Thanasis Daradoumis

A layered framework for evaluating on-line collaborative learning interactions

Evaluating on-line collaborative learning interactions is a complex task due to the variety of elements and factors that take place and intervene in the way a group of students comes together to collaborate in order to achieve a learning goal. The aim of this paper is to provide a better understanding of group interaction and determine how to best support the collaborative learning process. To that end, we propose a principled framework for the study and analysis of group interaction and group scaffolding which is built by combining different aspects and issues of collaboration, learning and evaluation. In particular, we define learning activity indicators at several levels of description which prompt to the application of a mixed interaction analysis scheme and the use of different data types and specific tools. At an initial layer, the basis of the approach is set by applying a qualitative process for evaluating the individual and group task performance as well as the group functioning and scaffolding. The interaction analysis process is completed by defining and applying two more layers: a social network analysis of the group activity and participation behaviour and a quantitative analysis of group effectiveness as regards task achievement and active interaction involvement. Our work defines a grounded and holistic conceptual model that describes on-line collaborative learning interactions sufficiently and applies it in a real, web-based, complex and long-term collaborative learning situation. An in-depth empirical evaluation of the conceptual model is fully discussed, which demonstrates the usefulness and value of the approach.

A Review on Massive E-Learning (MOOC) Design, Delivery and Assessment

MOOCs or Massive Online Open Courses based on Open Educational Resources (OER) might be one of the most versatile ways to offer access to quality education, especially for those residing in far or disadvantaged areas. This article analyzes the state of the art on MOOCs, exploring open research questions and setting interesting topics and goals for further research. Finally, it proposes a framework that includes the use of software agents with the aim to improve and personalize management, delivery, efficiency and evaluation of massive online courses on an individual level basis.

Improvement of JXTA protocols for supporting reliable distributed applications in P2P systems

In any distributed application, the communication between the distributed processes/nodes of the distributed systems is essential for both reliability and efficiency matters. In this work we address this issue for distributed applications based on JXTA protocols. After a careful examination of the current version of JXTA protocols, we observed the need for improving the original JXTA protocols, such as pipe services, to ensure reliable communication between peer nodes and the discovery and presence service to increase the performance of the applications. The re-implemented protocols have been validated in practice by deploying a P2P network using nodes of PlanetLab platform and testing each of the extended protocols using this real P2P network.

Providing effective feedback, monitoring and evaluation to on-line collaborative learning discussions

Learning and knowledge building have become critical competences for people in the knowledge society era. In this paper, we propose a sociolinguistic dialogue model for understanding how learning evolves and how cognitive process is constructed in on-line discussions. The knowledge extracted from this model is used to assess participation behavior, knowledge building and performance. The ultimate purpose is to provide effective feedback, evaluation and monitoring to the discussion process. Seven hundred students from the Open University of Catalonia in Spain participated in this study. Results showed that learning and knowledge building may be greatly enhanced by presenting selected knowledge to learners as for their particular skills exhibited during interaction. In addition, this valuable provision of information is used as a meta cognitive tool for tutors and moderators for monitoring and evaluating the discussion process more conveniently. This contribution presents our conceptual model for interaction management as well as key design guidelines and evaluation results. Implications of this study are remarked and further research directions are proposed.

An Integrated Approach for Analysing and Assessing the Performance of Virtual Learning Groups

Collaborative distance learning involves a variety of elements and factors that have to be considered and measured in order to analyse and assess group and individual performance more effectively and objectively. This paper presents an approach that integrates qualitative, social network analysis (SNA) and quantitative techniques for evaluating online collaborative learning interactions. Integration of various different data sources, tools and techniques provides a more complete and robust framework for group modelling and guarantees a more efficient evaluation of group effectiveness and individual competence. Our research relies on the analysis of a real, long-term, complex collaborative experience, which is initially evaluated in terms of principled criteria and a basic qualitative process. At the end of the experience, the coded student interactions are further analysed through the SNA technique to assess participatory aspects, identify the most effective groups and the most prominent actors. Finally, the approach is contrasted and completed through a statistical technique which sheds more light on the results obtained that far. The proposal draws a well-founded line toward the development of a principled framework for the monitoring and analysis of group interaction and group scaffolding which can be considered a major issue towards the actual application of the CSCL proposals to real classrooms.

Towards a generic platform for developing CSCL applications using Grid infrastructure

The goal of this paper is to explore the possibility of using CSCL component-based software under a Grid infrastructure. The merge of these technologies represents an attractive, but probably quite laborious enterprise if we consider not only the benefits but also the barriers that we have to overcome. This work presents an attempt toward this direction by developing a generic platform of CSCL components and discussing the advantages that we could obtain if we adapted it to the Grid. We then propose a means that could make this adjustment possible due to the high degree of genericity that our library component is endowed with by being based on the generic programming paradigm. Finally, an application of our library is proposed both for validating the adequacy of the platform which it is based on and for indicating the possibilities gained by using it under the Grid.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Web-Based Learning Design for Adult Computer Science Courses

This paper reports on work undertaken within a pilot study concerned with the design, development, and evaluation of online computer science training courses. Drawing on recent developments in e-learning technology, these courses were structured around the principles of a learner-oriented approach for use with adult learners. The paper describes a methodological framework for the evaluation of three main educational issues involved in the learning process of Web-based computer science training courses, and analyzes the results of this study with the aim of providing an improved learning design, and environment, for these courses. The findings highlight a number of potential barriers to learning and indicate the failed indicators that need to be improved in order to enhance effective performance. The authors give their views both on ways to improve the proposed learning environment and on the need for an optimal balance between asynchronous and synchronous activities, enhanced collaboration, and interactions among adult learners and e-tutors.

Developing an Information System for Monitoring Student's Activity in Online Collaborative Learning

In this paper we address the issue of monitoring studentspsila and groupspsila activity in online collaborative learning environments. This issue is especially important in the collaborative e-learning context, since an efficient monitoring process can provide valuable information to online instructors who may guide and support the development of collaborative learning projects. We have developed and tested an information system model which facilitates the automatic generation of weekly monitoring reports derived from data contained in server log files. These reports provide online instructors with visual information regarding studentspsila and groupspsila activity, thus allowing for a quick and easy classification of students and groups according to their activity level. Therefore, entities with a low activity level are identified as soon as possible and just-in-time assistance can be established for them. Furthermore, instructors can use these monitoring reports to forecast potential problems -such as studentspsila dropouts or possible conflicts inside the groups due to unbalanced distribution of tasks- and take operational and tactical decisions oriented to avoid them.

Jxta-Overlay: An interface for efficient peer selection in P2P JXTA-based systems

In this paper we address the problem of the efficient peer selection in P2P distributed platforms. To this end, we have developed a P2P distributed platform using Suns JXTA technology, which is endowed with resource brokerage strategies to efficiently select peers using four selection models: (a) economic scheduling model; (b) priced-based model; (c) peer-priority selection model; and, (d) random selection model. Next, we have deployed the P2P platform in a real network using nodes of the PlanetLab and have experimentally evaluated the performance of the peer selection models. The P2P platform offers a user-friendly interface for efficient peer selection and configuration of the P2P platform.

A Grid-Based Approach for Processing Group Activity Log Files

The information collected regarding group activity in a collaborative learning environment requires classifying, structuring and processing. The aim is to process this information in order to extract, reveal and provide students and tutors with valuable knowledge, awareness and feedback in order to successfully perform the collaborative learning activity. However, the large amount of information generated during online group activity may be time-consuming to process and, hence, can hinder the real-time delivery of the information. In this study we show how a Grid-based paradigm can be used to effectively process and present the information regarding group activity gathered in the log files under a collaborative environment. The computational power of the Grid makes it possible to process a huge amount of event information, compute statistical results and present them, when needed, to the members of the online group and the tutors, who are geographically distributed.