| 1. |
- Achilleos, Achilleas, et al.
(author)
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SciChallenge : A Social Media Aware Platform for Contest-Based STEM Education and Motivation of Young Students
- 2019
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In: IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies. - : IEEE. - 1939-1382. ; 12:1, s. 98-111
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Scientific and technological innovations have become increasingly important as we face the benefits and challenges of both globalization and a knowledge-based economy. Still, enrolment rates in STEM degrees are low in many European countries and consequently there is a lack of adequately educated workforce in industries. We believe that this can be mainly attributed to pedagogical issues, such as the lack of engaging hands-on activities utilized for science and math education in middle and high schools. In this paper, we report our work in the SciChallenge European project, which aims at increasing the interest of pre-university students in STEM disciplines, through its distinguishing feature, the systematic use of social media for providing and evaluation of the student-generated content. A social media-aware contest and platform were thus developed and tested in a pan-European contest that attracted >700 participants. The statistical analysis and results revealed that the platform and contest positively influenced participants STEM learning and motivation, while only the gender factor for the younger study group appeared to affect the outcomes (confidence level – p<.05).
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| 2. |
- Gil de la Iglesia, Didac, 1981-, et al.
(author)
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A Self-Adaptive Multi-Agent System Approach for Collaborative Mobile Learning
- 2015
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In: IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies. - : IEEE. - 1939-1382. ; 8:2, s. 158-172
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mobile technologies have emerged as facilitators in the learning process, extending traditional classroom activities. However, engineering mobile learning applications for outdoor usage poses severe challenges. The requirements of these applications are challenging, as many different aspects need to be catered, such as resource access and sharing, communication between peers, group management, activity flow, etc. Robustness is particularly important for learning scenarios to guarantee undisturbed and smooth user experiences, pushing the technological aspects in the background. Despite significant research in the field of mobile learning, very few efforts have focused on collaborative mobile learning requirements from a software engineering perspective. This paper focuses on aspects of the software architecture, aiming to address the challenges related to resource sharing in collaborative mobile learning activities. This includes elements such as autonomy for personal interactive learning, richness for large group collaborative learning (indoor and outdoor), as well as robustness of the learning system. Additionally, we present self-adaptation as a solution to mitigate risks of resource unavailability and organization failures that arise from environment and system dynamism. Our evaluation provides indications regarding the system correctness with respect to resource sharing and collaboration concerns, and offers qualitative evidence of self-adaptation benefits for collaborative mobile learning applications.
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| 3. |
- Gustavsson, Ingvar, et al.
(author)
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On objectives of instructional laboratories, individual assessment, and use of collaborative remote laboratories
- 2009
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In: IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies. - : IEEE. - 1939-1382. ; 2:4, s. 263-274
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Three key issues should be addressed to enable universities to deliver engineers who have a solid documented laboratory experience enabling them to design goods and services complying with the requirements of a sustainable society. First, introduce learning objectives of engineering instructional laboratories in courses including laboratory components. Second, implement individual student assessment. Third, introduce free access to online experimental resources as a supplement to the equipment in traditional laboratories. Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) in Sweden and the University of South Australia (UniSA) have created online laboratory workbenches for electrical experiments that mimic traditional ones by combining virtual and physical reality. Online workbenches not only supplement traditional ones, but they can also be used for low-cost individual assessment. BTH has started a project disseminating the BTH workbench concept, The Virtual Instrument Systems in Reality (VISIR) Open Laboratory Platform, and invites other universities to set up replicas and participate in further development and standardization. Further, online workbenches offer additional learning possibilities. UniSA has started a project where students located in different countries can perform experiments together as a way to enhance the participants' intercultural competence. This paper discusses online laboratory workbenches and their role in an engineering education appropriate for a sustainable society.
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| 4. |
- Höök, Kristina
(author)
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Knowing, Communicating and Experiencing through Body and Emotion
- 2008
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In: IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies. - : IEEE. - 1939-1382. ; 1, s. 248-259
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- With new technologies such as body sensors, tangible interaction, haptics, interactive cloth, or small computing devices such as mobiles, we can move interaction from the desktop out into the world and onto our bodies. Likewise, with the boom of computer games, domestic digital technology use, and social communication tools, we have to consider designing for non-instrumental goals, beyond task completion. This has been picked up by human-computer interaction researchers in the so-called third wave of HCI. We suggest that learning technologies could use some of the results from the third wave of HCI, placing body and emotion more centrally into the communication and construction of knowledge. Designing for bodily interaction, emotional communication or aesthetics is not trivial. In design work, a designer can only set the stage for certain experience to happen, but in the end, it is the user who co-constructs the experience with or through the interaction. Based on our experiences of designing for bodily and emotional communication, we will posit three postulates that might be helpful in designing for involving interaction: leaving dasiasurfacespsila open for users to appropriate, building for users to recognise themselves socially, emotional or bodily through the interface, and avoiding reductionism.
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| 5. |
- Laine, Teemu H., et al.
(author)
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Designing Engaging Games for Education : A Systematic Literature Review on Game Motivators and Design Principles
- 2020
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In: IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies. - : IEEE. - 1939-1382. ; 13:4, s. 804-821
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Effective educational interventions require sufficient learner engagement, which can be difficult to achieve if the learner is inadequately motivated. Games have been shown to possess powerful motivators that fuel a person's desire to engage in unattractive activities, such as learning theoretical material. However, to design an educational game that is capable of providing motivated engagement is a challenging task. Previous research has proposed various game motivators and game design principles to alleviate this, but a comprehensive synthesis has yet to appear. In this article, we conducted a systematic literature review that yielded two major contributions: 1) a taxonomy of 56 game motivators in 14 classes; and 2) a taxonomy of 54 educational game design principles in 13 classes, with linkages to the identified game motivators. As a minor contribution, we have also presented a classification of gamification-related terms and proposed different strategies for applying gamification. The results of this article are available for educational game designers and researchers to use as a practical toolkit for the creation and evaluation of motivating educational games that keep players engaged. Moreover, this article is the first step toward the creation of a unified gamification framework.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Nouri, Jalal, et al.
(author)
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Characterizing Learning Mediated by Mobile Technologies : A Cultural-Historical Activity Theoretical Analysis
- 2015
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In: IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies. - 1939-1382. ; 8:4, s. 357-366
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mobile technologies have not yet triggered the knowledge revolution in schools anticipated, in particular, by the telecommunications industry. On the contrary, mobile technologies remain extensively used outside the frontiers of formal education. The reasons for this are many and varied. In this paper, we concentrate on those associated with the prevalent methodological weakness in the study of innovative educational interventions with mobile technologies. In this context, the paper investigates the following question: what is the potential of second-generation cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) for characterizing learning activities mediated by mobile technologies? To this end, an empirical study was designed with the goal of examining five small groups of students (fifth grade, age 12) who were using mobile devices in authentic educational settings, within a natural science inquiry-based learning activity outdoors. Second-generation CHAT was operationalized as an analytical and dialectic methodological framework for understanding learning activities mediated by mobile devices. The study contributes a characterization of mobile learning and identification of constraints and transformations introduced by mobile technology into students’ tasks.
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| 8. |
- Pears, Arnold, Professor, 1964-
(author)
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From the Acting Editor-in-Chief
- 2022
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In: IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). - 1939-1382. ; 15:1, s. 1-1
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Presents the introductory editorial for this issue of the publication.
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| 9. |
- Sinclair, Jane, et al.
(author)
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A practice-oriented review of learning objects
- 2013
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In: IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies. - : IEEE. - 1939-1382. ; 6:2, s. 177-192
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Reusable learning objects support packaging of educational materials allowing their discovery and reuse. Open educational resources emphasize the need for open licensing and promote sharing and community involvement. For both teachers and learners, finding appropriate tried and tested resources on a topic of interest and being able to incorporate them within or alongside other learning materials can enrich provision and share best practice. Resources are made available by a number of general and subject-specific repositories, but there are also many educational resources residing outside these repositories which may provide useful additional materials. Potential users of materials need to be able to locate relevant material and to assess it with respect to a number of factors (such as suitability for purpose and license requirements). However, even such basic requirements can be less than straightforward to determine. This paper presents a view of the field from the user's perspective, bringing together themes from existing research relating to practice-oriented concerns including discoverability, reusability, and quality. It provides a background in this area, exploring current trends, controversies, and research findings. The discussion is also aligned with current provision and practice, indicating areas where further research, provision, and support would be useful.
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| 10. |
- Tawfik, Mohamed, et al.
(author)
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Virtual Instrument Systems in Reality (VISIR) for Remote Wiring and Measurement of Electronic Circuits on Breadboard
- 2013
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In: IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies. - : IEEE. - 1939-1382. ; 6:1, s. 60-72
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper reports on a state-of-the-art remote laboratory project called Virtual Instrument Systems in Reality (VISIR). VISIR allows wiring and measuring of electronic circuits remotely on a virtual workbench that replicates physical circuit breadboards. The wiring mechanism is developed by means of a relay switching matrix connected to a PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation (PXI) instrumentation platform. The entire equipment is controlled by LabVIEW server software, in addition to a measurement server software that protects the equipment from hazard connections by verifying input circuit designs, sent by students, before being executed. This paper addresses other approaches such as remote labs based on Data Acquisition Cards (DAQs), NetLab, and RemotElectLab, comparing them with VISIR in order to emphasize its singularity. Topics discussed are as follows: the technical description, software, operation cycle, features, and provided services. In addition, the feedback received by students at several universities and the encountered drawbacks along with the proposed solutions are highlighted. The paper finally addresses the ongoing and future challenges within the VISIR community including its integration with Learning Management Systems (LMSs) and iLab Shared Architecture (ISA), its new hardware version release that is based on LAN eXtensions for Instrumentation (LXI), and its new open platform version that supports federated access.
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