Innovative pedagogical and psychological perspectives of podcasts
Podcasting, being a new form of audio distribution offering the possibility to be loaded on personal mobile devices from teachersÂ’, studentÂ’, universityÂ’s websites and blogs, is discussed as an activity with potential in learning and teaching. The existing and potential varieties of podcasts represent sources for learning, converging, socializing. In this paper, podcasting is supported as an innovative approach to stimulate university studentsÂ’ reflection, specifically on epistemic quest
Un modèle informatique de scénario fondé sur des pratiques réelles d'enseignement et une théori
La conception de scénarios pour un EIAH nécessite la mise en oeuvre de théories didactiques, de pratiques réelles, de modèles et de théories informatiques afin de prendre en compte les contraintes didactiques nécessaire à la modélisation de scénarios d'apprentissage. La modélisation de scénario devient ainsi une problématique pluridisciplinaire. La contribution principale de cet article est de proposer un modèle informatique de scénarios prenant effectivement en compte des contrai
Approximate Reasoning Techniques for Intelligent Diagnostic Instruction
Intelligent instruction of fault diagnosis, or troubleshooting, tasks requires the capability to automatically infer the significance of particular test outcomes observed by the learner in a practice environment. This single process is central to virtually every aspect of intelligent instruction in this domain, ranging from evaluating learner proficiency to recommending an effective testing strategy. In highly complex target systems this task becomes intractable, for the number of possible fault
Intelligent Tutoring Goes To School in the Big City
This paper reports on a large-scale experiment introducing and evaluating intelligent tutoring in an urban High School setting. Critical to the success of this project has been a client-centered design approach that has matched our client's expertise in curricular objectives and classroom teaching with our expertise in artificial intelligence and cognitive psychology. The Pittsburgh Urban Mathematics Project (PUMP) has produced an algebra curriculum that is centrally focused on mathematical anal
Internet Scout Project
"A leading authority on captive propagation of the Gila monster, _Heloderma suspectum_," Dr. Mark Seward created this website to disseminate information about Gila monsters. The site links to various Natural History sub-sections including Morphology, Range, Food and Metabolism, and more. For those interested in learning about captive breeding of Gila Monsters, the site also includes information about Acquisition, Husbandry, and Reproduction. These subject areas contain sub-categories like Feedin
Can learning from molar and modular worked examples be enhanced by providing instructional explanati
In two experiments we explored how learning from traditional molar worked-out examples—focusing on problem categories and their associated overall solution procedures—as well as from more efficient modular worked-out examples—where intrinsic cognitive load is reduced by breaking down complex solutions into smaller meaningful solution elements—can be further enhanced. Instructional explanations or self-explanation prompts were administered to increase germane cognitive load. However, both int
Computer Software Support for Collaborative Learning
In this chapter, we discuss two approaches to supporting collaborative learning activities in higher education through technological means: structuring and regulating collaboration. Structuring approaches aim to create favorable conditions for learning by designing and scripting the situation before the interaction begins. They attempt to define the structure of the learning experience by varying the characteristics of the participants (e.g. the size and composition of the group, or definition a
Learning to collaborate: Designing collaboration in a 3-D game environment
To respond to learning needs, Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) must provide instructional support. The particular focus of this paper is on designing collaboration in a 3-D virtual game environment intended to make learning more effective by promoting student opportunities for interaction. The empirical experiment eScape, which encourages learners to solve problems collaboratively, is also presented. eScape is a design experiment, comprising both the process of designing a collab
Designing and evaluating collaboration in a virtual game environment for vocational learning
Especially in vocational education, attention should be paid not only to the use of new technological solutions but also to collaborative learning and cooperative working methods in order to develop studentsÂ’ skills for their future jobs. This study involves a design experiment including the design process of a new game environment, description of the script developed for this game, as well as the empirical study with multiple data collection methods, data analysis, results and conclusions for
Enhancing a Web-Based Distance-Learning Curriculum with Dedicated Tools
The work presented in this paper aims at supporting students involved in a Web-based distance-learning curriculum. For such a purpose, the Saafir system proposes students with different tools that support them in their appropriation of this curriculum, e.g. visualization of the curriculum from different points of view or construction of individual projects by putting different items of the curriculum into relation. In order to allow using Saafir with already existing distance-learning Websites,
Modeling and simulation in inquiry learning: Checking solutions and giving intelligent advice
Inquiry learning is a didactic approach in which students acquire knowledge and skills through processes of theory building and experimentation. Computer modeling and simulation can play a prominent role within this approach. Students construct representations of physical systems using modeling. Using simulation, they execute these representations to study the phenomena or systems modeled. However, the modeling task is complex, and students can fail to create adequate models, which prevents effe
Mixing Human and Software Agents: A Case Study
This paper describes a multi agent approach of the organisation of a collective activity within a pedagogical context. We consider pedagogical situations where students have to explicitly define the articulation of their collective work and then achieve the different tasks they have defined. Our objective is to support these students by taking some of these tasks in charge whilst making them work out such organisation features. For this purpose, we propose to consider that the group of students
An approach to distance learning curriculum appropriation
The work presented aims at supporting distance learning students in their appropriation of a curriculum. We propose an approach that consists in helping students to construct individual projects. We dissociate different aspects (planning, evaluation and regulation) that can be useful for this purpose, propose a technological approach (epiphyte system, ontology-based model) and example of tools currently provided by the Saafir framework.
Redefining the Turn-Taking Notion in Mediated Communication of Virtual Learning Communities
In our research on social interactions taking place in forum-type tools that virtual learning communities use, we have found that the users have the following particular temporal behavior: they answer generally some messages situated in different threads in a very short time period, in a digest-like way. This paper shows this work pattern through a quantitative study and proposes an integration of this work pattern in a Forum-type tool developed for supporting the interactions of virtual learnin
Learning from Explanations: Extending One's Own Knowledge During Collaborative Problem Solving by At
On the basis of an experimental study, we propose a cognitive simulation model of collaborative problem solving and learning. In the experimental study, we investigated how qualitative and quantitative problem representations in classical mechanics are acquired and successively interrelated during collaborative problem solving. Two students, who were taught different aspects of classical mechanics, collaborated on problems which were beyond the competence of each of them individually. Students s
Cowos: A Model of Collective Work Situations to Support Modelling and Simulation Based Approaches of
This paper describes an operational model of collective work situations. This model is rooted in the CHAT theory. It allows creating multi-agent simulations where the agentsÂ’ behaviour is defined in terms that make salient organization issues, and allows building learning situations that focus on making students consider explicitly these issues.
Supporting LearnersÂ’ Appropriation of a Web-Based Learning Curriculum
This article presents an approach and tools that can help learners appropriate a Web-based learning curriculum and become active participants in their learning. The approach is based on a detailed modeling of the curriculum and intends to equip the learners with different computer-based tools facilitating a multiple point of view perception of the curriculum, while promoting self evaluation and self regulation of the learnersÂ’ curriculum performance. The proposed architecture is generic and can
Using mobile technologies for multimedia tours in a traditional museum setting
Mobile technology was used to deliver learner-centred experiences to visitors at a geology museum without compromising the museumÂ’s aesthetic appeal. Two Flash-based multimedia tours were developed for the Hypertag Magus Guide system and trialled with 25 visitors in November 2005. Trial participants found the system fun and easy to use, though they requested headphones in order to hear the audio clearly. Several suggestions were provided to improve the tours including creating stronger links b
Reflections on Success: A retrospective of the mLearn conference series 2002-2005
mLearn is now in its fifth year. Although mobile learning has a much longer history, the
inauguration of a conference for learning in the mobile age marked an important point in its
development. This paper takes a retrospective look at the mLearn conferences from 2002
through to 2005; reflecting on our progress in order to facilitate the transition of mobile learning from a novel research concept into a viable means of providing meaningful learning
opportunities “across generations and cultures
Promoting Self-Directed Learning in Simulation Based Discovery Learning Environments Through Intell
Providing learners with computer-generated feedback on their learning process in simulation-based discovery environments cannot be based on a detailed model of the learning process due to the "open" character of discovery learning. This paper describes a method for generating adaptive feedback for discovery learning based on an "opportunistic" learning model that takes the current hypothesis of the learner and the experiments performed to test this hypothesis as input. The method was applied in
