Ricardo Rosas

A Model to Support the Design of Multiplayer Games

Extensive research has shown that the act of play is extremely important in the lives of human beings. It is thus not surprising that games have a long and continuing history in the development of almost every culture and society. The advent of computers and technology in general has also been akin to the need for entertainment that every human being seeks. However, a curious dichotomy exists in the nature of electronic games: the vast majority of electronic games are individual in nature whereas the nonelectronic ones are collective by nature. On the other hand, recent technological breakthroughs are finally allowing for the implementation of electronic multiplayer games. Because of the limited experience in electronic, multiplayer game design, it becomes necessary to adapt existing expertise in the area of single-player game design to the realm of multiplayer games. This work presents a model to support the initial steps in the design process of multiplayer games. The model is defined in terms of the characteristics that are both inherent and special to multiplayer games but also related to the relevant elements of a game in general. Additionally, the model is used to assist in the design of two multiplayer games. One of the most difficult tasks people can perform, however much others may despise it, is the invention of good games

Teachers' support with ad-hoc collaborative networks

Efforts to improve the educational process must focus on those most responsible for implementing it: the teachers. It is with them in mind that we propose a face-to-face computer-supported collaborative learning system that uses wirelessly networked hand-held computers to create an environment for helping students assimilate and transfer educational content. Two applications of this system are presented in this paper. The first involves the use of the system by students, transforming classroom dynamics and enabling collaboration and interaction between the students and the teacher. In the second application, the system is used to help teachers update their knowledge of subject content and exchange methodological strategies.

Estandarización del WISC-III en Chile: Descripción del Test, Estructura Factorial y Consistencia Interna de las Escalas

We present the results of the chilean adaptation and standarization of WISC-III. The sample for the study consisted in 1924 children obtained from a ramdomized stratified sampling considering the regions of Chile. Results show a great coincidence with those obtained in the original north-american sample: we obtained the same four intelligence factors and high internal consistencies. Nevertheless, the subscales included in the factors differ slightly from the north-american results.

Towards a design framework for mobile computer-supported collaborative learning

We present one component of a foundation for mobile, handheld device-supported collaborative learning (mCSCL), a design framework. Our design framework proposes that mediation can occur in two complementary layers, social (e.g. rules and roles) and technological. Further we suggest that for mCSCL, the technological layer has two components, representational mediation and networked mediation. A particular design challenge is achieving an effective allocation of supporting structure to each layer as well as simple, transparent flow between them.

Development of intelligent tutoring systems using knowledge structures

Abstract The aim of this work is to develop a tool for teachers, without necessarily software development experience, to elaborate tutoring applications on a given domain. The teacher makes use of stored knowledge to choose the required contents so that the system automatically generates exercises. These exercises are completed and evaluated in real time, according to the students reality, being able to mediate with the pupil to achieve the maximum session utilization. Control of the learning process is distributed among the student, the teacher, and the system. The student may choose the activities he/she likes to carry out, within a sub-group specified by the teacher, whereas the system specifies the exercise complexity, on the basis of the pupils performance. This work is grounded on knowledge re-utilization that makes use of pre-defined knowledge structures. These structures can be edited by a teacher to generate activities. These are carried out by a simulator, controlled by an expert system, that interacts with the student adjusting to the pupils needs. Elements from both the instructionist and constructivist model were used. It was implemented for the practice of certain skills related to math in pre-school children.

Methodology for evaluating a novel education technology: a case study of handheld video games in Chile

Many school systems, in both the developed and developing world, are implementing educational technology to assist in student learning. However, there is no clear consensus on how to evaluate these new technologies. This paper proposes a comprehensive methodology for estimating the value of a new educational technology in three steps: benefit analysis, through the administration of a well-designed experiment; cost analysis, which incorporates costs to weigh against the benefits; and feasibility analysis, which introduces real-world concerns that may affect the ability to actually implement the technology. To illustrate the methodology, a case study from Chile is used where portable educational video games were introduced into first and second grade classrooms with the aim of improving learning in mathematics and language. This paper demonstrates the importance of all three steps in the evaluation process and provides a framework for future analyses.

ADHD children outperform normal children in an artificial grammar implicit learning task: ERP and RT evidence

This study focuses on Implicit learning (IL) in children. One of the main debates in this field concerns the occurrence of IL indicators in experimental settings and its manifestation in different populations. In this research, we are looking for evidence of the occurrence of IL in normal children and in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), based on the relationship between accuracy, reaction time and event-related potentials (ERPs). Our results show differences between the analyzed groups with respect to markers for electrophysiological activity and reaction time, but not for accuracy. In consequence, we suggest that research in IL should explore different indicators and their relationship with the cognitive processing levels involved. In addition, IL might involve different forms of information processing in normal children and children with ADHD. We discuss the possible impact of these findings for future research.

Aprendizaje implicito y memoria de trabajo: evidencia para postular su separación funcional

ResumenEn este articulo analizamos la cuestion de como se relaciona el aprendizaje implicito (AI) con la memoria de trabajo (MT). Desde los postulados iniciales de Reber en sus estudios pioneros de gramaticas artificiales, se ha supuesto que la memoria de trabajo juega un rol importante en la adquisicion de regularidades implicitas, aunque estas no se adquieran a traves de mecanismos metacognitivos, sino por efectos de la mera exposicion y elaboracion recursiva (e inconsciente) en la MT. En el trabajo, evaluamos el rol de la MT en el AI, mediante la comparacion de la ejecucion en tres tareas diferentes de AI (dos basadas en el paradigma de gramaticas artificiales y uno basado en el paradigma de Lewicki) en dos grupos de ninos: ninos de CI normal y una buena ejecucion en pruebas de MT, y ninos con deficit intelectual con una pobre ejecucion en pruebas de MT. Los resultados permiten sostener la ocurrencia de AI en ninos, y concluir que la MT no juega un rol importante en el AI. Este resultado tiene gran rel...Resumen En este artículo analizamos la cuestión de cómo se relaciona el aprendizaje implícito (AI) con la memoria de trabajo (MT). Desde los postulados iniciales de Reber en sus estudios pioneros de gramáticas artificiales, se ha supuesto que la memoria de trabajo juega un rol importante en la adquisición de regularidades implícitas, aunque éstas no se adquieran a través de mecanismos metacognitivos, sino por efectos de la mera exposición y elaboración recursiva (e inconsciente) en la MT. En el trabajo, evaluamos el rol de la MT en el AI, mediante la comparación de la ejecución en tres tareas diferentes de AI (dos basadas en el paradigma de gramáticas artificiales y uno basado en el paradigma de Lewicki) en dos grupos de niños: niños de CI normal y una buena ejecución en pruebas de MT, y niños con déficit intelectual con una pobre ejecución en pruebas de MT. Los resultados permiten sostener la ocurrencia de AI en niños, y concluir que la MT no juega un rol importante en el AI. Este resultado tiene gran relevancia teórica y práctica, pues por una parte todos los modelos de aprendizaje dominantes, incluso los de AI, le asignan a la MT una importancia crucial, y por otra, abren interesantes perspectivas para la educación y rehabilitación de niños con déficit intelectual. Se concluye con una discusión respecto del estatus representacionaldel AI.

Diseño, Construcción y Evaluación de una Pauta de Observación de Videos para Evaluar Calidad del Desempeño Docente

Este articulo presenta el diseno, construccion y valoracion metrica de una pauta de observacion de clases, cuyo objetivo es evaluar la calidad del desempeno docente. Para ello se observaron 92 videos de profesores de 4o a 8o basico, evaluados previamente en Chile por el Sistema Nacional de Evaluacion del Desempeno Profesional Docente, Docentemas. El ins- trumento muestra adecuados niveles de conabilidad y permite efectuar una evaluacion complementaria a la efectuada por Docentemas, debido a que integra variables adicionales e innovadoras en la evaluacion del desempeno docente. La pauta permite entregar a los maestros el conocimiento de dimensiones relevantes para el logro de aprendizajes de calidad, posibilitando que ellos mismos se autoevaluen y logren visualizar aspectos que pudieran desarrollar y/o mejorar en sus practicas pedagogicas. Palabras clave: pauta de observacion, evaluacion, desempeno docente. This article presents the design, construction, and metric evaluation of a guideline for the observation of school classrooms. The goal was to evaluate the quality of the teachers educational performance. Ninety-two teachers videos from 4 th to 8 th grade, previously recorded by the National System of Evaluation of the Educational Professional Performance, Docentemas, were used in the study. The instrument shows appropriate levels of reliability and allows for a complementary assess- ment to the one done by Docentemas, integrating additional and innovative variables to the assessment of the teachers performance. The guideline provides teachers with relevant information about the quality of the learning process, making it possible for them to visualize areas of their pedagogical practices that they could develop or improve.

Computer assisted mediation for blind children

Abstract A model for computer assisted mediation and its application to the field of special education for blind children is presented. The model consists of five elements: the domain model, the student model, the pedagogical model, and the dynamic and static projection of learning. The system, based on stored expert knowledge, guides the child in what he or she is able to do and able to learn. Success is dynamically evaluated in order to constantly adjust the teaching methodology. The system contrasts with previous work by giving the teacher a major role, so that the expert system, the child and the educator form a conceptual triangle.