Sofia B. Dias

Towards an Intelligent Learning Management System Under Blended Learning

This book offers useful information that evokes initiatives towards rethinking of the value, efficiency, inclusiveness, effectiveness and personalization of the intelligent learning management systems-based blended-learning environment.

Fuzzy Logic-Based Modeling in Collaborative and Blended Learning

In the last decade, e-learning was dynamically growing and challenged educational organizations, learning designers, researchers and educators, around the globe, to consider new ways of delivering education programs, with the aim to provide multiple opportunities for self-directed learning, collaborative and ubiquitous learning. The emerging, innovative on-line learning technologies are nowadays used by a wide variety of learners/ students with different goals, preferences, learning habits, knowledge background, skills and capabilities. Literature suggests that the most effective way to enhance individuals’ learning experiences is to provide them learning environments with high level of personalized characteristics. In this perspective, adaptive and collaborative e-learning systems are considered as the most important environments to promote personalization of learning and improve the overall effectiveness of e-learning activities, courses and programs. At the same time, learning is a very complex process, because many dynamically interrelated components are involved. Therefore, these components demand the consideration of numerous intervening factors, such as learner’s profile, their skills and attitudes, learning goals, pedagogical strategies and learning support, educational material used etc. In this context, the authors debated on and suggested the Fuzzy Logic (FL) perspective as an alternative method to design and provide new modeling insights in personalized learning experiences, in blended and collaborative learning environments that use various technologies (Learning Management Systems, Web 2.0, Semantic Web etc.) and pedagogical approaches. The main idea is to combine numerical and linguistic data to model the qualitative aspects of students’ learning experiences, cognitive and reasoning processes, interaction and collaboration activities that result in enhanced learning outcomes, without employing precise quantitative analysis. Therefore, this book Fuzzy Logic-Based Modeling in Collaborative and Blended Learning

E-Learning Exequibility in the Information and Knowledge Society

This chapter aims to place the focus upon some current changes/trends in educational practice of Information and Knowledge Society and, simultaneously, examine the integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in multiple contexts.

On Modeling the Quality of Nutrition for Healthy Ageing Using Fuzzy Cognitive Maps

Modelling dietary intake of older adults can prevent nutritional deficiencies and diet-related diseases, improving their quality of life. Towards such direction, a Fuzzy Cognitive Map (FCM)-based modelling approach that models the interdependencies between the factors that affect the Quality of Nutrition (QoN) is presented here. The proposed FCM-QoN model uses a FCM with seven input-one output concepts, i.e., five food groups of the UK Eatwell Plate, Water (H2O), and older adult’s Emotional State (EmoS), outputting the QoN. The weights incorporated in the FCM structure were drawn from an experts’ panel, via a Fuzzy Logic-based knowledge representation process. Using various levels of analysis (causalities, static/feedback cycles), the role of EmoS and H2O in the QoN was identified, along with the one of Fruits/Vegetables and Protein affecting the sustainability of effective food combinations. In general, the FCM-QoN approach has the potential to explore different dietary scenarios, helping health professionals to promote healthy ageing and providing prognostic simulations for diseases effect (such as Parkinson’s) on dietary habits, as used in the H2020 i-Prognosis project (www.i-prognosis.eu).

FISCMAP: A fuzzy logic-based quality of concept mapping modelling approach fostering reflective feedback

This study introduces a new model, namely FISCMAP, that explores the fuzzy logic constructs within a computer-based concept mapping environment, involving modeling techniques as vehicles to improve the intelligence of an online learning environment. From this perspective, eight CmapTool measurements are considered to form inputs to a five-level fuzzy inference system equipped with 115 experts fuzzy rules. The CmapTool data were drawn from a b-learning environment related to a Masters course offered by a Higher Education Institution, involving 20 Masters students. Experimental results have shown that the use of the proposed FISCMAP scheme for the evaluation of users Quality of Concept Map (QoCM), by considering constructive CM variables (metrics), can increase the accuracy and validity of the intelligent system under consideration.

Embracing and Embedding Techno-Pedagogical Strategies

The importance of educational models that support learning in the digital age seems to be modestly explored in academic research communities. In 2004, Hewitt explores the concept of knowledge building community in his book Designing for Virtual Communities in the Service of Learning, and defines it as a type of CoP that integrates the following characteristics: (i) sharing of knowledge, values and beliefs; (ii) common points of coexistence among members; (iii) mutual interdependence; (iv) mechanisms for reproduction; (v) common practices; (vi) opportunities for interaction and participation; (vii) significant personal relationships; and (viii) respect for different perspectives and minorities (Hewitt 2004).

On Supporting Parkinson's Disease Patients: The i-Prognosis Personalized Game Suite Design Approach

The use of serious games in health care interventions sector has grown rapidly in the last years, however, there is still a gap in the understanding on how these types of interventions are used for the management of the Parkinson Disease (PD), in particular. Targeting intelligent early detection and intervention in PD area, the Personalized Game Suite (PGS) design process approach is presented as part of the H2020 i-PROGNOSIS project that introduces the integration of different serious games in a unified platform (i.e., ExerGames, DietaryGames, EmoGames, and Handwriting/Voice Games). From the methodological point of view, to facilitate the visualization of 14 game-scenarios, the system interface and the PD contexts, the storyboarding technique was adopted here. Overall, the realization of the PGS sets the basis for establishing a holistic framework that could aim at improving motor and non-motor symptoms, in order to inform health care providers and policy makers for its inclusion in routine management for PD.

Enhancing Blended Environments Through Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping of LMS Users’ Quality of Interaction: The Rare and Contemporary Dance Paradigms

Nowadays, higher education institutions (HEIs) are facing the need of constant monitoring of users’ interaction with Learning Management Systems (LMSs), in order to identify key areas for potential improvement. In fact, LMSs under blended (b-) learning mode can efficiently support online learning environments (OLEs) at HEIs. An important challenge would be to provide flexible solutions, where intelligent models could contribute, involving artificial intelligence and incertitude modelling, e.g., via Fuzzy Logic (FL). This study addresses the hypothesis that the structural characteristics of a Fuzzy Cognitive Map (FCM) can efficiently model the way LMS users interact with it, by estimating their Quality of Interaction (QoI) within a b-learning context. This work proposes the FCM-QoI model, consisting of 14 input-one output concepts, dependences and trends, considering one academic year of two dance disciplines (i.e., the Rare and Contemporary Dances) of the LMS Moodle use. The experimental results reveal that the proposed FCM-QoI model can provide concepts interconnection and causal dependencies representation of Moodle LMS users’ QoI, helping educators of HEIs to holistically visualize, understand and assess stakeholders’ needs. In general, the results presented here could shed light upon designing aspects of educational scenarios, but also to those involved in cultural preservation and exploitation initiatives, such as the i-Treasures project (http://i-treasures.eu/).

Exploring B-Learning Scenarios Using Fuzzy Logic-Based Modeling of Users’ LMS Quality of Interaction in Ergonomics and Psychomotor Rehabilitation Academic Courses

The multidisciplinary field of human-computer interaction can be seen as an open-ended concept used to refer to the understanding of different relationships between people (users) and computers. The pedagogical planning within the blended learning environment with the users’ quality of interaction (QoI) with the Learning Management System (LMS) is explored here. The required QoI (both for professors and students) is estimated by adopting a fuzzy logic-based modeling approach, namely FuzzyQoI, applied to LMS Moodle data from two undergraduate courses (i.e., Ergonomics and Psychomotor Rehabilitation) offered by a public higher education institution. In order to facilitate the understanding of the learning context and curricula organization of the both courses, the MindMup tool from the i-Treasures Pedagogical Planner (www.i-treasures.eu) is employed. The results presented can inspire LMS administrators to include the measure of QoI and reflect upon issues like system-quality, system-use and user-satisfaction into their current evaluation techniques of LMS based b-learning systems efficiency.

From Blended to Inclusive Learning Environment

In HE, technology may be either used to re-enforce the prevailing practices, such as lectures, or it may be used to transform and disrupt those practices. Although, ICTs have provided a potential for change allowing the development of comprehensive approaches regarding teaching and learning, there is still insufficient knowledge regarding best practices in HEI, mainly concerning the use of OLEs (e.g., Moodle platform) and communication tools (Redecker et al. 2009), in general.