ICT use in school: vision and performance measures
The implementation of ICT in schools requires a vision on ICT use in school, the formulation of clear strategic goals, and the planning and organisation of the use of ICT in school.
The pursued goals are those points we want to reach for the learner by setting up ICT use in school. At the same time the pursued goals are the results of using ICT as expected by the stakeholders, being the learner, the teacher, the ICT coordinator, and on an indirect way the parents, the environment and the funding
Computer-based Metacognitive Training: Improving the Diagnostic Expertise of Novice Graduates
The diagnosis problem-solving task can be complex in many professions for which it is central, for example medical diagnosis, farm-management consultancy, etc. This is because often the expert must solve problems and make decisions in complex situations and while under time pressures. The complex nature of the problem situations and the novicesÂ’ lack of advanced metacognitive skills also make it difficult for novices to gain expertise and successfully solve problems in their fields. From the li
Exploitation of Croquet CVE Platform for supporting Collaborative e-Learning Environments
This paper reviews the features of five 3 dimensional networked virtual environments which support collaborative learning applications, through the comparison of the tools and services they offer. Following that, we justify our choice of platform, which is the Croquet platform, and discuss design and implementation issues. Finally we present the results of the evaluation process of the virtual environment we developed, which consisted of the participation of twelve postgraduate students who comp
Informational technologies in resolving the social issues of school communities in Uzbekistan
This article examines the experience of 40 schools of Uzbekistan in usage of Informational technologies in resolving the social issues of their communities. The article describe the projects that were used by schools in the framework of the "Global Connections and Exchange - Uzbekistan" programme during the 2005-2007 academic years, and results of the projects and their positive experience.
Knowledge Management: As a Mechanism for Large-Scale Technological and Organizational
Change Managem
Organizational and Technological changes in Israeli universities are taking place without a clear and well-planned model for managing those changes. Universities must adapt to daunting social and educational challenges, in which technology is playing a bigger role than ever before. The model we propose is implementing knowledge management strategies for achieving change management at universities in order to facilitate university's transformation. By doing that, we are establishing a well planne
Implementing Blended Learning for 1000 Mechanical Engineering Students
The module Techniques of Programming of the RWTH Aachen University is one of five case studies within the EU funded project Blend-XL – Finding a Balance in Blended Learning with eXtra Large Students Groups. During the project the module changed from a face-to-face module into a blended learning one. Therefore a blended learning concept has been developed which includes a special virtual learning environment. With the help of the blended learning concept the main problem areas of this module, th
Raising Children with Roots, Rights, & Responsibilities: Celebrating the Convention on the Rights of
This curriculum grew out of the Circle For The Child Project which was started by the authors in 1995 as a grass roots effort to promote the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child through education and political action. This Minnesota-based project joins a worldwide effort seeking to ensure human rights for all. Raising Children With Roots, Rights & Responsibilities is designed for two-hour sessions. The curriculum can be adapted to any setting where families gather to learn. Such
Mixed Reality Environment for Web-Based Laboratory Interactive Learning
This paper presents a web-based laboratory for distance learners by incorporating simulation and hardware implementation into web-based e-learning systems. It presents a development consisting of laboratory course through internet based on mixed reality technique to setup, run and manipulate set of experiments. Each experiment has been designed in a way that allows the learner to manipulate the components and check if it works properly in order to achieve the experiment objective. The proposed l
Implementing the Challenge Based Learning in Classroom Scenarios
Our Challenge Based Learning (CBL) method can be described as a special form of problem-based learning, in which the problems are of realistic, open-ended nature. Additionally, CBL contains features of experiential and project-based learning approaches. CBL is supported by the provision of Digital Experimentation Toolkits (DExTs) which comprise materials, initial instructions, references to web resources and specific software tools. Within the COLDEX project, a number of remote sites which gener
Building Bridges within Learning Communities through Ontologies and "Thematic Objects"
Communication through artefacts, in the sense of objects (co-)constructed by learners, is a well known mechanism in synchronous shared workspace environments. In this article, we explore the potential of extending this principle to heterogeneous, anonymous and asynchronous learner communities by drawing on existing work, e.g. in the areas of "social navigation" and recommender systems. A new ingredient is the description and provision of "thematic objects" embedded in a task/activity context. De
Collaborative Writing in a Computer-integrated Classroom for Early Learning
This paper describes a collaborative experiment with a special software application supporting the acquisition of initial reading and writing skills embedded in a computer-integrated environment for young children. The NIMIS project has set up three Computer-integrated Classrooms across Europe with appropriate "roomware" environments, i.e. furniture, hardware and software to support early learning. Here, we present a collaborative writing task facilitated by a shared workspace system, that has b
Computer Supported Interaction Analysis of Group Problem Solving
Collaboration is widely regarded as beneficial for learning. Collaboration is the mutual engagement of participants in a coordinated effort to solve a problem together. It has been conclusively argued that a focus on the process of collaboration is necessary in order to understand the value of working together with peers for learning. In accordance with the approach of open distributed learning environments (ODLEs), we have developed a framework system for computer-supported cooperative learning
Facilitating Knowledge Convergence in Videoconferencing Environments: The Role of External Represent
The study analyzed how two types of graphical representation tools influence the way in which dyads use shared and unshared knowledge resources in different collaboration scenarios, and how learners represent and transfer shared knowledge under these different conditions. We varied the type of graphical representation (content-specific vs. contentunspecific) and the collaboration scenario (videoconferencing vs. face-to-face). 64 university students participated. Results show that learning partne
"What I think works well...": LearnersÂ’ evaluation and actual usage of online tools
This paper will describe and analyse data gathered during a pilot language course run fully online and based on a Moodle VLE. The new online tools, whether as part of an integrated VLE or separately, lend themselves to reflective learning (e.g. blogs) or collaborative group activities (e.g. wikis). This case study of two learners is based on the project “CyberDeutsch” at the Department of Languages of the Open University, a five week, intensive German course offered to self-selected intermedia
Le TALN au service de la didactique du français langue étrangère écrit
New text analysis softwares issued from fields of research such as Machine Learning and Natural Languages Processing prove to be relevant tools for the language sciences. Littératron is a new data-processing tool for the automatic extraction of syntactic patterns, designed at LIP6 by Jean-Gabriel Ganascia. Associated with a linear text analyser, it reveals the stylistic peculiarities of a text. We will see that Littératron carries out a linguistic diagnosis of learners if used in language scie
Effective Teaching and Learning: Using ICT
Findings and recommendations on effective teaching practice - with the aim of providing material for improving the quality of teaching and learning and for informing developments in initial teacher education and continuing development.,Research report for NRDC
Computer literacy and inquiry learning: when geeks learn less
A low level of computer literacy has often been hypothesized as constituting a disadvantage in knowledge acquisition. However, within the field of computer-supported inquiry learning systematic investigations of these purported relations have not been conducted. This classroom study investigates the role of computer literacy (procedural computer-related knowledge, self-confidence in using the computer, and familiarity with computers) as a learning prerequisite for knowledge acquisition, and anal
“Graphical” Jogthrough: expert based methodology for user interface evaluation, applied in the cas
“Walkthrough” and “Jogthrough” techniques are well known expert based methodologies for the evaluation of user interface design. In this paper we describe the use of “Graphical” Jogthrough method for evaluating the interface design of the Network Simulator, an educational simulation program that enables users to virtually build a computer network, install hardware and software components, make the necessary settings and test the functionality of the network. Graphical Jogthrough is a furth
The use of a computerized brain atlas to support knowledge-based training in radiology
Trainers of radiologists face the particular challenges of teaching normal and abnormal appearance for a variety of imaging modalities, providing access to a large appropriately-indexed case library, and teaching a consistent approach to the reporting of cases. The computer has the potential to address these issues, to supplement conventional teaching of radiology by providing case-based tutoring and diagnostic support based on a large library of images of normal and abnormal anatomy, fully desc
Anchored Interactive Learning Environments
Advances in computer technology and multi-media systems have led to widespread interest in computer-based instruction and learning environments. The use of video, animation, graphics, and simulation allow the presentation of material in realistic contexts, thus addressing the problems of inert knowledge while promoting constructive and generative learning. But the true potential and benefits of these systems are yet to be realized. Cognitive studies on learning and transfer suggest that concepts
