The role of animated pedagogical agents in scenario-based language e-learning: a case-study
Scenario-based language e-learning (SBeL) is focused on contextual learning, since it uses authentic activities that can improve communication skills. This paper reports a case-study that proposes the use of animated pedagogical agents (APAs) in a Brazilian Portuguese web-based course built under a mix of task- and scenario-based approaches. Its main purpose is to discuss how APAs can be used to improve studentsÂ’ communicative skills, cultural awareness and level of interaction with courseÂ’s c
How users behave in a combined community/content environment
Currently, combined community/content environments gain increasing importance in different areas of life, ranging from private to educational to corporate contexts. However, since they are still a novel achievement it is not so clear how they should be organised in order to their successful operation. For gaining a deeper insight in what makes such an environment work, the authors systematically analysed two public environments by evaluating user data and an online questionnaire covering the fol
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
The framework for easy intelligent tutor programs creation
In this paper the framework for intelligent tutor programs creation is described. It separates the logical part of tutor program and technical parts like user interface, database connectivity, etc. The intelligent program is built in specially developed graphical tool by means of performing primitive actions to create task model as a graph with states and conditional transitions. So it may be composed by a teacher with base programming skills.
Streaming media as an alternative to direct student instruction for performing science experiments
In the present paper a comparison between the ideas of two groups of students, both of which were taught the same physics laboratory curriculum but using two different instruction approaches is presented. The experimental group was asked to watch some videos including the associated links to Physics theory explaining the phenomena to be observed, gather the information needed and then perform the experiments involved, while the control group followed the traditional lab teaching practice. The ai
Intelligent Computer Teacher in E-Learning Systems
Intelligent computer teacher and appropriate simulated learning environment were elaborated ensuring high quality individualization of learning process. Individualization of learning process is realized in two ways. Learners can use node points structure for selection of their own learning path ensuring individualization of learning process. Intelligent computer teacher ( by the use of artificial intelligence means) can adapt to learners knowledge and abilities ensuring also individualization of
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Observing Open E-Learning Content: A Roadmap for Educational Policy and Institutions and Hands-
This presentation is concerned with Open Educational Resources and Practices, based on findings of the EU-project “Open eLearning Content Observatory Services” (OLCOS). We present the results of a study on the European OER landscape, which explores the possible pathways towards a higher level of production, sharing and usage of OER and provides an orientation as well as recommendations on possible measures and actions to support decision making at the level of educational policy and institutio
Learning with the Web 2.0: The Encyclopedia of Life
In the 1990s, the World Wide Web has revolutionized the way in which knowledge seekers satisfy their thirst for knowledge. During the recent years, a technological and social paradigm shift called Web 2.0 attracted a lot of attention in the Internet community and is considered a major evolution of the web. New online applications make it easier for individuals to learn, using the vast information provided by the Internet and the collective intelligence of its users. The Encyclopedia of Life, a g
Analysis of three different models used to acquire three e-learning solutions at the same university
The Universtiy of Pretoria has been using an electronic assessment system since 1991 and a learning management system (LMS) since 1998. Both systems required urgent upgrading. In 2003 a further need arose in the Faculty of Health Sciences, for an electronic portfolio system. The Department for Education Innovation has thus implemented three new systems during the past three years: a new electronic assessment system, an upgraded LMS, and an electronic portfolio system. This paper analyzes the adv
An adaptive learning environment in DICE system with TDD model
We introduce an adaptive learning environment named DALM (DICE adaptive learning model) based on DICE test-driven development (TDD) model that was implemented in a parse-tree based automatic on-line grader. In our opinion, there are three variables in DALM. The individual differences (I) classify the learners into several groups. The training method (T) that equivalent to TDD model in DICE can be controlled by DICE system. The learning outcome (O) presents the learning performance of learners wi
Telstra's Next G Network: Event Management of Australia-Wide Wireless Network Training Solutions
The Next G™ network is Telstra's next generation wireless broadband network, bringing high-speed broadband to mobile phones and laptops across Australia. All Telstra mobile customers - city or country - will have access to the same retail suite of services, whether it is the traditional mobile phone call, new video and entertainment services, or wireless broadband internet.
One of the major challenges for Telstra in successfully rolling out the new national network is the ability to successful
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
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
The Use of Multiple Student Modeling to Parameterize Group Learning
Recent criticism of ITS research for neglecting social aspects of learning is constructively answered by a practical attempt to extrapolate student modeling and intelligent learning support to group situations. The central focus is on using individually assessed student models to anticipate and parameterize group learning situations. This requires the integration of knowledge from individual models. Aspects of system architecture and dialogue design are discussedbased on an example of a replicat
Building and Maintaining the Common Ground in Web-Based Interaction
In this paper, the main purpose is to explore how participants establish and maintain the common ground in the computer-based conferences. Previous studies assume that before the participants can reach the deeper level interaction and learning, they have to gain an adequate level of common ground (Dillenbourg, 1999; Baker et al., 1999; Veerman, 2000). Subjects were 68 pre-service teachers and 7 mentors from three universities who participated in the web-based conferencing course for eight weeks.
Cooperation scripts for learning via web-based discussion boards and videoconferencing
Computer-supported collaborative learning often means that locally distant learners discuss a task via text-based discussion boards or videoconferencing. Collaborative learning, however, is often suboptimal with respect to how learners work on the concepts that are supposed to be learned and how learners interact with each other. Collaborative learning environments may be improved by scripts that structure epistemic activities and social interactions of learners. Two studies are being reported t
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
Analyzing Sequential Data in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning
Representations and changes between them play a major role in cognitive development (e.g., Vosniadou, & Brewer, 1992) and education (e.g., Hewson, Beeth, & Thorley, 1998). By definition, change of representations is also indispensable for collaborative work since a common understanding or shared knowledge can only be achieved by a partial convergence of the knowledge structures of the collaborating subjects. This articles presents and discusses knowledge tracking (KT), viz., an approach to analy
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
Intelligent CALL: The magnitude of the task
The quality of most CALL programs is not well balanced with respect to the use of computer technology and of language content and processing. This imbalance can be explained by a number of constraints pulling CALL developers in diverging directions. For commercial CALLware the poor learner fit and lack of feedback is a serious impediment. So far ICALL approaches trying to overcome this have not been of a sufficiently high quality due to the vast distance between most learner language and the tex
