Han-Bin Chang

A cognition assessment authoring system for e-learning

With the rapidly development of distance learning and the XML (Extensible Markup Language) technology, metadata becomes an important item in an e-learning system. Today, many distance learning standards such as SCORM, AICC CMI, IEEE LTSC learning object meta-data (LOM), and IMS learning resource metadata XML binding specification, use metadata to tag learning materials, shareable content objects, and learning resources. However, most metadata is used to define learning materials and test problems. Few metadata is dedicated for assessment in learning. We propose an assessment metadata model for e-learning operations. With the support from the assessment metadata, we can collect information at the question cognition level, item difficulty index, item discrimination index, questionnaire style, and question style. The assessment analysis model provides individual questions, summary of test results, and analytical suggestions. The suggestions and results can tell teachers why a question is not suitable and how to correct it. Teachers can see the analysis of test result and fix problematic questions. With the cognition level analysis, teachers can avoid missing items in teaching. The mechanism developed also suggests an e-learning system, with adaptive learning content and individualized tests, as well as good advice for the teachers.

An object-based hypervideo authoring system

Hypervideo is a new way for viewing films, just like hypertext on the WWW. In the literature, many standards and technologies have been developed for hypertext. However, present video processing methods cannot provide a proper solution for hyperlinks in video. We propose an object-based hypervideo authoring system. Video objects can be described by semantic annotation and multistory movies can be produced. The system offers a manual object-based interface for the film producer to select meaningful video objects and annotate them. It also has a video construction function to facilitate the audiences viewing of the annotation of interesting objects in a scene or selection of a particular viewing path. It is very useful to show the annotation of a particular object that the film producer wants to highlight in educational videos or commercials. A hypervideo player is also developed to play the video file made by the authoring system.

An Interactive Video Course Platform with Authoring and Playback Systems

Interactive video was developed to enable different video experiences to users. By using the technology, video materials can be augmented to attract students. An interactive video course platform integrated with authoring and playback systems is proposed in this paper. Content providers can produce interactive video courses by using the interactive video authoring tool. Video files will be cut into several smaller segments called scenes as the basic unit in a video course. Interactive objects and multimedia resources can also be inserted to video courses to enhance variety. Users can play interactive video via the proposed playback platform. Interactions, messages and other multimedia objects will be displayed in scenes when users browse video courses. The integrated system was used in class room and received positive feedbacks. Interested readers are welcome to visit our demonstrations at http://member.mine.tku.edu.tw/www/ham/IVEL.wmv.

An intelligent travel note management application using agent technologies

Many people love traveling for entertainment nowadays. In a journey, visitors often produce digital multimedia resources by capturing images, audios and videos. With digital devices like cameras, travel notes are not limited to texts, multimedia resources are also used for decorating records in a journey. In this paper, an intelligent travel note application is proposed to save time for creating travel notes. Visitors can use handheld mobile devices like PDA to capture photos or videos and collect related resources from internet by an agent. With the GPS functionalities provide by mobile devices, precise location coordinates can be obtained for further analysis and search. Visitors can focus on activities and sightseeing in a journey without dealing with complicated operations of creating travel notes. The intelligent travel note management application is designed for helping visitors to easily record and share wonderful experience in a journey via internet.

Using Interactive Video Technology for the Development of Game-Based Learning

Interactive video technologies are developed for providing interactions for users to get better interactivity in watching TV programs. Since receiving TV programs is a common affair for general users, many systems with interactive TV technologies are implemented for educational or commercial purposes. Learning by playing game is a hot topic in current distance learning systems. Most of game-based learning systems designed by computer programmers and domain experts. Generating interactive game courses is hard for content providers since they are not computer experts. The interactive game authoring tool proposed in this paper provides a friendly interface to help the users to create their educational games easily. The students will be attracted in such learning platform with entertaining elements.

Hyper-Interactive video browsing by a remote controller and hand gestures

Interactive video browsing tools are designed for e-learning applications on future interactive TVs. The integrated system includes an authoring tool that produces multi-paths videos and a playback tool that uses video tracking technology and a remote controller. The playback tool enables multi-modal interaction between the user and a multi-story video clip. Three types of hyper-interactive controls are incorporated, which include a reference link of a video object to show supplementary information on the Web, a hyper link to enable hyper-video jumps, and a choice link for online answers to pre-designed questions. The underlying video is coded using the standard MPEG technology, with navigation information hidden in the user-defined data of MPEG. Thus, the default sequence of a hypervideo can also be presented using an ordinary video player.

Multistory annotation system: a novel application of distance learning

For effectively browsing and navigation, the semantic annotation is essential for the visual content of movies. It is very important to show the particular object that the movie producer wants to highlight in educational videos or commercials. We propose an interactive and structure-based video annotation system, in which we can describe the video object and make multistory movies. The system provides a manual object-based interface for film producers to select the meaningful object and annotate it. We also provide a video story constructing function to interact with the audience.