Mikel Larrañaga

Acquisition of the Domain Structure from Document Indexes Using Heuristic Reasoning

Domain Module is essential for many different kinds of Technology Supported Learning Systems. Some authors have pointed out the need of tools that may develop the domain module in an automatic or semi-automatic way. Nowadays, a lot of information of any domain, which can be used as the source for the target domain module, can be easily found in different formats. The work here presented describes a domain independent method based on Natural Language Processing techniques and heuristic reasoning to acquire the domain module from documents and their indexes.

Using CM-ED for the generation of graphical exercises based on concept maps

CM-ED is a concept map editor developed with the aim of being useful in different contexts and uses of the educational agenda. This paper describes the use of CM-ED to create graphical exercises based on Concept Maps. CM-ED integrated in an intelligent tutoring system authoring tool will allow teachers to include this new set of exercises in the new tutor. In this way, the more complete the set of exercises, the greater the potential of the tutor.

Automatic Generation of the Domain Module from Electronic Textbooks: Method and Validation

Technology-supported learning systems have proved to be helpful in many learning situations. These systems require an appropriate representation of the knowledge to be learned, the Domain Module. The authoring of the Domain Module is cost and labor intensive, but its development cost might be lightened by profiting from semiautomatic Domain Module authoring techniques and promoting knowledge reuse. DOM-Sortze is a system that uses natural language processing techniques, heuristic reasoning, and ontologies for the semiautomatic construction of the Domain Module from electronic textbooks. To determine how it might help in the Domain Module authoring process, it has been tested with an electronic textbook, and the gathered knowledge has been compared with the Domain Module that instructional designers developed manually. This paper presents DOM-Sortze and describes the experiment carried out.

ErauzOnt: A Framework for Gathering Learning Objects from Electronic Documents

Retrieving and reusing Learning Objects can lighten the workload of constructing new on-line courses or Technology Supported Learning Systems. The paper presents ErauzOnt, a framework for the automatic generation of new Learning Objects from electronic documents using domain ontologies and Natural Language Processing techniques.

The use of concept maps in Computer Engineering education to promote meaningful learning, creativity and collaboration

Concept maps are graphical tools for organizing and representing knowledge. The fundamentals of concept mapping are in Ausubels learning theory which is based on the assumption that meaningful learning occurs when the new concepts are linked to familiar concepts existing in the learners cognitive structure. Creativity can be seen as a very high level of meaningful learning. Database Principles is a compulsory subject studied in the second year of the Computer Engineering degree at the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU. The study presented in the paper was designed pursuing a twofold goal: (1) to introduce engineering students the Concept Mapping technique as a way to promote meaningful learning, and (2) to involve engineering students in both a creative and collaborative learning experience using concept maps. Final exam marks showed significant statistical differences among the experimental group and the control group. In addition, participants admitted that the use of the concept mapping technique to fulfill the objectives of this study is applicable to other domains, situations and problems.

Collaborative concept mapping activities in a classroom scenario

The aim of this study is to test collaborative concept mapping activities using computers in a classroom scenario and to evaluate the possibilities that Elkar-CM offers for collaboratively learning non-technical topics. Elkar-CM is a multi-lingual and multi-media software program designed for drawing concept maps (CMs) collaboratively. Concept mapping is a widely accepted technique that promotes meaningful learning. Graphically representing concepts of the learning domain and relationships between them helps students integrate new knowledge into their current cognitive structure. This study was carried out with Social Education degree students at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). The experiment included two learning activities. First, all students collaboratively constructed in the classroom a CM on the subject of Moral Development. Second, students were organised into groups to complete the CM generated in the first part.

Evaluating the automatic extraction of learning objects from electronic textbooks using erauzont

Content reuse is one of the major concerns in the Technology Enhanced Learning community. ErauzOnt is a system that uses Natural Language Processing techniques, heuristic reasoning, and ontologies to generate Learning Objects from textbooks. It has been tested with several textbooks written in the Basque language in order to evaluate the automatic construction of Learning Objects.

A multilingual concept mapping tool for a diverse world

Todays world culture wealth is based on the diversity of language and cultures that are an inherent part of the identity of its countries and regions. Education has a preeminent responsibility to preserve worlds cultural heritage. Computer-based learning tools among other issues must also take into account the variety of languages. Some issues about the localisation of the CM-ED Concept Map EDitor are presented. First, some aspects related to software localisation are introduced. Then, the main characteristics of CM-ED are briefly described. Finally, the two levels in which localisation techniques have been applied over CM-ED are showed. CM-ED is localisable not only at user interface level but also regarding the final concept maps it generates.

Experiences Incorporating Lego Mindstorms Robots in the Basic Programming Syllabus: Lessons Learned

Basic Programming is a first year mandatory course of the Computer Engineering degree. Both students and teachers face difficulties in this course, which has high failure and drop-out rates. Several authors have proposed the use of visual programming environments and robots to overcome the difficulties of this course, some of which have been successful. This paper presents the two-year experiment using Lego Robots carried out at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) with around 100 students, along with the results. Satisfactory results have been obtained regarding both motivation and the perception of the students of their learning process; moreover the drop-out rate decreased even though no statistical significance was obtained regarding the final marks of the course. From those results and the analysis of the data it was derived that robot sessions should be more integrated in the curriculum, giving them greater relevance in the final marks. In addition, it is indispensable to classify course students and adapt learning sessions to each student type due to the high student heterogeneity.

Dealing with common problems in engineering degrees' Final Year Projects

After the implementation of the Bologna Process, the Final Year Project (FYP) is a mandatory course in all bachelor degrees in Spanish higher education system. Although the FYP is new for many degrees, it was already established in the previous education system for engineering degrees. The authors of this paper are lecturers in a bachelor degree in Computer Science at three different colleges of the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU. In the last few years, they have supervised more than 80 FYPs and they have all faced similar problems during the supervision process. This paper presents a study conducted to determine if the observed problems are just a perception of the authors or whether they are general problems in the elaboration of FYPs. In the study, 60 former students and 27 lecturers took part. Four main categories of problems have been identified and a proposal to overcome them is presented.