edCity - a New Learning Environment
edCity will facilitate learning anywhere, anytime, for anyone - for users of all ages both in traditionally taught and in pedagogically innovative courses - by fusing physical and virtual representations of real cities in order to provide a new learning framework.
The edCity project will be scenario-driven with major conceptual inputs to the design generated by highly interactive scenario-building activities.
After 18 months, a "Semantic Web" framework will be published and a prototype of the
Creatures of Habit: A Computational System to Enhance and Illuminate the Development of Scientific T
Creatures of Habit is a computer-based microworld designed to engage middle-to-high school students in the process of scientific inquiry. The system depicts a universe of interacting programmable “creatures” whose individual behavior is guided by simple rules that may model naive psychology, physical laws, chemical affinities, and other domains. Students can create or revise creature rules and explore the resulting (and often surprising) emergent behaviors within “artificial ecosystems”;
Logo Programming and Problem Solving
not available,technical report, 10 pages
Beyond Amplification: Using the Computer to Reorganize Mental Functioning
Computers are classically viewed as amplifiers of cognition. An alternative conceptualization is offered of computer as reorganizer of mental functioning. Software analyses illuminate the advantages of the latter approach for new visions of the potential cognitive benefits of computers. A new result emerges: Because the cognitive technologies we invent serve as instruments of cultural redefinition (shaping who we are by changing, not just amplifying, what we do), defining educational values beco
The Collaborative Visualization Project
not available
Supporting Conceptual Awareness with Pedagogical Agents
This paper describes a series of efforts in building and conceptualizing software agents
for distributed collaborative learning. The agents are referred to as pedagogical agents.
We have integrated pedagogical agents within two collaborative environments,
TeamWave Workplace and Future Learning Environment. The role of agents in these
environments differs from past work on software agents in their function as extended
awareness mechanisms, focusing on task and concept awareness (conceptual a
Understanding the task:
How is agency distributed between tools, students and teachers in technology
In this paper we explore how students’ agency relates to openness and structure within technology-rich, student-centred learning environments. This is done by analysing how students’ understandings of tasks evolve through their activities in relation to the representations in the learning environments. In our interpretation of the sociocultural approach, we emphasise human activity as mediated by artefacts, where the output of the activity has to be understood by including human action and a
Informatics-based Learning Resources for Patients and their Relatives in recovery
In this paper we describe experiences from design of an informatics-based learning resource for patients and relatives. The prototype, REPARERE (learning REsource for PAtients and RElatives during REcovery), aims to support patients and their family recovering from heart surgery in meeting challenges in to daily living post discharge.
Using recovery experiences and patient teaching material, REPARERE includes examples of textual information, video-clips, images and illustrations relevant to th
The Complexity of Distributed Collaborative Learning: Unit of Analysis
The problem area of this paper is manifested in the new conditions that characterise distributed collaborative learning. The core argument is that distributed collaborative learning implies an interconnected complexity that can only be properly understood by extending the unit of analysis from technology and pedagogy themselves to real-life social contexts in which networked computers are being used. Experiments and small-scale field trials are only steps towards a deeper understanding of how co
Networked Computers Incorporated Role in Collaborative Learning
Networked computers are increasingly being used in collaborative learning. To understand what roles networked computers have in collaborative learning over distances, systems developers need conceptual frameworks that address the triadic complexity of knowledge construction, social interaction and technical issues. Some theoretical accounts of this relationship exits, but in terms of usefulness for systems design and how the role of networked is regarded, they have shortcomings. Based on activit
Principles of Effective Online Teaching
Principles of effective online teaching helps you understand and develop your own e-learning by presenting various approaches, options, and decisions involved in e-learning. The book also provides the necessary overview of constructs, relevant pedagogical theories, and definitions common to the field. It has been designed to help you navigate the virtual forest of e-learning and the rethinking and modifying of your teaching, curriculum, and methods of planning necessary to become more effective
Learning Objects 4: Applications, Implications, & Future Direction
This is the fourth and final book of this series on Learning Objects (LO). Whereas the first three books were essentially concerned with current developments in the field, this book presents a wide-ranging series of discussions of potential and probable developments in the field. Part I encompasses Chapters 1 through Chapter 5. The focus is upon LO within the context of e-learning and online learning. We realize that our authors (like us) often use the terms "e-learning" and "online learning" in
Learning Objects 3 and Instructional Design
Learning Objects and Instructional Design is focused upon the art and the science of producing learning objects that meet educational standards and needs as well as technological and functional criteria. Written by educators from across the globe, the book emphasizes two critical, strategic factors: 1) form follows function, and 2) learning objects must address the needs and desires of learners within their learning or educational context. The book integrates issues such as multimedia for instru
Advanced Principles of Effective e-Learning
With the global academic community currently focused on student learning outcomes achievement, assessment, and continuous improvement, e-learning strategies provide effective measures than can assist educators and educational administrators in the satisfaction of key objectives. Whether it is creating and incorporating simulations, building courses and curriculum, engaging in virtual team building, managing online programs, concept mapping, developing an electronic portfolio program, creating ac
A symbolic manipulator to introduce pupils to algebra theory
Within the theoretical framework of Vygotsky's theory, the paper presents a new algebra software. The main features of the software are described and their potentialities are discussed. According to the Vygotskian theory, expressions and commands may be thought as external signs of the Algebraic theory, and as such, they may become instruments of semiotic mediation: In other terms they can be used by the teacher, in the concrete realisation of classroom activity, according to the motive of intr
Studying Changes in Learning Environments BroughtAbout by ICT-Based Systems
Aim of our work is to briefly introduce the main aspects of a methodology for the analysis of individuals and environmental changes brought about by the introduction of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in learning environments. The theoretical framework underpinning our work is that of Activity Theory. More specifically, we draw on the Cole and Engeström modelling of the complex relationships between elements in an activity. We have worked out our contribution on the basis of th
The Grid Shared Desktop: a bootstrapping environment for collaboration
The paradigm shift from an information sharing infrastructure (i.e., the Web) to a resource sharing infrastructure (i.e., the Grid) has boosted the development of a new generation of online services. In particular, Grid services are stateful, dynamic and operate in a secure environment. Therefore they offer capabilities that are essential to remote collaboration. In this paper, we tackle the problem of bootstrapping and supporting a collaborative environment over a Grid infrastructure. As we tar
Elup Editor Conceptual Guide and User Manual
The eLup editor: elearning Quality Process Editor is based on the conceptual model adopted by the E-Quality project (www.e-quality-eu.org). The purpose of the eLup software is to enable the e-learning professional to structure and document the quality approach used in his/her organisation by making use of the approach and findings of the equality project. The eLup software was developed within Montpellier 2 University. The software is a model editor coupled with a database using Java, MySQL and
A Class Divided 1: The Daring Lesson
This segment from FRONTLINE: "A Class Divided" profiles an experiment in discrimination based on eye color that took place in a third-grade class in 1970.
Mobile Notes: Mobile Devices in Creative Discussions
The trendy notion of “mobile learning” has different connotations: On the one hand, it can be understood as “learning on the move” – often referred to as “learning any time anywhere”. Of course this interpretation relies on specific kinds of technological enabling, but the definition aims at the general setting of learning activities. Particularly, it includes informal learning settings (cf. [1]). A second interpretation sees mobile learning somewhat more pragmatically as learning
