Jui-Feng Weng

Learning portfolio analysis and mining in SCORM compliant environment

With vigorous development of the Internet, e-learning system has become more and more popular. Sharable content object reference model (SCORM) 1.3 provides the sequencing and navigation to define the course sequencing behavior, control the sequencing, select and deliver of course, and organize the content into a hierarchical structure, namely activity tree. Therefore, how to provide customized course according to individual learning characteristics and capability, and how to create, represent and maintain the activity tree with appropriate associated sequencing definition for different learners become two important issues. However, it is almost impossible to design personalized learning activities trees for each learner manually. The information of learning behavior, called learning portfolio, can help teacher understand the reason why a learner got high or low grade. Thus, in this paper, we propose a learning portfolio mining (LPM) Approach including four phase: 1) user model definition phase: define the learner profile based upon pedagogical theory. 2) Learning pattern extraction phase: apply sequential pattern mining technique to extract the maximal frequent learning patterns from the learning sequence, transform original learning sequence into a bit vector, and then use distance based clustering approach to group learners with good learning performance into several clusters. 3) Decision tree construction phase: use two third of the learner profiles with corresponding cluster labels as training data to create a decision tree, and the remaining are the testing data. 4) Activity tree generation phase: use each created cluster including several learning patterns as sequencing rules to generate personalized activity tree with associated sequencing rules of SN. Finally, for evaluating our proposed approach of learning portfolio analysis, several experiments have been done and the results show that generated personalized activity trees with sequencing rules are workable for learners.

A rule-based CBR approach for expert finding and problem diagnosis

It is important to find the person with right expertise and the appropriate solutions in the specific field to solve a critical situation in a large complex system such as an enterprise level application. In this paper, we apply the experts knowledge to construct a solution retrieval system for expert finding and problem diagnosis. Firstly, we aim to utilize the experts problem diagnosis knowledge which can identify the error type of problem to suggest the corresponding expert and retrieve the solution for specific error type. Therefore, how to find an efficient way to use domain knowledge and the corresponding experts has become an important issue. To transform experts knowledge into the knowledge base of a solution retrieval system, the idea of developing a solution retrieval system based on hybrid approach using RBR (rule-based reasoning) and CBR (case-based reasoning), RCBR (rule-based CBR), is proposed in this research. Furthermore, we incorporate domain expertise into our methodology with role-based access control model to suggest appropriate expert for problem solving, and build a prototype system with expert finding and problem diagnosis for the complex system. The experimental results show that RCBR (rule-based CBR) can improve accuracy of retrieval cases and reduce retrieval time prominently.

Constructing SCORM compliant course based on High-Level Petri Nets

With rapid development of the Internet, e-learning system has become more and more popular. Currently, to solve the issue of sharing and reusing of teaching materials in different e-learning system, Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) is the most popular standard among existing international standards. In SCORM standard, the Sequencing and Navigation (SN) defines the course sequencing behavior, which controls the sequencing, selecting and delivering of a course, and organizes the content into a hierarchical structure, namely Activity Tree (AT). However, the structures with complicated sequencing rules of Activity Tree (AT) in SCORM make the design and creation of course sequences hard. Therefore, how to provide a user-friendly authoring tool to efficiently construct SCORM compliant course becomes an important issue. However, before developing the authoring tool, how to provide a systematic approach to analyze the sequencing rules and to transform the created course into SCORM compliant are our concerns. Therefore, in this paper, based upon the concept of Object Oriented Methodology (OOM), we propose a systematic approach, called Object Oriented Course Modeling (OOCM), to construct the SCORM compliant course. High-Level Petri Nets (HLPN), which is a powerful language for system modeling and validation, are applied to model the basic sequencing components, called Object-Oriented Activity Tree (OOAT), for constructing the SCORM course with complex sequencing behaviors. Every OOAT as a middleware represents a specific sequencing behavior in learning activity and corresponding structure with associated sequencing rules of AT in SCORM. Thus, these OOATs can be efficiently used to model and construct the course with complex sequencing behaviors for different learning guidance. Moreover, two algorithms, called PN2AT and AT2CP, are also proposed to transform HLPN modeled by OOATs into a tree-like structure with related sequencing rules in Activity Tree (AT) and package the AT and related physical learning resources into a SCORM compliant course file described by XML language, respectively. Finally, based upon the OOCM scheme, a prototypical authoring tool with graphical user interface (GUI) is developed. For evaluating the efficiency of the OOCM approach compared with existing authoring tools, an experiment has been done. The experimental results show that the OOCM approach is workable and beneficial for teachers/instructional designers.

A new approach for constructing the concept map

For achieving the adaptive learning, a predefined concept map of a course is often used to provide adaptive learning guidance for learners. However, it is difficult and time consuming to create the concept map of a course. Thus, how to automatically create a concept map of a course becomes an interesting issue. In this paper, we propose a two-phase concept map construction (TPCMC) approach to automatically construct the concept map by learners historical testing records. Phase 1 is used to preprocess the testing records. We apply fuzzy set theory to transform the numeric testing records of learners into symbolic, apply education theory (item analysis for norm-referencing) to further refine it, and apply data mining approach to find its grade fuzzy association rules. Then, in Phase 2, based upon our observation in real learning situation, we use multiple rule types to further analyze the mined rules and then propose a heuristic algorithm to automatically construct the concept map. Finally, the redundancy and circularity of the concept map constructed are also evaluated.

An object based authoring tool for creating SCORM compliant course

In this paper, based upon the concept of object oriented methodology (OOM), the complicated sequencing rules can be modularized into several basic components with corresponding sequencing rules in SN, called sequencing object (SO). Each SO is like a middleware, which represents a basic sequencing building block as a cluster in activity tree (AT) with some corresponding sequencing rules on the SCORM view and represents a basic sequencing graph on the users view. By appropriately combining these SOs, users can easily construct a complex structure of course with desired learning guidance. Then, a transformation algorithm is also proposed to firstly transform the created graph based course structure into activity tree (AT) with related sequencing rules, and then package the transformed activity tree and related physical learning resources into a SCORM compliant course file. Moreover, the authoring tool can be easily upgraded by importing a new SO instead of redesigning the tool only for new SCORM version. Finally, a SCORM compliant course built by the object based authoring tool is executed on the SCORM RTE system. The results show that our approach is workable and efficient.

A Novel Approach to Automatic Test Case Generation for Web Applications

As the quantity and breadth of Web-based software systems continue to grow rapidly, it is becoming critical to assure the quality and reliability of a Web application. Web application testing is a challenging work owing to its dynamic behaviors and complex dependencies. Test case generation, in general, is costly and labor-intensive processes. How to automatically generate effective test case is important for Web applications testing. In this paper, we propose the two-phase approach to generate test cases automatically by analyzing structure of the Web application. We define the dependence relationships, data dependence and control dependence, in the Web application and detect the relationships from source code and improve the way of test case generation with analysis result. The experimental result show that our approach can reduce test case set in test case generation processes.

Automatic content generation for anti-phishing education game

Low motivation is the first barrier when educating end-users about anti-phishing. Game-based learning utilizing interactive activities and interesting multimedia is a suitable solution for motivating end-users. To satisfy pedagogical needs, it is important to generate numerous game contents full of variety. However, it is costly and time consuming to generate new phishing page. Due to the complexity of combining different phishing attack technique with various deceiving scenario, the phishing pages modeling issue arises when automatically generate content of anti-phishing education game. In this paper, we propose the phishing attack frame hierarchy to describe stereotype features of phishing attack techniques. The inheritance and instantiation properties of the frame model allow us extend the original phishing pages to increase game contents. To evaluate the effectiveness of proposed frame hierarchy, we have developed an anti-phishing education game. The evaluation results show that most of lecturers and experts satisfy with our proposed system.

Interactive Storytelling for Elementary School Nature Science Education

With the impacts of global warming, water and soil conservation education becomes an important learning topic for elementary school students in Nature Science course. However, students in traditional Nature Science learning are usually passive and lack the sense of participation. To provide an effective and interesting learning activity for water and soil conservation education, the interactive storytelling game using Scratch digital multimedia editing tool is proposed. Based on the constructivism, storytelling through an animation or simple interactive game allows students actively participate the learning and engage students in the learning activity. However, learning by storytelling usually requires the teacher to assess every student¡¦s learning activities individually. It is costly and time consuming. To solve the issue, a scenario table is proposed to assist the assessment of the students¡¦ cognition and causal link in storytelling. With the design of the scenario table, students¡¦ thinking logic can be structurally logged and the teacher can then easily diagnose students¡¦ misconception and provide remedial learning. The experiment evaluation was conducted to 127 fifth grade students. The experimental results show that students have high learning satisfaction in the interactive storytelling learning activity. The results also show the improvement of students reasoning capabilities with the assistance of scenario table and Scratch tool.

Adaptively Learning and Assessing SPSS Operating Skills Using Online SPSS Simulator

Online questionnaire is an emerging method for social science researchers to perform their survey. Although there are many data analysis software tools nowadays, such as SPSS, SAS, and Excel etc., to assist the students in analyzing the data of their surveys. However, the intentions of users for using the software tools cannot be probed and utilized to help the users operating them, so it will cause many errors on the students’ analysis results due to the misusage of software and result in that learning how to use the data analysis software tools based upon the students’ intentions becomes very time-consuming. Moreover, because the software operating procedures of the students are not recorded, the teachers cannot find out the students’ misconceptions. In this paper, we acquire the knowledge of using SPSS software and then apply the Simulator Generator concept proposed in previous research to build an online web-based SPSS software simulator for the students to emulate the operating process of SPSS software. Based upon the acquired frequent patterns of misuse, the teacher can design action routines embedded in the simulator to instantly detect the frequent error action patterns and help the students to rectify their misconceptions. Moreover, the teacher can trace and analyze the students’ learning statuses according to the logs generated from online SPSS Simulator. Using Simulator Generator, writing grammar rules is essential, but it is not easy for teachers. The knowledge of using SPSS software are largely identical but with minor differences. Thus, an SPSS Functional Ontology is proposed according to the features of SPSS software and the corresponding grammar rules are constructed in this research. Teachers just need to do some minor adjustments on the differences and the action routines, and then the new simulator will be generated automatically.

Wiki-based Design of Scientific Inquiry Assessment by Game-Based Scratch Programming

In the training of scientific literacy, the game-based platform which can dynamically reflect and interact with students’ behaviors has been applied to support the scientific inquiry assessment in recent years. Since the design of game scenarios for scientific inquiry assessment usually needs multidisciplinary domain knowledge, the wiki-based platform is applied to support collaborative designing. However, there are scenario linkage issues for designs in consecutive game layers and multidisciplinary convergence issue for multidisciplinary game logic designs. To solve the first issue, the wiki-based prototyping scheme is proposed to manage the linkage using framework design. For the second issue, the multidisciplinary Delphi method is proposed to select the desired game logic by questionnaire approach. To support the multidisciplinary consensus, the multidisciplinary indicators are proposed to reveal the experts’ certainty degree in different point of views. The scheme has been applied to designing several scientific inquiry subjects in the Physics domain. The results show that the proposed scheme is efficient and effective.