nan Kinshuk

In-Depth Analysis of the Felder-Silverman Learning Style Dimensions

Abstract Learning styles are increasingly being incorporated into technology-enhanced learning. Appropriately, a great deal of recent research work is occurring in this area. As more information and details about learning styles becomes available, learning styles can be better accommodated and integrated into all aspects of educational technology. The aim of this paper is to analyse data about learning styles with respect to the Felder-Silverman learning style model (FSLSM) in order to provide a more detailed description of learning style dimensions. The analyses show the most representative characteristics of each learning style dimension as well as how representative these characteristics are. As a result, we provide additional information about the learning style dimensions of FSLSM. This information is especially important when learning styles are incorporated in technology-enhanced learning.

Identifying Learning Styles in Learning Management Systems by Using Indications from Students' Behaviour

Making students aware of their learning styles and presenting them with learning material that incorporates their individual learning styles has potential to make learning easier for students and increase their learning progress. This paper proposes an automatic approach for identifying learning styles with respect to the Felder-Silverman learning style model by inferring their learning styles from their behaviour during they are learning in an online course. The approach was developed for learning management systems, which are commonly used in e-learning. In order to evaluate the proposed approach, a study with 127 students was performed, comparing the results of the automatic approach with those of a learning style questionnaire. The evaluation yielded good results and demonstrated that the proposed approach is suitable for identifying learning styles. By using the proposed approach, studentspsila learning styles can be identified automatically and be used for supporting students by considering their individual learning styles.

A model for synchronous learning using the Internet

Improvements in technology and the increasing bandwidth of Internet access have led to an increasing popularity for synchronous solutions for instruction. Not only do they provide savings in terms of time and cost, in many situations they can also outperform both asynchronous online instruction and traditional face‐to‐face education. However, until now, the lack of a pedagogical framework for synchronous instruction has limited the effective use of this medium. This paper describes an online synchronous learning model that aims to provide guidelines for teachers and students to conduct synchronous instruction. The model provides a broad range of scenarios to suit individual requirements and covers both synchronous lecturing and ‘office‐hours’ modes.

A fully personalization strategy of E-learning scenarios

The personalization in E-learning systems has been the subject of many recent research efforts. While a large number of systems have been implemented, many of these systems allow the application of very few if not just one predefined personalization strategy. This is a constraint for providing effective E-learning experience and for rationalizing the personalization needs of the pedagogues, the professors and the learners. In this paper, we propose a new approach for personalization of learning scenarios based on two levels: The first level allows the personalization of learning scenarios according to a predefined personalization strategy. The second level allows teachers to select personalization parameters and combine them flexibly to define different personalization strategies according to the specifics of courses. The proposed solution is a step to federate the research efforts on the E-learning personalization by integrating and combining the personalization parameters. Concerning the technological aspect, Web service technology constitutes an operational solution for implementing our approach and for the interoperability with other E-learning personalization systems. Beside the implementation of an interoperable solution, we also aim to enable teachers to provide proper personalized learning scenarios.

Learning styles and cognitive traits - Their relationship and its benefits in web-based educational systems

Different learners have different needs; they differ, for example, in their learning goals, their prior knowledge, their learning styles, and their cognitive abilities. Adaptive web-based educational systems aim to cater individual learners by customizing courses to suit their needs. In this paper, we investigate the benefits of incorporating learning styles and cognitive traits in web-based educational systems. Adaptivity aspects based on cognitive traits and learning styles enrich each other, enabling systems to provide learners with courses which fit their needs more accurately. Furthermore, consideration of learning styles and cognitive traits can contribute to more accurate student modelling. In this paper, the relationship between learning styles, in particular the Felder-Silverman learning style model (FSLSM), and working memory capacity, a cognitive trait, is investigated. For adaptive educational systems that consider either only learning styles or only cognitive traits, the additional information can be used to provide more holistic adaptivity. For systems that already incorporate both learning styles and cognitive traits, the relationship can be used to improve the detection process of both by including the additional information of learning style into the detection process of cognitive traits and vice versa. This leads to a more reliable student model.

Mining e-Learning domain concept map from academic articles

Recent researches have demonstrated the importance of concept map and its versatile applications especially in e-Learning. For example, while designing adaptive learning materials, designers need to refer to the concept map of a subject domain. Moreover, concept maps can show the whole picture and core knowledge about a subject domain. Research from literature also suggests that graphical representation of domain knowledge can reduce the problems of information overload and learning disorientation for learners. However, construction of concept maps typically relied upon domain experts in the past; it is a time consuming and high cost task. Concept maps creation for emerging new domains such as e-Learning is even more challenging due to its ongoing development nature. The aim of this paper is to construct e-Learning domain concept maps from academic articles. We adopt some relevant journal articles and conference papers in e-Learning domain as data sources, and apply text-mining techniques to automatically construct concept maps for e-Learning domain. The constructed concept maps can provide a useful reference for researchers, who are new to the e-Leaning field, to study related issues, for teachers to design adaptive learning materials, and for learners to understand the whole picture of e-Learning domain knowledge.

An Approach for Detecting Learning Styles in Learning Management Systems

Detecting the needs of learners is a challenging but essential task to be able to provide adaptivity. In this paper we present a tool that enables learning management systems (LMS) to detect learning styles based on the behavior of learners during an online course. By calculating the learning styles and filling the student model of LMS with such personal data, a basis for adaptivity is provided.

Learning and Instruction in the Digital Age

Instruction tailored to the individual student, learning and teaching outside the limits of time and spaceideas that were once considered science fiction are now educational reality, with the prospect of an intelligent Web 3.0 not far distant. Alongside these innovations exists an emerging set of critical-thinking challenges, as Internet users create content and learners (and teachers) take increased responsibility in their work. Learning and Instruction in the Digital Age nimbly balances the technological and pedagogical aspects of these rapid changes, gathering papers from noted researchers on a wealth of topics relating to cognitive approaches to learning and teaching, mental models, online learning, communications, and innovative educational technologies, among them: Cognition and student-centered, Web-based learning, The progression of mental models throughout a course of instruction, Experiencing education with 3D virtual worlds, Expanding educational boundaries through multi-school collaboration, Adapting e-learning to different learning styles, The student blog as reflective diary. With its blend of timely ideas and forward thinking, Learning and Instruction in the Digital Age will enrich the work of researchers in educational psychology, educational technology, and cognitive science.

Analysing users’ satisfaction with e‐learning using a negative critical incidents approach

One critical success factor for e‐learning is learners’ satisfaction with it. This is affected by both positive and negative experiences in a learning process. This paper examines the impact of such critical incidents on learners’ satisfaction in e‐learning. In particular, frequent occurrence of negative critical incidents has significant potential of negatively affecting satisfaction. The focus of this paper is on assessing satisfaction with e‐learning from a ‘negative critical incidents’ perspective. The paper describes a satisfaction assessment model, called SAFE. The results of an empirical study at the National Sun Yat‐sen Cyber‐University are used to evaluate and validate the SAFE model. Based on the results, the critical incidents that affect e‐learning satisfaction are classified into four categories: administration, functionality, instruction and interaction. Of these, interaction and instruction are found to be the most important factors.

A blended synchronous learning model for educational international collaboration

Educators and students living in the digital age are faced with complex problems that are forcing them to seek collaborative solutions. These problems can be addressed through the successful application of digital technologies and pedagogies that enhance the educational, social and economic prospects of students. The main aim of this study was to propose a blended synchronous learning model and to show how this model can be adopted for better supporting educational international collaboration. The paper describes how the authors have applied advanced synchronous learning technologies and pedagogies to maximise interconnectivity and social interactions to engage in a range of educational collaborations in the last seven years.