Miroslav Minović

Informal learning recognition through a cloud ecosystem

Learning and teaching processes, like all human activities, can be mediated through the use of tools. Information and communication technologies are now widespread within education. Their use in the daily life of teachers and learners affords engagement with educational activities at any place and time and not necessarily linked to an institution or a certificate. In the absence of formal certification, learning under these circumstances is known as informal learning. Despite the lack of certification, learning with technology in this way presents opportunities to gather information about and present new ways of exploiting an individuals learning. Cloud technologies provide ways to achieve this through new architectures, methodologies, and workflows that facilitate semantic tagging, recognition, and acknowledgment of informal learning activities. The transparency and accessibility of cloud services mean that institutions and learners can exploit existing knowledge to their mutual benefit. The TRAILER project facilitates this aim by providing a technological framework using cloud services, a workflow, and a methodology. The services facilitate the exchange of information and knowledge associated with informal learning activities ranging from the use of social software through widgets, computer gaming, and remote laboratory experiments. Data from these activities are shared among institutions, learners, and workers. The project demonstrates the possibility of gathering information related to informal learning activities independently of the context or tools used to carry them out.

Using data mining on student behavior and cognitive style data for improving e-learning systems: a case study

Abstract In this research we applied classification models for prediction of students’ performance, and cluster models for grouping students based on their cognitive styles in e-learning environment. Classification models described in this paper should help: teachers, students and business people, for early engaging with students who are likely to become excellent on a selected topic. Clustering students based on cognitive styles and their overall performance should enable better adaption of the learning materials with respect to their learning styles. The approach is tested using well-established data mining algorithms, and evaluated by several evaluation measures. Model building process included data preprocessing, parameter optimization and attribute selection steps, which enhanced the overall performance. Additionally we propose a Moodle module that allows automatic extraction of data needed for educational data mining analysis and deploys models developed in this study.

Walking in Colors: Human Gait Recognition Using Kinect and CBIR

This article proposes a new method of recognizing human gait. The proposed method is based on the idea that the problem of human gait recognition can be transformed from a spatio-temporal problem into the spatial domain, specifically the 2D image domain. This is done by representing a sample of a human gait as a still image. By doing so, all the recorded information is kept while enabling the use of proven content-based image retrieval (CBIR) techniques for recognition. The proposed method uses Microsoft Kinect human-computer interaction technology for data acquisition. To prove the validity of the proposed approach, the authors conducted a study with 50 participants.

Motivational aspects of different learning contexts: “My mom won't let me play this game...”

Learning motivation should describe mechanisms that direct toward the learning goals, initiate learning activity and hold ones learning ability on a level that enables person to attain new information and more complex knowledge. Educational games are emerging as a new form of learning that should improve students desire for knowledge. Idea that educational games can be used as an effective teaching tool is what inspires our work in this field. In our study we attempted to explore the connection between motivational effects and application of educational game design as a learning tool. Additionally, we took into consideration effects of this approach on improving final exam results. Our results indicate that designing computer programs can raise enough curiosity and can be seen as a relevant learning tool for students.

Motivation and Multimodal Interaction in Model-Driven Educational Game Design

In this correspondence, we present an approach to identifying and constructing profiles of user interfaces for educational games. Our approach is based on framing games as educational tools that incorporate fun and learning through motivation as the key ingredient in the learning process and multimodal interaction as the medium for conveying educational material. The proposed solution formalizes the design process, describing educational games in terms of estimated effects that they produce on players. Building upon research on learning and motivation theory, we are connecting these effects with player learning preferences and motivation states. The essence of our solution is the educational game metamodel (EGM), which defines platform-independent educational game concepts. Using the EGM, we have explored novel design approaches for educational games. The metamodel can be used as a conceptual basis for creation of platform-independent educational games, allowing authoring for device and network independence.

Visualisation of student learning model in serious games

Game-based learning environment requires concrete real-time analytical tool.We propose a new tool for visualisation of student learning model during gameplay session.Tool can be used by educators and by students to track the game progress.Evaluation of the proposed approach was done through an empirical study.Initial quantitative results and recorded opinions of the participants speak in favour of the proposed approach. Application of serious games in distance learning can raise quality of education and student satisfaction on a higher level. However, when student learns through game, his focus is moved from learning domain to different context of the game. This actually enables to achieve fun and learn at the same time. But this approach also makes harder for educators to track and analyse students learning progress during game session, which is crucial in order to provide immediate feedback and to help students reach established learning goals. Such a specific learning environment requires concrete real-time analytical tool that will adequately match the dynamic game environment. This paper proposes a new tool for visualisation of student learning model during gameplay session. Tool can be used by educators and by students to track the game progress. Using this tool educators are provided with real-time tracking of students learning and it enables them to react and influence the overall learning process. Evaluation of the proposed approach was done through an empirical study, conducted on educators group monitoring an educational game session, using the combination of traditional analytic tool and the newly proposed visualisation approach. Initial quantitative results and recorded opinions of the participants speak in favour of the proposed approach and justify further investment in development of this specific learning analytics method.

Adventure Game Learning Platform

Educational games display great potential as an active form of knowledge transfer. This research field is young, but some patterns in educational game development can be recognized. In this paper, the authors present a new approach to educational game development that overcomes some downsides of more traditional systems. The paper provides the opportunity to create an educational adventure game by using specialized software tool as well as integrating knowledge in that specific game instance. As a result of that process, game definition is created as a form of XML document. On the other side, a web-based interpreter is used to present the adventure game to user in runtime. XML format provides us with platform independency. By use of this tool, the educator gains the ability to create an educational game without programming knowledge, and to reuse some previously created knowledge.

Educational Games Design Issues: Motivation and Multimodal Interaction

In this paper we present an approach to identifying and constructing profiles of user interfaces for educational games. Our approach is based on framing games as educational tools that incorporate fun and learning through motivation as the key ingredient in the learning process, and multimodal interaction as the medium for conveying educational material. To date, there is no common standard to design this kind of games and individual solutions are usually carried out by an ad hocprocess. Proposed solution formalizes design process describing educational games in terms of estimated effects they produce on players. Building upon research on learning and motivation theory, we are connecting these effects with player learning preferences and motivation states. Our main contribution is to suggest design issues that should be taken into account when designing educational games. We exemplify the approach through our ongoing VStrat project, framework for designing educational games.

Real-time learning analytics in educational games

Learning analytics is a research area that targets the problem of tracking and evaluating students learning progress. In case of educational games, traditional analytic tools can prove insufficient. Electronic games are dynamic, packed with action and learning is integral part of gameplay. Such a specific learning environment requires a specific real-time analytical tool that will adequately match the dynamic game environment. This paper presents a new form of specific visualization tool for educators to track students learning progress in real-time, while in gameplay session. The tool is based on the specially designed students learning model. Same tool can be used by students to track the game progress. Use of this tool provides educators with real-time tracking of students learning and enables them to react and influence the overall learning process.

New gait recognition method using Kinect stick figure and CBIR

This paper presents a new approach in human gait recognition. We use new Human Interaction Device Microsoft Kinect for acquisition of data from human walk. Data retrieved is then used to create a still image that will represent one sequence of human walk. Finally, Content Based Image Retrieval technologies are used for image comparison in order to complete the recognition process. Evaluation study is conducted in order to prove the concept and it provided some promising results.