Anastasios A. Economides

The design and evaluation of a computerized adaptive test on mobile devices

The use of computerized adaptive testing (CAT) has expanded rapidly over recent years mainly due to the advances in communication and information technology. Availability of advanced mobile technologies provides several benefits to e-learning by creating an additional channel of access with mobile devices such as PDAs and mobile phones. This paper describes the design issues that were considered for the development and the implementation of a CAT on mobile devices, the computerized adaptive test on mobile devices (CAT-MD). Throughout the development of the system, formative evaluation was an integral part of the design methodology. The recommendations, suggestions and the results of the formative evaluation were used to improve the system in order to make the assessment procedure more effective and efficient. These results of the formative evaluation are also presented here.

Students' thoughts about the importance and costs of their mobile devices' features and services

In recent years, handheld devices have become one of the fastest growing communication gadgets. Mobile technology is becoming widespread and research in this area is urgently needed. Using a survey instrument, the thoughts of male and female students regarding the importance and costs of mobile devices were investigated. It was found that students tend to consider the following features important: battery life, mp3 player, video camera, photo camera, storage memory, Bluetooth, design and elegance, clock, calendar, organizer and reminder. Also, they are eager to spend an amount of money so as their mobile device to support them. On average, both genders would pay extra money for such features. However, the majority of females think less of the price than males do. On the contrary, most of the respondents do not consider the following important: touch screen, voice commands, chat, teleconference, encryption and cryptography, common use of files, printing. Therefore, they would not spend any money for these features. Interested decision makers would try to increase their interest on such features. Moreover, all respondents appear to own a mobile phone while most of them do not have Internet connection at home. In general, some gender differences are found in the importance and costs of the mobile devices, but they are not statistically significant.

Multi-objective routing in integrated services networks: A game theory approach

The multiobjective routing problem in multiple-class integrated services networks is presented. A multiserver two-class queuing model is introduced, where packets from the first class can be queued, while packets from the other class are blocked when the number of packets in the system exceeds some threshold. Therefore, the first class wants to minimize its average packet delay, while the other class wants to minimize its blocking probability. The resulting multiobjective routing problem is formulated as a Nash game, where each class tries to minimize its own cost function in competition with the other class. The routing policy for a two-server parallel system is derived and the strategy and performance of each class are shown.<<ETX>>

A Decision Analysis Framework for Prioritizing a Portfolio of ICT Infrastructure Projects

The inadequacy of traditional quantitative cost-benefit analysis for evaluating information and communications technologies (ICT) infrastructure investments have led researchers to suggest real options (ROs) analysis for valuating ICT projects. However, ROs models are strictly quantitative and often, ICT investments may contain qualitative factors that cannot be quantified in monetary terms. In addition, ROs analysis results in some factors that can be treated more efficiently when taken qualitatively. This paper combines ROs and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) into a common decision analysis framework, providing an integrated multiobjective, multicriteria model called ROAHP for prioritizing a portfolio of interdependent ICT investments. The proposed model is applied to an ICT case study showing how it can be formulated and solved.

Adaptive context-aware pervasive and ubiquitous learning

In pervasive and ubiquitous learning, a learner should be able to freely perform an educational activity possibly cooperating and/or collaborating with others using multiple devices and networks as he moves in an environment. The educational activity should be able to be performed by various types of learners and to operate on various devices, networks and environments. Correspondingly, the devices and the networks should be able to support various types of learners and to operate various educational activities in any environment. In order to provide adaptive context-aware pervasive and ubiquitous learning, an adaptation engine senses the context and produces adapted educational activity and infrastructure. This paper defines the context to consist of the learner state, the educational activity state, the infrastructure state and the environment state. Furthermore, it comprehensively describes each one of the states.

Culture‐aware collaborative learning

Purpose – In a collaborative learning environment there will be many learners with diverse cultures. These learners should be supported to communicate and collaborate among themselves. The variety of the communication and collaboration tools and modes available to each learner would depend on his/her personal cultural background. The purpose of this paper is to suggest the adaptation of the collaborative learning environment to the learners cultural profile. So, first it aims to present learners models with respect to his/her cultural characteristics. It also aims to present the various communication and collaboration tools and modes that would be available to the learners. Then, each learner has at his/her disposal the appropriate communication and collaboration tools and modes according to his/her cultural characteristics.Design/methodology/approach – The cultural models of Trompenaars and Hampden‐Turner, as well Hofsted are modified relaxing the dualism of their dimensions. The modified models are us...

The effect of emotional feedback on behavioral intention to use computer based assessment

This study introduces emotional feedback as a construct in an acceptance model. It explores the effect of emotional feedback on behavioral intention to use Computer Based Assessment (CBA). A female Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) with empathetic encouragement behavior was displayed as emotional feedback. More specifically, this research aims at investigating the effect of Emotional Feedback on Behavioral Intention to Use a CBA system, Perceived Playfulness, Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, Content and Facilitating Conditions. An appropriate survey questionnaire was completed by 134 students. Results demonstrate that Emotional Feedback has a direct effect on Behavioral Intention to Use a CBA system and on other crucial determinants of Behavioral Intention. Finally, the proposed acceptance model for computer based assessment extended with the Emotional Feedback variable explains approximately 52% of the variance of Behavioral Intention.

Elearn: Towards a Collaborative Educational Virtual Environment

The evolving growth in networking and telecommunication technologies leads to their enhanced usage in many and different aspects of human activity. One of the technologies that shows great interest is Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs), which may be used in various applications, such as tele-education. This paper presents, analyzes and evaluates the basic elements of Elearn, a Collaborative Vi rtual Learning Environment (CVLE) that has been created for teaching electronic commerce. In Elearn, the virtual world, the web pages and the synchronous chat among the participants are integrated into the same environment. A user is represented as an avatar who can move, make gestures with its hands and head, bump into objects, pass through them, etc. A detailed list of navigation directions is provided in order to help the user to move freely into the environment. The possibility of many users to coexist in Elearn is also supported. Collaboration and cooperation are its two components that enhance the learning effectiveness. Collaboration is supported among students and teachers with the use of synchronous chat. The chat window appears on the screen along with the virtual world and the web pages, motivating the participants to use it. Asynchronous communication is also supported, via email and discussion board. The evaluation of a CVLE is an important and difficult task. Pedagogical issues, like conceptual learning, collaboration, constructivism and adaptability, should be taken under serious consideration. These parameters are crucial in achieving strong learning effectiveness. An evaluation table has been developed which includes all the important parameters concerning a CVLE. The evaluation is performed at four levels: 1) the pedagogical - psychological level, 2) the technical - functional level, 3) the organizational economical level, and 4) the social - cultural level. Elearn was used in an experiment supplementing traditional teaching. The students’ participation was satisfactory, since they demonstrated great interest in exploring Elearn and using the synchronous chat capability. The basic pedagogical issues, like constructivism and collaboration, were fulfilled, but greater effort is needed towards the development of the lessons’ content and exams. Students and teachers communicated via synchronous chat and email, as well as using the teacher’s bot (an avatar that inhabits the virtual world and interacts with users). A lot of time was invested in developing and managing Elearn. Despite all the difficulties, we believe that the new methods of teaching, using CVLEs and innovative pedagogical approaches, enhance the traditional teaching methods and improve the student participation.

Continuance acceptance of computer based assessment through the integration of user's expectations and perceptions

The Information Systems (IS) community has put considerable effort on identifying constructs that may explain the initial/continuance use of computer based learning or assessment systems. This study is a further step toward IS continuance acceptance delivered in Computer Based Assessment (CBA) context. Specifically, it aims at the exploration of continuance acceptance in CBA context and the development of a new approach for continuance use. This approach is applied by measuring users expectations before the interaction with the system and users perceptions after the interaction. The sign (?) and the intensity of the difference between pre and post measures is actually the strength that drives users to continuance intention to use. Through these measurements it is possible to estimate students level of confirmation for each essential determinant of CBA continuance acceptance. Results underline Confirmed Ease of Use and Confirmed Playfulness as the direct determinants of continuance acceptance. Through Confirmed Playfulness important determinants, such as Confirmed Usefulness and Confirmed Content influence Continuance Behavioral Intention. Confirmed Facilitating Conditions and Confirmed Goal determine Confirmed Ease of Use and Confirmed Usefulness respectively. Important implications of these results are discussed. Highlights? A new approach is proposed for continuance use in Computer Based Assessment (CBA). ? The difference between pre and post measures used to explain continuance intention. ? Pre and post measures estimate students level of confirmation for each determinant. ? Confirmed Ease of Use and Confirmed Playfulness define CBAs continuance acceptance.

How student's personality traits affect Computer Based Assessment Acceptance: Integrating BFI with CBAAM

Researchers in the Information Systems (IS) field have put considerable effort on identifying how personality affects technology acceptance. This study is a further step towards this direction within the context of Computer Based Assessment (CBA). Particularly, it investigates how the five personality factors affect the most important variables regarding CBAs acceptance. For this purpose, 117 participants were required to complete a survey questionnaire. The questionnaire included the Big Five Inventory (BFI) questions in order to measure the five personality traits, and 23 items regarding students perceptions. Partial Least Squares (PLS) was used to test the measurement and the structural model. Results underline that Neuroticism has significant negative effect on Perceived Usefulness and on Goal Expectancy, Agreeableness determines Social Influence and Perceived Ease of Use, Conscientiousness defines Perceived Ease of Use, while Extroversion and Openness explain Perceived Importance. Important implications of these results are discussed.