New Media and Open and Distance Learning: New challenges for Education in a Knowledge Society
The "digital society" provides not only with new technology, but also with new concepts. Information plays a central role and becomes a valuable good, but knowledge cannot be reduced to information, and one aim for educators is to contribute in a "knowledge society", not only an "information society". A knowledge society is structured in networks, enriching the traditional hierarchies; a knowledge society promotes a kind of "collective intelligence". In such a society, open and distance learning
A Parallel Grid-based Implementation for Real Time Processing of Event Log Data in Collaborative App
Collaborative applications usually register user interaction in the form of semi-structured plain text event log data. Extracting and structuring this data is a prerequisite for later key processes such as the analysis of interactions, assessment of group activity, or the provision of awareness and feedback. Yet, in real situations of online collaborative activity the processing of log data is usually done offline since structuring event log data is, in general, a computationally costly process
An examination of two types of timeline, linear vs. staggered: a mixed method approach
This study conducted as follow-up study to evaluate effects of two different time-based interfaces, linear and staggered. This study also tries to reveal usersÂ’ preferences when they look for information in two different computer-based timeline. Explanatory mixed method design was implemented. In the first part, quantitative, there were 42 subjects. Results shows no significant difference between two types of computer-based time-line in terms of task completion time and answer accuracy. In the
Distance learning and foreign language teaching
Among numerous modes of technology enhanced learning there are not many that have received as much attention as distance learning. Stimulated by the recent rapid developments in Web technologies, researchers in both ICT and education are constantly working to make the most of technological resources and put them to the best pedagogical use. In the area of foreign language teaching a lot has been done to cover a variety of world languages, but there are constant attempts for new solutions, taking
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
Building re-configurable blendedlearning arrangements
E-learning can be much more than just self-paced learning. To enhance motivation and sustainability of learning, trainers or course providers usually set up target group specific arrangements of various learning conducive elements. They combine self-learning phases with synchronous or asynchronous online collaboration and cooperation, as well as with face-to-face training sessions. This mix of online and offline elements has become famous under the name of "blended learning". To put blended lear
Cross-border collaboration between greece and bulgaria: the use of ict in improving social medicine
Cross-country-border collaboration exists in various fields as regions are facing similar social and economic challenges. Many countries of South-East Europe experience a lack of knowledge, especially in topics of social medicine. Improved collaboration across the borders can develop the appropriate conditions for enhanced knowledge sharing and ICT can effectively contribute to this aim. The system proposed in this paper is the combination of a database and a Geographic Information System that a
Applying IDWBL methodology at the national high school of mathematics and science
The Innovative Didactics via web Based Learning project accents on an innovative methodology of web use in the classroom. During the project realization a repository, containing IDWBL scenarios was developed. Teachers of the National High School of Mathematics and Science were acquainted with the methodology through the cascade approach. After that the IDWBL methodology was experimented in the classrooms in regular classes. The current paper comments the results of the teacher trainings and the
Ontology development for computersupported collaborative learning scripts
This paper presents an ongoing effort to develop an ontology for Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) Scripts. Our work merges the field of collaborative learning with the field of semantic web and provides a framework for the formalization of collaboration scripts using the OWL language. Collaboration scripts are didactic scenarios that prescribe learnersÂ’ interactions in collaborative settings. A script comprises a number of phases and each phase specifies the activity that learne
An Approach to Analyzing the Role and Structure of Reflective Dialogue
Several intelligent tutoring systems contain modules that support reflection after practice exercises. However, there is very little research on reflective dialogue and its relation to dialogue during problem solving that can guide this effort. The approach to analyzing educational dialogue described in this paper was developed to address this problem. Using statistical and machine learning methods, we compared the frequency and structure of speech acts by avionics students and experts during pr
Learning a New Game: Usability, Gender and Education
This research study aims to investigate the usability issues of a computer game; regarding how people learn a new game. Because the user characteristic and the strategies they use while learning a new tool are important factors for usability, they were also taken into account in the study. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in the study. 16 participants played the computer game. They were also observed and their eye-movements were recorded by an eye tracking device. Results show
Student Modelling based on Belief Networks
Belief networks provide an important way to represent and reason about uncertainty – significant factors for modelling students. These networks provide a way of structuring such models, and allow a system to use a systematic approach when gathering information about the scope of the student’s knowledge. This work also provides a theoretically-sound way to update the student model, based on the concept of a dynamic belief network. The relationship to related research is discussed. Finally, the
Améliorer un dispositif pédagogique par l'intégration de nouveaux canaux de communication
LÂ’analyse des résultats de lÂ’expérimentation dÂ’un dispositif pédagogique instrumenté par les TIC pour un apprentissage de savoir faire par projets a mis en évidence des ruptures dans la communication. Ces ruptures sont liées à la difficulté dÂ’accès à Internet dans certaines situations (alternanceÂ…). Face à ce constat, nous avons décidé dÂ’introduire un nouveau canal de communication, a priori disponible en masse chez les étudiants : le téléphone mobile. Cette publication prÃ
StudentsÂ’ Activity in Computer-Supported Collaborative Problem Solving in Mathematics
The purpose of this study was to analyse secondary school studentsÂ’ (N = 16) computer-supported collaborative mathematical problem solving. The problem addressed in the study was: What kinds of metacognitive processes appear during computer-supported collaborative learning in mathematics? Another aim of the study was to consider the applicability of networked learning in mathematics. The network-based learning environment Knowledge Forum (KF) was used to support studentsÂ’ collaborative problem
Exploitation of data modeling for database design in secondary education learning activities: A case
Data models are representation systems for structural modelling of physical systems. Data models application results in databases that are amenable to computation enabling the modeller to interact with them for information retrieval, hypotheses testing, comparisons etc. In this paper we initially approach the didactic and learning value of data modelling for database design in terms of the features related to studentsÂ’ involvement in the related learning activities. In order to clarify the prop
Le rôle de l’ingénierie ontologique dans le domaine des EIAH
Dans cet entretien, Riichiro Mizoguchi nous révèle ses pensées les plus profondes sur le rôle que joue l’Ingénierie Ontologique (IO) dans le domaine des EIAH. Il insiste sur la nature conceptuelle d’une ontologie, faite pour pouvoir partager des connaissances entre humains et ordinateurs, et entre ordinateurs. Conceptualisation, partage et réutilisation sont donc les concepts-clés d’une ontologie. Dans le domaine des EIAH, le rôle de l’IO n’est pas de modéliser les connaissances po
Une expérience de construction de cartes conceptuelles dans un contexte de téléapprentissage univ
Nous décrivons une expérimentation de construction de cartes conceptuelles par des étudiants adultes dans un cours universitaire en sciences cognitives diffusé en ligne dans un contexte de formation à distance. Chaque étudiant est invité à élaborer une carte conceptuelle après lecture de textes. Les cartes conceptuelles sont réalisées à l'aide du logiciel MOT, permettant une représentation graphique des connaissances selon une technique de modélisation par objets typés. Les étud
How to scaffold the students to design experimental procedures? A situation experienced by 108 high-
This paper presents a proposition to improve the construction of concepts when doing experimental activities, and, in fact, to improve the construction of sense in experimental activities. This research involved 108, 17-18 year old students designing an experimental procedure for palaeontology learning. We first developed an analyse of the expert procedure and second, we realised a teaching sequence in which students were led to design an experimental procedure to measure the facial angle of a c
How to use an Instructional Engineering Method and a Modelling Tool
This chapter discusses how to build IMS learning designs focusing on three aspects, instructional engineering, modeling tools and graphical design techniques. First, we propose that instructional de-signers use a systemic and systematic instructional engineering method to build Units of Learning conforming to the IMS-LD speci-fication. MISA, a mature instructional engineering method will serve as the basis to our design approach. Second, we present a graphical modeling tool, MOT+, and a represe
Inside Theory-Aware and Standards-Compliant Authoring System
In their paper [14], Bourdeau and Mizoguchi foresaw a framework for ontology-based intelligent systems. Although it took longer years than their expectation, the ontology they have been developing is now released for evaluation with the help of the second author. Ontology building is a labor-intensive process and it is rarely perfect. Our enterprise is not an exception. The current ontology is still very preliminary because it has been completely reconstructed from the existing one with a few ne
