CSEDU 2015 Abstracts

Area 1 - Information Technologies Supporting Learning
Full Papers Short Papers
Area 2 - Learning/Teaching Methodologies and Assessment
Full Papers Short Papers
Area 3 - Social Context and Learning Environments
Full Papers Short Papers
Area 4 - Domain Applications and Case Studies
Full Papers Short Papers
Area 5 - Ubiquitous Learning
Full Papers Short Papers

Area 1 - Information Technologies Supporting Learning

Full Papers
Paper Nr: 26
Title:

A Method for Identifying and Formalizing the Underlying Instructional Design Language of Existing LMSs
Authors:

Nour El Mawas, Lahcen Oubahssi and Pierre Laforcade
Abstract: The use of existing LMSs presents many difficulties related to the design and operationalization of learning scenarios. Teachers have to encompass the LMS technical features and services in order to understand the underlying way of designing. Generic instructional design editors fail in bridging the gap between how they design a learning scenario and how the learning session can be set up within the target LMS. If LMSs could be able to make explicit their intrinsic and implicit learning design model, it can be exploited as a proprietary format to build tools and facilities dedicated to this LMS. The research presented in this paper aims to present our method in terms of necessary analysis and steps for the identification and the formalization of such LMSs’ instructional design languages. The method takes into account three different viewpoints: a viewpoint centred on the LMS macro-HMIs (Human-Machine Interfaces), a functional viewpoint and a micro viewpoint. We concretely illustrate the proposed method about the Moodle platform.
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Paper Nr: 45
Title:

Combining Agents and Ontologies for Building an Intelligent Tutoring System
Authors:

Stamatis Panagiotis, Ioannis Panagiotopoulos, Christos Goumopoulos and Achilles Kameas
Abstract: In this paper an approach for building an intelligent tutoring system is presented, based on a multi-agent architecture and combined with ontologies for knowledge representation. The system developed is focused on a bottom up, reactive generation of an active sequence of knowledge units regarding a set of adjustable, high level learning goals. The learning process begins with a set of simple learning goals that require a few learning objects and as the educational process proceeds, the student has to achieve higher learning outcomes that combine other low level outcomes which have been already achieved. The system is able to adapt to student’s learning profile and progress by applying proper learning tactics to prioritize through a weight calculation scheme the sequence of the learning outcomes to achieve. The main components of the system consisting of ontological models of the learner and the subject under study, gateway agents and tutor agents with their core modules (learning space management and learning tactics control) are explained and a detailed description of their interaction is given in the context of an example application. Finally, the advantages of the proposed approach are laid out, especially in the setting of a distance learning education system.
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Paper Nr: 49
Title:

Recognition of Reading Activities with Read Aloud Voice on Japanese Text Presentation System
Authors:

Kyota Aoki
Abstract: There are many pupils with reading difficulty in Japanese schools. The dyslexia is the disability about reading and writing texts. In Japanese public elementary schools, every pupil may use an ICT device individually and simultaneously. In the cases, a few teachers must teach all pupils. The ICT devices must help users to use the ICT devices by itself for effective usage. For help the users, the ICT devices must understand the state of the user. This paper proposes a method to recognize the reading activity of a user with read aloud voices. The proposed method is implemented. Experiments confirm the performance for measuring the reading activity of a user.
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Paper Nr: 50
Title:

Automatic Text Difficulty Classifier - Assisting the Selection Of Adequate Reading Materials For European Portuguese Teaching
Authors:

Pedro Curto, Nuno Mamede and Jorge Baptista
Abstract: This paper describes a system to assist the selection of adequate reading materials to support European Portuguese teaching, especially as second language, while highlighting the key challenges on the selection of linguistic features for text difficulty (readability) classification. The system uses existing Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools to extract linguistic features from texts, which are then used by an automatic readability classifier. Currently, 52 features are extracted: parts-of-speech (POS), syllables, words, chunks and phrases, averages and frequencies, and some extra features. A classifier was created using these features and a corpus, previously annotated by readability level, using a five-levels language classification official standard for Portuguese as Second Language. In a five-levels (from A1 to C1) scenario, the best-performing learning algorithm (LogitBoost) achieved an accuracy of 75.11% with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.269. In a three-levels (A, B and C) scenario, the best-performing learning algorithm (C4.5 grafted) achieved 81.44% accuracy with a RMSE of 0.346.
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Paper Nr: 55
Title:

A Cognitive Framework for On-line Music Education - Students’ Performance in On-line Listening Activities in a Blended Post-secondary Music Course
Authors:

Patricia Boechler, Mary Ingraham, Luis Fernando Marin, Erik deJong and Brenda Dalen
Abstract: This paper describes a cognitive framework for designing on-line listening activities for students in post-secondary music courses. Drawing on music cognition and knowledge acquisition theories, technology-based listening activities were developed as supplemental to classroom-based activities. The study sample consisted of fifty-nine post-secondary students in a World Music course. Before engaging in the listening activities, students completed four pre-activity surveys: 1) general demographics (e.g., program, year in program, gender, age), 2) a music experience survey (non-credit music experience), 3) a self-regulation questionnaire (SRQ) and, 4) a Computer Experience Questionnaire. Students then completed two on-line t is not easily enacted in the large classroom due to noise and other distractions, and to the lack of time for students with higher self-regulation scores took significantly less time to complete the on-line listening activities than those with lower self-regulation. However, as predicted by Honing’s (2009) music cognition theory, students’ levels of music experience were not related to students’ efficiency in completing the activities; nor was their computer experience or their levels of self-regulation.
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Paper Nr: 56
Title:

ASHYI-EDU: Applying Dynamic Adaptive Planning in a Virtual Learning Environment
Authors:

Jaime Pavlich-Mariscal, Yolima Uribe, Luisa Fernanda Barrera León, Nadia Alejandra Mejia-Molina, Angela Carrillo-Ramos, Alexandra Pomares Quimbaya, Monica Brijaldo, Martha Sabogal, Rosa Maria Vicari and Hervé Martin
Abstract: Activity planning is an essential element in the teaching-learning process, since it can ensure that adequate activities are utilized to convey the information to students. The common practice in course planning is that the teacher selects the same set of activities for every student in the classroom. However this does not address the students’ heterogeneity in learning styles, knowledge, and personality. To address this problem, this paper proposes ASHYI-EDU, a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) with dynamic adaptive planning. ASHYI- EDU is able to capture distinctive student characteristics and provide students with plans that are especially tailored for their particular characteristics. This paper also presents an ongoing case study that utilizes ASHYI- EDU in a university course.
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Paper Nr: 65
Title:

Turning Recurrent Uses of E-learning Tools into Reusable Pedagogical Activities - A Meta-modeling Approach Applied to a Moodle Case-study
Authors:

Esteban Loiseau, Pierre Laforcade and Nour El Mawas
Abstract: The pedagogical expressiveness of designed courses using Learning Management Systems (LMS) is highly dependent on the teachers’ expertise about how to use the LMS at their disposal. The GraphiT project aims to help teachers in focusing on the specification of pedagogically sound learning scenarios that can be technically executable for automatically setting-up the LMS. We propose to provide teachers with LMS-specific instructional design languages and editors. The LMS semantics has to be raised in order to enrich the pedagogical expressiveness of the produced models. This paper deals with the proposition of a specific LMS-centered approach for abstracting the LMS low-level parameterizations and turning them into higher-level pedagogical building blocks. We choose to present and illustrate our propositions about the Moodle LMS. We focus on the first abstraction level. It consists in identifying some pedagogical activities according to recurrent uses designers make by handling the Moodle activities.
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Paper Nr: 72
Title:

Automatic Generation of English Vocabulary Tests
Authors:

Yuni Susanti, Ryu Iida and Takenobu Tokunaga
Abstract: This paper presents a novel method for automatically generating English vocabulary tests using TOEFL vocabulary questions as a model. English vocabulary questions in TOEFL is a multiple-choice question consisting of four components: a target word, a reading passage, a correct answer and distractors. Given a target word, we generate a reading passage from Web texts retrieved from the Internet, and then employ that reading passage and the WordNet lexical dictionary for generating question options, both the correct answer and distractors. Human evaluation indicated that 45% of the responses from English teachers mistakenly judged the automatically generated questions by the proposed method to be human-generated questions. In addition, half of the machine-generated questions were received average rating more than or equals than 3 in 5 point scale. This suggests that our machine-generated questions succeeded in capturing some characteristics of the human-generated questions, and half of them can be used for English test.
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Paper Nr: 99
Title:

Personalisation of MOOCs - The State of the Art
Authors:

Ayse Saliha Sunar, Nor Aniza Abdullah, Su White and Hugh C. Davis
Abstract: Researchers in the field of educational technology are paying huge attention to the widespread adoption of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in the study of learning online. MOOCs are discussed in many angles including pedagogy, learning sustainability, and business model. However, there are very few discussions around MOOCs personalisation. In this paper, it is aimed to examine and analyse the literature on personalisation of MOOCs to identify the needs, the current states and efforts to personalise learning in MOOCs. The findings denote that the pedagogical design of MOOCs is currently insufficient due to massive and geographically dispersed learners with diverse educational backgrounds, learning requirements and motivations. Many believe that personalisation could address this lacking in MOOCs. Among the most popular services being proposed or implemented in the literature are personalised learning path, personalised assessment and feedback, personalised forum thread and recommendation service for related learning materials or learning tasks.
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Paper Nr: 100
Title:

Towards Enhanced Presentation-based Teaching of Programming - An Interactive Source Code Visualisation Approach
Authors:

Reinout Roels, Paul Meştereagă and Beat Signer
Abstract: The teaching of programming concepts and algorithms very much depends on the mental models developed by scholars when learning how to program. There is a rich body of research on how to best teach programming. Nevertheless, many instructors follow a presentation-based approach where existing slideware such as PowerPoint or Keynote is used to show a sequential series of slides with static pieces of source code. Such a presentation-based approach based on existing slideware tools might not be optimal for the authoring as well as the delivery of programming courses. We outline how presentation-based eduction in programming can be improved by paying attention to existing research on how to best teach programming. We derive a number of requirements for more efficient source code visualisation in presentation tools and present an architecture as well as an extensible prototype for enhanced presentation-based teaching of programming. The presented interactive source code visualisation plug-in for the MindXpres presentation tool can be seen as a step towards enhancing existing slideware in order to achieve a more efficient and interactive teaching of programming concepts and algorithms. The ultimate goal of the presented approach is to present source code in a way that reinforces a user’s mental model and thereby increases the knowledge transfer of presentations delivered in programming courses.
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Paper Nr: 113
Title:

A Model for Customized In-class Learning Scenarios - An Approach to Enhance Audience Response Systems with Customized Logic and Interactivity
Authors:

Daniel Schön, Melanie Klinger, Stephan Kopf and Wolfgang Effelsberg
Abstract: Audience Response Systems (ARS) are quite common nowadays. With a very high smart phone availability among students, the usage of ARS within classroom settings has become quite easy. Together with the trend for developing web applications, the number of ARS implementations grew rapidly in recent years. Many of these applications are quite similar to each other, and fit into many classroom learning scenarios like test questions, self-assessment and audience feedback. But they are mostly limited to their original purpose. Using another question types or little differences in the existing quiz logic cause considerable effort to develop as they have to be implemented separately. We searched for similarities between the different ARS implementations, matched them to a universal process and present a generalized model for all of them. We implemented a prototype that serves many known scenarios ranging from simple knowledge feedback questions up to complex marketplace simulations. A first evaluation in different course types with up to fifty students showed, that the model satisfies our expectations and offers a lot of new opportunities for classroom learning scenarios.
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Paper Nr: 130
Title:

Studying Relations Between E-learning Resources to Improve the Quality of Searching and Recommendation
Authors:

Nguyen Ngoc Chan, Azim Roussanaly and Anne Boyer
Abstract: Searching and recommendation are basic functions that effectively assist learners to approach their favorite learning resources. Several searching and recommendation techniques in the Information Retrieval (IR) domain have been proposed to apply in the Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) domain. However, few of them pay attention on particular properties of e-learning resources, which potentially improve the quality of searching and recommendation. In this paper, we propose an approach that studies relations between e-learning resources, which is a particular property existing in online educational systems, to support resource searching and recommendation. Concretely, we rank e-learning resources based on their relations by adapting the Google's PageRank algorithm. We integrate this ranking into a text-matching search engine to refine the search results. We also combine it with a content-based recommendation technique to compute the similarity between user profile and e-learning resources. Experimental results on a shared dataset showed the efficiency of our approach.
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Paper Nr: 138
Title:

Educational Games for Early Childhood - Using Tabletop Surface Computers for Teaching the Arabic Alphabet
Authors:

Pantelis M. Papadopoulos, Zeinab Ibrahim and Andreas Karatsolis
Abstract: This paper presents initial evaluation regarding the use of simple educational games on tabletop surface computers to teach Kindergarten students in Qatar the Arabic alphabet. This effort is part of the “Arabiyyatii” research project, a 3-year endeavor aimed to teach 5-year-olds Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). The paper describes a naturalistic study design, following the activities of 18 students for a period of 9 weeks in the project. All students were native speakers of the Qatari dialect and they were early users of similar surface technologies. The paper presents three of the games available to the students, along with data collected from system log files and class observations. Result analysis suggests that these kinds of games could be useful in (a) enhancing students’ engagement in language learning, (b) increasing their exposure to MSA, and (c) developing their vocabulary.
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Paper Nr: 140
Title:

The Impact of Ranking Information on Students’ Behavior and Performance in Peer Review Settings
Authors:

Pantelis M. Papadopoulos, Thomas D. Lagkas and Stavros N. Demetriadis
Abstract: The paper explores the potential of usage and ranking information in increasing student engagement in a double-blinded peer review setting, where students are allowed to select freely which/how many peer works to review. The study employed 56 volunteering sophomore students majoring in Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering. We performed a controlled experiment, grouping students into 3 study conditions: control, usage data, usage and ranking data. Students in the control condition did not receive additional information. Students in the next two conditions were able to see their usage data (logins, peer work viewed/reviewed, etc.), while students in the last group could additionally see their ranking in their group according to their usage data. Results showed that while the three groups were comparable, a range of different attitudes were visible in the Ranking group. Students with more positive attitude towards ranking were more engaged and outperformed their fellow students in their group.
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Paper Nr: 185
Title:

Distance Learning Courses Reviewed - What Can We See?
Authors:

Gianna Oliveira Bogossian Roque, Gilda Helena Bernardino de Campos and Camila Sousa Santos
Abstract: The research project "Quality in Distance Education: a longitudinal survey of teacher’s training in federal programs" has prospected nine thousand teachers about critical achievements in distance learning courses. Our target public was students in a postgraduate course from 2006 to 2013. This article presents the results collected through the final survey instrument applied to 5,892 students. The data was analyzed and some detected constructs pointed to a definition of quality setting in the student’s perspective, namely: teaching materials, pedagogical mediation, virtual learning environment, methodology, student academic and technical support. The qualitative assessment showed other aspects mentioned by the respondents. This paper also presents the analysis of an open question asking a free review of the course. Surprisingly, students nominated important aspects of the pedagogical process in distance learning such as teaching strategies, objectives, curricula content and their dynamics indicating that a distance learning mode course requires an active pedagogical mediation and the teaching-learning design must encourage collaboration.
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Paper Nr: 200
Title:

Stability and Sensitivity of Learning Analytics based Prediction Models
Authors:

Dirk Tempelaar, Bart Rienties and Bas Giesbers
Abstract: Learning analytics seek to enhance the learning processes through systematic measurements of learning related data and to provide informative feedback to learners and educators. In this follow-up study of previous research (Tempelaar, Rienties, and Giesbers, 2015), we focus on the issues of stability and sensitivity of Learning Analytics (LA) based prediction models. Do predictions models stay intact, when the instructional context is repeated in a new cohort of students, and do predictions models indeed change, when relevant aspects of the instructional context are adapted? This empirical contribution provides an application of Buckingham Shum and Deakin Crick’s theoretical framework of dispositional learning analytics: an infrastructure that combines learning dispositions data with data extracted from computer-assisted, formative assessments and LMSs. We compare two cohorts of a large introductory quantitative methods module, with 1005 students in the ’13/’14 cohort, and 1006 students in the ’14/’15 cohort. Both modules were based on principles of blended learning, combining face-to-face Problem-Based Learning sessions with e-tutorials, and have similar instructional design, except for an intervention into the design of quizzes administered in the module. Focusing on the predictive power, we provide evidence of both stability and sensitivity of regression type prediction models.
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Short Papers
Paper Nr: 17
Title:

Analysing Features of Lecture Slides and past Exam Paper Materials - Towards Automatic Associating E-materials for Self-revision
Authors:

Petch Sajjacholapunt and Mike Joy
Abstract: Digital materials not only provide opportunities as enablers of e-learning development, but also create a new challenge. The current e-materials provided on a course website are individually designed for learning in classrooms rather than for revision. In order to enable the capability of e-materials to support a students revision, we need an efficient system to associate related pieces of different e-materials. In this case, the features of each item of e-material, including the structure and the technical terms they contain, need to be studied and applied in order to calculate the similarity between relevant e-materials. Even though difficulties regarding technical term extraction and the similarities between two text documents have been widely discussed, empirical experiments for particular types of e-learning materials (for instance, lecture slides and past exam papers) are still rare. In this paper, we propose a framework and relatedness model for associating lecture slides and past exam paper materials to support revision based on Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques. We compare and evaluate the efficiency of different combinations of three weighted schemes, term frequency (TF), inverse document frequency (IDF), and term location (TL), for calculating the relatedness score. The experiments were conducted on 30 lectures ( 900 slides) and 3 past exam papers (12 pages) of a data structures course at the authors’ institution. The findings indicate the appropriate features for calculating the relatedness score between lecture slides and past exam papers.
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Paper Nr: 20
Title:

Reward-based Intermittent Reinforcement in Gamification for E-learning
Authors:

Sheng Luo, Haojin Yang and Christoph Meinel
Abstract: Nowadays gamification is a hot topic in the world, a lot of websites, applications and researches adapt this method to arouse users' motivation. From the past experience, gamification indeed has a positive influence on users' motivation especially in e-learning field. However, the gamification method either is hard to be applied to professional content called meaningful gamification or is negative on user's intrinsic motivation called reward-based gamification. So we study the game addiction mechanism and propose the reward-based intermittent reinforcement method in gamification to take advantage of user independence feature in the latter one and eliminate the negative influence on user's intrinsic motivation. In order to investigate the practicability and integrate effectiveness, we implement this model in our tele-teaching platform.
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Paper Nr: 24
Title:

Ready, Set, Jump - An Interactive eBook Designed to Awaken the Aspirations of Primary School Students
Authors:

Uwe Terton and Ruth Greenaway
Abstract: The Commonwealth government and the university sector have acknowledged the low participation rate of students from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds in post-school education and training. Various strategies and approaches have been developed over time to increase the number of students from this group participating in tertiary education, with varied success. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the development of an educational electronic book (eBook) which is being used as a tool in the My Tertiary Education Day (MyTED) program. The program encourages primary aged students to consider tertiary education opportunities through the use of the eBook titled “Ready, Set, Jump”. By leveraging the positive learning outcomes that can be achieved through the interaction with multimedia teaching content combined with a compelling story and an appealing design, the MyTED eBook encourages students to think about their aspirations. During the MyTED program the ways in which an eBook containing a story about aspirations can encourage primary school students to aspire to participate in tertiary education is investigated. The eBook encourages children to reflect critically on their aspirations, work individually and collectively on interactive activities, critique a series of videos and develop an affinity towards digital literacy.
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Paper Nr: 29
Title:

Some Tools for Aiding Teaching the Basics of Digital Electronics and Signal Processing
Authors:

Suvi Karhu, Jarmo T. Alander and Otto Nurmi
Abstract: In this paper we describe some computing tools designed for aiding teaching of the basics of digital electronics and its applications mainly in signal processing for university studies of engineering. In this study we have developed two types of teaching tools: firstly, several small JavaScript-based simulation tools for visualizing the basic functions of digital circuits and their hardware design language models, and secondly, an FPGA-based FIR filter system for showing how to perform simple digital signal processing tasks with FPGAs.
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Paper Nr: 31
Title:

A Hybrid Content-learning Management System for Education and Access to Intangible Cultural Heritage
Authors:

A. Glushkova, E. Katsouli, G. Kourvoulis, A. Manitsaris and C. Volioti
Abstract: This paper presents an open and extendable platform that provides access to ICH resources, enables knowledge exchange between researchers and contributes to the transmission of rare know-how from their holders to the next generations. The platform is a hybrid Content-Learning Management system that permits the creation of new content of cultural heritage. It supports different user profiles for access, learning and analysis of the ICH, such as experts, learners, researchers as well as the large public. It is also supports the outcomes of sensorimotor learning functionalities of a game-based learning module. The platform integrates different modules based on multi-sensory technologies into an operating open-source content management system, which is enriched with a significant number of functionalities.
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Paper Nr: 37
Title:

Usability in mLearning
Authors:

Ajinkya Atalatti, Elicia Lanham and Jo Coldwell-Neilson
Abstract: As higher education students access educational content using a variety of mobile devices, the question then arises: Does the content across different mobile devices vary in terms of usability? Does usability determine a user’s willingness to engage in mobile learning? Hence, it is necessary to investigate the usability of the learning applications and the mobile devices used to access these applications. This paper outlines results from a pilot study conducted at a large Australian University. The study highlights the importance of usability across different mobile devices whilst accessing educational content. This research lays the foundation for a future study that will broaden the investigation to extend from usability for mLearning to usability for mLearning.
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Paper Nr: 68
Title:

The Role of Educational Technology in Third Space Practicum
Authors:

Kathy Jordan and Jennifer Elsden-Clifton
Abstract: There are increasing calls to improve the quality of Teacher Education by creating closer links between universities and schools that will address the theory practice divide. In response, the School of Education at RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria redesigned its first year program, core courses and practicum to align with the conceptualisation of Third Space. This article draws upon data from a larger research project; however, the focus of this paper is to examine how educational technologies assisted in the development of a Third Space practicum. A post-evaluation survey was completed by pre-service teachers who participated in the redesigned course and practicum. This paper will argue that educational technology played an important role in the Third Space practicum as it fostered collaboration, shared knowledge among stakeholders and created expanded learning opportunities. It also highlighted the importance of relationships in the Third Space experience.
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Paper Nr: 85
Title:

Conceptualize the Domain Knowledge Space in the Light of Cognitive Skills
Authors:

Fatema Nafa and Javed Khan
Abstract: In this paper, we propose an approach that can improve the quality of pedagogies based on Bloom's Taxonomy (BT) cognitive theory. Theoretically, any domain knowledge can be learned and taught at multiple cognitive domain levels. Moreover, other cognitive domain levels might be called, for learn specific domain knowledge. If we know the dependencies between the domain knowledge, many interesting pedagogical applications are possible. However, until now, the relationship levels between domain knowledge are highly sophisticated and required tedious human judgment to be deduced. BT theory has been explored in the psychological sciences paradigm, but has not been examined automatically. No comprehensive computer science map is currently available. This paper, explores how the BT- relationships between various domain knowledge is automatically extracted. A Bloom Topic Graph (BTG) that encodes concept space is extracted. BTG provides concept space connected as BT cognitive relationships. Our approach utilizes verbs to discover the BT cognitive relationships between computer sciences, domain knowledge. We evaluate the BT cognitive relationships using ground truth, and our approach achieves an accuracy of average 65-75%, which is significantly high.
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Paper Nr: 92
Title:

A Framework to Personalise Open Learning Environments by Adapting to Learning Styles
Authors:

Heba Fasihuddin, Geoff Skinner and Rukshan Athauda
Abstract: This paper presents an adaptive framework to personalise open learning environments. The design of the framework has been grounded in cognitive science and learning principles. The theory of learning styles, and more specifically the model of Felder and Silverman, has been considered and applied. The developed framework has two main functions. First, it automatically identifies the learners’ learning styles by tracking their behaviours and interactions with the provided learning objects. Secondly, it provides adaptive navigational support based on the identified learning styles. Sorting learning materials based on learners’ preferences and hiding the least preferred materials are the two techniques of navigational support that have been applied in the proposed framework. Detailed descriptions of the framework functionalities and different components are presented in this paper. Future piloting and evaluation will test and verify this proposed framework.
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Paper Nr: 107
Title:

Teaching with Dynamic Documents - Web Applications and Local Resources
Authors:

Jerzy Karczmarczuk
Abstract: We are convinced that one of the bottlenecks in the application of computer methods in teaching is due to the limited effort in the development of tools for the creation of pedagogical material (documents, presentations, software). These tools exist, but they are often dispersed, and sometimes not well known. Some methodological work would be more than useful. Our talk concentrates on the usage of Web-oriented information processing techniques, from the perspective of an individual: making presentations in HTML5, scripting them with Javascript, adding dynamical content from specialized, personal servers, enhancing the interaction layer between different information sources, etc. We give some simple examples belonging to the domain of teaching of sciences. In particular, the usage of servers help to modularize the teaching software support, avoiding big and complicated applications.
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Paper Nr: 109
Title:

The Efficacy of Clickers in Second Language Classroom - Promoting Interaction in Korean as a Foreign Language
Authors:

Ryoo Hye Jin Agnes
Abstract: In second language acquisition active interaction in classroom plays an important role. In light of this, L2 classroom would benefit with the help of learning tools which helps learners to express their level of understanding during the process of learning itself. This study introduced LRSs as an effective tool in prompting learners’ output during classroom interactions and ultimately promoting foreign language learning. This is because the anonymity of Clickers allows learners to express their needs without the social risks associated with speaking up in the class. Eventually this tool promotes participation from learners, This is in turn, believed to be effective in fostering classroom interaction. This study is finalized by presenting the result of an experiment conducted to verify the effectiveness of this approach when teaching pragmatic aspect of the Korean expressions with similar semantic functions. The learning achievement of learners in the experimental group was found higher than the learners’ in a control group. This study also explores the adult Korean language learners’ perceptions of the use of LRSs in learning languages using a combination of quantitative and qualitative research instrument.
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Paper Nr: 112
Title:

A Mobile Web Game Approach for Improving Dysgraphia
Authors:

Daniela Giordano and Francesco Maiorana
Abstract: Dysgraphia is a learning disability that affects the performance of children's handwriting, which can seriously impact their school performance and their willingness to write their thoughts, and can also adversely affect their social life and can lead to low self-esteem. In this work a mobile web-based serious game for improving children's handwriting is presented. The design principles of the game are presented as well as the software tools and frameworks used for its implementation, including the results of an initial informal testing with children which are presented and discussed.
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Paper Nr: 118
Title:

Introducing iPads into Senior Secondary School Teaching - Teachers’ Use of iPads as Tools in Teaching
Authors:

Jani Kontkanen, Teemu Valtonen and Pertti Väisänen
Abstract: Contemporary education is changing with portable devices coming to schools. The borders between formal and informal learning are diminishing. The use of tablet-computers in teaching provides teachers and students with tools that can facilitate teaching and learning in and out of formal learning environments. Our paper is based on a pilot study launched in a teacher training school at senior secondary level where a group of teachers were given iPads to introduce in their teaching. This study reports the findings on how the teachers utilized the iPads as tools during their first year of use. We aimed to find out how the teachers were using the iPads and which apps and network (learning) environments they used in their teaching. The data collection was based on: 1) informal discussions with the teachers, 2) teachers’ reflection tasks, and 3) interviews. The first step was used as a foundation for the second step, which was used as a foundation for the third. The data described in this paper are based on the interviews and their analyses.
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Paper Nr: 127
Title:

A Scalable Intelligent Tutoring System Framework for Computer Science Education
Authors:

Nick Green, Omar AlZoubi, Mehrdad Alizadeh, Barbara Di Eugenio, Davide Fossati and Rachel Harsley
Abstract: Computer Science is a difficult subject with many fundamentals to be taught, usually involving a steep learning curve for many students. It is some of these initial challenges that can turn students away from computer science. We have been developing a new Intelligent Tutoring System, ChiQat-Tutor, that focuses on tutoring of Computer Science fundamentals. Here, we outline the system under development, while bringing particular attention to its architecture and how it attains the primary goals of being easily extensible and providing a low barrier of entry to the end user. The system is broadly broken down into lessons, teaching strategies, and utilities, which work together to promote seamless integration of components. We also cover currently developed components in the form of a case study, as well as detailing our experience of deploying it to an undergraduate Computer Science classroom, leading to learning gains on par with prior work.
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Paper Nr: 132
Title:

ICT Skill Needs of Nigerian Secondary School Leavers Towards Sustainable Economy and Peaceful Co-existence
Authors:

Nnenna Ekpereka Ibezim
Abstract: The high rate of youth unemployment in Nigeria is posing a threat to the social peace of the country. Hence, this study, to identify the ICT skill needs of Nigerian secondary school leavers towards sustainable economy and peaceful co-existence. Three research questions, one hypothesis, were formulated, answered and tested in the study. The survey research design was adopted for the study. The population for the study was 2,765 final year secondary school students at the verge of graduation in the seven public secondary schools in Nsukka urban, Enugu State, Nigeria. A Sample size of 700 students, drawn using a simple random sampling technique was studied. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data, and Cronbach alpha technique was used to determine the internal consistency of the items, which yielded a co-efficient of 0.81. Data collected were analyzed using mean while t-test statistic was used to test the hypothesis. The study identified viable basic computer skill needs, software development skill needs, and hardware maintenance skill needs of the school leavers, and recommended that the government and curriculum planners should integrate the identified skill needs into the secondary school curriculum to empower the youths for economic sustenance and peaceful co-existence.
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Paper Nr: 133
Title:

AFINA-te - A Healthy Lifestyle Information Website, Online Food Diary and Exercise Log Directly Towards Children
Authors:

Nuno Guimarães, Vera Ferro-Lebres and José Ribeiro
Abstract: Childhood obesity is according to the World Health Organization one of the most concerning problems today. Educating children to a healthier lifestyle is a difficult task due to the lack of interest or concern that they demonstrate. The interest that children have in technology and the time they spent online in games or simply surfing the web may be seen as an opportunity to instill knowledge about healthy eating and healthy lifestyle. There are already several online health counseling websites but it seems to exist a lack of such platforms directly towards to children. Afina-te website is an online platform that aims to monitor and educate children to a healthier lifestyle through the exposition of information, interactive applications and educational games. It is also capable of provide feedback about what users eat and the exercise they practice. This paper describes the development and resulting health counseling website.
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Paper Nr: 144
Title:

Student Focused Dashboards - An Analysis of Current Student Dashboards and What Students Really Want
Authors:

Gabriel Reimers and Anna Neovesky
Abstract: Online learning analytics dashboards are already available in various online learning platforms and are in use at schools and universities. In this paper we give an overview about several existing dashboard applications. Most of these dashboards are either targeted at teachers and tutors or focus on the presentation of research relevant learning analytics concepts. We present two surveys among school and university students asking them about their requirements on a learning dashboard. The results show that basic requirements of students are not addressed in current learning platforms and dashboards. We formulate several research questions that need to be answered to create dashboards that put students in the center of dashboard design processes and give an outline of our own efforts in that direction.
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Paper Nr: 146
Title:

Gesture Recognition Technologies for Gestural Know-how Management - Preservation and Transmission of Expert Gestures in Wheel Throwing Pottery
Authors:

Alina Glushkova and Sotiris Manitsaris
Abstract: The acquisition of gestural know-how in manual professions constitutes a real challenge since it passes from master to learner, through a many years long « in person » transmission. However this binding transmission is not always possible for practical reasons; the learner must train himself alone, by using traditional Knowledge Management tools such as e-documentation and multimedia contents. These tools present important limitations, only providing the learner expert knowledge in a descriptive way, with a low attractiveness and interaction level, without any sensorimotor feedback. It thus becomes crucial to find novel ways to preserve and transmit know-how. In this work we present the idea of a methodological framework for gestural know-how management in wheel throwing pottery, based on motion capture and gesture recognition technologies. In combination with machine learning techniques, they permit to model the practical, cinematic aspects of potter’s expertise. These technologies can be used to compare experts' and learners' simulated performances and to provide real-time feedback to the learner, guiding him in the adjustment of his gestures. The final goal is to propose a novel and highly interactive embodied pedagogical application for gestural know-how transmission, supporting « self » trainings, and making them more efficient.
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Paper Nr: 149
Title:

Collaborative and Individual Learning - Mixing the Two
Authors:

Richard Alterman and Kendall Harsch
Abstract: What is the right mix of individual and collaborative learning? This position paper will explore how online platforms can mix the two approaches, addressing problems inherent to each while increasing the learning. Approaches to collaborative learning can be differentiated by the type of coordination that is required, either tight or loose (Alterman and Larusson, 2013). Tightly coordinated learning tends to be more collaborative and loosely coordinated activities have more of an individual orientation. Modifying platforms of either extreme can achieve better balance between the individual and collaborative features of a learning activity. Heuristics are presented that support these kinds of transformations; blog and wiki-based platforms are used to ground the discussion. Also considered is the sequence of learning and how mixed platforms better prepare students for future learning.
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Paper Nr: 159
Title:

Teaching & Learning System for Diagnostic Imaging - Phase I: X-Ray Image Analysis & Retrieval
Authors:

M. S. Shahriar Faruque, Shourav Banik, M. Kazi Mohammed, Mahady Hasan and M. Ashraful Amin
Abstract: This paper presents a framework for building diagnostic imaging teaching and learning facility for entry level medical students of Bangladesh. Initially we demonstrate an X-Ray image analysis and retrieval system that will work as one of the main component in this system. This web based system has three modes. First is the annotation mode where an expert radiologist manually performs annotation of raw x-ray images. To aid the annotation process proposed model proposes a manual and a semi-auto segmentation tool in identifying the region of interests (ROI) in the X-Ray images. Image Retrieval in Medical Applications (IRMA) structure has been used for the annotating the ROIs. In the learning mode, students can retrieve images from the database created by expert radiologists. We proposed information retrieval techniques to find x-ray images of interest. We have used text based and content based search methods which is based on term frequency–inverse document frequency (tf-idf), and Gabor filter respectively.
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Paper Nr: 160
Title:

Computational Neuroscience - Challenges and Implications for Brazilian Education
Authors:

Raimundo José Macário Costa, Luís Alfredo Vidal de Carvalho, Emilio Sánchez Miguel, Renata Mousinho, Renato Cerceau, Lizete Pontes Macário Costa, Jorge Zavaleta, Laci Mary Barbosa Manhães and Sérgio Manuel Serra da Cruz
Abstract: Understanding the core function of the brain is one the major challenges of our times. In the areas of neuroscience and education, several new studies try to correlate the learning difficulties faced by children and youth with behavioral and social problems. This work aims to present the challenges and opportunities of computational neuroscience research, with the aim of detecting people with learning disorders. We present a line of investigation based on the key areas: neuroscience, cognitive sciences and computer science, which considers young people between nine and eighteen years of age, with or without a learning disorder. The adoption of neural networks reveals consistency in dealing with pattern recognition problems and they are shown to be effective for early detection in patients with these disorders. We argue that computational neuroscience can be used for identifying and analyzing young Brazilian people with several cognitive disorders.
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Paper Nr: 167
Title:

Design Thinking and ICT to Create Sustainable Development Actions - Design Thinking, ICT and Sustainable Development
Authors:

Diane Pruneau and Joanne Langis
Abstract: Environmental problems are complex, open and poorly defined. University students can be trained to solve environmental problems and to create actions to repair, preserve, manage or improve the environment. Some organizations have begun using design thinking with ICT to help students and the public solve complex problems. Design thinking is a creative and collaborative form of work during which intuition is important, solutions are numerous, experimentation arrives quickly, failure is perceived as learning and, mostly, consumers’ needs are taken into consideration. In the framework of a rigorous process and specific tools, design thinking calls in creative and analytical modes of reasoning for the development of products, services and healthy places adapted to the targeted public. Also, if we want to use ICT to facilitate the design thinking stages, various applications are available: Blendspace (to store all the information found about a problem), Lino (to share pictures of the problem), ICardSort (to link and sort ideas), Loomio (to choose a solution), Padlet (to draw prototypes in teams) and Wrike (to plan in a team).
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Paper Nr: 173
Title:

Human Agency and Learning - A Computer-based Exploration of Sustainable Water Management
Authors:

David MacLennan
Abstract: Hydrological systems provide instructive examples of systems that have both human and natural components. The computer-based learning experience we are designing makes use of maps, models and a game-like experience to introduce learners to sustainability issues in a local watershed. We start with established principles of learning theory, like the idea that human beings learn best when they can act on the world (in this case a digital world), and that role-playing can enhance student engagement in the learning process. However, the paper argues that designers of computer-based learning experiences can benefit from richer models of human agency. Role theory, in particular, provides valuable resources for designers who wish to incorporate different aspects of human agency into the gaming experience.
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Paper Nr: 174
Title:

Finding Pathways to Student Success from Data
Authors:

Brendan Mumey, Sean Yaw, Christina Fastnow and David J. Singel
Abstract: We propose some novel computational approaches to analyzing historical student transcript data to help improve course sequencing and generate default pathways for students to complete a college degree. Additionally, we examine whether there are “hidden prerequisites” to courses and whether there are courses which, when taken early in a student’s career, may improve their chances of graduation. Our analysis was done on a dataset consisting of all student-course enrollments for a period of 10 years at Montana State University.
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Paper Nr: 180
Title:

Serious Games Scenario Modeling for Non-experts
Authors:

Yohan Duval, David Panzoli, Axel Reymonet, Jean-Yves Plantec, Jérôme Thomas and Jean-Pierre Jessel
Abstract: The use of serious games and gamified softwares is a new and growing trend for training professionals in a wide variety of disciplines where procedures and decision-making are key (automotive diagnostic, surgery, etc). Serious Games are safer, less expensive and advocated to be more efficient. Unfortunately, there is a lack of methodology and tools adapted for non-computing experts to develop their own gamified learning scenarios. In this paper, we propose an approach allowing trainers to model professional activities in the form of serious games scenarios. Trainers are enabled to express their expertise using a domain specific graphical representation which will be implemented eventually in an easy-to-use authoring tool. The produced scenarios describe both the actions necessary for completing the professional procedure and the associated pedagogy to provide the learner with relevant educational feedback. The proposed approach specifies a model matching those requirements, and is illustrated by an application example in the automotive context. We intend to demonstrate that an appropriate model is likely to make scenario editing accessible to trainers who are not necessarily familiar with computer modeling in the first place.
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Paper Nr: 184
Title:

Combining Learner’s Preference and Similar Peers’ Experience in Adaptive Learning
Authors:

Fandry Indrayadi and Dade Nurjanah
Abstract: Adaptive educational hypermedia (AEH) offers learning adaptation and personalization. In terms of adaptation, AEH plays the role of a tutor and controls learning. To the contrary, personalization gives learners the freedom to explore the materials they consider necessary. Challenges emerge in respect of improving adaptation and preventing learners from getting lost when exploring concepts and materials in the large. This paper discusses approaches to improve adaptation and personalization. A knowledge map that organizes and visualizes the domain model has been developed using a cognitively-oriented method. It combines the individual learner’s progress and preference with similar peer experiences to improve adaptation. Furthermore, it implements an open learner model to nurture self-progress awareness.
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Paper Nr: 192
Title:

The Capabilities Approach as a Lifelong Competency Assessment Framework
Authors:

Merija Jirgensons
Abstract: The Capabilities Approach is an interdisciplinary tool that is applicable in a number of settings. The approach was developed by economist and philosopher Amartya Sen in his work with quality of life issues in India that led to the creation of the Human Development Index (HDI). Sen’s contribution is in the assessment of quality of life issues. For Sen, human well-being is as important a factor as traditional economic concepts such as GDP and cost-benefit analysis. Moreover, the Capabilities Approach moves beyond human capital theory that views human labor, education, and other activities as tandem to the GNP and instead, provides a human centered analytical concept. The framework helps planners to orientate projects, to measure the satisfaction of target groups, and promote accessibility and egalitarian resource distribution. The effectiveness of the capabilities approach is analyzed in terms of functionings. The dynamic interdisciplinary character of the approach has allowed to be applied as an analytical tool to a number of disciplines. The author argues that the capabilities approach is also applicable to education in a lifelong competency-based learning context that offers a feasible alternative pathway to adult learners by addressing issues of quality, personal aspirations and satisfactions that make education and life worthwhile. Sen’s approach has been criticized for being incomplete. Yet its contribution is undeniable. The Capabilities Approach highlights particular spaces for evaluating individual opportunities and successes that are particularly applicable to a lifelong learning context.
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Paper Nr: 198
Title:

Virtual Laboratories - Use of Public Testbeds in Education
Authors:

Niky Riga, Vicraj Thomas, Vasilis Maglaris, Mary Grammatikou and Evangelos Anifantis
Abstract: Experimentation is an invaluable part of learning in all sciences. However, building and maintaining laboratories is expensive, time and space consuming. Moreover, in computer science advances in technology can quickly make the infrastructure obsolete. In this paper we advocate the use of recently deployed public testbeds as remote labs for computer science education. As an example we describe the successful use of the GENI testbed in graduate and undergraduate courses and present a specific case study of GENI being used in an undergraduate class on Network Management and Intelligent Networks.
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Paper Nr: 33
Title:

Prospects for the Development of E-learning Technologies
Authors:

Artem Feshchenko, Galina Mozhaeva, Ivan Kulikov and Nadezhda Zilberman
Abstract: One of the latest innovations in the technology of e-learning is the use of social networks (SN) for the creation and distribution of educational content and organization of communication of teachers and students. Orientation of the younger generation of students in the regular use of the SN in their daily, academic and professional life casts doubt on the prospects of the development of traditional learning management systems (LMS). The article examines the attitudes of students and teachers to the possibilities in learning LMS and SN, compared the advantages and disadvantages of the various e-learning technologies. The study analyzed the results of the survey respondents from 25 universities of the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. For the analysis of the responses were used statistical treatment of data and content analysis. The study identified features of the application in the training of LMS and SN, different attitudes of students and teachers to the LMS and SN.
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Paper Nr: 38
Title:

T-MASTER - A Tool for Assessing Students’ Reading Abilities
Authors:

Erik Kanebrant, Katarina Heimann Mühlenbock, Sofie Johansson Kokkinakis, Arne Jönsson, Caroline Liberg, Åsa af Geijerstam, Jenny Wiksten Folkeryd and Johan Falkenjack
Abstract: We present a tool, termed T-Master, for assessing students' language skills on a variety of dimensions. T-Master uses sophisticated measures for assessing a student's reading ability and vocabulary understanding. Texts are selected based on their difficulty using novel readability measures and tests are created based on the texts. The tests allow us to measure a student's individual reading ability and vocabulary understanding, on a variety of dimensions. The results are analyzed, in T-Master, and the numerical results are mapped to textual descriptions that describe the student's reading abilities on the dimensions being analysed. These results are then presented to the teacher in a form that is easily comprenedible, who can inspect each individual student.
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Paper Nr: 43
Title:

Duck Testing Enhancements for Automated Validation of Student Programmes - How to Automatically Test the Quality of Implementation of Students’ Programmes
Authors:

Pavel Herout and Premysl Brada
Abstract: This article deals with the issue how to test the quality of novice programmers’ software assignments. This problem is becoming serious due to the hundreds of students in the introductory courses of programming. The article discusses the motivation for using quality of implementation tests of students’ programmes, their principles and a practical solution. So called “duck tests” are used for this type of validation. A combination of a framework Duckapter, JUnit library and own programmes constitutes the practical solution. It is represented by a self-contained tool which is freely at disposal. The described tool has been used for three years in the elementary course of object oriented programming based on the Java programming language, alongside three other tools used for automatic validation of students projects. The article discusses the experience gained from its use and the effects on student’s programming skills.
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Paper Nr: 57
Title:

CORF®: Collective Educational Research Facility - Design of a Platform Supporting Educational Research as an Integral Joint Effort of Researchers and Teaching Professionals
Authors:

Ruurd Taconis
Abstract: In educational research, like in other research fields, there is a growing call for sharing data and results. The public interest in results is clear, and much of the research is done using public money. Besides this, educational research a gap exists between the research community and research outcomes on one hand, and secondary school teachers, schools and educational practice on the other. CORF® (in English: Collective Educational Research Facility) is a web-based platform that supports the sharing of research instruments and research data within and across research projects. CORF® community members may be professional researchers as well as educational practitioners. In this contribution, the concept of CORF® is presented and its major design characteristics are outlined. The system was realized as an internet platform and employed by various researchers, teachers, and student teachers. A general evaluation and three use-cases are presented leading to conclusions on the strength and weaknesses of the platform and conditions for adequate use in practice.
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Paper Nr: 59
Title:

PACIE Methodology Applied in Virtual Learning Environments to Support Learner Academic Performance
Authors:

Yesenia Cevallos-Villacrés, Mirna Meza-Herrera, Lorena Paulina Molina-Valdiviezo, Gabriela Torres-Flores and Guillermo Machado Sotomayor
Abstract: The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) offers the students new opportunities for interaction and exchanging ideas and concepts, exploring virtual resources, fostering an active and dynamic learning, all these always supported by digital tools that allow academic improvement. This paper aims to present the experience obtained when implementing a VLE, designed according to the parameters of the PACIE methodology, as a strategy that permitted the utilization of Information and Communication Technology to increase performance in the learning process of undergraduate Engineering students at the National University of Chimborazo in Ecuador.
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Paper Nr: 79
Title:

Designing a Virtual Laboratory for a Relational Database MOOC
Authors:

Olivier Berger, J. Paul Gibson, Claire Lecocq and Christian Bac
Abstract: Technical advances in machine and system virtualization are creating opportunities for remote learning to provide significantly better support for active education approaches. Students now, in general, have personal computers that are powerful enough to support virtualization of operating systems and networks. As a consequence, it is now possible to provide remote learners with a common, standard, virtual laboratory and learning environment, independent of the different types of physical machines on which they work. This greatly enhances the opportunity for producing re-usable teaching materials that are actually re-used. However, configuring and installing such virtual laboratories is technically challenging for teachers and students. We report on our experience of building a virtual machine (VM) laboratory for a MOOC on relational databases. The architecture of our virtual machine is described in detail, and we evaluate the benefits of using the Vagrant tool for building and delivering the VM.
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Paper Nr: 81
Title:

InterLect - Lecture Content Interface
Authors:

Robin Nicolay, Bastian Schwennigcke, Jonas Vetterick, Wolfgang Sucharowski and Clemens H. Cap
Abstract: Large audiences complicate interactions between lecturer and individual students. Because students differ in their individual qualities, all of them have their own individual needs and challenges - at different topics and at different points in time. We reviewed current academic teaching processes in their way of presenting and consuming lecture material. Based on our findings, we implemented InterLect to observe students’ perception of lecture material and to examine their conflicts and needs during the lecture. These needs help us to improve the awareness on comprehension and determination of appropriate learning activities, so students are able to increase their benefit from the teaching content.
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Paper Nr: 82
Title:

Plug and Play with a QoV Model - A Research Based Learning Approach
Authors:

Carlos Vivas-López, Diana Hernández Alcantara, Juan Carlos Tudón Martínez and Ruben Morales-Menendez
Abstract: An application that allows and encourages the Research-Based Learning (RBL) was developed. This facilitates students the interaction with a real prototype under the Plug & Play approach. Students with minimal knowl- edge of hardware, low-level programming, signal processing or control design, intuitively could discover and build your knowledge based on a generic guide. The system is based on instructional design for the student to: establish a link between theory and practical solutions, internalize the knowledge, exploit critical thinking, and high motivation by the intellectual challenge of solving a real problem. The experimental platform includes a prototype scale (1:5) Quarter of Vehicle (QoV) model with an Electro-Rheological damper that represents a vehicle semi-active suspension system. The QoV model is equipped with several sensors for measuring: the positions on the motor base, the suspended mass and between the rim and the sprung mass, the acceleration in the tire and the sprung mass, and the damper force of the system. An Human Machine Interface talks with a DSpace data acquisition card that communicates with the sensors/actuators system and works directly with Matlab/Simulink. Early results have been found more efficient teaching-learning for several reasons: (1) students concentrate efforts on the learning objective (minimum programming), (2) a real scale prototype is available, (3) students can share their designs seamlessly and reuse software accelerating , and (5) high motivation because the research and easy use of the system.
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Paper Nr: 103
Title:

Towards Adapting Sakai for e-Learning Provider
Authors:

Jyoti Chauhan, Khulan Batbayar, Richa Sharma, Deepika Sharma, Divya Popli, Naveen Kumar and Anita Goel
Abstract: Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is an emerging method in online education. Sakai is a popular open source platform widely used by e-learning providers to offer MOOC. Sakai provides a set of collaborative tools for teachers, learners and researchers to support teaching, learning and research. For using Sakai, the e-learning provider needs to customize and adapt the interface of Sakai, like, banner, logo, background color etc. to suit their requirement. This paper presents the development of a tool named SkinChanger that facilitates customizing of Sakai interface, based on need of the e-learning provider. SkinChanger customizes the appearance of Sakai body, header and footer. It facilitates skin changing by providing a user friendly interface. SkinChanger is component-based tool and can be plug-in. This paper illustrates the use of tool to customize the Sakai interface for University of Delhi.
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Paper Nr: 117
Title:

A Video Competition to Promote Informal Engagement with Pedagogical Topics in a School Community
Authors:

José Alberto Lencastre, Clara Coutinho, Sara Cruz, Celestino Magalhães, João Casal, Rui José, Gill Clough and Anne Adams
Abstract: This paper presents a study developed in the scope of a larger project that aims to understand how video editing and content sharing in public displays can be used at schools to promote the informal engagement of students with curricular contents that are essential to foster future learning. The study involved a video competition where students were invited to create videos around specific pedagogical topics. These videos were subsequently presented in the public display at the school, and students could use a mobile application to rate, create comments or just bookmark the videos. Findings suggest that students are receptive to creating videos and sharing them in public displays. However, the results also show that few students that used the application to interact with the content. Many reasons for this are presented such as unawareness that the display is interactive ‘because it seems like a regular TV’, too small a number of interesting videos shown during the video contest. Particular barriers included not owning a mobile device capable of interacting, and the limitation of the large screen which does not allow searching ‘the videos we like’, as YouTube seems to do.
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Paper Nr: 119
Title:

Design Principles for Collaboration Platforms for Open Education
Authors:

Safa'a AbuJarour, Henri Pirkkalainen, Jan Pawlowski, Markus Bick, Migle Bagucanskyte, Anna Frankenberg, Raimund Hudak, Constantinos Makropoulos, Dimitra Pappa, Vassilis Pitsilis, Anne-Christin Tannhauser, Elena Trepule, Aristedes Vidalis and Airina Volungeviciene
Abstract: Increasing the current low uptake of Open Education Resources (OER) is a key challenge for researchers and practitioners in the field. User studies have shown that collaboration is a main success factor for successful open educational activities. However, effective collaboration in open educational contexts requires well planned processes and platforms supporting collaboration, in particular in physically distributed settings. We have been investigating the value of such platforms, their main features and user requirements to enable collaboration from immature ideas to completed resources. We used quantitative and qualitative research methods to collect insights from potential users of such collaboration platforms to validate our approach. Based on these insights, we developed a collaboration platform for open education. We validated our platform using observation groups and focus groups to identify the key design principles of powerful collaboration platforms for Open Education. Examples are the need for a simple tool, use of a common terminology, and considering Intellectual Property Rights. In this paper, we present our findings from an initial validation of our collaboration platform and give recommendations towards powerful collaboration platforms for open educational contexts.
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Paper Nr: 124
Title:

An Educational Talking Toy based on an Enhanced Chatbot
Authors:

Eberhard Groetsch, Alfredo Pina, Roman Balandin, Andre Barthel and Maximilian Hegwein
Abstract: Children are often motivated in their communication behaviour by pets or toys. Our aim is to investigate, how communication with “intelligent“ systems affects interaction of children. Enhanced chatbot technology – hidden in toys - is used to talk to children. In the Háblame-project (started as part of the EU-funded Gaviota project) a first prototype talking German is available. We outline the technical solution, and discuss further steps.
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Paper Nr: 126
Title:

A Model Driven Approach for Design Flexible e-Assessment
Authors:

Fahima Hajjej, Yousra Bendaly Hlaoui and Leila Jemni Ben Ayed
Abstract: Currently, there are many problems in the domain of the development of the e-Assessment process such as the difficulty to use a same e-assessment process by different e-learning platforms, the low rate of the e-assessment model reuse by various e-learning systems and the hardness to guarantee the consistency between designs and codes. Therefore, to resolve these problems, we need an approach aiming to develop a generic e-assessment process model which will be adapted automatically to any e-learning system. Hence, we propose a model driven approach for design flexible E-assessment process. We use an abstract description provided by UML activity diagram language and coupled with LTSA standards.
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Paper Nr: 129
Title:

Online Courses of Portuguese as a Second Language - Closing the Gap with Blended Learning in Mainstream Education
Authors:

Carla Barros Lourenço and Ana Sousa Martins
Abstract: The main goal of this paper is to describe an on-going educational project of online courses of Portuguese as a second language (PL2) for immigrant students attending primary and secondary schools run in Portugal through a blended learning environment as an effective way to support mainstream education. Focus will be given to the collaborative work developed between institutional partners, i.e., General Directorate for Education, schools’ headmasters and Ciberescola Association, in order to adequate the courses to mainstream education and to continually iron out daily practical problems. The authors will also explain the functioning of the courses tools and outline the option in matching two different services - Ciberescola platform and FM EA-TEL- as a way to tackle the educational handicap immigrant students face when they arrive to the hosting country. Particular attention will be given to describe the functioning of the materials created from scratch for this project, stressing some features shared with OER, namely (i) free use by learners and reuse by teachers; (ii) integration of all types of digital media. Eventually, an account of the current impact of the project will also be unfolded.
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Paper Nr: 153
Title:

Web-based Virtual Labs - A Cosmos – Evidence – Ideas as a Design Framework Leading to Good Practice
Authors:

Anastasios Molohidis, Ioannis Lefkos, Athanasios Taramopoulos, Euripides Hatzikraniotis and Dimitrios Psillos
Abstract: This paper presents three novel open, web-based, virtual laboratories for Physics. The labs are open, meaning they embody a complete Physics micro-world that implements all necessary Physics laws in algorithmic format. They run in real time and are deployed as Java applets, in order to be accessible via the World Wide Web, with minimum requirements on the client side. Additionally, the labs present a number of features, highly desirable for virtual labs, such as photorealistic graphics, direct manipulation, user friendliness, multiple visualizations of the experiments and the corresponding phenomena and multiple measuring instruments. Finally we present the main design principles on which the development of the labs were based and we propose good practices that can help the acceptance from the science teachers’ community and the more effective way of implementation into the class situation.
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Paper Nr: 155
Title:

Problem of Trust in e-Learning Environment
Authors:

Vladislav Petrov, Natalia Miloslavskaya, Victor Gorbatov and Anatoliy Durakovskiy
Abstract: The problem of trust and methodological approaches to resolve it for one of the most widespread types of open information systems – an e-Learning environment (ELE) – are discussed. For that purpose the state of trust implementation in distance learning (DL) is analyzed and its peculiarities are shown. An information security (IS) threats model for ELE is proposed. The methodological foundations of trust building for ELE are described. The results obtained allow to determine the goals and objectives for further research, including in particular the formulation of the task of developing a formalized (unified) model of building trust for learning management system (LMS) information resources using an integrated (complex) approach to IS insurance.
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Paper Nr: 172
Title:

Classroom Technology Transformation using the 4 T’s Framework - International Partnerships between K-12 Teachers and University
Authors:

Alexandra Kanellis, Holly Atkins and Candace Roberts
Abstract: How do educators develop the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills required of 21st century teachers? Teachers need effective technology exposure and practice in order to develop the skills required to integrate current technologies into daily lessons. A partnership between Education Department faculty in the United States and K-12 private school teachers in Southern Europe revealed the necessity of the 4Ts of Time, Tools, Training, and Teamwork when exposed to emergent technologies.
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Paper Nr: 178
Title:

An Embedded Asterisk Platform Instructional Design to Teach Voice over IP in Information Technology Undergraduate Courses - Using Raspberry PI and Asterisk to Build an Embedded Portable Didactic Tool
Authors:

M. C. Dias, L. C. Bezerra, D. Morais, Caio F. Gabi and A. Perkusich
Abstract: This paper shows the building of an embedded Asterisk platform as a key technique for providing Information Technology classes with an extra laboratorial environment for learning Voice over Internet Protocol. Besides building the platform, the students are asked to mount a functional telephony system with it that meets the criteria of low cost, low building complexity and high adaptability to convergent networks. The Raspberry PI version B was the board used to provide portability for the students to work outside the laboratory environment. Asterisk was presented as a useful tool on which the students could create a flexible system that could be easily deployed on convergent networks. This work was developed in the Telephony subject for the Electrical Engineering and the Telecommunications Systems undergraduate courses from the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Paraíba – IFPB, and presented good results in the students´ learning achievements.
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Paper Nr: 179
Title:

PANDA - A Platform for Open Learning Analytics
Authors:

Marcus Hamann, Christian Saul and Heinz-Dietrich Wuttke
Abstract: Learning Analytics (LA) has emerged as a significant area of research in the field of technology-enhanced learning. It automatically analyzes educational data in order to enhance students learning experience and to foster their learning. Open learning analytics (OLA) extends this field in that it integrates data from distributed and heterogeneous sources, serves different stakeholders with very diverse interests and needs, and leverages a variety of statistical, visual and computational tools, methods and methodologies. This paper presents an OLA platform called PANDA that is currently being developed as part of a German research and development project. The platform allows different learning systems to publish data about learners and their contexts, and applies different methods and techniques for information visualization and discovery to analyze the collected data and to detect interesting patterns within.
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Paper Nr: 182
Title:

A Similarity Detection Platform for Programming Learning
Authors:

Yuanyuan Li, Yu Sheng, Lei Xiao and Fu Wang
Abstract: Code similarity detection has been studied for several decades, which are prevailing categorized into attributecounting and structure-metric. Due to the one fold validity of attribute-counting for full replication, mature systems usually use the GST string matching algorithm to detect code structure. However, the accuracy of GST is vulnerable to interference in code similarity detection. This paper presents a code similarity detection method combining string matching and sub-graph isomorphism. The similarity is calculated with the GST algorithm. Then according to the similarity, the system determines whether further processing with the sub-graph iIsomorphism algorithm is required. Extensive experimental results illustrate that our method significantly enhances the efficiency of string matching as well as the accuracy of code similarity detecting.
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Paper Nr: 186
Title:

Are Educators Ready for Coding? - From Students Back to Teacher: Introducing the Class to Coding the Other Way Round
Authors:

Stefano Federici, Elisabetta Gola, Denise Brau and Andrea Zuncheddu
Abstract: During the last year, several countries, such as England, Finland and Italy, have decided to focus their new school curricula on computing, coding and IT. However, present teachers do not feel confident about moving to this new paradigm. Furthermore, coding would be relegated to be taught for just a few hours. Luckily, recent new tools have been designed to introduce young students to coding that can be also easily used by teachers to create engaging multimedia supports for their everyday lessons. In this paper, we describe several experiments that show how a new path from teachers to students and then back to teachers can be followed in order to build a new model of digital teaching. The proposed model does not require present teachers to become proficient IT experts.
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Paper Nr: 194
Title:

Educational Microsoft Excel Add-ins - Solving Multicriteria Decision Making Problems
Authors:

Radomir Perzina and Jaroslav Ramik
Abstract: There exists wide range of software products to support decision making. Main disadvantage of those software products is that they are commercial and relatively expensive and thus it prevents them to be used by students or researchers. Also they are not suitable from pedagogical point of view. This paper introduces two Microsoft Excel add-ins DAME and FVK that were developed for students to help them understand basic principles of Multicriteria Decision Making. They don’t behave as a black box but display all results of all intermediate calculations which are very important for educational purposes. The proposed software packages are demonstrated on couple of illustrating examples of real life decision problems.
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Area 2 - Learning/Teaching Methodologies and Assessment

Full Papers
Paper Nr: 10
Title:

Project based Learning to Support Enterprise Business Analytics Education - The Role of Cross Functional Groups to Enhance Cognitive Outcomes
Authors:

Biswadip Ghosh
Abstract: Enterprise business analytics (BA) tools have gained significant attention as a viable option for manipulating large data sets during complex business decision making. However, the cross-functional, boundary spanning nature of these applications make them particularly difficult to learn for users, who predominantly work in functional silos. A typical enterprise BA project involves aggregating large datasets from multiple functional areas, discovering relationships in the data and building models to help visualize and evaluate the selected key performance indicators (KPI). However, most BA learning programs emphasize tool procedural or skill based knowledge, which does not allow end users to understand the broader scope of enterprise analytics project implementations. Cross functional group project based learning programs are needed to provide real world experiences, increasing the end user’s motivation to learn and enhancing their cognitive outcomes. There is also a need to create validated models to assess the outcomes of these learning programs. This research study develops and conducts an innovative project based learning program among the users of a leading ERP vendor’s analytics tool and collects survey data to confirm the benefits of such group project based learning programs in enhancing the participant’s motivation to learn and improving their cognitive outcomes that emphasize cross functional concepts.
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Paper Nr: 22
Title:

An Adaptive Web Tool for Self-assessment using Lightweight User Profiles
Authors:

Fotis Lazarinis, Vassilios S. Verykios and Chris Panagiotakopoulos
Abstract: This paper presents an adaptive tool for self-assessments. The proposed system supports the selection of assessment items from an item bank based on a number of criteria such as the topic, the difficulty level of the items and a lightweight learner profile. For interoperability reasons, the assessment items are encoded using the IMS QTI standard and the topics are represented in Topic Maps XML. Items are included in the Topic Map as occurrences in one or more subtopics. The items are retrieved using parameterized XQuery scripts and they are adaptively presented to the user based on their knowledge level. Furthermore, some visual clues are associated to the items in the test that participants should attempt. The evaluation experiments showed that the tool supports more effectively self-assessment and motivates users to be more actively engaged.
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Paper Nr: 34
Title:

Connecting Peer Reviews with Students’ Motivation - Onboarding, Motivation and Blended Learning
Authors:

Kay Berkling
Abstract: This paper evaluates the onboarding phase for students who are exposed to a blended and open learning environment for the first time, where self-directed learning is key to success. The study was undertaken in a very restricted environment, where the primary motivation of students is the achievement of good grades in the most efficient manner due to extreme time constraints. In past research, we have shown that students have difficulty to move from the traditional setting of frontal lecture and final exam to an open learning environment that focuses more on self-directed learning and peer created content than grades. This work builds on findings that blended learning environment should be adaptive to learner types and gamification features need to be implicit. Adaptivity is not guaranteed through a single platform but instead by involving students in constructing their learning environment. This paper reports on the final set up of the course and the student evaluation thereof. We show that the current environment with student involvement leads to mostly positive attitudes towards most aspects of the course across virtually all students. Forums are perceived as a barrier as are individual contributions to the class content and are not appropriate features for onboarding. In contrast and despite being difficult, effective use of peer reviews can be shown to match student motivation across all learners. Their use is understood as a means to obtaining a good grade and learning.
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Paper Nr: 35
Title:

Brain Race - An Educational Mobile Game for an Adult English Literacy Program
Authors:

Nada Soudy, Silvia Pessoa, M. Bernardine Dias, Swapnil Joshi, Haya Thowfeek and Ermine Teves
Abstract: This paper investigates the role and impact of Brain Race (BR), a customized mobile game-based learning tool, on the learning and teaching experiences of teachers and learners in a community adult English literacy program in Qatar. Relying on observations, formal interviews, and surveys with teachers and learners, this paper examines the implementation process of introducing BR in a classroom, the interaction of teachers and learners with BR and their opinions on BR, and BR’s perceived impact on learner motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes. Results indicate that although BR motivates learners and allows them to practice English concepts, certain issues, such as equipment used, scheduling, and content relevance, must be addressed in order to make the experience more efficient and valuable to both teachers and learners. The paper argues that learners and teachers have a variety of preferences, and thus it is important that they are able to decide for themselves how they want to include game-based learning tools, such as BR, into their classrooms. We conclude with recommendations to improve the implementation process so that learners can benefit more from BR and similar games.
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Paper Nr: 60
Title:

Open Resources as the Educational Basis for a Bachelor-level Project-Based Course
Authors:

Ville Isomöttönen and Tommi Kärkkäinen
Abstract: This article presents an innovation-based course concept for project-based learning. In this course, student groups are asked to ideate and implement a software product based on Open Data and Open API releases. By emphasizing students’ own product ideation, the course requires and enhances self-directed learning skills and prompts the students to see the unlimited possibilities in becoming and being a practitioner of the computing discipline. Relatedly, the course provides a tool to improve student self-efficacy, as the students, coached through challenges, come to know that they are able to produce software using various open interfaces.
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Paper Nr: 61
Title:

A Cost–benefit Analysis of Continuous Assessment
Authors:

Amalia Duch, Joaquim Gabarro, Jordi Petit, Maria J. Blesa and Maria Serna
Abstract: The first course on programming is fundamental in the Facultat d’Informàtica de Barcelona. After a major redesign of the Programming-1 course in 2006 to give it a more practical flavor, an increasing number of measures have been undertaken over the years to try to increase its pass rate while maintaining a fixed quality level. These measures, that can be roughly summarized as an important increase in assessment, imply an increase in the workload of both students and instructors that does not always correspond to the increase of pass rate they provide. In this paper, and within the context of this course, we analyze quantitatively the amount of work required from faculty to implement the series of measures and we conclude that, within this course, continuous assessment is expensive and has reached its limit.
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Paper Nr: 71
Title:

Computers in the CS1 Classroom
Authors:

William T. Tarimo, Fatima Abu Deeb and Timothy J. Hickey
Abstract: There are two basic approaches to flipping an introduction to programming class (CS1). One involves requiring all students to bring computers to class and to work alone or in groups to solve programming problems. The other approach is to ban computers from the classroom and to require students to solve programming problems on paper. In both approaches the students’ attempts are shared with the class and discussed. In this work, we describe an experiment in which we compared these two approaches for a large programming class. We found that the use of computers had no statistically significant effect on the students’ learning outcomes, enjoyment of the material, self-assessment of their understanding, use of teaching assistant resources, or self-estimate of how many hours they invested outside of the classroom. We did find that a statistically significant number of students preferred problem solving with friends using computers rather than on paper. We also found that the instructor had much more detailed information about individual student’s interaction in class when computers were used, since all student interaction with the coding tools could be logged and analysed. We conclude that, although many faculty are wary of requiring computer use in large classes, there is evidence that students prefer it, it does not negatively affect learning outcomes, and with appropriate tools and pedagogy, it gives the instructor a much deeper and more nuanced view of student performance in the class.
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Paper Nr: 89
Title:

Learning Computational Thinking Through the Use of Flash Action Scripts - Preparing Trainee Elementary School Teachers for Teaching Computer Programming
Authors:

Erni Marlina Saari, Peter Blanchfield and Gail Hopkins
Abstract: The teaching of Computer programming is now mandated in UK state run primary and secondary schools but few elementary teachers have any exposure to programming and are generally from backgrounds that have not given them fluency in using such technology. This paper outlines an attempt to develop a training scheme for trainee teachers that will introduce them to computational thinking through the use of the Flash Action Script Development environment. It is believed that learning how to use this tool will provide them with greater motivation to learn how to program as the scripts will be used to develop teaching instruments that they might use in their classroom. The current paper reports progress on the development of a tool that will allow the teaching of Flash Action Scripts and the testing of this approach on groups of trainee and experienced teachers. It reports on an experiment and the relative level of enthusiasm, motivation and attitude of the experienced teachers and the trainee teachers both before and after exposure to the pilot tool. As expected the trainee teachers had a more positive attitude towards the potential of the learning tool but both groups had improved attitude and enthusiasm after the experiment.
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Paper Nr: 91
Title:

Psychometric Study of a Questionnaire for Academic Study Processes of Portuguese College Students
Authors:

D. Oliveira, G. Esgalhado, D. Oliveira and N. M. Garcia
Abstract: Background: The assessment of the study processes or approaches to learning more often used by college students as they are understood by Biggs and his collaborators is considered fundamental in providing tools to better understand the way students learn and how this should be taken into account by tutors and teachers. The choice of a deep approach to learning as opposed to a surface approach is often considered connected to a more significant learning. Aim: This research aimed to adapt and validate the Revised Two Factor Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F) (Biggs et al., 2001). for the Portuguese college student population. Method: A population of 707 college students and internet users was used. From these 241 were male and 466 female. The participants’ age varied between 18 and 40 years old (M= 22.96; SD = 4.41). The inclusion criteria used for the study was: (1) being Portuguese and studying in a Portuguese university, and (2) willingness to participate in the study after learning its objectives. Participants were recruited through two sampling methods: (1) Informal social networks. The eligible internet users who agreed to participate were asked to refer their friends to participate in the study; and (2) The Internet. Material: Two instruments were used in this assessment, a socio-demographic questionnaire to enable the characterization of the participants’ age, gender, degree and University/college attendance and the Revised Two Factor Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F) (Biggs et al., 2001). Results: The final Portuguese version has a total of 16 items, instead of the 20 items proposed by the original version. A principal components factor analysis with varimax orthogonal rotation revealed a two factor structure, consistent with other researches using the instrument but not confirming the four factor structure found in the original version. In this version factor I - deep approach to learning, has a 9 items scope, and includes deep motives and deep strategies (α=.783), with an explained variance of 20.463%; factor II - surface approach to learning has a 7 items scope, includes surface motives and surface strategies (α=.751) and an explained variance of 16.544%. Deep and surface approaches were analysed separately in relation to age gender and academic degree, and in all cases significant statistical differences were found. Conclusion: The study provided evidence of the reliability and validity of the instrument, which showed good psychometric characteristics. The results indicate the Portuguese Revised Study Processes Questionnaire is an acceptable measure of learning approaches. Authors like [2] consider that when students are confronted with a learning task, they use the learning strategy that corresponds with their motivation to learn, in which case, it is important to analyse whether students are opting more frequently for deep or surface approaches and act upon that knowledge in a continuous effort to improve the learning process.
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Paper Nr: 104
Title:

A Semi-Automatic Computer-Aided Assessment Approach for Marking and Providing Feedback Comments
Authors:

Adewale Adesina, Roger G. Stone, Firat Batmaz and Ian Jones
Abstract: Assessment is an essential part of the learning process. It is important for educators to provide detailed and reliable evaluations to students so that they can be better prepared for future studies and the workplace. Marking and providing formative feedback can be time-consuming and prone to errors especially when detailed analyses of students’ problem-solving steps are considered. A computer-aided marking and feedback support tool that aims at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of human marking may result in reduced marking time, improved consistency in marking, and improved feedback capabilities. This paper discusses a semi-automatic approach to marking problem-solving steps in the context of elementary school mathematics using analytical assessment rubrics. A prototype tool which implements the approach is described following recommendations based on research evidence in mathematics problem solving. The tool was evaluated in an observational study which compared marking-time efficiencies obtained using the technique with those obtained from marking done manually. The result suggests that the method has the potentials to facilitate broad feedback delivery, improve marking consistency and may save on marking time. The use of such marking and feedback support systems may contribute to the overall educational goal of more accurate and consistent assessment procedures.
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Paper Nr: 110
Title:

What’s next? Different Strategies Considering Teachers’ Decisions for Adapting Learning Paths in Serious Games
Authors:

Javier Melero, Naïma El-Kechaï and Jean-Marc Labat
Abstract: Adapting Serious Games (SGs) plays an important role to offer personalized game experiences. A well-fitting approach to create adaptive SGs is based on Competence-based Knowledge Space Theory (CbKST). CbKST structures the SG activities with respect to knowledge and competences, and adaptation is based on suggesting activities that improve learners’ competences. However, differences among learners and the diversity of learning situations may drive teachers to use different adaptive approaches to address their own needs. In addition to the current state of learners’ competences, we also propose to consider teachers’ decisions as a key parameter for adapting learning paths in SGs. As part of Play Serious project, several teachers’ requirements have been identified. This paper presents three different recommendation strategies based on the identified requirements, to build adaptive learning paths in SGs.
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Paper Nr: 128
Title:

MOOCs inside Universities - An Analysis of MOOC Discourse as Represented in HE Magazines
Authors:

Steve White, Manuel Leon and Su White
Abstract: Digital news media discourse on MOOCs has been pervasive in educational publications over recent years, and has often focused on debates over the disruptive potential of MOOCs at one extreme, and their survival at the other. Whether such articles reflect the concerns of academics and other internal university stakeholders is difficult to ascertain. This paper aims to determine the main concerns of internal university stakeholders in terms of their MOOC development and implementation work, and whether these concerns are reflected in the mainstream educational media. The study combines data from 2 previous studies (a content analysis of MOOC literature, and a grounded theory case study of internal university stakeholders) to establish key themes of concern for those working on MOOCs in Higher Education. An analysis of these themes in 3 educational media publications is then conducted for the year 2014. The findings indicate a clear focus in education media and among university stakeholders on new teaching practices and working dynamics in Higher Education as a result of involvement in MOOC development work. We argue that for many working on MOOCs in Higher Education, the debate about the future of MOOCs is over, and that more practical concerns of appropriate implementation and effective working practices are of greater importance.
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Paper Nr: 177
Title:

Textbook Gamification - Transforming Exercises into Playful Quests by using Webble Technology
Authors:

Susanne Friedemann, Lisa Baumbach and Klaus Jantke
Abstract: While teachers are increasingly realizing that playing and learning belong together, first gamification approaches are being applied to education. But the current solutions lack a real connection to the learning materials with regard to the content. For this reason it is required to design playing experiences close to textbook exercises likely to foster learning processes. A textbook gamification concept is proposed that directly sets up game mechanics on a textbook using given exercises which are transformed into playful quests. Thus, appropriate learning elements and didactic structures are integrated in the gamification application. The concept is based on the decision oriented instructional design model (DO-ID) and the webble technology approach which is an interface technology tailored toward creative human-machine interaction processes.
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Paper Nr: 191
Title:

Understanding Factors Influencing Teachers' Use of Technologies in Teaching STEM
Authors:

Georgia L. Bracey and Mary L. Stephen
Abstract: Teachers’ adoption of technology continues to be challenging; yet, this is a critical process in the effective teaching of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Although more schools are providing technology-rich classrooms, teachers are not always incorporating the new technologies into their teaching practice in a meaningful way. In this three-year case study, we used a grounded theory approach to examine the experiences of two high school teachers working in a depressed urban setting as they began using a newly designed, innovative, high-tech STEM classroom. Data sources included semi-structured interviews and direct observation. We identified three themes related to technology use: personal learning preference, teaching philosophy, and perception of technology. We discuss these themes, highlighting examples from participants’ experiences and beliefs, as well as other factors impacting technology use that emerged during the study. These results will be of value to those supporting teachers’ integration of technology into their teaching practice.
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Paper Nr: 193
Title:

Learning Scenarios' Operationalization - A Process based on Ontology and Patterns
Authors:

Zeyneb Tadjine, Lahcen Oubahssi, Claudine Toffolon and Sébastien Iksal
Abstract: This article describes our work that aims to support teachers deploying automatically their instructional design, by the mean of patterns. We seek to balance between the need of expressive instructional scenarios, and the technical constraints that occur while deploying those scenarios on learning management systems (LMS). This could be seen as a need of a formal description in order to translate the concepts of a pedagogical scenario, according to those embedded in the LMS. To address this need, we propose a process of structuring formalizing, indexing and finally adapting and operationalizing the instructional scenario. This Process is based on a model of knowledge representation. Different Data levels around the scenario representation as well as the functional essence of educational systems will be presented. We also describe the way this model is structured so that it allows preserving most of the scenarios semantic.
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Paper Nr: 196
Title:

The Effect of Peer Assessment Rubrics on Learners' Satisfaction and Performance Within a Blended MOOC Environment
Authors:

Ahmed Mohamed Fahmy Yousef, Usman Wahid, Mohamed Amine Chatti, Ulrik Schroeder and Marold Wosnitza
Abstract: Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have a remarkable ability to expand access to a large scale of participants worldwide, beyond the formality of the higher education systems. MOOCs support participants to be actively involved in collaborative learning and construct their own learning experience in a variety of domains. However, one of the biggest challenges facing MOOCs is how to assess the learners’ performance in a massive learning environment beyond traditional automated assessment methods. To address this challenge, peer assessment has been proposed as an effective assessment method in MOOCs. The problem is, however, how to ensure the quality of the peer assessment in terms of validity and reliability. Moreover, assessment in blended MOOCs (bMOOCs) introduces unique challenges regarding the best peer assessment model in a learning environment that brings together face-to-face interactions and online activities. This paper presents the details of a study conducted to investigate peer assessment in bMOOCs. The study results show that flexible rubrics have the potential to make the feedback process more accurate, credible, transparent, valid, and reliable, thus ensuring the quality of the peer assessment task.
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Paper Nr: 199
Title:

Engage with InGauge - Measuring Participation and Engagement within an Academic Facebook Group
Authors:

Thanos Hatziapostolou, Jorgo Gellci and Iraklis Paraskakis
Abstract: Student engagement in online asynchronous discussions is an issue that has attracted a lot of attention by researchers since higher participation and engagement in asynchronous online discussions is associated to higher grades and better student achievements. While a discussion forum has long been established as a widespread platform for hosting online discussions, recent advancements in web 2.0 technologies have introduced new means to support such activities. Among them, ‘Facebook Groups’ has gained a keen interest by the academic community and numerous research studies disclose the advantages of the specific tool for educational purposes. While methods and systems for measuring participation and engagement in online discussion forums have long been developed, no method or system that addresses this issue for Facebook groups seems to exist. This paper introduces InGauge, a pioneering online educational system that offers teachers the ability to gauge the level of student engagement and participation within an academic Facebook group. InGauge is founded on educational theories for evaluating online engagement and can be easily parameterised to meet the student participation requirements of any type of Facebook group that is used for academic purposes.
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Short Papers
Paper Nr: 13
Title:

Interactive Computer Simulation and Animation (CSA) to Improve Student Learning of Projectile Motion in an Undergraduate Engineering Dynamics Course
Authors:

Yongqing Guo and Ning Fang
Abstract: Computer simulation and animation (CSA) has been receiving growing attention and application in recent years in the international engineering education community. In the present study, an innovative set of CSA learning modules was developed to improve student learning of projectile motion in engineering dynamics, an important yet difficult undergraduate engineering course. The new CSA learning modules integrate visualization with mathematical modeling to help students directly connect engineering dynamics with mathematics. Quasi-experimental research involving an intervention group and a comparison group was performed to investigate the extent to which the new CSA learning modules improved student learning of projectile motion. The results show that as compared to the comparison group, students in the intervention group increased their learning gains by 30.3% to 43.6% on average, depending on the specific CSA learning modules. The difference in learning gains between the two groups is found to be statistically significant. From the present study, it is concluded that properly-designed computer simulation and animation not only provides students with a visualization tool for them to better understand engineering phenomena, but can also improve their procedural skills for finally solving problems in engineering dynamics.
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Paper Nr: 14
Title:

A Qualitative Analysis of Student-constructed Concept Maps in a Foundational Undergraduate Engineering Course
Authors:

Ning Fang
Abstract: This work-in-progress report (Position Paper) presents a qualitative analysis of student-constructed concept maps in engineering dynamics – a high-enrollment, high-impact, foundational undergraduate engineering course. Using a computer software program called IHMC Cmap Tools, the students who participated in the present study constructed their own concept maps to demonstrate their understanding of a variety of concepts they had learned. The present study investigates students’ purposes when they construct their own concept maps to learn. The results show that students construct their concept maps for five primary purposes: to describe the relationships among relevant concepts, to connect important equations, to illustrate the evolution of concepts, to incorporate figures into concept maps, and to integrate problem-solving procedures into concepts. These research findings help develop a better understanding of how students learn, and therefore may help instructors develop or adopt the most appropriate instructional strategies to improve student learning outcomes.
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Paper Nr: 23
Title:

Towards a Hybrid World - The Fuzzy Quality of Collaboration/Interaction (FuzzyQoC/I) Hybrid Model in the Semantic Web 3.0
Authors:

Sofia B. Dias, Sofia J. Hadjileontiadou, José A. Diniz and Leontios J. Hadjileontiaids
Abstract: As a decision support tool, a hybrid modelling can offer the ability to better understand the dynamics of a particular ecosystem. This paper proposes a hybrid approach that may serve as a means to synthesize/represent knowledge obtained from the data, in order to explore online learning environment (OLE) states, based on different scenarios. The potentiality of the quality of collaboration (QoC) within an Internet-based computer-supported collaborative learning environment and the quality of interaction (QoI) with a learning management system (LMS), both involving fuzzy logic-based modeling, as vehicles to improve the personalization and intelligence of an OLE is explored. In this approach, a novel framework could be established, when bridging the fields of blended- and collaborative-learning into an enhanced educational environment. The combined measures (i.e., QoC, QoI) can form the basis for a more realistic approach of OLEs within the concept of semantic Web and the associated Web 3.0 features, as they effectively capture the behaviour of the stakeholders involved in the context of Higher Education. Finally, a potential case study of the examined hybrid modelling (FuzzyQoC/I), referring to the “i-Treasures” European FP7 Programme, is discussed, to explore its functionality/applicability under pragmatic learning scenarios, serving as a proof of concept.
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Paper Nr: 30
Title:

Blended Learning in Multi-disciplinary Classrooms - Experiments in a Lecture about Numerical Analysis
Authors:

Marcelo Barros, Antao Moura, Laurent Borgman and Uwe Terton
Abstract: Numerical analysis (NA) is a core, compulsory discipline in most scientific, particularly engineering undergraduate programs. Teaching numerical analysis to students with diversified backgrounds and different abilities of learning (visual, aural, read/write kinesthetic learners) is challenging because of its interdisciplinary nature and modelling requirements. Such a challenge in turn, can lead to low success indicators (related to but not limited to student performance) at both whole-class and per-student levels. Negatively affected indicators include subjective (e.g. satisfaction with the subject) and objective ones (e.g. lower overall grade average and absenteeism from class). This paper reports on efforts made at the Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG) in Brazil to favorably change such indicators. The efforts involve applying blended learning (BL) together with gamification procedures to motivate students to engage more deeply in the learning of numerical analysis. As a consequence, it is expected that the other performance indicators will also be positively impacted. Data for a set of success indicators have been collected since 2007 at UFCG. A total of 25 classes encompassing close to 1,500 students and other professionals using the approach in different application domains – including chemical, electrical and civil engineering, environmental studies, security services, health services – have been observed. Collected evidence indicates the BL/gamified procedures improve results over conventional face-to-face only classes. This positive evidence suggests that “soft skills”, typical of social sciences (as opposed to the “hard skills” of numerical calculus) as well as interdisciplinary subjects – particularly those that is crossovers of computer science and design or culture or music – may also benefit from such an approach, particularly in multicultural classrooms.
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Paper Nr: 46
Title:

Feedback Design in Multimodal Dialogue Systems
Authors:

Peter Van Rosmalen, Dirk Börner, Jan Schneider, Olga Petukhova and Joy van Helvert
Abstract: This paper discusses the design and development of the instructional aspects of a multimodal dialogue system to train youth parliament members’ presentation and debating skills. Real-time, in-action feedback informs learners on the fly how they perform key skills and enables them to adapt instantly. About-action feedback informs learners after finishing a task how they perform key skills and enables them to monitor their progress and adapt accordingly in subsequent tasks. In- and about-action feedback together support the enhancement of the learners’ metacognitive skills, such as self-monitoring, self-regulation and self-reflection thus reflect in- and about action. We discusses the theoretical considerations of the feedback, the type of data available and different ways to analyse and combine them, the timing of feedback and, finally, provide an instructional design blueprint giving a global outline of a set of tasks with stepwise increasing complexity and the feedback proposed. We conclude with the results of the first experiment with the system focussing on non-verbal communication skills.
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Paper Nr: 66
Title:

Student Ratings, Class Size, Written Comments, Rank and Gender Bias
Authors:

Bradford P. Sobakowitz and Jacob Kogan
Abstract: The preliminary analysis presented is based on examination of two publicly available data sets. The first one consists of approximately 30,000 Student Course Evaluation Questionnaires (SCEQ) available at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County’s (UMBC) website (http://www.umbc.edu/oir/sceq/index.html. This dataset is used to analyze the effect of class size, faculty rank and gender on student ratings. The second data set is available at the University of Maryland College Park’s (UMCP) website (http://www.ourumd.com/viewreviews/?all). The website contains over 10,000 students’ rating (both numerical and written comments). This data set is used to examine correlation between the ratings and size of students’ written comments. The results presented are compared with those already reported in the literature.
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Paper Nr: 93
Title:

A Study of Analogy in Computer Science Tutorial Dialogues
Authors:

Mehrdad Alizadeh, Barbara Di Eugenio, Rachel Harsley, Nick Green, Davide Fossati and Omar AlZoubi
Abstract: Analogy plays an important role in learning, but its role in teaching Computer Science has hardly been explored. We annotated and analyzed analogy in a corpus of tutoring dialogues on Computer Science data structures. Via linear regression analysis, we established that the presence of analogy and of specific dialogue acts within analogy episodes correlate with learning. We have integrated our findings in our ChiQat-Tutor system, and are currently evaluating the effect of analogy within the system.
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Paper Nr: 120
Title:

Comparing Tool-supported Lecture Readings and Exercise Tutorials in Classic University Settings
Authors:

Tenshi Hara, Felix Kapp, Iris Braun and Alexander Schill
Abstract: Teaching in classic courses offers too little interaction between docents and students and should be improved. Addressed approaches include a range from Simple Voting Systems to Clickers and Audience Response Systems, and interaction and Student motivation may be improved therein. However, different university course settings are affected in different ways by these systems. Therefore, this paper presents a comparison of a selected range of these systems (implemented as tool kits) within two course settings, namely lecture readings and exercise tutorials. These tools are Audience Response Systems, Question and Answer Systems (Q&A Systems), Discussion Systems (Panels), as well as Virtual Whiteboard Feedback Systems. A synopsis of feasibility for different settings is provided and concluded with important results on the distinguishability of Q&A Systems and Panels.
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Paper Nr: 121
Title:

Modeling Programming Learning in Online Discussion Forums
Authors:

I-Han Hsiao
Abstract: In this paper, we modelled constructive engagement activities in an online programming discussion. We built a logistic regression model based on the underlined cognitive processes in constructive learning activities. The findings supported that there is passive-proactive behaviour and suggested that detecting constructive content can be a helpful classifier in discerning relevant information to the users and in turn creating opportunities to optimize learning. The results also confirmed the value of discussion forum content, disregarding the crowd approves or not.
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Paper Nr: 125
Title:

e-Assessment in Mathematics Courses with Multiple-choice Questions Tests
Authors:

José Manuel Azevedo
Abstract: With the implementation of the Bologna Process several challenges have been posed to higher education institution, particularly in Portugal. One of the main implications is related to the change of the paradigm of a teacher centered education, to a paradigm that is student centered. This change implies the change of the way to assess courses in higher education institutions. Continuous and formative assessments emerged as the focus, catalyzed by electronic assessment, or e-assessment. This paper presents a case of the implementation of an e-assessment strategy, implemented in order to allow continuous, formative assessment in numerous mathematics classes using multiple-choice questions tests implement in Moodle open-source learning management system. The implementation can be considered a success.
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Paper Nr: 137
Title:

Blended Learning in Project Management - Experiences on Business Games and Case Studies
Authors:

Mario Vanhoucke and Mathieu Wauters
Abstract: This paper reports on results of experiments in the classroom with students following Project Management (PM) courses using a blended learning approach. It discusses the impact of communication on the student performance on business games as well as the advantage of the use of integrative case studies and their impact on the learning experience of these students. While the performance of students is obtained by marking their quantitative output on the business game or case exercise, their learning experience is measured through an analysis of the course evaluations filled out by these students. Diversity among the test population is guaranteed by testing our experiments on a sample of students with a different background, ranging from university students with or without a strong quantitative background but no practical experience, to MBA students at business schools and PM professionals participating in a PM training.
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Paper Nr: 142
Title:

Challenges of Task-based Language Teaching in Online and Blended Learning Contexts
Authors:

John Iveson
Abstract: Task-based language teaching (TBLT) is a widely applied approach in second language education. The benefits and challenges of TBLT have been debated over the past thirty years. The advent of technology enhanced learning (TEL) and the use of TBLT in online and blended contexts have revealed further benefits and challenges with this approach. This study briefly summarises the historical background of TBLT, common approaches to TBLT and definitions of tasks. The paper then reviews recent literature relating to TBLT and TEL with specific reference to challenges involving student participation, negotiated meaning and focus on form. The study argues for a comprehensive reassessment of TBLT frameworks in order to address technology related challenges of the TBLT approach.
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Paper Nr: 143
Title:

A Framework for using Business Intelligence for Learning Decision Making with Business Simulation Games
Authors:

Waranya Poonnawat and Peter Lehmann
Abstract: This position paper will give an overview of the Business Intelligence (BI) learning framework which includes: (1) BI game; (2) data warehouse system; (3) self-service BI tools, and (4) learning assessment. The BI game is used as an educational platform to simulate business scenarios and business processes. The data warehouse system integrates all of the business transactions and results from the BI game and provides a single point of truth for analytical information. During the business processes, self-service BI tools are used to access data marts for business analytics by both students and instructors. The learning assessment component is used to evaluate students’ knowledge and skills in BI and 21st Century skills.
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Paper Nr: 145
Title:

Towards a 3D Virtual Game for Learning Object-Oriented Programming Fundamentals and C++ Language - Theoretical Considerations and Empirical Results
Authors:

Fahima Djelil, Benjamin Albouy-Kissi, Adélaïde Albouy-Kissi, Eric Sanchez and Jean-Marc Lavest
Abstract: Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) paradigm is one of the most common paradigm in introductory programming courses. However, novices often have difficulties to understand the basic concepts which are of a high level of abstraction. Either tangible and virtual constructive games provide the students with a more familiar way for learning programming. This paper applies a construction game metaphor approach for learning OOP concepts and C++ syntax. After introducing some tangible and virtual constructive games for learning programming, we present an experimental prototype of a new 3D virtual game for learning OOP called PrOgO as well as the results of an experiment conducted with beginner student using PrOgO.
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Paper Nr: 154
Title:

Designing Instructional Animation for Psychomotor Learning - A Conceptual Framework
Authors:

Terry Lucas and Ruslan Abdul Rahim
Abstract: Research on the effectiveness of animated virtual human representation towards psychomotor learning is still lacking. Recent studies show that animation is effective in learning procedural tasks. Instructional animation is a form of animation designed to educate viewers. The purpose of this paper is to lay out a conceptual design framework for studies of the instructional animation design for psychomotor learning. Three theoretical approaches are considered in constructing the conceptual framework: (1) Learning Theories; (2) Instructional Video Design; and (3) Virtual Human Representation. Together, these theoretical fields complement one another and explain different viewpoints on this complex subject. Relating to earlier studies on types of visual representation may elucidate the ways in which animation can be applied for motor skill acquisition.
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Paper Nr: 163
Title:

Towards a Blended Learning Approach to Teach a Theoretical Computer Science Module
Authors:

Leila Silva and Leonor Barroca
Abstract: Theoretical computer science is a difficult subject in the computer science curriculum. Innovations in teaching and new pedagogic practices have been developing in the last decade but are still far from being widely applied to computer science. We propose that the teaching of more challenging areas of computer science can benefit from opportunities created by a blended approach of face-to-face with online teaching and individual and group activities. We present the design of a Design and Analysis of Algorithms including innovations in pedagogy, as flipped classroom, problem-based lectures and social learning.
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Paper Nr: 171
Title:

Blended Learning Training for Mentors of STEM Team Competitions
Authors:

Sharon Locke, Susan Thomas, Stephen Marlette, Georgia Bracey, Gary Mayer, Jerry Weinberg, Janet Holt and Bradford White
Abstract: This paper describes the findings of a research study of a blended-learning approach to train mentors of teams in the Botball® Educational Robotics Program. Botball is an international team-based robotics competition for secondary students designed to build skills in computer programming, robotics, teamwork, and problem solving. For this study, we recruited new teams comprising 8-10 middle school students per team and a mentor. Teams were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups or a control group. Mentors of teams in the experimental groups received training in one of three types of mentor practices: best practices, mentoring for self-efficacy, or a combination of best practices and self-efficacy. The training format consisted of web-based self-paced tutorials, a face-to-face workshop, and webinars. Dependent variables were student post-test scores on three assessments: Efficacy for Science-Related Jobs, STEM Achievement-Related Choices, and STEM Self-Efficacy. A priori statistical analyses showed no difference between the groups; however, post hoc analyses showed that the use of self-efficacy techniques was positively related to the three dependent measures. Post-competition surveys of mentor practices indicated that students in the treatment groups did not appear to receive distinctly different treatments, revealing some of the potential challenges of the blended learning approach for professional development of teachermentors.
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Paper Nr: 42
Title:

Evaluating a “Flipped Classroom” Experiment
Authors:

Ole Jacob Bergfjord and Tarjei Alvær Heggernes
Abstract: In this paper, a “flipped classroom” experiment is evaluated using three different datasets. We use student evaluations of the “flipped classroom” experiment in particular, in addition to regular course evaluations and exam results for the past three years in order to allow for statistical comparisons. Overall, the results from the experiment are quite positive. Interesting effects include that students report that they prepare better for lectures, are more satisfied with the course overall, and achieve slightly better grades. In particular, much fewer students get very low grades. On the one hand, we argue that our results support more experiments with technology to improve education. On the other hand, we also hope that our analysis could be useful as a reference for evaluating such experiments.
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Paper Nr: 83
Title:

Software Environments as Learning Tools for Modeling Engineering Systems - A Case Study on Decentralized Multi-loop Control System
Authors:

T. R. Melo, L. C. Silva, A. Perkusich, J. J. Silva and J. S. Rocha Neto
Abstract: This paper describes the usage of the Matlab/Simulink and Ptolemy II environments as learning tools in the implementation of simulation models, which represent the decentralized multi-loop control system proposed for a fouling detection didactic platform. The platform is treated as a two-input two-output (TITO) plant with time delay, i.e., the voltage and current as the plant inputs and the flow and pressure as the plant outputs. In both the software environments, the control system is modeled as a cyber-physical system (CPS). Constructive details of each simulation model are shown, even as the main advantages and disadvantages of each learning tool are discussed and evaluated by engineering students.
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Paper Nr: 94
Title:

Analysis and Modeling of a Platform with Cantilever Beam using SMA Actuator - Experimental Tests based on Computer Supported Education
Authors:

Leandro Maciel Rodrigues, Thamiles Rodrigues de Melo, Jaidilson Jó da Silva, Angelo Perkusich and José Sérgio da Rocha Neto
Abstract: This paper presents a test platform with cantilever beam that uses a SMA (Shape Memory Alloy) as actuator and strain gauges as sensors to study of the beam deformation. From the data acquired by means of heating and cooling processes, the engineering students can observe the hysteresis behavior of the SMA wire. Besides, the study of this platform provide to the students can put in practice their knowledge about data acquisition, system identification, modeling and programming based on computer supported education.
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Paper Nr: 147
Title:

Life-size Board Game “Human SUGOROKU” To Teach Children about Vegetation Succession - Application of Human Sensing Technology to Embodied Education
Authors:

Ryuichi Yoshida, Takayuki Adachi, Keita Muratsu, Hiroshi Mizoguchi, Fusako Kusunoki, Miki Namatame, Masanori Sugimoto, Etsuji Yamaguchi, Shigenori Inagaki and Yoshiaki Takeda
Abstract: In this paper, we propose and develop a full-body interaction system and simulation game called “Human SUGOROKU,” which helps elementary school students learn about vegetation succession while having fun. We found that the students became more involved in the game because they were required to play it using their body movements. An experiment conducted with students verified that the participants became immersed in the virtual world of vegetation succession while playing Human SUGOROKU. This paper describes the structure of our game and the results of its evaluation.
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Paper Nr: 148
Title:

KIKIMIMI - Voice Separation System for Automating Post Evaluation of Learning Support System
Authors:

Takahiro Nakadai, Tomoki Taguchi, Ryohei Egusa, Miki Namatame, Masanori Sugimoto, Fusako Kusunoki, Etsuji Yamaguchi, Shigenori Inagaki, Yoshiaki Takeda and Hiroshi Mizoguchi
Abstract: A learning support system with a body experience has a favorable influence on learning in children because they obtain a sense of immersion. It is important to evaluate the learning effect of a learning support system. However, the learning effect of the learning support system was almost evaluated manually in previous research. The authors propose an evaluation system called “KIKIMIMI” for automating the post-evaluation of a learning support system by reactions from the learner’s voice. In this paper, we report the validity of KIKIMIMI as a system for automating a post-evaluation.
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Paper Nr: 151
Title:

From Learning 1.0 to Learning 2.0 - Key Concepts and Enablers
Authors:

Sami M. Leppänen and Nestori Syynimaa
Abstract: During the last few decades the learning sector have faced three fundamental changes; society is moving from the industrial age to the information age, understanding of adult teaching has evolved from pedagogy to andragogy, and technology is constantly providing new ways to support and enable learning. In this conceptual paper, these changes are introduced and discussed as key enablers of Learning 2.0. The important role of adult learning as key driver for Learning 2.0 is also argued and emphasised. Based on the analysis of the key enablers a two-dimensional classification is introduced. The classification is based on four archetypes of learning methods, formed according to how they utilise technology and apply learning theories. The archetypes are traditional learning, e-Learning, participatory learning, and facilitated learning communities. Analysis of these archetypes shows that together they are providing all learning types of the 70/20/10 model. The classification also demonstrates that e-Learning does not equal to Learning 2.0, but is one of the first steps in a journey from Learning 1.0 to Learning 2.0.
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Paper Nr: 168
Title:

Project-oriented Education as a Platform for Transfer of Math KSA
Authors:

Borislav Lazarov
Abstract: Under consideration is the transfer of math knowledge, skills and attitude (KSA) built in project-oriented education to curriculum problems using mathematical modeling. Two teaching experiments were conducted to study the existence or lack of such kind of transfer. There were two experimental groups of regular 7th grade students. The first experiment (held in December 2013) aimed to clarify how students apply their KSA developed through project-oriented activities in solving standard curriculum problems. The outcomes from this experiment were far from satisfactory – we registered just partial and incomplete (or none) transfer of KSA for the largest proportion of the population. The second experiment (in November 2014) was done in more complex educational environment which included dynamic geometry software. This small change caused an unexpectedly larger positive effect in students’ activeness and acquisition of the topic. The statistics showed that the largest part of the students is trying to apply (more or less successfully) the knowledge in another context. This gives us reason to believe that the project-oriented education is an appropriate platform for decontextualization of math KSA.
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Paper Nr: 197
Title:

Using Traditional LMS for Mathematics Instruction - Lessons Learned from Instructor-made Videos
Authors:

Izolda Fotiyeva and Ebony Terrell Shockley
Abstract: The authors discuss the outcomes of a traditional and online mathematics course in the Mid-Atlantic United States. In the undergraduate Algebra course being investigated, the researchers used a matched pair design to determine whether technology infusion had positive effects on successful acquisition of mathematics skills. They also researched whether there was a pass/fail rate difference between the technology-enhanced class and the face-to-face class. The results indicated that there appeared to be a relationship between the instructional method and the pass/fail rate when comparing the traditional class and the technologyenhanced class.
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Paper Nr: 203
Title:

The LARES Mission: An Opportunity to Teach General Relativity - Frame Dragging and Lense-Thirring Effect
Authors:

A. Paolozzi, C. Paris, G. Sindoni and A. Tartaglia
Abstract: LARES is an Italian Space Agency mission devoted to test frame-dragging, a prediction of general relativity. On February 2012 the satellite has been successfully put in orbit with the qualification flight of VEGA, the new European Space Agency launcher. Basic concepts of general relativity are becoming more and more familiar because of the part they play in science fiction movies. But frame-dragging (more formally known as the Lense-Thirring effect), is so peculiar that it is a relatively unknown effect. The idea of this paper is to start from the description of the experiment and then to push some parameters of the experiment to extreme values in order to magnify the effects of relativity. This approach will provide not only the students and general people but also professionals not strictly specialized in general relativity, with increased interest in gravitational theories.
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Area 3 - Social Context and Learning Environments

Full Papers
Paper Nr: 62
Title:

Exploring Teacher Reactions Towards a 21St Century Teaching and Learning Approach to Continuing Professional Development Programme in Computer Science
Authors:

Lorraine Fisher, Jake Rowan Byrne and Brendan Tangney
Abstract: Bridge21 is a particular model of 21st Century teaching and learning and this paper describes a pilot study to evaluate its use for teacher Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in Computer Science (CS). The CPD programme covered a range of introductory Computer Science topics including; Computational Thinking, Scratch, Raspberry Pi Input/Outputs and Python. The researchers combined training programme evaluation theory (Kirkpatrick, 1994) with ethnographic methods (Fetterman, 1987) to analyze qualitative and quantitative data gathered from 110 in-service teachers whom attended 9 CS CPD workshops. The Kirkpatrick framework was used as a taxonomy against which to code data relating to (a) teachers reactions towards the CS CPD programme and (b) intentions towards use of the Bridge21 model for supporting CS classroom delivery. A combination of coding procedures generated four themes that address two research questions. Question one explored to what extent the 21st Century learning model proved effective for CS CPD programme delivery, while question two explored the extent to which teachers intended to use the learning model for delivery of CS topics in the classroom. Findings indicate that teachers’ initial reactions towards the programme were positive and that teachers intend to use the model for their CS delivery.
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Paper Nr: 188
Title:

Layered Knowledge Networking in Professional Learning Environments
Authors:

Mohamed Amine Chatti, Hendrik Thüs, Christoph Greven and Ulrik Schroeder
Abstract: Knowledge Management (KM) and Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) became a very important issue in modern organizational professional learning and work process integration. Former learning and KM theories which characterize knowledge as a thing or process no longer fit today's digital world where the amount of required information is no more manageable and the half-time of knowledge in general is rapidly decreasing. Younger approaches such as the Learning as a Network (LaaN) theory describe knowledge as complex and emergent and put a heavier focus on knowledge networking. The LaaN theory further stresses the convergence of the learning and work processes in professional learning settings and views KM and TEL as two sides of the same coin. Driven by the LaaN theory, the Professional Reflective Mobile Personal Learning Environments (PRiME) project describes an integrated KM and TEL framework which connects learning and work processes. It enables the professional learner to harness implicit knowledge and offers knowledge networking at three different layers: the Personal Learning Environment (PLE), the Personal Knowledge Network (PKN) and the Network of Practice (NoP). Continuous knowledge networking results in constant evolution of knowledge leading to personal as well as organizational learning.
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Paper Nr: 202
Title:

The Whole Is More than the Sum of Its Parts - On Culture in Education and Educational Culture
Authors:

Thomas Richter and Heimo H. Adelsberger
Abstract: The Learning Culture Survey investigates learners’ expectations towards and perceptions of education on international level with the aim to make culture in the context of education better understandable and support educators to prevent and solve intercultural conflicts in education. So far, we found that culture-related expectations differ between educational settings, depend on the age of the learners, and that a nationally homogenous educational culture is rather an exception than the rule. The results of our recently completed longitudinal study provided evidence that educational culture on the institutional level actually is persistent, at least over a term of four years. After a brief introduction of the general background, we will subsume the steps taken during the past seven years and achieved general insights regarding educational culture. Last, we will introduce a method for the determination of conflict potential, which bases on the understanding of culture as the level to which people within a society accept deviations from the usual. We close with demonstrating the method’s functionality on examples from the Learning Culture Survey.
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Short Papers
Paper Nr: 27
Title:

Raising Parental Awareness about Game-based Learning
Authors:

Yulia Piller and Jami Roberts-Woychesin
Abstract: The main argument presented in this paper is that educators, researchers and school administrators must develop effective techniques to educate parents about potential benefits of digital game based learning. Authors suggest that one of the reasons schools are hesitant to introduce video games into the curriculum is the fear of parental objection. This paper provides a few suggestions on what factors might contribute to negative parental attitude toward video games in the classroom; lack of experience with video game play, inadequate understanding of the complex nature of video games, limited knowledge about benefits of game play and negative media messages are among them.
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Paper Nr: 74
Title:

Students’ Opinions on Financial Compensation from Project Work
Authors:

Juho Heikkinen and Ville Isomöttönen
Abstract: Project-based learning with real customers arguably offer value for all stakeholders. This value has been discussed in literature both from the viewpoint of customers and the related economic value, and the enhanced learning of students. This paper presents the results from an empirical study on students who have completed a multidisciplinary project course with real customers. A qualitative survey was focused on how students see the value of project-based learning and whether there should be financial compensation to students. The students placed a higher value on learning than financial compensation, and while they argued that it would be fair and nice if some compensation was paid, they did not see it as a necessity. They also considered financial compensation problematic: how should it be distributed within the team, and could it affect students’ and customers’ motivation to participate in the project course. Students emphasized that the issues related to financial compensation should be discussed openly.
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Paper Nr: 101
Title:

Analysing Online Education-based Asynchronous Communication Tools to Detect Students’ Roles
Authors:

Mohammad Jaber, Panagiotis Papapetrou, Ana González-Marcos and Peter T. Wood
Abstract: This paper studies the application of Educational Data Mining to examine the online communication behaviour of students working together on the same project in order to identify the different roles played by the students. Analysis was carried out using real data from students’ participation in project communication tools. Several sets of features including individual attributes and information about the interactions between the project members were used to train different classification algorithms. The results show that considering the individual attributes of students provided regular classification performance. The inclusion of information about the reply relationships among the project members generally improved mapping students to their roles. However, “time-based” features were necessary to achieve the best classification results, which showed both precision and recall of over 95% for a number of algorithms. Most of these “time-based” features coincided with the first weeks of the experience, which indicates the importance of initial interactions between project members.
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Paper Nr: 123
Title:

Recommendation of Learning Resources based on Social Relations
Authors:

Mohammed Tadlaoui, Karim Sehaba and Sébastien George
Abstract: Recommender systems are able to estimate the interest for a user of a given resource from some information about similar users and resources properties. In our work, we focus on the recommendations of educational resources in the field of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) and more specifically the recommendations which are based on social information. Based on the results of research in recommender systems and TEL, we define an approach to recommend learning resources using social information present in social networks. We have developed a formal model for the calculation of similarity between users and the generation of three types of recommendation. We also developed a platform that implements our approach.
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Paper Nr: 162
Title:

Conceptualizing Collaboration in the Context of Computer-supported Collaborative Learning
Authors:

Aleksandra Lazareva
Abstract: “Collaborative learning” has become a common expression in a wide range of spheres. We often say that we learn collaboratively when we perform a task together. However, the term “collaborative learning” has more complex implications than only doing a task together with peers. Successful collaborative learning is characterized by meaningful and intense interactions among peers and shared understanding of the concepts. In computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) learners’ interactions are mediated by technological artifacts, therefore, the role of technologies becomes highly important from both cognitive and motivational perspectives. In this paper I discuss the essence of collaborative learning and CSCL as it is viewed in the field of learning sciences. I seek to demonstrate the complexity of CSCL and underline the idea that CSCL is a distinct form of learning mediated by technological artifacts, and only certain learning situations taking place online in groups can be termed as “CSCL”.
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Paper Nr: 170
Title:

Information Technology in Higher Education Teaching - Much Ado About Nothing?
Authors:

Gali Naveh
Abstract: Unlike nearly every aspect of our lives that has changed enormously in the past decades, academic teaching has changed very little, and a professor walking into a classroom populated with dozens of students who are trying to grasp the material presented to them, is relevant today as it was a century ago. To discern this phenomenon, this paper discusses some of the most promising technologies which have emerged during the last quarter of a century (accessibility to the internet, smartphones and Massive Open Online Courses) while indicating their failure to facilitate a large-scale pedagogical change in academia, in contradiction to high expectations and predictions. A perspective is suggested on the perception and motivation of the three major stakeholders of academic teaching – instructors, students and institutes, signifying the lack of incentives on their part for large-scale change. Finally the gap between the volume of research in the field of information technology integration in higher education pedagogy and the little change in academic teaching reality is discussed, and a course of action that may change this state of affair is offered.
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Paper Nr: 64
Title:

Supporting Learning Groups in Online Learning Environment
Authors:

Godfrey Mayende, Andreas Prinz, Ghislain Maurice N. Isabwe and Paul Birevu Muyinda
Abstract: In this paper, we report on the initial findings on how to effectively support learning groups in online learning environments. Based on the idea that learning groups can enhance effective learning in online learning environments, we used qualitative research methods to study learning groups (interviews and observation of learning group interactions in online learning environments) and their facilitators. Preliminary results reveal that in order to have effective learning groups you need to take care of the following online design issues: develop comprehensive study guides, train online tutors, motivate learners through feedback, and foster high cognitive levels of interaction through questioning, rubrics, and peer assessment. We conclude that well thought through online learning group with appropriate questioning and feedback from facilitators and online tutors can enhance meaningful interaction and learning.
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Paper Nr: 80
Title:

Model of a Neuron Network in Human Brains for Learning Assistance in E-Learning Environments
Authors:

Harald R. Kisch and Claudia L. R. Motta
Abstract: It is typically known that brain neurons are responsible for a significant part of our knowledge adaption process. However, it is not yet fully understood how knowledge adaption works or what conscious intelligence is. The aim of this research is to investigate how an E-learning environment can automatically identify learning sequences to dynamically map them to specific learning types for suggesting course material, which makes learning more individual, flexible and faster. For the purpose of this research, a neural ontology is created. In this ontology, the characterization of one neural brain cell is meant to represent every neuron cell in our brain as a specific part of a neural network to get closer to the answer how a simulation of brain functions could be accomplished. This paper describes a neural network theory and how the conceptual model of a neural brain cell could be interpreted through the concept of cognitive pattern match in relation to intelligence. In conclusion, two fundamental hypotheses for effective knowledge adaption in E-learning environments are derived.
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Paper Nr: 150
Title:

A Template for a Media Commons Typology
Authors:

Javier Isado
Abstract: This paper proposes an adaptable media commons concept as a foundational element for the design of learning spaces. The concept is based on the possibility to create flexible and resourceful spatial situations that can structure pedagogical and creative environments. The essential core elements, spaces, and artifacts of the media commons project are equipped with technology that enable various multi-media venues and practices of information transfer. This auditorium-classroom-laboratory integrated scenario would basically act as a dynamic environment that would link pedagogy, creativity, and knowledge formation as a product of social interaction in a specific set of spaces. This position paper about two manifestations of the media commons project at the Rio Piedras campus of the University of Puerto Rico, is basically a research and development study proposal on typological variations of an ensemble for in-person and remote collaborative space -such as or similar to that of design studios, innovation hubs, and online forums and platforms- and their effect on creativity, participation and authority in a pedagogical setting.
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Paper Nr: 164
Title:

A Systematic Mapping Applied to MOOC's Study
Authors:

Alexandre Furtado Fernandes, Jorge Cardoso and Maria José Marcelino
Abstract: MOOC platforms are Web-based learning environments which allow a global participation on a large scale and with free access. The paradigm presents itself as a new teaching trend, changing the way education can be offered and funded worldwide. Many institutions are now investing in this teaching mode. However, since it is a web-based tool, the connection performance can impact both the way learning is experienced by the student as well as the operation of the platform. The “Quality of Experience” (QoE) concept has been widely used to refer to how users describe a service they have used while the “Quality of Service” (QoS) concept deals with the technical performance parameters that are associated with the connection quality. This paper starts the process of developing a systematic mapping around MOOC platforms, and QoS and QoE concepts, aiming to provide an overview of the current state of research on these issues.
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Paper Nr: 201
Title:

Activity Theory as a Lens to Identify Challenges in Surgical Skills Training at Hospital Work Environment
Authors:

Minna Silvennoinen and Maritta Pirhonen
Abstract: In this paper the concepts from activity theory (AT) are applied for identifying the challenges and contradictions emerging in surgical resident’s curriculum based training at hospital. AT is utilised as a lens to identify contradictions that cause disturbances, problems, ruptures, breakdowns, and clashes which emerge while surgical skills training is implemented in a new way at hospital. We especially aim at finding solutions for contradictions which emerge while the new and old working culture are confronted and the workers are required to balance themselves between the patient care demands and workplace learning requirements. We are using the conceptual theoretical approach to describe the phenomenon of surgical working.
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Area 4 - Domain Applications and Case Studies

Full Papers
Paper Nr: 102
Title:

LARES-lab: A Thermo-vacuum Facility for Research and E-learning - Tests of LARES Satellite Components and Small Payloads for e-Learning
Authors:

A. Paolozzi, I. Ciufolini, C. Paris and G. Sindoni
Abstract: LARES, an Italian Space Agency satellite, has been successfully launched in 2012. A small thermo-vacuum facility has been specifically designed and built for testing the optical components of the satellite in simulated space environment. Due to the extremely demanding performances of LARES satellite, the facility has been built using the most up-to-date technology available. In particular Sun, Earth and deep space can be simulated in a ultra high vacuum. When the tests connected with the LARES mission reduced, it was decided to devote the thermo-vacuum chamber also to didactic activities. The facility was designed to be operated remotely only for some basic operations. The full automation of the facility is in progress in order to provide the students and the researchers with easy and long term access, including also the possibility to operate remotely from the internet and perform complex tests. The students will then have a big opportunity to learn in practice all the aspects of thermo-vacuum testing, which are of paramount importance in the space industry. It will be possible to perform thermal tests from either the classroom or home, by exposing the specimen for a specified amount of time, toward Earth, Sun or deep space simulators. They will collect pressures and temperatures and will input additional thermal power through resistive heaters. The paper will first describe the facility and its capabilities showing the tests performed on the LARES satellite components, then will focus mainly on the planned upgrades that will improve its remote use both for research and e-learning.
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Short Papers
Paper Nr: 54
Title:

Motivational Factors and the Intention of Use of a Virtual Learning Environment - A Preliminary Study about an e-Learning Application Developed by the Brazilian Ministry of Education
Authors:

Élton Carneiro Marinho, Mônica Ferreira da Silva, Donaldo de Souza Dias, Eber Assis Schmitz and Antônio Juarez Alencar
Abstract: This research aims to verify the impact of motivational factors on the intention of use of a Virtual Learning Environment. The environment studied was an e-government web application used by The Brazilian Ministry of Education offered to Brazilian high schools. In this preliminary approach, a case study was done in a private school in Rio de Janeiro followed by an experiment with 20 of its students. Qualitative and quantitative data allowed to endorse some of the results. Previous studies have indicated that teenagers tend to be motivated by playful environments, pointing to the importance of the perceived enjoyment factor. Nevertheless, in this study the perceived usefulness factor appeared as the greatest motivator for the intention of use of the adopted technology. The results of this study will be beneficial for increasing our understanding of new generation adoption of technology.
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Paper Nr: 73
Title:

Investigating the Difficulty of Commercial-level Compiler Warning Messages for Novice Programmers
Authors:

Yoshitaka Kojima, Yoshitaka Arahori and Katsuhiko Gondow
Abstract: Many researchers refer to the folklore “warning messages in commercial-level compilers like GCC are difficult for novice programmers, which leads to low learning efficiency.” However, there is little quantitative investigation about this, so it is still unknown if (and to what extent) the warning messages are really difficult. In this paper, we provide a quantitative investigation about the difficulty of the warning messages. More specifically, as a sample code set we first collected 90 small programs in C language that are error-prone for novice programmers. Then we performed the investigation on the warning emission and its difficulty for 4 compilers and 5 static analysis tools, which are all commercial-level, using the sample code set. The difficulty of warning messages were evaluated by 7 students as research participants, using 4 evaluation criteria of clarity, specificity, constructive guidance, and plain terminology. As a result, we obtained several important quantitative findings: e.g., the deviation of warning emission presence in compilers and static analysis tools is large; and 35.7% of warning messages lack clarity, and 35.9% of warning messages lack specificity, which suggests roughly one third of warning messages are difficult for novice programmers to understand.
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Paper Nr: 131
Title:

Supporting Distance and Flexible Education - Challenges in the Design and Development of Online Learning Resources
Authors:

Mihai Dupac
Abstract: In This Study, the Challenges in the Design, Development and Implementation of Online Learning Resources to Support a First Year Distance/Flexible Education Students for Their Final Assessment in an a Computer Aided Engineering Design (CAD) Class Have Been Considered. since a Majority of the Flexible/Distance Learning Students Are Active Workers (Mature Students Involved in Different Industrial Sectors) They Want to Gain the Appropriate Skills and Practical Knowledge They Need for Their Careers. It Is Quite Evident That the Provided Resources Should Meet Student Expectations and Improve Their Academic, Transferable and Employability Skills. in This Regard, the Learning Resources Should Be Developed Considering the Actual Challenges in Delivering a Good Engineering Education, Unit Specification and Students Difficulties (Identified through the Received Feedback) in following and Fully Understanding Some of the Guided Reading. Questions regarding the Level at Which the Mathematical Theory Should Be Taught in the Class, as Well as the Amount of Engineering Knowledge the Students Should Gain, Should Be Considered. the Use of CAD Simulation Software - Very Effective in Delivering Technical Subjects and Self-Directed Learning - Should Be Considered for Improving Student’s Computer Knowledge and Abilities They Should Develop along the Learning Process. the Study Illustrates the Challenges in the Design and Development of Engineering Learning Resources - Complex Engineering Problems Which Would Traditionally Involve a Classical Form of Instruction - Generated as Electronic Documents outside the Traditional Learning Environment. the Study Presents Learning Strategies and Shows That Computer Simulations and Visualization Represents Powerful Tools in Self-Directed Learning. to Validate the Findings, an Evaluation Procedure Was Considered.
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Area 5 - Ubiquitous Learning

Full Papers
Paper Nr: 88
Title:

SignSupport: A Mobile Aid for Deaf People Learning Computer Literacy Skills
Authors:

George G. Ng'ethe, Edwin H. Blake and Meryl Glaser
Abstract: This paper discusses a prototype of a learning aid on a mobile phone to support Deaf people learning computer literacy skills. The aim is to allow Deaf people to learn at their own pace which in turn reduces the dependence on a teacher to allow weaker learners be assisted. We studied the classroom dynamics and teaching methods to extract how lesson content is delivered. This helped us develop an authoring tool to structure lesson content for the prototype. A prototype has been developed using South African Sign Language videos arranged according to the structure of pre-existing lessons. The technical goal was to implement the prototype on a mobile device and tie the resulting exported lesson content from the authoring tool to a series of signed language videos and images so that a Deaf person can teach him/herself computer literacy skills. Results from the user testing found the prototype successful in allowing Deaf users to learn at their own pace thereby reducing the dependence on the teacher.
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Paper Nr: 95
Title:

A New Learning Platform using E-textbooks for Socially Networked Online Learners
Authors:

Masumi Hori, Seishi Ono, Kazutsuna Yamaji, Shinzo Kobayashi, Toshihiro Kita and Tsuneo Yamada
Abstract: Conventional learning management systems that focus on traditional classrooms do not fit many-participant online courses such as massive open online courses (MOOCs). A learning platform, Creative Higher Education with Learning Objects (CHiLO) based on e-textbooks aims to develop a flexible learning environment for large-scale online courses. CHiLO essentially has high portability in electronic publication 3.0 (EPUB3) format as well as a comprehensive open network learning system using various existing technologies and learning resources, including open educational resources on open network communities, such as social networking service. We produced a series of CHiLO Books called “Nihongo Starter A1” in cooperation with the Open University of Japan (OUJ) and the Japan Foundation, and delivered them as a learning course of OUJ MOOC in Japan MOOC. Our set of experimental outcomes shows that CHiLO using not Web services but e-textbooks is available for large-scale online courses. The result reveals a positive completion rate of 22% and active participants posting at 25%.
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Short Papers
Paper Nr: 105
Title:

Mobile Learning for the Teaching of Theoretical Concepts to Undergraduate Students
Authors:

Lorena Pérez-Hernández
Abstract: The present paper presents the objectives, justification, chronological organization, and expected results of a work-in-progress research project located at the University of La Rioja during the academic year 2014/2015. The main aim of the project is to implement the use of the educational mobile application Celly© in the teaching of theoretical linguistic concepts (i.e. conceptual metaphor) to undergraduates of English and Oenology Studies. The project exploits the use of this mobile application with an eye on extending the learning process beyond the physical and temporal limits of the traditional teaching sessions confined to a classroom. The use of the application is also expected to allow the teachers involved to maximize the practise of some of the central competences required from their students: collaboration with students of different degrees (English Studies vs. Oenology students), independent work, and a responsible use of technology, among others.
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Paper Nr: 48
Title:

BrailleApp - Educational Mobile Application to Assist in the Learning of Braille Language
Authors:

Raul Benites Paradeda, Ailton Francisco de Luna e Silva, Jones Granatyr and Alberto Signoretti
Abstract: Aiming to facilitate the learning process of the Braille System, we developed an educational application to assist people for learning this system. We developed the application initially in Portuguese, it was named as BrailleApp, and it was designed for mobile devices, which uses the Android Platform. All accessibility standards were implemented to make it as accessible as possible to all people, helping visually impaired people and not visually impaired in the learning process of this language. In this first version, the help to learning Braille is specifically to not blind people, although, with some difficulties, it is possible a blind person use the application. In future versions we hope to improve and facilitate the use of this application by blind people too. It is important to emphasize we do not intend to replace the conventional methods which assist in this task, but to be an application to complement the already existing techniques. In an empirical analysis, the results show that the application was positive in the sense of system requirements, functionalities, and accessibility. We expect BrailleApp will be another option to assist users in the teaching-learning process and contribute to the social integration of visually impaired with technologies.
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Paper Nr: 75
Title:

Dynamic Group Formation in Mobile Computer Supported Collaborative Learning Environment
Authors:

Sofiane Amara, Joaquim Macedo, Fatima Bendella and Alexandre Santos
Abstract: Forming suitable learning groups is one of the factors that determine the efficiency of collaborative learning activities. However, only a few studies were carried out to address this problem in the mobile learning environments. In this paper, we propose a new approach for an automatic, customized, and dynamic group formation in Mobile Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (MCSCL) contexts. The proposed solution is based on the combination of three types of grouping criteria: learner’s personal characteristics, learner’s behaviours, and context information. The instructors can freely select the type, the number, and the weight of grouping criteria, together with other settings such as the number, the size, and the type of learning groups (homogeneous or heterogeneous). Apart from a grouping mechanism, the proposed approach represents a flexible tool to control each learner, and to manage the learning processes from the beginning to the end of collaborative learning activities. In order to evaluate the quality of the implemented group formation algorithm, we compare its Average Intra-cluster Distance (AID) with the one of a random group formation method. The results show a higher effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in forming homogenous and heterogeneous groups compared to the random method.
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Paper Nr: 166
Title:

Ubiquitous Classroom Enhanced by a Cloud-based Server
Authors:

Rawia Bdiwi and Hichem Bargaoui
Abstract: The development of cloud computing technology, smart digital devices and ubiquitous computing systems, bring many new opportunities for the area of education. Indeed, smart classrooms support the use of these various technologies to enhance new ways of learning, teaching and assessment. This paper presents a novel architecture of a ubiquitous classroom enhanced by a cloud-based server. The designed smart classroom makes devices such as smart boards, projectors, printers, etc… connected through a gateway in order to encourage active interactions between learners and teachers. By considering the benefits of cloud computing in this field, we improved this model of classroom by implementing a cloud-based server that provides an efficient remote control of the classroom devices through this gateway. This system facilitates the access to learning data and educational applications for students using their smart devices. In this paper, we provided an overview of the enhanced ubiquitous classroom based on cloud, its characteristics and finally we reported some important scenarios offered by this model.
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Paper Nr: 187
Title:

Development of Electronic Textbook for Chemical Experiment - Taking Esterification as an Example
Authors:

Akira Ikuo, Yusuke Yoshinaga and Haruo Ogawa
Abstract: Developing policy of electronic textbook for chemical experiment of student’s laboratory at the university was decided which aimed at integration of observable level experiment and the molecular world. The developed textbook could display picture of apparatus and flow-chart of small-scale experiment in addition to CG teaching material. The CG teaching material in the textbook effectively demonstrates images of dynamical reaction mechanism. Students were able to conduct experiment smoothly and safely with the electronic textbook inserted in the Ziploc type plastic bag.
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Paper Nr: 190
Title:

Integrating E-Learning into the Course of English for Science Students - Creating a New Learning Environment in the Activity of Preparing for a Conference on Speciality
Authors:

Natalya Snytnikova
Abstract: The paper deals with the problem of creating some kind of a blended learning environment for the science students who learn to prepare for a scientific conference on speciality in English. The learning environment is supposed to be effective, supportive, and friendly. In order to get that we have endeavoured to integrate some features of e-learning in the course. The activity of preparation for the conference is described in some detail. The materials and tools employed are considered. Among them there are materials found on the web page APres created by the author. The web page has been developed to help the students to cope with the problem of preparation for and carrying out the conference. The language skills and e-learning skills are studied that are formed in the activity. The techniques and tools are described which allow our students to work productively both individually and in collaboration with other students. Both e-learning and traditional methods are involved in the course. Online communication in English is effectively exploited here to promote language learning. Several programme applications are utilized (Google Drive, Google Docs, Skype), which has proved to be useful for the process of preparation for the conference.
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