Nilufar Baghaei

Supporting collaborative learning and problem-solving in a constraint-based CSCL environment for UML class diagrams

We present COLLECT-UML, a constraint-based intelligent tutoring system (ITS) that teaches object-oriented analysis and design using Unified Modelling Language (UML). UML is easily the most popular object-oriented modelling technology in current practice. While teaching how to design UML class diagrams, COLLECT-UML also provides feedback on collaboration. Being one of constraint-based tutors, COLLECT-UML represents the domain knowledge as a set of constraints. However, it is the first system to also represent a higher-level skill such as collaboration using the same formalism. We started by developing a single-user ITS that supported students in learning UML class diagrams. The system was evaluated in a real classroom, and the results showed that students’ performance increased significantly. In this paper, we present our experiences in extending the system to provide support for collaboration as well as domain-level support. We describe the architecture, interface and support for collaboration in the new, multi-user system. The effectiveness of the system has been evaluated in two studies. In addition to improved problem-solving skills, the participants both acquired declarative knowledge about effective collaboration and did collaborate more effectively. The participants have enjoyed working with the system and found it a valuable asset to their learning.

Physical activity motivating games: virtual rewards for real activity

Contemporary lifestyle has become increasingly sedentary: little physical (sports, exercises) and much sedentary (TV, computers) activity. The nature of sedentary activity is self-reinforcing, such that increasing physical and decreasing sedentary activity is difficult. We present a novel approach aimed at combating this problem in the context of computer games. Rather than explicitly changing the amount of physical and sedentary activity a person sets out to perform, we propose a new game design that leverages user engagement to generate out of game motivation to perform physical activity while playing. In our design, players gain virtual game rewards in return for real physical activity performed. Here we present and evaluate an application of our design to the game Neverball. We adapted Neverball by reducing the time allocated to accomplish the game tasks and motivated players to perform physical activity by offering time based rewards. An empirical evaluation involving 180 participants shows that the participants performed more physical activity, decreased the amount of sedentary playing time, and did not report a decrease in perceived enjoyment of playing the activity motivating version of Neverball.

IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN security performance using multiple clients

IEEE 802.11 wireless networks have gained increasing popularity in recent times, providing users with both mobility and flexibility in accessing information. Existing solutions for wireless LAN networks have been exposed to security vulnerabilities and previous study has addressed and evaluated the security performance of IEEE 802.11 wireless networks using single server-client architecture and simple traffic models. This research investigated the effect of multiple security mechanisms on the performance of multiclient congested and uncongested networks. The performance effect of different TCP and UDP packet size distributions on secure networks was also studied. The benefits of this wireless network study focus on determining ways in which to configure wireless networks such that security requirements can be met in relation to quantifiable performance impact in practical situations.

Review of quality of service performance in wireless LANs and 3G multimedia application services

Although, many architectures (Integrated Services, Differentiated Services, MPLS, Traffic Engineering, etc.) have been proposed to provide service differentiation in fixed networks, research has shown that what works well in a wired network cannot be directly applied in the wireless environment where bandwidth is scarce and channel conditions are time varying. Quality of Service (QoS) is a key challenge for todays wireless IP networks and implementation of QoS, particularly for supporting voice, video, data and multimedia services in general incurs a number of difficulties that have to be analysed and resolved. A considerable amount of work has been carried out by the various standards groups in an effort to quantify and specify protocols to support QoS in wireless environments. This paper reports on these efforts outlining existing limitations, requirements and solutions proposed by organisations such as the IEEE 802.11 Task Group E for wireless LANs and the UMTS effort for 3G/wireless WANs.

Massively distributed authorship of academic papers

Wiki-like or crowdsourcing models of collaboration can provide a number of benefits to academic work. These techniques may engage expertise from different disciplines, and potentially increase productivity. This paper presents a model of massively distributed collaborative authorship of academic papers. This model, developed by a collective of thirty authors, identifies key tools and techniques that would be necessary or useful to the writing process. The process of collaboratively writing this paper was used to discover, negotiate, and document issues in massively authored scholarship. Our work provides the first extensive discussion of the experiential aspects of large-scale collaborative research.

Engaging Families in Lifestyle Changes Through Social Networking

Previous research has shown that providing family engagement and social support play important roles in weight management success, helping to achieve long-term lifestyle changes. Traditionally, the support provided by online health communities is primarily targeted at individuals and does not involve their families. SOFA (SOcial FAmilies), a novel approach for engaging, motivating, and persuading families to adopt a healthy lifestyle, is proposed. SOFA is an online social network for families coupled with a repository of health-related educational content. This article reports the results of a live user study aimed at investigating how user profile representation and system-assigned tasks influence users engagement with the system and change their attitude toward a healthy lifestyle. The results show that representing family members as individuals increases the number of active members per family as well as their retention, contribution to, and engagement with the network. The results also show that family-based social networks positively change the attitude of family members toward a healthy lifestyle.

COLLECT-UML: supporting individual and collaborative learning of UML class diagrams in a constraint-based intelligent tutoring system

Automatic analysis of interaction and support for group learning through a distance collaborative learning system is at the forefront of educational technology. Research shows that collaborative learning provides an environment to enrich the learning process by introducing interactive partners into an educational system. Many collaborative learning environments have been proposed and used with more or less success. Researchers have been exploring different approaches to analyse and support the collaborative learning interaction. However, the concept of supporting peer-to-peer interaction in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) systems is still in its infancy, and more studies are needed that test the utility of these techniques. This paper proposes anIntelligent CSCL system that uses Constraint-Based Modeling (CBM) approach, to support collaborative learning addressing both collaborative issues and task-oriented issues. The system supports the tertiary students learning Object-Oriented Analysis and Design using UML. The CBM approach is extremely efficient, and it overcomes many problems that other student modeling approaches suffer from [5]. CBM has been used successfully in several tutors supporting individual learning.The comprehensive evaluation studies of this research will provide a measure of the effectiveness of using CBM technique in Intelligent CSCL environments.

Security performance of loaded IEEE 802.11b wireless networks

Existing solutions for wireless LAN networks have been subject to security vulnerabilities and previous study has addressed and evaluated the security performance of IEEE 802.11b wireless networks using single server-client architecture and simple traffic models. This paper describes research into the effect of multiple security mechanisms on the performance of multi-client congested and uncongested networks using a layered security model. It evaluates the interaction between different security layers and their effects on performance (response time and throughput). This research also evaluates the performance effect of different TCP and UDP packet size distributions on secure wireless networks. The benefits of this wireless network study focus on determining ways in which to configure wireless networks such that security requirements can be met in relation to quantifiable performance impact in practical situations.

A collaborative constraint-based adaptive system for learning object-oriented analysis and design using UML

This paper presents COLLECT-

Improving health information access through social networking

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