Perceptions of e-learning environment Research Papers (original) (raw)

This paper explores the Web 2.0 ethos with respect to the application of pedagogy within 3D online virtual environments. 3D worlds can create a synthetic experience capturing the essence of being in a particular world or context. The AliveX3D platform adopts the Web 2.0 ethos and applies it to online 3D virtual environment forming a Web 2.0/Web3D hybrid that has wider usability than previous alternatives. This combined with the AliveX3D Scene Editor allows learning experiences, which are controlled by the learner, appear authentic and facilitate collaboration conversations to be developed simultaneously. This immersion enables learners to negotiate meaning based on their own personal cognitive, affective and kinaesthetic experiences rather than on the descriptions of others’ experiences. We conclude by suggesting the choices embedded within the worlds allow the learning focus to shift away from isolated pre-designed interactions, to a situation that encourages the learner to control...

This paper presents the results of the STASIS (www.stasis-project.net) project and applies it to the area of semantic interoperability within technologyenhanced learning platforms. Within the paper an innovative approach for creating a comprehensive application suite is introduced which allows partners to simplify the mapping process between data schemas of different e-Learning platforms. This mapping allows users to easily transfer content from one e-Learning platform to another and hence making it much easier to reuse e-Learning objects and to update to new e-Learning environments without spending serious resources on manual migration of content and user models.

- by Vadim Chepegin
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- Documentation, XML, Technology Enhanced Learning, Content Management

Nowadays, information and communication technologies are incorporating extremely rapidly to the individual's education and training. This trend lead the European academic research to focus on key terms like open distance learning or lifelong learning. In this context, there are a large number of past and actual projects and researches concerning the content, methodologies, technologies and new pedagogical challenges - all parts of so-called e- learning environments. There are a lot of achievements from this work but there is still a significant work left for the process of building a reliable and efficient learning process capable of satisfying the end user needs and meet the necessary requirements imposed by the educational organizations (content, standardization, measurement tools, ratings, etc.). This article reveals the components of an e-learning environment, the present trends in this research field and some conclusions.

- by Razvan Zota
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- Lifelong Learning, Information and Communication technology, User needs, New Economy

In the last decade, academic research in u-learning (ubiquitous learning) has brought new opportunities and new challenges. This paper summarizes the proposal of improvement of AdaptWeb e-learning environment, allowing its adaptation according to the users' context, mainly taking in account issues related to the particular situations experienced by the student. This paper describes how content and structure of AdaptWeb can be modified to become an u-learning environment.

Learning has been in active use as a tool that offers diverse opportunity to study in recent years, conventional face-to-face lecture still has some edge on it in stimulating students' appetite for study or in offering an environment for collaborative study. This paper introduces our study on 3Di as SNS in a broad sense to establish a new way of supporting research and educational activities.

In this paper we demonstrate our methodology and architecture for teaching a computer ethics course within an e-learning environment. This work is an initial step towards an autonomous module, which aims to improve students' ethical decision making. Despite the debate on whether such a topic can be taught and consequently influence the students' ethical behavior, we argue that such training can create the necessary familiarity with ethical issues and develop awareness on cases that might include possible ethical issues., In addition, the proposed analysis path helps students handle and analyze such issues, thus improving their critical thinking and ethical decision making.

- by Nikolaos V Karadimas
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- Critical Thinking, Computer Ethics, Online Learning, Ethical decision making

Abstract. Developing e-Learning applications concerns issues of human communication and facilitating technology. One of the key research issues in Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) is the participation of remote audience in a communicative activity. This is particularly important in learning contexts. In the two studies reported here, we discuss systems infrastructure by presenting the concept of the Virtual Observatory through the AstroGrid project. We explore how such a Grid can be used in the future as an e- ...

- by PEDRO CONTRERAS
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- Computer Science, Visualization, Augmented Reality, Virtual Observatory

Google, Inc. (search). ...

- by Ana Molina
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- Mobile Computing, Wireless Technology, Case Study, Mobile Device

It is also possible that your web browser is not configured or not able to display style sheets. In this case, although the visual presentation will be degraded, the site should continue to be functional. We recommend using the latest... more

- by Katy Campbell
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- Perceptions of e-learning environment

With the continually increasing complexity of e-learning environments, there is a need for integrating concepts of cognitive load theory (CLT) with concepts of human-computer interaction (HCI). Basic concepts of both fields were reviewed and contrasted. A literature review was conducted within the literature database ''The Guide to Computing Literature," searching for ''cognitive load theory" and ''Sweller." Sixty-five publications contained ''cognitive load" in their titles or abstracts. Each publication was checked to see whether it contained the concepts of intrinsic, extraneous, or germane cognitive load. The review showed that CLT concepts have been adopted in HCI. However, the concept of germane cognitive load has attracted less attention up to the present time. Two conceptual models are proposed. The first model divides extraneous cognitive load into load induced by the instructional design and load caused by software usage. The model clarifies the focus of traditional usability principles and of existing instructional design principles derived from CLT. The second model fits CLT concepts into the basic components of user-centered design. The concept of germane cognitive load illustrates that an increase of cognitive load can be desirable when designing e-learning environments. Areas for future interdisciplinary research are sketched.

- by Bernhard Schmitz
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- Information Systems, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Human Computer Interaction

Interactive video in an e-learning system allows proactive and random access to video content. Our empirical study examined the influence of interactive video on learning outcome and learner satisfaction in e-learning environments. Four different settings were studied: three were e-learning environments-with interactive video, with non-interactive video, and without video. The fourth was the traditional classroom environment. Results of the experiment showed that the value of video for learning effectiveness was contingent upon the provision of interactivity. Students in the e-learning environment that provided interactive video achieved significantly better learning performance and a higher level of learner satisfaction than those in other settings. However, students who used the e-learning environment that provided non-interactive video did not improve either. The findings suggest that it may be important to integrate interactive instructional video into e-learning systems. #

Sierra, JL, Fernández-Valmayor, A., Guinea, M., & Hernanz, H.(2006). From Research Resources to Learning Objects: Process Model and Virtualization Experiences. Educational Technology & Society, 9 (3), 56-68. 56 ISSN 1436-4522 (online) and... more

- by Héctor Hernanz
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- Educational Technology, Cooperation, Learning Object, Virtual

Analyses on the proliferation of Information and Communication Technologies in education unanimously position teachers as key factors for the success of ICT in schools. In spite of in-service courses, rigorously controlled for quality by government accreditation agencies, the percentage of teachers using ICT regularly in class as reported by international surveys has not increased considerably since the eighties. Pre-service courses

- by Andrea Kárpáti and +1
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- Conceptual change, ICT in Education, Teacher Training, Information and Communication technology

This paper discusses the development of a collaborative hypertext application named Synote. Multimedia has become technically easier to create, but while the WHOLE of a media resource can be easily bookmarked, searched, linked to and tagged, it is still difficult to find or associate notes or other resources with a certain PART of a resource. Synote addresses the important and pervasive user need of making multimedia Web resources easier to access, search, manage and exploit for learners teachers and other users through developing an application that supports the creation of synchronised notes, bookmarks, tags, links, images and text captions. Synote has been developed based on requirements for such a Web based e-learning environment, identified by various studies. The performance, efficiency and effectiveness of Synote was evaluated by using it with students and teachers for a number of undergraduate courses and this has shown that they like using Synote and want more recordings and lectures in this format to be made available to them.

- by priyanka singh
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- User needs, Perceptions of e-learning environment

This article focuses on the design of competency-based performance assessment in e-learning. Though effort has been invested in designing powerful e-learning environments, relatively little attention has been paid to the design of valid and reliable assessments in such environments, leaving many questions to educational developers and teachers. As a solution to this problem, a systematic approach to designing performance assessments in e-learning contexts is presented, partly based on the 4C/ID model. This ...

This paper discusses the use of natural language or ‘conversational’ agents in e-learning environments. We describe and contrast the various applications of conversational agent technology represented in the e-learning literature, including tutors, learning companions, language practice and systems to encourage reflection. We offer two more detailed examples of conversational agents, one which provides learning support, and the other support for

In this paper, we present the pedagogical and conceptual design of an e-learning environment, NetAIDS, for HIV/AIDS education in Uganda. We also identify the first concrete design solutions for the NetAIDS environment, which will be later... more

- by Joseph Bada
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- Research Methodology, Web Technology, Conceptual Design, Research Method

This research examines the underlying reasons why students taking project management courses emphasise skills that are transferable and the utilisation of e-learning environments as critical to their learning experiences. Students' opinions are expressed through a series of focus groups. We found that the underlying reasons for students' emphasis on these two factors as crucial to learning and teaching project management could be classed under five higher-order themes. The implications of our findings are that in order to develop desired human, conceptual and technical skills, a teaching approach based on a blend of learning that resides at the intersection of the 'transferable skills' and 'e-learning environments' construct is required for the effective teaching of project management. For effectiveness, this blended form of andragogy (learning focused on adults) must be flexible enough to cater for the vast variations in the profiles of students, and their individual learning preferences.

- by Mel Ashleigh
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- Project Management, Learning and Teaching, Blended Learning, Project manager

The purpose of the Classroom Context Study was to explore how classrooms impact students' overall experience of being at a community college. The study was conducted at LaGuardia Community College by the Student Experiences Research Group (SERG) from 2015-2017. 11 courses were included using surveys and observations, which 280 students participated. Technology use in the classroom correlates with student motivation and attitude. Technology can be quite useful, as well as distracting.

- by Salih Mansur
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- Information Technology, Eportfolio, Use of Technology, Motivation (Psychology)

This paper presents the (student) proceedings of a successful inter-university co-operation between a research university and a university of applied sciences, in the field of Visual Literacy and Visual Communication. The origin lays in the international symposium “Digital Communities for Global Education” (Enschede NL, 2006) and the start was a web-based course in Informational Graphic Design. The ongoing development is

One of the e-learning environment goal is to attend the individual needs of students during the learning process. The adaptation of contents, activities and tools into different visualization or in a variety of content types is an important feature of this environment, bringing to the user the sensation that there are suitable workplaces to his profile in the same system. Nevertheless, it is important the investigation of student behaviour aspects, considering the context where the interaction happens, to achieve an efficient personalization process. The paper goal is to present an approach to identify the student learning profile analyzing the context of interaction. Besides this, the learning profile could be analyzed in different dimensions allows the system to deal with the different focus of the learning.

- by Jose F Rodrigues-Jr and +1
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- User Experience (UX), Student Learning, Perceptions of e-learning environment, Learning Process

The essential elements of effective learning are control of students' skills and feedback between students and their tutor. The main idea behind the approach presented here is that a domain ontology is not only useful as a learning instrument but it can also be employed to assess students' skills. For it, each student is prompted to express his/her beliefs by building her/his own discipline-related ontology and then it is compared to a reference one. The analysis of students' mistakes allows to propose them personalized recommendations and to improve the course materials in general. In this work, we present a Semantic Web technologies-based multi-agent system that allows to automatically control students' acquired knowledge in e-learning frameworks.

Current web analytics are focused on e-commerce sites, where the visits have to converge in a purchase. The behavior of e-learning environments users is driven by information acquiring. The learning process takes time, and therefore a visit on an educational site does not apply to the heuristics used by most analytics instruments (i.e. ending a visit after 30 minutes of inactivity). Moreover, an integrated analytics instrument may benefit from extended knowledge to better identify unique visitors. This paper proves that such a system is much more reliable than a system that bases its decisions on cookies (e.g., Google Analytics).

We investigate the integration of LECOMPS, a webbased e-learning environment for the automated construction and adaptive delivery of learning paths, and SOCIALX, a webbased system for shared e-learning activities, which exploits a reputation system to provide feedback to its participants. Our overall goal is the integration of personalized and collaborative learning to support the Vygotskij's educational theory of proximal development. Therefore we propose a two-way tunneling strategy: the LECOMPS student model is used to select the set of social activities (met in SOCIALX) according to the present individual learner state of knowledge; on the other hand, the solution of exercises, and the associated reputation derived in SOCIALX, is used to update the LECOMPS student model. In particular, we present a mapping between the student model and the definition of Vygotskij's concepts of Autonomous Problem Solving and Proximal Development regions, with the aim to provide the learner with better guidance during the taking of the course.

- by Andrea Sterbini and +2
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- Social learning, Collaborative Learning, Problem Solving, Sense of Community

One of the interesting problems that have attracted the attention of both industry and academia in current e-learning environments is the reusability of learning content in Learning Management Systems (LMS). A number of standards have defined a Run-Time environment in order to allow an LMS to deal with learning objects i.e. to launch, track and communicate with it. Such standards achieved high performance when dealing with simple learning objects such as a text file, picture or a simple animation but when dealing with much complicated content such as rich interactive or adaptive content they show many limitations This paper takes a closer look at the issue of reusability and interoperability of interactive learning content and presents a case study that followed one of the non-standardised research efforts where an existing LMS integrates an independently developed interactive learning simulation activity. The lessons that have been learned from this work has also been stated here.

Considering didactics, assessment is necessary to evaluate the learning process and, thus, also of relevance for the e-learning situation. In fact, it is harder and more problematic to realise them within online courses. This paper examines important didactical aspects, such as defining competencies, determining learning objectives and assessing learners' achievements within the scope of e-learning, and, furthermore, it reports about a case study comparing three different assessment methods to each other. In particular, the depicted methods are evaluated in terms of the most relevant factors of the teaching process within the area of adult education.

- by Felix Mödritscher
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- Adult Education, Case Study, Learning Object, Online Courses

While synchronous and asynchronous applications such as chat and email effectively foster casual communication, such applications are less successful in facilitating deep, insightful conversation. This is a particular challenge when asynchronous threaded discussion forums are used in e-learning settings. This paper examines the implementation of discussion forums in the context of WisdomTools Scenarios™, an e-learning tool which exploits case-based narrative to provide authentic contexts for asynchronous, collaborative persistent conversations. An analysis of usage from two independent scenarios, one used in an academic context and the other in a corporate context, shows that embedding forums within narrative scenes encouraged learner involvement and focused conversation. At the same time, we identify directions for improving the interaction design of these forums, including the ability for learners to join and "catch up" in ongoing conversations, tools to view summarization postings and track learner participation, and the use of social proxies. Ultimately, our goal is to understand how narrative-based e-tools may lead to deeper learner insights, smarter strategies, and better judgments. I do art, and I do science, and I call it design.

ICTs and e-learning technologies have been exploited thoroughly, in an effort to improve the education procedures and techniques and ensure that nontraditional students (disabled students, distance students and sensitive social groups), gain equal access to information, knowledge, education and employment. This paper presents a multi-purpose e-environment for educative and informative services in the domain of engineering education for students with visual impairments. This eenvironment can be used for actions that support online eclasses as well as e-activities that belong within the domains of lifelong training and distance learning. It was built aiming at smoothing the handicaps of the visually impaired students, enhancing their skills and covering both their special personal and communicative needs, mainly by redirecting the information through other sensory routes. Special "Assistive Technology" was used and the principles of "Design for All" and "Universal Accessibility" were followed, in order to produce a userfriendly and easily navigable environment for this nontraditional group of students in engineering education.

PurposeFirst, to explore the application of e‐learning as a medium for workplace learning, as a form of adult learning and organisational learning from a theoretical point of view, second, to review empirical studies on recent solutions to pedagogical problems encountered in workplace learning in general and in e‐learning in particular, and finally, to consider the challenges facing the further development of e‐learning solutions targeted at the workplace.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews theories of adult learning, workplace learning and organisational learning and brings out main pedagogical implications of these theories from an e‐learning point of view. Some empirical studies in which electronic networks and communication tools have been utilised in workplace learning are also described.FindingsThe development of successful e‐learning solutions for the use of work organizations requires integrating research knowledge from different sources: theories of the learning or...

- by Päivi Tynjälä
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- Adult Education, Workplace Learning, Adult learning, Knowledge Exchange

This paper considers the roles and competencies of the e-tutor. A literature review shows that different roles are assigned to the online tutors. Definitions of these roles are presented and discussed. Afterwards, we present eleven roles... more

- by Brigitte Denis
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- Literature Review, Perceptions of e-learning environment, Networked

In the last years, authoring based on e-learning standards has been consolidated as a core factor of industry and development of interoperable and effective virtual learning environments. However, there is a need for further research on abstraction to provide a more instructional view in the context of authoring tools in a variety of ways, in order to avoid being driven by Learning Technology (LT) specifications, facilitate instructional knowledge aggregation, and to provide an appropriate level of clarity and semantics in the design of collaborative activities. We propose a combination of techniques to provide this instructional abstraction in the context of the new European educational model, combining instructional layers and collaborative scripts in authoring tools, and semantic web techniques for extending e-learning material in order to harness the wealth of existing web content and semantically labeled repositories.

- by Miguel Rodriguez Artacho
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- Education, Learning Technology, Semantic Web, Collaborative Learning

Instructional designers can use evidence-based theories of motivation and self-regulated learning to construct e-learning environments that promote goalsetting and achievement. We have used gStudy, educational software designed according to principles of self-regulated learning, to construct a Goal-Setting Kit. The Goal-Setting Kit incorporates tests, scaffolds, concept maps, and exercises that allow students to express, organize, and monitor their strategies for achieving personal and instructional goals.

We present the ¿Lecomps¿ Web-based e-learning environment, that automates the construction of adaptive personalized learning paths, tailored over learning goals, learner's knowledge and individual learning styles. A constraint logic based engine is used to perform the course construction and to support the teacher in the definition of the learning objects to be used (learning components). Learning objective templates are used

- by Andrea Sterbini and +1
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- Web Based Learning, Learning Object, Perceptions of e-learning environment, Personalized Learning

Cooperative co-learner agents can achieve an almost natural human-computer interaction. Agents are life-like computer characters that can interact with learners. They do so by picking up phrases from a database, according to predefined set of rules so as to achieve effective communication. We introduce the design of a software agent capable to collaborate with a learner in asynchronous e-learning environment. It offers new opportunities in e-learning as it integrates collaborative learning in a manner that challenges traditional methods of pedagogy and benefits the learning process.

With the expansion of e-learning, the understanding and evaluation of already created e-learning environments is becoming an extremely important issue. One way to dealing with the problem is analysis of case studies, i.e. already created environments, from the reuse perspective. The paper presents a general framework and model to assess UNITE, the unified e-learning environment for schools, from the reuse perspective. UNITE is the e-learning environment of the ongoing EU project (FP6 IST-26964, 2006-2008, http://www.unite-ist.org/). UNITE assets are described using feature diagrams (FDs) telling us about the internal structure of UNITE; representing relationships among the compound and atomic features, thus enhancing better transparency of UNITE and in this way empowering reuse. The factors of UNITE influential to reuse with some concrete results are also presented. We provide analysis aiming to extract from the model the relevant information of two kinds: (1) which is influential t...

- by Virginija Limanauskiene
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- Mobile Learning, Content Management, Complex System, Case Study

Educating students on Digital Library (DL) research and practices has become an important course taught in many universities. Due to the rapid development of DL field and students' diverse backgrounds and learning preferences, students face a steep learning curve when they try to grasp core concepts/topics and understand different DL views/approaches. DiLight is an interactive, integrated and active e-learning environment. One of the goals of DiLight is to organize course-related materials into an ontology [1] to support students to learn DL related topics and complete their learning tasks quickly and easily. DiLight is built on top of DSpace 1 , a leading open-source digital repository system, to take advantage of DSpace's powerful content management and search tools. Our demonstration will concentrate on DiLight's ontology-based information access functions.

- by Daqing He
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- Information Access, Perceptions of e-learning environment

DIPSEIL is a project for distributed e-learning environment aiming to define, develop and test a distributed system for individualized learning and the underlying pedagogical procedures to implement, facilitate and promote performance-centered learning experiences in the context of international university education. DIPSEIL is a continuing work, based on an existing model, developed working prototype, conducted empirical research and analysis of experimental

- by Dimitar Tokmakov
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- Distributed System, Empirical Research, University Education, Model development

In this paper we present the creation of a distance and life-long training Environment for the deaf people in the e-commerce and new technologies sector via e-learning tools. The resources will feed the development of a multi-language platform within Leonardo framework (DELFE project) for supporting elearning in Greek Sign Language (GSL). The basic objective of the project is the support of the equal rights of Deaf people for their access and real attendance in the professional training. The final aim is the creation of a passage for these individuals into the new professional fields via their training with specialized knowledge and dexterities in the use of the continuously developing sectors of e-learning and electronic Trade (e-commerce). The e-Learning environment for the Deaf People is adapted to their capabilities and communication abilities via the Sign Language. The environment is based on the usage of the advanced teleconference services of Internet (network virtual classroom) and offers a sum of facilities and services that are able to support, via an easy and friendly way, education and training in the form of life long and continuing education for the Deaf People.

E-learning may provide a lot of useful features in a wide range of learning and teaching situations. However, the provision of static learning material will not meet the requirements of the users. We believe that well-tailored, highly personalized learning sessions are needed. Regarding to this background, the research project AdeLE (Adaptive e-Learning with Eye-Tracking) aims to develop and implement a

- by Felix Mödritscher
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- Eye tracking, Learning and Teaching, Adaptive System, User Behaviour

Ethics in education means, granting educational opportunities to anyone on equal basis; disregarding nationality, gender, ideological differences or mental/physical disabilities. Through this perspective, online learning environments have an important potential, owing to their nature to reach international audiences. Considering the number and diversity of students in e-Learning environments, policies balancing different expectations and studying how the participants perceive ethics in online learning ...

- by Elif Toprak
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- English language, Statistical Analysis, Teacher Training, Open Educational Resources
- by Jay Nunamaker
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- Perceptions of e-learning environment

This paper reports the results of a pilot study, conducted to observe and evaluate the patterns of use and completion of a set of project management units and to identify any relationships between these factors and learning style. The aim... more

- by Jacqui Taylor
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- Software Development, Public sector, Learning Style, Learning Environment

With the advance of information and communication technology (ICT) and the growth of interest in the use of the Internet for education, teachers are now working in new online environments. In line with this situation, there is great need for teacher development in the integration of ICT into teaching and learning activities and in the design, implementation and evaluation of