Gwo-Jen Hwang

A knowledge engineering approach to developing mindtools for context-aware ubiquitous learning

Recent developments in computing and mobile technologies have enabled the mobile and ubiquitous learning approach, which situates students in an environment that combines real-world and digital-world learning resources. Although such an approach seems to be innovative and interesting, several problems have been revealed when applying it to practical learning activities. One major problem is owing to the lack of proper learning strategies or tools that can guide or assist the students to learn in such a complex learning scenario. Students might feel excited or interested when using the mobile devices to learn in the real world; however, their learning achievements could be disappointing. To cope with this problem, in this study, a knowledge engineering approach is proposed to develop Mindtools for such innovative learning scenarios. Experimental results from a natural science course of an elementary school show that this innovative approach not only enhances learning motivation, but also improves the learning achievements of the students.

A two-tier test approach to developing location-aware mobile learning systems for natural science courses

The advancement of wireless and mobile technologies has enabled students to learn in an environment that combines learning resources from both the real world and the digital world. Although such an approach has been recognized as being innovative and important, several problems have been revealed in practical learning activities. One major problem is owing to the lack of proper learning strategies or tools for assisting the students to acquire knowledge in such a complex learning scenario. Students might feel excited or engaged when using the mobile devices to learn in the real context; nevertheless, their learning achievements could be disappointing. To deal with this problem, this study presents a mobile learning system that employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to detect and examine real-world learning behaviors of students. This study also utilizes each students responses from a two-tier test (i.e., multiple-choice questions in a two-level format) to provide personalized learning guidance (called two-tier test guiding, T^3G). The experimental results from a natural science course of an elementary school show that this innovative approach is able to improve the learning achievements of students as well as enhance their learning motivation.

Development of an adaptive learning system with two sources of personalization information

Previous research of adaptive learning mainly focused on improving student learning achievements based only on single-source of personalization information, such as learning style, cognitive style or learning achievement. In this paper, an innovative adaptive learning approach is proposed by basing upon two main sources of personalization information, that is, learning behavior and personal learning style. To determine the initial learning styles of the students, the [Keefe, J. W. (1987). Learning Styles: Theory and Practice. Reston, VA: National Association of Secondary School Principals.] questionnaire is employed in our approach. To more precisely reflect the learning behaviors of each student, the interactions and learning results of each student are analyzed when adjusting the subject materials. Based on the innovative approach, an adaptive learning system has been developed; moreover, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of our approach. By analyzing the results from three groups of students using different adaptive learning approaches, it can be found that the innovative approach is helpful in improving both the learning achievement and learning efficiency of individual students.

A concept map approach to developing collaborative Mindtools for context-aware ubiquitous learning

Recent advances in mobile and wireless communication technologies have enabled various new learning approaches which situate students in environments that combine real-world and digital-world learning resources; moreover, students are allowed to share knowledge or experiences with others during the learning process. Although such an approach seems to be promising and innovative, researchers have indicated several problems when applying it to practical applications, in particular, the lack of proper strategies or tools to assist the students to learn collaboratively in such a learning scenario with abundant content. Students might feel interested when using the mobile devices to learn; however, without proper assistance or guidance, their learning achievements are usually disappointing. To cope with this problem, this study proposes a concept map-oriented Mindtool for collaborative ubiquitous learning. Experimental results from a natural science course in an elementary school show that this approach not only enhances learning motivation but also improves the learning achievements of the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interactive concept map approach to supporting mobile learning activities for natural science courses

Mobile and wireless communication technologies not only enable anytime and anywhere learning, but also provide the opportunity to develop learning environments that combine real-world and digital-world resources. Nevertheless, researchers have indicated that, without effective tools for helping students organize their observations in the field, the mobile learning performance could be disappointing. To cope with this problem, this study proposes an interactive concept map-oriented approach for supporting mobile learning activities. An experiment has been conducted on an elementary school natural science course to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The experimental results show that the proposed approach not only enhances learning attitudes, but also improves the learning achievements of the students.

A conceptual map model for developing intelligent tutoring systems

With the recent rapid progress of computer technology, researchers have attempted to adopt artificial intelligence and use computer networks to develop computer-aided instruction systems. Meanwhile, researchers have also attempted to develop more effective programs to test and enhance the learning performance of students. However, conventional testing systems simply give students a score, and do not give them the opportunity to learn how to improve their learning performance. Students would benefit more if the test results could be analyzed and hence advice could be provided accordingly. This study proposes a conceptual map model, which provides learning suggestions by analyzing the subject materials and test results. A testing and diagnostic system is also implemented on computer networks based on the novel approach. Experimental results have demonstrated that the novel approach benefits students and deserves further investigation.

A key step to understanding paradigm shifts in e-learning: Towards context-aware ubiquitous learning

Introduction Electronic learning (e-learning) has become widely accepted in both entirely online learning environments and in blended learning contexts (Mayadas, Bourne & Bacsich, 2009). In a broad sense, e-learning is used to describe the way people use an electronic device (usually a computer) with learning technology (LT; Rushby & Seabrook, 2008) to develop new knowledge and skills individually or collaboratively. Mobile devices with LT, such as PDAs, smart phones and portable computers, constitute various forms of wireless environments that foster two-way, real-time communications among users, as well as between the user and their context, and can have many functions to promote mobile learning (m-learning; Rushby, 2005). Since the early 2000s, new forms of mobile technology containing additional sensor devices have been providing new directions for technology-assisted learning, and this has led to context-aware ubiquitous learning (u-learning; Hwang, Wu & Chen, 2007; Yang, 2006), which enables users to interact and learn with sensors and radio frequency identification (RFID) embedded objects in their surroundings (Curtin, Kauffman & Riggins, 2007). Context-aware ubiquitous technology is continuing to develop and spread, and its applications have begun to influence learning in various fields and disciplines (de Jong, Specht & Koper, 2008).

An online game approach for improving students' learning performance in web-based problem-solving activities

In this paper, an online game was developed in the form of a competitive board game for conducting web-based problem-solving activities. The participants of the game determined their move by throwing a dice. Each location of the game board corresponds to a gaming task, which could be a web-based information-searching question or a mini-game; the former was used to guide the participants to search for information to answer a series of questions related to the target learning issue, while the latter was used to provide supplementary materials during the gaming process. To evaluate the performance of the proposed approach, an experiment was conducted on an elementary school natural science course. The experimental results showed that the proposed approach not only significantly promoted the flow experience, learning attitudes, learning interest and technology acceptance degree of the students, but also improved their learning achievements in the web-based problem-solving activity.

A Delphi-based approach to developing expert systems with the cooperation of multiple experts

Abstract Knowledge acquisition has been a critical bottleneck in building knowledge-based systems. In past decades, several methods and systems have been proposed to cope with this problem. Most of these methods and systems were proposed to deal with the acquisition of domain knowledge from single expert. However, as multiple experts may have different experiences and knowledge on the same application domain, it is necessary to elicit and integrate knowledge from multiple experts in building an effective expert system. Moreover, the recent literature has depicted that “time” is an important parameter that might significantly affect the accuracy of inference results of an expert system; therefore, while discussing the elicitation of domain expertise from multiple experts, it becomes an challenging and important issue to take the “time” factor into consideration. To cope with these problems, in this study, we propose a Delphi-based approach to eliciting knowledge from multiple experts. An application on the diagnosis of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome has depicted the superiority of the novel approach.

Definition, framework and research issues of smart learning environments - a context-aware ubiquitous learning perspective

The rapid progress of mobile, wireless communication and sensing technologies has enabled the development of context-aware ubiquitous learning (u-learning) environments, which are able to detect the real-world learning status of students as well as the environmental contexts. Accordingly, appropriate information can be provided to individual students in the right place and at the right time. However, researchers have indicated that, to support students to learn in real-world contexts in smart ways, more factors need to be taken into account when designing and developing learning systems. In this paper, the definition and criteria of smart learning environments are presented from the perspective of context-aware ubiquitous learning. A framework is also presented to address the design and development considerations of smart learning environments to support both online and real-world learning activities. Moreover, some emerging technologies that might facilitate the development of smart learning environments as well as the features and criteria of smart learning are addressed. Finally, research issues related to smart learning are provided.