learning theories

Projects

MAVSEL: mining, data analysis and visualization based in social aspects of e-learning

06 February 2012

MAVSEL is a 3-year research project exploring new techniques and tools for mining and analyzing social data in learning technology, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (ref. TIN2010-21715-C02-01) and lead by Dr. Miguel-Angel Sicilia, Information Engineering Research Unit. It is a follow-up of a short 1-year project called MAPSEL.

Rationale and objectives

Learning usually takes place in social settings, with direct or indirect interaction of learners with peers or tutors. Indeed, the contribution of social interaction to learning has been recognized by diverse theories of learning, and it has become a fundamental component in several approaches to instructional design. Also, the design, creation and publishing of learning resources of various kinds can be considered as mediated by community dynamics, especially when considering the expanding model of open educational resources (OER). At the same time, the rise of e-learning for pure or blended on-line education and the increasing use of learning technologies and Web-based systems have resulted in a new landscape for research on education based on empirical data.

MAVSEL has the following concrete objectives:

  1. Elaborate a model that provides a framework for data analysis in educational settings, informed by theories and hypothesis about the contribution of social interaction to learning.
  2. Select, evaluate and compare different methodological and computational techniques that can be applied to the analysis and subsequent decision making informed by the theories identified and feasible with the available data specified.
  3. Developing and testing the methods and techniques identified, resulting in a software framework integrating the different aspects of educational data and theories addressed.
  4. Developing and testing an integrated data analysis workbench including all the off-line data analysis methods and the base metrics and indicators identified.
  5. Developing relevant case studies and pilot projects for the methods studied and the tools developed.
media, active learning, learning theories, e-learning
Articles

Formative Interfaces for Scaffolding Self-Regulated Learning in PLEs

04 July 2008
A Personal Learning Environment (PLE) is a software application (desktop or web-based) which allows students to organise learning resources and publish individual outcomes. Although PLEs are built for bottom-up personal use, they involve communication and increasingly social tools, promoting networked learning scenarios. Knowledge management, syndicating resources, trustworthiness and assessment on the assemblage of resources are actual research issues related to the improvement of PLEs.
Without a pedagogical value-add, PLEs cannot be viewed as educational tools, but perhaps advanced, user-friendly file management tools. Therefore, how can such a user-centric tool influence the study process so that meaningful and constructive activities are committed more often than rudimentary informal learning? In other words, how can self-regulation be scaffolded by a PLE? Based on research that points out the role of scaffolding in activating higher order learning competencies it is theorised in this paper that these competencies can be performed even by young users.

iClass is an integrated project which is partially funded by the 6th Framework Programme for Research and Technology Development of the European Commission. Although it started off to develop a user-centric intelligent tutoring platform, the educational vision of the project was updated during the third year and bringing support for self-regulated personalisation on mainstream virtual learning environments became the objective.

In this paper, formative features of the visual interface of the iClass Web-based RIA will be explained as signifiers of typical regulatory structures. Semiotic principles underlying each signification will be described and the role of visualisation in operant conditioning and empowerment will be discussed.
PLE, learning theories, Self-Evaluation, Visual Interfaces, connectivism, Informal learning, , design, scaffolding, iClass, RIA, Platform
Articles

E-learning and intercultural dimensions of learning theories and teaching models

29 February 2008
It will be argued in this article that developing intercultural awareness in students can be facilitated by e-learning environments. When choosing to address learning goals within an e-learning environment, authors and educators need to become aware of hidden dimensions in their pedagogical activity.
Cultural embeddedness applies to learning theories as much as teaching models. Reflecting on these dimensions and taking them into account in designing specific environments should result in facilitated intercultural learning and teaching.

In multicultural and multilingual societies, the implicit pedagogical assumptions of e-learning environments need to be made explicit. Two different cultural dimensions of educational practices are more specifically concerned: the pedagogical culture and the values, beliefs, attitudes, theories and models involved; and the digital culture and the emerging transformations related to knowledge and pedagogical modelling.

The development of intercultural abilities, already present in language education, can lead the way to an enhanced experience of learning and teaching. Students and teachers can be empowered as much as they develop a new culture of education, based on intercultural competences, critical thinking, awareness and self-regulated practices.

This article has been published earlier at: Digital Kompetanse | 3-2007 | vol. 2 | pages: 139–161
learning theories, , Practices