M, Yoo S (2015) The oracle problem in software testing: a survey. IEEE Trans Softw Eng 41(5):507–525Bauersfeld S, Vos TEJ (2012) A reinforcement learning approach to automated GUI robustness testing. In: Fast abstracts of the 4th symposium on search-based software engineering (SSBSE 2012), pp 7–12Bauersfeld S, de Rojas A, Vos T (2014) Evaluating rogue user testing in industry: an experience report. In: 2014 IEEE eighth international conference on research challenges in information science (RCIS), pp 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1109/RCIS.2014.6861051Bauersfeld S, Vos TEJ, Condori-Fernández N, Bagnato A, Brosse E (2014) Evaluating the TESTAR tool in an industrial case study. In: 2014 ACM-IEEE international symposium on empirical software engineering and measurement, ESEM 2014, Torino, Italy, September 18–19, 2014, p 4Bauersfeld S, Wappler S, Wegener J (2011) A metaheuristic approach to test sequence generation for applications with a GUI. In: Cohen MB, Ó Cinnéide M (eds) Search based software engineering: third international symposium, SSBSE 2011, Szeged, Hungary, September 10-12, 2011. Proceedings. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, Berlin, Heidelberg, pp 173–187Brameier MF, Banzhaf W (2010) Linear genetic programming, 1st edn. Springer, New YorkChaudhary N, Sangwan O (2016) Metrics for event driven software. Int J Adv Comput Sci Appl 7(1):85–89Esparcia-Alcázar AI, Almenar F, Martínez M, Rueda U, Vos TE (2016) Q-learning strategies for action selection in the TESTAR automated testing tool. In: Proceedings of META 2016 6th international conference on metaheuristics and nature inspired computing, pp 174–180Esparcia-Alcázar AI, Almenar F, Rueda U, Vos TEJ (2017) Evolving rules for action selection in automated testing via genetic programming–a first approach. In: Squillero G, Sim K (eds) Applications of evolutionary computation: 20th European conference, evoapplications 2017, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, April 19–21, 2017, Proceedings, part II. Springer, pp 82–95. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55792-2_6Esparcia-Alcázar AI, Moravec J (2013) Fitness approximation for bot evolution in genetic programming. Soft Comput 17(8):1479–1487. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00500-012-0965-7He W, Zhao R, Zhu Q (2015) Integrating evolutionary testing with reinforcement learning for automated test generation of object-oriented software. Chin J Electron 24(1):38–45Koza JR (1992) Genetic programming: on the programming of computers by means of natural selection. MIT Press, CambridgeLehman J, Stanley KO (2011) Novelty search and the problem with objectives. In: Riolo R, Vladislavleva E, Moore JH (eds) Genetic programming theory and practice IX, genetic and evolutionary computation. Springer, New York, pp 37–56Memon AM, Soffa ML, Pollack ME (2001) Coverage criteria for GUI testing. In: Proceedings of ESEC/FSE 2001, pp 256–267Rueda U, Vos TEJ, Almenar F, Martínez MO, Esparcia-Alcázar AI (2015) TESTAR: from academic prototype towards an industry-ready tool for automated testing at the user interface level. In: Canos JH, Gonzalez Harbour M (eds) Actas de las XX Jornadas de Ingeniería del Software y Bases de Datos (JISBD 2015), pp 236–245Seesing A, Gross HG (2006) A genetic programming approach to automated test generation for object-oriented software. Int Trans Syst Sci Appl 1(2):127–134Vos TE, Kruse PM, Condori-Fernández N, Bauersfeld S, Wegener J (2015) TESTAR: tool support for test automation at the user interface level. Int J Inf Syst Model Des 6(3):46–83. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJISMD.2015070103Wappler S, Wegener J (2006) Evolutionary unit testing of object-oriented software using strongly-typed genetic programming. In: Proceedings of the 8th annual conference on genetic and evolutionary computation, GECCO’06. ACM, New York, NY, USA, pp 1925–1932. URL https://doi.org/10.1145/1143997.1144317Watkins C (1989) Learning from delayed rewards. Ph.D. Thesis. Cambridge Universit

Computer-based concept maps for enabling multilingual education in computer science: A Basque, English and Spanish languages case

Inside the globalisation era in which society is immersed, one of the current challenges for any educational system is to provide quality education. While some countries are linguistically homogeneous, many countries and regions display a wealth of linguistic diversity and it is essential to adapt the educational system to those realities. In addition, multilingual education promotes not only social equality but also inter-cultural education. The development of computer software localisable not only at interface level but also regarding learning resources may help to fulfill this aim. During the last years a number of products have emerged to support computer-based concept mapping. This paper presents a pilot study carried out at the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU in the area of database systems with three main aims: to facilitate learning about the subject domain, to evaluate whether concept mapping is in general a good technique for learning topics in different languages, and finally, to verify whether CM-ED Concept Map EDitor provides the necessary mechanisms to fulfil this objective. Results confirm that the use of a concept map editor is a good support for education in multilingual settings.Arruarte Lasa, A.; Elorriaga, J.; Calvo, I.; Larrañaga, M.; Rueda Molina, U. (2012). Computer-based concept maps for enabling multilingual education in computer science: A Basque, English and Spanish languages case. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology. 28(5):793-808. doi:10.14742/ajet.817S79380828

Analysis and Comparison of Open Student Models

[EN] This article is focused on the study of Open Student Models, area that takes on the opening of Student Models¿ characteristics in Technology Based Learning Systems. In this work a review of the state of the art on Open Student Models is performed. Different approximations of the literature are compared against an opening guide that authors have defined. This guide is formulated on three main parts: learning domain, learning state and progress and student profile.Este trabajo está cofinanciado por la Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (EHU09/09), el Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología a través del programa CICYT (TIN2009-14380) y el Gobierno Vasco (IT421-10).Rueda Molina, U.; Calvo Fabo, I.; Arruarte Lasa, A.; Elorriaga Arandia, JA. (2011). Análisis y Comparación de Modelos de Estudiante Abiertos. Rita -IEEE-. 6(1):19-27. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/30170S19276

Collaborative concept mapping activities in a classroom scenario

The aim of this study is to test collaborative concept mapping activities using computers in a classroom scenario and to evaluate the possibilities that Elkar-CM offers for collaboratively learning non-technical topics. Elkar-CM is a multi-lingual and multi-media software program designed for drawing concept maps (CMs) collaboratively. Concept mapping is a widely accepted technique that promotes meaningful learning. Graphically representing concepts of the learning domain and relationships between them helps students integrate new knowledge into their current cognitive structure. This study was carried out with Social Education degree students at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). The experiment included two learning activities. First, all students collaboratively constructed in the classroom a CM on the subject of Moral Development. Second, students were organised into groups to complete the CM generated in the first part.This work has been partially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education, grant TIN2009-14380, the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, grant (EHU09/09) and the Basque Government, grant IT421-10.Elorriaga Arandia, JA.; Arruarte Lasa, A.; Calvo Fabo, I.; Larrañaga Olagaray, M.; Rueda Molina, U.; Herrán Izagirre, E. (2011). Collaborative concept mapping activities in a classroom scenario. Behaviour and Information Technology. 32(12):1292-1304. doi:10.1080/0144929X.2011.632649S12921304321

Java unit testing tool competition: sixth round

We report on the advances in this sixth edition of the JUnit tool competitions. This year the contest introduces new benchmarks to assess the performance of JUnit testing tools on different types of real-world software projects. Following on the statistical analyses from the past contest work, we have extended it with the combined tools performance aiming to beat the human made tests. Overall, the 6th competition evaluates four automated JUnit testing tools taking as baseline human written test cases for the selected benchmark projects. The paper details the modifications performed to the methodology and provides full results of the competition

Towards Automated Test Case Generation Maturity

This short paper reports our observations after six editions of the JUnitContest that benchmarks automated unit test generation tools for Java programs. We discuss our experience and depict the current state-of-the-art and identify potential future research directions. We advocate the use of benchmark as a standard practice to enhance maturity and foster adoption by the industry of automated test case generation tools.Software Engineerin

Modelado de Grupos en Actividades de Aprendizaje Basado en Mapas Conceptuales

El objetivo principal de este trabajo es proveer a profesores y alumnos de una herramienta (DynMap+) que proporciona una representación gráfica tanto de modelos de alumnos individuales como de grupos de alumnos. A través de DynMap+ el usuario tendrá una visión global y particular del conocimiento y la progresión de los alumnos. La aplicación va a servir para supervisar la enseñanza en situaciones en las que se utilizan sistemas de enseñanza asistida por ordenador tales como sistemas de aprendizaje colaborativo, sistemas tutores inteligentes, sistemas de evaluación, etc. Desde un punto de vista práctico, DynMap+ servirá para que el profesor observe la progresión de los alumnos y así pueda evaluarlos, identificar problemas generales del grupo y de personas particulares, organizar futuras actividades, organizar grupos de trabajo, etc. Estos modelos, tanto los individuales como los de grupo, podrán ser observados por los alumnos con el objetivo principal de reflexionar sobre su aprendizaje

Una aproximación multilingüe a la evaluación basada en la web

In this paper TOKA, a web-based assessment system is presented. TOKA allows users to generate and automatically evaluate multilingual test exercises. It has been designed following the internationalization/ localization paradigm and it is able to manage domains in different languages in an integrated way. The tool can be used guided by both teacher and student. The former generates and assigns exams; the latter uses the tool in order to evaluate himself. In the paper an experience of using TOKA in a real educational context is also described.A lo largo de este artículo se presenta TOKA, un sistema web de evaluación que permite generar ejercicios multilingües de tipo test y evaluarlos automáticamente. TOKA ha sido diseñado siguiendo el paradigma de internacionalización/localización y permite gestionar dominios en idiomas diferentes de forma integrada. La herramienta puede ser utilizada tanto dirigida por el profesor, que genera y asigna exámenes, como dirigida por el propio estudiante, en procesos de auto-evaluación. En el artículo también se describe una experiencia de utilización de TOKA en un entorno educativo real