Learning Objects Need Badly Instructional Digital Libraries Support
In this paper, we present a standard definition for learning objects, a controversy around it, and the resulted working definition, along with features to be held by learning objects, benefits of the object-oriented approach for learning, some pros and cons for using learning objects, and finally some quality standard guidelines for these objects. In addition, we introduce shortly a taxonomy of learning object types and the metadata standards that can be used for learning objects and the way the
Would-Be Teachers' Competence in Applying ICT: Exposition and Preconditions for Development
Changes in educational technologies modify the role of the teacher and require new competencies. Scientific literature describes competence in using ICT as the wholeness of two structural components - basic and educational ICT competence. The conception has been considered conducting research on would-be teachers' competence in applying ICT. The article deals with the exposition of would-be teachers' competence in applying ICT in the process of teaching practice and focuses on the impact of stud
Design and Implementation of a Logo-based Computer Graphics Course
Two years ago the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics at Sofia University makes a decision to design a new series of Logo-based courses which make use of the modern technology. The pedagogical component of the challenge is to design a multidisciplinary course suitable for students with different skills and interests. From a development perspective the challenge is to build an entirely new one. And finally the course must be attractive regardless of the seriousness and complexity of the topics
Investigation of Q-Learning in the Context of a Virtual Learning Environment
We investigate the possibility to apply a known machine learning algorithm of Q-learning in the domain of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It is important in this problem domain to have algorithms that learn their optimal values in a rather short time expressed in terms of the iteration number. The problem domain is a VLE in which an agent plays a role of the teacher. With time it moves to different states and makes decisions which regarding action to choose for moving from current state to
Students Learning Experience in the Integrated Information Literacy Course Constructed in Virtual Le
The paper examines the impact of ICT on students learning experiences and opportunities offered by virtual learning environment as an integral part of traditional learning environment in the experimental course ``Integration of information literacy skills into ESP programme'' at Mykolas Romeris University (Lithuania). The experiment aimed at developing students' information literacy and social skills as the means for enhancement of learning with a particular attention towards foreign language co
The First Decade of Informatics in Dutch High Schools
Informatics is currently being taught in high schools all over the world. In the Netherlands, where all students are expected to become computer literate in the lower grades of high school (Hulsen et al., 2005), it has been decided not to consider computer literacy as being part of Informatics. What, then, should be the content of the Informatics curriculum taught in the higher grades? What should be taught, how and to whom? How should students' achievements be assessed? The answers to these que
Future Quality in the Emergent European Higher Education Area Involves the Use of Informatics
In this paper an agreed set of standards, procedures and guidelines on quality assurance for the emergent European Higher Education Area is presented. If this set is implemented, the procedures for the recognition of qualifications will be strengthened. The set has been divided in two groups: there are internal and external standards and guidelines. The internals should be implemented by higher education institutions and under their responsibility. The external standards and guidelines should be
CoMo: Supporting collaborative groupwork using mobile phones in distance education
The CoMo project, funded by the Centre for Distance Education, University of London, aims to investigate how distance learners can be supported in their collaborative group work using mobile devices. The objectives are as follows:
* Iteratively co‐design and develop a set of collaborative mobile phone‐based group work activities (with students and course leaders)
* Determine the ways in which the activities provide students with opportunities to reflect on their practices
* Identify dista
The distributed developmental network - d2n: a social configuration to support design pattern genera
DiSessa et al. (2004) conducted a comparative study of how research teams design, develop and evaluate TEL software, in the context of component-based educational programming. They identified the issue of the social configuration of the production team as a critical family of issues that are easily marginalized (p.117). These social configurations are loosely equivalent to what Activity Theorists refer to as the rules and division of labour (Engeström, 1987) in the activity system of TEL pr
Enabling Mobile Collaborative Learning through Multichannel Interactions
The work presented here shows an architecture to integrate multiple communication channels for a simple communication tool: a weblog. The motivation for this work is to enable learners to access learning services regardless of their situation. Indeed, in some cases the access to these services is quite hard because people are on the move or don't easily have access to an Internet connection. This article presents the different elements that fit into the architecture which lay the path for a rich
How can we take into account student conceptions of the facial angle in a palaeontology laboratory w
This study investigates student conceptions of the facial angle as a way to attain understanding elements of the theory of human evolution. The chosen laboratory work involved determining the species of a human cranium, and students had to design and write down their own experimental procedure. Three versions of the laboratory work were carried out leading to different student productions. Three aspects will be presented in the present paper, which are related to the three conceptual difficultie
Concepts and methods for exploring the future of learning with digital technologies. Kaleidoscope
Very little of the transformation of working and social life that has accompanied digital technologies is reflected in the practice of learning and teaching, or in the quality of research. Kaleidoscope's central aims are to fill these gaps in research by integrating existing European initiatives to develop a rich, culturally-diverse and coherent theoretical and practical research foundation for research and innovation, and developping new tools and methodologies that operationalize an interdisci
DSTM: a Framework to Operationalize and Refine a Problem-Solving Method modeled in terms of Tasks an
In this paper we present DSTM, a framework that enables the operationalization and the refinement of problem-solving methods modelled within the TaskMethod paradigm. DSTM proposes an operational kernel, i.e. operational but flexible high-level constructions: modelling primitives, such as task or method, and manipulation mechanisms, such as select a method. These constructions can be customized in order to better capture the paper-based model to be operationalized. This permits the construction
Mining learning groups' activities in Forum-type tools
Mining data produced by students involved in communication through forum-like tools can help revealing aspects of their communication. In this paper we propose an approach to the construction of models to highlight structural properties of learning groups based on a relational perspective (analysis of chains of references) and the use of Social Network Analysis techniques. These models can be useful both for the tutor and the participants. We begin by introducing the overall approach, then we de
First version of the awareness-support tool
This document reports on the awareness services offered through two tools developed in the context of the PALETTE project (Collaboration services), namely e-Logbook and CoPe_it! We first present the awareness types that need to be supported and we proceed by describing in detail how these are conceived and implemented in the abovementioned tools. Moreover, we briefly report on the integration of these tools, focusing on the additional awareness services resulting from this integration.,First ver
Modélisation de profils d'élèves à partir de
traces de résolution de problèmes
La modélisation automatique des connaissances de lapprenant est nécessaire dès lors que lon cherche à accompagner un apprentissage dans le cadre des EIAH. Dans ce rapport, nous présentons un travail en cours dans lequel des techniques de classification automatique permettent dengendrer des modèles délèves interprétables par un enseignant ou un didacticien et utilisables éventuellement par un « tuteur » automatique. Lapproche proposée a été appliquée au domaine de la ré
Operationalizing macro-scripts in CSCL technological settings
This paper presents a conceptual analysis of the technological dimensions related to the operationalization of CSCL macro-scripts. CSCL scripts are activity models that aim at enhancing the probability knowledge generative interactions such as conflict resolution, explanation or mutual regulation occur during the collaboration process. We first recall basics about CSCL scripts and macro-scripts. Then, we propose an analysis of some core issues that must be made explicit and taken into account wh
Enhancing Collaborative Language Learning in Engineering Education with Team Portfolio
This paper describes the development and implementation of learning and teaching experiment to encourage the use of e-portfolio in language learning courses and also the integration of English courses with professional studies of engineering students. This is an ongoing project which is annually developed and improved based on student feedback the focus being on collaborative and communicative language learning. New learning environments, such as learning platforms, e.g. R5 Generation, Skype and
Learning in the Age of Ubiquitous Computing: Exploring the Impact of Mobile Technologies on Individu
This paper explores the emergence of a pervasive learning culture within the context of ubiquitous computing scenarios. Furthermore, this paper examines the impact of mobile technologies on collaborative learning and highlights the key characteristics of these phenomena.
Introducing interactive whiteboards in the schools: an experience report
We report the findings of a project aimed at introducing Interactive Whiteboards in schools (both primary and secondary). We focussed on the early phases (installation, introduction, training, first use). We find that there are indeed problems that need to be tackled before one can hope to obtain the good results that are promised by the marketing hype.
