Identification of critical time‐consuming student support activities in e‐learning

Higher education staff involved in e‐learning often struggle with organising their student support activities. To a large extent this is due to the high workload involved with such activities. We distinguish support related to learning content, learning processes and student products. At two different educational institutions, surveys were conducted to identify the most critical support activities, using the Nominal Group Method. The results are discussed and brought to bear on the distinction between content‐related, process‐related and product‐related support activities

До історії становлення прогнозо-аналітичних досліджень науково-технологічного розвитку в Центрі досліджень науково-технічного потенціалу та історії науки ім. Г.М. Доброва НАН України

Висвітлено внесок Г.М.Доброва у становлення прогнозно-аналітичних досліджень перспектив розвитку науки і технологій в Україні та роботу, яка виконується в Центрі досліджень науково-технічного потенціалу та історії науки ім. Г.М.Доброва НАН України з такого прогнозування в сучасний період.Освещены вклад Г.М.Доброва в становление прогнозно-аналитических исследований перспектив развития науки и технологий в Украине и работа, выполненная в Центре исследований научно-технического потенциала и истории науки им.Г.М.Доброва НАН Украины по такому прогнозированию в современный период.The contribution by D.M.Dobrov in establishment of prognosticating and analytical studies of science and technologies in Ukraine is shown, along with relevant works performed in G.M.Dobrov Center for Science and Technology Potential and Science History Studies of the NAS of Ukraine in the current period

Matchmaking in Learning Networks: Bringing Learners Together for Knowledge Sharing

Kester, L., Van Rosmalen, P., Sloep, P., Brouns, F., Koné, M., & Koper, R. (2007). Matchmaking in Learning Networks: Bringing Learners Together for Knowledge Sharing. Interactive Learning Environments, 15(2), 117-126.In this article we describe a system that matches learners with complementary content expertise in reaction to a learner-request for knowledge sharing. It works through the formation of ad hoc, transient communities, that exist for a limited period of time and stimulate learners socially to interact. The matchmaking system consists of a request module, a population module and a community module, all supported by a database that contains learning content, learner information and output of the system. The request module allows the learner to type in a request, the time span in which an answer should be provided and the content it is related to. The population module selects suitable learners to populate the community by determining their content competence, sharing competence, eligibility and availability. MOODLE is used to host the community. A first experiment is briefly described that shows that content competence can be successfully determined using our method. Future experiments are discussed that aim at establishing the feasibility of the overall design

Question-answering – Connecting and Supporting the Learner

Van Rosmalen, P., Sloep, P., Brouns, F., Kester, L., Koné, M., & Koper, R. (2007). In F. Wild, M. Kalz, J. van Bruggen & R. Koper (Eds.). Proceedings of the First European Workshop on Latent Semantic Analysis in Technology-Enhanced Learning (pp. 1-2). March, 29-30, 2007, Heerlen, The Netherlands: Open University of the Netherlands.Tutors have only limited time to support the learning process. In this paper, we introduce a model that helps answering the questions of students. The model invokes the knowledge and skills of fellow students by bringing them together based on the combination of question posed and their study progress and supports them with text fragments selected from the material studied. We will explain how we used LSA to select and support these peers; examine the calibration of the LSA-parameters and conclude with a small practical simulation to show that the results of our model are fit for use in experiments with students.The work on this publication has been sponsored by the TENCompetence Integrated Project that is funded by the European Commission's 6th Framework Programme, priority IST/Technology Enhanced Learning. Contract 027087 [http://www.tencompetence.org

Ariel - Volume 9 Number 4

Executive Editor Emily Wofford Business Manager Fredric Jay Matlin University News John Patrick Welch World News George Robert Coar Editorials Editor Steve Levine Features Mark Rubin Brad Feldstein Sports Editor EIi Saleeby Circulation Victor Onufreiczuk Lee Wugofski Graphics and Art Steve Hulkower Commons Editor Brenda Peterso

Interface design for digital courses

The most important delivery medium in integrated e-learning is the computer interface. Instructional designers have greeted the opportunities of the networked multimedia computers with open arms. One problem often overseen in all the enthusiasm, however, is the lack of clear guidelines on what to put where on the screen and what the consequences of certain choices are on the learning processes of the student working with the computer. In this chapter we will present guidelines for the design of Graphical User Interfaces and for the presentation of multimedia content, that are firmly based on both the Human-Computer Interaction and the Educational Psychology literature and that are illustrated with cases from our own experiences at the Open University of the Netherlands

The effects of control versus autonomy in hypermedia learning environments

Gorissen, C. J. J., Kester, L., Brand-Gruwel, S., & Martens, R. L. (2010, 13-16 May). The effects of control versus autonomy in hypermedia learning environments. Poster presented at the 4th International Self-Determination Theory Conference, Ghent, Belgium: Kennisnet.This study concerns the effect of autonomy when studying learning material on students’ motivation, perceived mental effort and learning results, taken into account students’ prior domain knowledge, learning ability and attitude towards learning. The objective of this study is to find a balance between the implications, for the design of educational instruction, of Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) and Self Determination Theory (SDT) with regard to the amount of control that is optimal for learning.Kennisne

In Search of an Adequate Yet Affordable Tutor in Online Learning Networks

Sloep, P., van Rosmalen, P., Kester, L., Brouns, F. M. R., & Koper, E. J. R. (2006). In search of an adequate yet affordable tutor in online learning networks. In search of an adequate yet affordable tutor in online learning networks. Presentation at the 6th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies. July, 5-7, 2006, Kerkrade, The Netherlands