Danijel Radošević

Autogenerator: Generation and execution of programming code on demand

While generating program files that can be executed afterwards is widely established in Automatic programming, the generation of programming code and its execution on demand without creating program files is still a challenge. In the approach presented in this paper a generator entitled Autogenerator uses the ability of scripting languages to evaluate programming code from a variable. The main benefits of this approach lie in facilitating the application change during its execution on the one hand and in dependencies update on the other. Autogenerator can be useful in the development of a common Generative programming application for previewing the application before the generation of the final release. With the aim of examining specific facets of the autogeneration process, we also conducted performance tests. Finally, the presented model of Autogenerator is verified through the development of an application for the creation and handling of Universal Business Language documents.

Development of a Higher-Level Multimedia Scripting Language

The Higher-Level Multimedia Scripting Language (MSL) was created to obtain a very efficient man-machine interface using real time multimedia personalized presentations. Firstly, the trends of scripting languages and needs for this kind of man-machine communication were analyzed. Then, creation of the language through several steps is described: specification of the language, creation of its syntax and semantics, creation of an interpreter, and testing. The results showed that MSL code of a presentation was significantly simplified while the time of code creation and its presentation satisfies real-time needs. These features of the language were obtained applying the abstraction of some very general functions of multimedia presentation. The created MSL code could be run on different platforms like stand alone computers (Lingo scripting language) as well as Web based applications (XML language). Testing of the prototype system proved that the language could be an efficient part of the real time multimedia systems that generate personalized multimedia presentation according to the context, available multimedia data and profile of a user.

Gamification in E-Learning: Introducing Gamified Design Elements into E-Learning Systems

Gamification is the usage of game mechanics, dynamics, aesthetics and game thinking in non-game systems. Its main objective is to increase user’s motivation, experience and engagement. For the same reason, it has started to penetrate in e-learning systems. However, when using gamified design elements in e-learning, we must consider various types of learners. In the phases of analysis and design of such elements, the cooperation of education, technology, pedagogy, design and finance experts is required. This paper discusses the development phases of introducing gamification into e-learning systems, various gamification design elements and their suitability for usage in e-learning systems. Several gamified design elements are found suited for e-learning (including points, badges, trophies, customization, leader boards, levels, progress tracking, challenges, feedback, social engagement loops and the freedom to fail). Advices for the usage of each of those elements in e-learning systems are also provided in this study. Based on those advises and the identified phases of introducing gamification info e-learning systems, we conducted an experimental study to investigate the effectiveness of gamification of an informatics online course. Results showed that students enrolled in the gamified version of the online module achieved greater learning success. Positive results encourage us to investigate the gamification of online learning content for other topics and courses. We also encourage more research on the influence of specific gamified design elements on learner’s motivation and engagement.

Acceptance of verificator by information science students

Verificator is an educational tool for teaching introductory programming at the university level. This study integrates programming anxiety and computer self-efficacy into the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with an aim to examine the factors that affect the acceptance of Verificator by information science students. Data were collected using an online survey questionnaire while the hypothesized relationships in the research model were tested employing the variance-based Partial Least Squares (PLS) technique. Theoretical and practical implications as well as future research directions are presented and discussed.

Flexible length phrases in document classification

In this paper we investigate possibility of using phrases of flexible length in classification of textual documents as an extension to classic bag of words document representation where documents are represented using single words as index terms. The investigation is conducted on collection of articles from Vecernji list. It is shown that usage of flexible length phrases improves precision of automatic document classification and there are indications that such approach could be used for genre classification

A Systematic Literature Review on the Application of Ontologies in Automatic Programming

One of the main goals of the Software Engineering discipline is to find higher abstraction levels and ways to reuse software in order to increase its productivity and quality. Ontologies, which are typically considered as a technique or an artifact used in one or more software lifecycle phases, may be used to help achieve that goal. This paper provides a Systematic Literature Review on the existing approaches for applying ontologies in Automatic and Generative Programming. The paper aims to identify ontologies and software development tools and frameworks that use them as development artefacts for source code generation or product derivation. The review provides researches with the state-of-the-art and identifies challenges and gaps that require further research and development.

Introducing gamification into e-learning university courses

Research on educational e-courses that contain only a series of motivating elements of computer games but do not include playing computer games has intensified since 2010 [1] [6]. This field of research is called gamification and represents the use of game elements (mechanics, dynamics and aesthetics) in a field (education, marketing etc.) that is not a computer game. A review of literature related to the field of teaching with online courses in information technology (e.g. programming, software engineering) shows that the topic of gamification has so far been inadequately explored, with the lack of theoretical and empirical research that would involve gamification methodology. Previous studies have shown that gamification can have a positive impact on the pedagogical and psychological aspects of e-learning. In this paper empirical research is presented regarding the use of gamification in online teaching of programming. A gamified e-course was designed for the lectures in programming, and a possible positive effect was examined on the usage of learning materials in an experimental group of students who will use a gamified e-course (online system).

Research on Efficiency of Applying Gamified Design into University’s e-Courses: 3D Modeling and Programming

Research presented in this paper represents a further step towards proving the efficiency of gamification in higher education. Our research was conducted within two higher education institutions and includes full-time and part-time students who enrolled in the courses 3D modeling and Programming. Based on the research results, three hypotheses were tested. These hypotheses give a better insight into some psychological phenomes. The first hypotheses tested the level of knowledge in experimental and control groups for all students who achieved a minimum of 50% score in the pre-test. Our results confirmed the existence of statistically significant difference in the benefit of the experimental group. The other two hypotheses are spreading results even more. We analyzed 50% of the highest ranked and also 50% of the lowest ranked students’ score with the use of t-test. Based on our analysis of the average number of points on the post-test for participants with the lowest ranking we found no statistically significant difference. On the other hand, the same analysis for participants with the highest ranking shows, with statistically significant difference, that the experimental group achieved notably better score.

Common Metamodel of Component Diagram and Feature Diagram in Generative Programming

Component-based software engineering and generative programming are common approaches in software engineering. Each approach has some benefits and dom