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Subject: search.filters.subject.Instructional systems -- Design

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    A story environment for learning object annotation and collection : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Computer Science at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2005) Chen, Tianjiao
    With the increase in computer power, network bandwidth and availability, e-learning is used more and more widely. In practice e-learning can be applied in a variety of ways, such as providing electronic resources to support teaching and learning, developing computer based tutoring programs or building computer supported collaborative learning environments. Nowadays e-learning becomes significantly important because it can improve the quality of learning through using interactive computers, online communications and information systems in ways that other teaching methods cannot achieve. The important advantage of e-learning is that it offers learners a large amount of sharable and reusable learning resources. The current approaches such as Internet search and learning object repository does not effectively help users to search for appropriate learning objects. The original story concept introduces a new semantic layer between collections of learning objects and learning material. The basic idea of the story concept is to add an interpretative, semantically rich layer, informally called 'Story' between learning objects and learning material that links learning objects according to specific themes and subjects (Heinrich & Andres, 2003a). One motivation behind this approach is to put a more focused, semantic layer on top of untargeted metadata that are commonly used to describe a single learning object. Speaking from an e-learning context the stories build on learning objects and become information resources for learning material. The overall aim of this project was to design and build a story environment to realize the above story concept. The development of the story environment includes story metadata, story environment components, the story browsing and authoring processes, and tools involved in story browsing and authoring. The story concept suggests different types of metadata should be used in a story. This project developed those different metadata specifications to support story environment. Two prototypes of tools have been designed and implemented in this project to allow users to evaluate the story concept and story environment. The story browser helps story readers to read the story narrative and look at a story from different perspectives. The story authoring tool is used by the story authors to author a story. The future work of this project has been identified in the area of adding features of current tools, user testing and further implementation of the story environment.
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    Web-based asynchronous synchronous environment : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Information Science in Computer Science at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2002) Yang, Ang
    In the face of the coming of new information technology era of 21st century, web-based learning has become the major trend of future teaching and learning model. The web-based learning systems are created to simulate the real teaching-learning environment in the classroom using computer software and web-based tools. Learner can study web-based teaching materials according to their individual needs and instructional schedule. Although web-based learning has a lot of advantages over traditional face-to-face learning, the lack of the explanations and interpretation of teaching materials from human teacher in most existing web-based learning system is critical. This project proposed an innovative solution to the problem by combining the benefits of classroom learning in the web-based education. In this project, a prototype Web-based Asynchronous Synchronous Environment (WASE) is developed that not only combines the benefits of tools such as WebCT and AudioGraph, but also integrates lectures given by the human teacher within the system. WASE provides simultaneous low-bandwidth streaming of lecture video and presentation, while facilitating students with presentation annotation facilities, and peer discussion on particular issues related to the topic. The prototype system is built using a three-tier, client-server architecture. The client tier is a set of HTML frames embedded with RealPlayer running in the students' web browsers to provide course contents and navigation guide. The middle tier is an application server which consists of Java Sevlet, JSP engine, and application programs to receive the students' request and send the corresponding course contents and navigation guide information to the client side. The third tier is the relational database for storing the course structure and contents, and for recording the interaction between students and teachers. This project provides a solution where the off-campus students are able to enjoy the explanations and interpretation of course materials from human teacher just as normal on-campus students do in the traditional face-to-face learning environment, while still reaping the benefits of web-based learning.
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    Cognitive trait model for persistent and fine-tuned student modelling in adaptive virtual learning environments : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Information Science in Information Systems at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2003) Lin, Tai-Yu
    The increasing need for individualised instructional in both academic and corporate training environment encourages the emergence and popularity of adaptivity in virtual learning environments (VLEs). Adaptivity can be applied in VLEs as adaptivity content presentation, which generates the learning content adaptively to suit the particular learner's aptitude, and as adaptive navigational control, which dynamically modifies the structure of the virtual learning environment presented to the learner in order to prevent overloading the learner's cognitive load. Techniques for both adaptive content presentation and adaptive navigational control need to be integrated in a conceptual framework so their benefits can be synthesised to obtain a synergic result. Exploration space control (ESC) theory attempts to adjust the learning space, called exploration space, to allow the learners to reach an adequate amount of information that their cognitive load is not overloaded. Multiple presentation (MR) approach provides guidelines for the selection of multimedia objects for both the learning content presentation and as navigational links. ESC is further formalised by including the consideration of individual learner's cognitive traits, which are the cognitive characteristics and abilities the learner relevant in the process of learning. Cognitive traits selected in the formalisation include working memory capacity, inductive reasoning skill, associative learning skill, and information processing speed. The formalisation attempts to formulate a guideline on how the learning content and navigational space should be adjusted in order to support a learner with a particular set of cognitive traits. However, in order to support the provision of adaptivity, the learners and their activities in the VLEs need to be profiled; the profiling process is called student modelling. Student models nowadays can be categorised into state models, and process models. State models record learners' progress as states (e.g. learned, not learned), whereas a process model represents the learners in term of both the knowledge they learned in the domain, and the inference procedures they used for completing a process (task). State models and process models are both competence-based, and they do not provide the information of an individual's cognitive abilities required by the formalisation of exploration space control. A new approach of student modelling is required, and this approach is called cognitive trait model (CTM). The basis of CTM lies in the field of cognitive science. The process for the creation of CTM includes the following subtasks. The cognitive trait under inquiry is studied in order to find its indicative signs (e.g. sign A indicates high working memory capacity). The signs are called the manifests of the cognitive trait. Manifests are always in pairs, i.e. if manifest A indicates high working memory capacity, A's inverse, B, would indicates low working memory capacity. The manifests are then translated into implementation patterns which are observable patterns in the records of learner-system interaction. Implementation patterns are regarded as machine-recognisable manifests. The manifests are used to create nodes in a neural network like structure called individualised temperament network (ITN). Every node in the ITN has its weight that conditions and is conditioned by the overall result of the execution of ITN. The output of the ITN's execution is used to update the CTM. A formative evaluation was carried out for a prototype created in this work. The positive results of the evaluation show the educational potential of the CTM approach. The current CTM only cater for the working memory capacity, in the future research more cognitive traits will be studied and included into the CTM.