Evangelia Gouli

Personalizing Assessment in Adaptive Educational Hypermedia Systems

In this paper, we present a comprehensive framework for assessment, developed through the web-based module named PASS-Personalized ASSessment, which can be integrated in an Adaptive Educational Hypermedia System to provide personalized assessment. PASS estimates learners performance through multiple assessment options - pre-test, self-assessment and summative assessment - tailored to learners responses. The adaptive functionality of PASS, which is mainly based on the adaptive testing and the adaptive questions techniques, is described. The first results from the formative evaluation of PASS are encouraging, concerning the total number of questions posed to estimate learners knowledge level, which is usually less than the maximum needed and the accuracy of the outcome results compared to the estimations of the expert-tutor.

Adapting and personalizing the communication in a synchronous communication tool

In this paper, we present a synchronous text-based communication tool, referred to as Adaptive Communication Tool (ACT), which provides capabilities for adaptation and personalization. ACT supports both the free and the structured form of dialogue. The structured dialogue is implemented by two types of Scaffolding Sentence Templates (SST); i.e. sentence openers or communicative acts. The capability of adaptation is considered in the sense of making suggestions for the supported form of dialogue and SST type and providing the most meaningful and complete set of SST with respect to the learning outcomes addressed by the collaborative learning activity and the model of collaboration followed by the group members. Also, ACT enables learners to have control on the adaptation by selecting the form of dialogue and the SST type they prefer to use and enriching the provided SST set with their own ones in order to cover their communication needs. The results from the formative evaluation of the tool showed that (i) the proposed dialogue form, SST type and the provided set of SST cover students’ communication needs, (ii) the capability of personalizing the communication by selecting the desired communication means as well as by enriching the provided SST set satisfied students, and (iii) students used adequately both types of SST resulting into on-task and coherent dialogues.

Investigating Influences Among Individuals and Groups in a Collaborative Learning Setting

The research presented in this paper aims at investigating factors that reflect Individual to Group I-to-G and Group to Individual G-to-I influences in a collaborative learning setting. An empirical study is described, in which students worked on concept mapping tasks, individually and in groups. Analysing the individual and group concept maps, specific factors were identified that account for G-to-I and I-to-G influences reflecting peer interaction and impact on group and individual achievement during and after collaboration. Dependences were also identified between individual/group characteristics, such as knowledge and style, and individual/group progress. Finally, a discussion about how these factors may inform the learner and group models of the adaptive concept mapping environment COMPASS is given.

Collaboration as an Opportunity for Individual Development

In this paper we explore how specific individual and group characteristics may influence students’ contribution in a collaborative task as well as their progress after collaboration. An empirical study is described, where students worked on concept mapping tasks, individually and in groups. Assessing, analysing and comparing the individual and group concept maps constructed, specific influences were identified among them. Based on these data, dependences among individual and group characteritics such as knowledge and style, with individual progress were investigated. Finally, we discuss how factors that reflect individual and group characteristics before, during and after collaboration may inform the learner and group model of the adaptive concept mapping environment COMPASS.

How Personalization May Benefit the Learning Design Process with LAMS

This study combines research in the area of adaptive learning environments with the LMS area by analyzing the design process of personalized courses in Learning Activity Management System (LAMS). Postgraduate students used LAMS to design and personalize courses. The way personalization is introduced in the courses is analyzed based on the source of adaptation, the adaptation method, and the adaptability opportunities. The added value of this process for the authors–designers is explored by analyzing students’ artifacts based on criteria that match the various knowledge types proposed by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. Moreover, the appropriateness and adequacy of the available tools by which adaptation can be implemented in LAMS are evaluated. Results provide evidence about the potential of designing personalized lessons in cultivating various types of knowledge such as pedagogical and technological but also their combination, the technological pedagogical knowledge. This work also provided evidence about the potential of LAMS in supporting adaptivity and proposals about possible extensions of the environment.

e-ECLiP: A Web-Based Environment Supporting Exploratory and Collaborative Learning in Programming

ECLiP aims to establish a learning environment which supports students’ active involvement, contributes to the knowledge construction and the development of skills in programming through the elaboration of explorative and collaborative activities. In this work, we present the main principles of ECLiP, the three-step process for the design of activities and the e-ECLiP environment. The collaboration is supported either through synchronous or asynchronous communication means. The results from the experimental evaluation of e-ECLiP in the teaching of the loop construct to students of secondary education revealed that the proposed didactical approach and the context of the activities contributed positively in the comprehension of the loop construct and its application in solving simple problems. Also, the study revealed that the supported synchronous communication tool can support students’ collaboration and students appreciated the provided facilities.