Efficient object based streaming framework for web-based education
An efficient moving object extraction algorithm suitable for real-time content-based multimedia streaming systems is proposed in this paper. A Motion Vector (MV) based object extraction is used to dynamically detect the objects. To utilize the bandwidth efficiently, the important object can be real time detected, encoded, and transmitted with higher quality and higher frame rate than those of background. In order to meet the real-time requirement, no computationally intensive operation is includ
Can You Hear it?
In the previous lesson, students learned about the issue of by-catching by fisheries and how it affects marine habitats. Dolphins are one of the main species affected by by-catching While dolphins can use echolocation to identify the location of many objects, they have difficulty identifying nets, and thus can be caught in them by accident. Students will learn how echolocation works, why certain animals use it to determine the size, shape, and distance of objects, and how humans can potentially
This Land Is Your Land, This Land Is My Land
In this activity, students will review and evaluate the ways land is covered and used in their local community. They will also consider the environmental effects of the different types of land use. Students will act as community planning engineers to determine where to place a new structure that will have the least affect on the environment.
Integrating Collaborative Concept Mapping Tools with Group Memory and Retrieval Functions
The provision of shared visual representations is considered to be an important facilitator for creative processes in group working and learning scenarios. Although reusability is an inherent feature of computerised representations in general, a comparative analysis of existing tools shows clear deficits in this respect. We are convinced that reusability and thus sustainability of the results of co-constructive group work can be much enhanced by integrating visual environments with functions for
Towards a Pattern Language for Intelligent Teaching and Training Systems
Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) are usually based on similar fundamental structures. In contrast to this, software engineering techniques are seldomly used for realizing ITSs. In the last years, some approaches tried to change this: pattern mining took place; methods covering the specifics of ITS project development have been deployed. These approaches usually focus on a specific system type or on a certain application domain. What is missing is a combination of all the different approaches
How Should Our Gardens Grow?
In this lesson, students will learn about types of land use by humans and evaluate the ways land is used in their local community. They will also consider the environmental effects of the different types of land use. Students will assume the role of community planning engineers and will create a future plan for their community. (Note: Teachers will need to check out the following book from the local or school library: Durell, Ann, Craighead George, Jean, and Paterson, Katherine. The Big Book For
Using the Internet to Improve University Education: Problem-oriented Web-based Learning with MUNICS
A principled approach to the design of problem-oriented, web-based learning at the university level is presented. The principles include providing authentic contexts with multimedia, supporting collaborative knowledge construction, making thinking visible with dynamic visualisation, quick access to content resources via ICT, and flexible support by tele-tutoring. These principles are used in the MUNICS learning environment, which is designed to help students of computer science to apply their co
Freshman Organic Chemistry
This is the first semester in a two-semester introductory course
focused on current theories of structure and mechanism in organic
chemistry, their historical development, and their basis in
experimental observation. The course is open to freshmen with
excellent preparation in chemistry and physics, and it aims to
develop both taste for original science and intellectual skills
necessary for creative research.
On the Move
Looking at models and maps, students explore different pathways and consequences of pollutant transport via the weather and water cycles. In an associated literacy activity, students develop skills of observation, recording and reporting as they follow the weather forecast and produce their own weather report for the class.
Dialectics for collective activities: an approach to virtual campus design
This contribution is an attempt to systematise our approach to the design of a virtual campus. Activities in the recently started TECFA virtual campus rely on Internet tools, but they concern both distance teaching and presential interactions. Designing learning activities is relatively easy when the learning goal is an activity in itself. In this contribution, we explain how we extend the “learning by doing” approach to the acquisition of declarative knowledge. After fulfilling a pseudo-task,
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
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
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.
Internet Scout Project
The US Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program website presents its objectives "to advance the scientific understanding of volcanic processes and to lessen the harmful impacts of volcanic activity." The public can explore information on volcano monitoring, warning schemes, and emergency planning. Students and educators can find out about the types, effects, location, and history of volcano hazards. The website offers recent online volcano reports and maps, volcano factsheets, videos, and a pho
Sequence effects in solving knowledge-rich problems: The ambiguous role of surface similarities
Sequence effects are said to occur whenever the problem solving performance varies as a function of the order in which problems are solved. We present a framework that explain sequence effects as a result of (a) learning during solving a problem and of (b) transferring the learned content on succeeding problems. In two experiments we studied the ambiguous influence of surface similarities among structurally dissimilar knowledge-rich problems on sequence effects. These experiments demonstrate tha
Internet Scout Project
The Tsunami Research Center at the University of Southern California "is actively involved with all aspects of tsunami research; inundation field surveys, numerical and analytical modeling, and hazard assessment, mitigation and planning." The website supplies interactive maps and chilling images of the destruction caused by the December 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean. Visitors can find out the latest tsunami news and research. Students and educators can view animations of seismic activity, lan
Internet Scout Project
Chuck's Robotics Notebook "serves as a journal and knowledge repository for the aspiring roboticist" and includes sections on circuits, projects, and controllers. A section on Complete Robots describes some of the robots he has built and includes some photos. A "bibliography of sorts" provides his favorite books and articles "so that you can build a 'Mechatronic' library of your own." The second website, Hobby Engineering, is more of a clearinghouse for robotics supplies, but also provided is so
Regulative support during inquiry learning with
simulations and modeling
Many factors impact learning; the environment and resources available, the domain, how much prior-knowledge a student has, and how well they make use of their metacognitive skills, all of these factors impact new knowledge creation. The series of studies described in this dissertation focuses on the latter; i.e. the metacognitive skillfulness of students. Known collectively as self-regulation, planning, monitoring, and evaluation, when applied appropriately will enhance learning. Students who m
A Neural Approach for Modeling the Inference of Awareness in Computer-Supported Collaboration
Individuals interacting in a computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment produce a variety of information elements during their participation; these information elements usually have a complex structure and semantics, which make it rather difficult to find out the behavioral attitudes and profiles of the users involved. This work provides a model that can be used to discover awareness information lying underneath multi-user interaction. This information is initially captured in
Training programme for geography teachers
This paper contains a description of a Geography teacher-training program for in-service education. The program is a variant for incorporating the methodology of the Minerva- project “Innovative Didactics via Web-based Learning” (further abbreviated as IDWBL) so that the Geography teachers at work can be adequately prepared for integrating ICT in geography education at secondary schools via web-based education. The theme may seem at first glance as a variation of a known subject… But for the
