Veronica Rossano

An approach to usability evaluation of e-learning applications

Despite recent advances of electronic technologies in e-learning, a consolidated evaluation methodology for e-learning applications is not available. The evaluation of educational software must consider its usability and more in general its accessibility, as well as its didactic effectiveness. This work is a first step towards the definition of a methodology for evaluating e-learning applications. Specific usability attributes capturing the peculiar features of these applications are identified. A preliminary user study involving a group of e-students, observed during their interaction with an e-learning application in a real situation, is reported. Then, the proposal is put forward to adapt to the e-learning domain a methodology for systematic usability evaluation, called SUE. Specifically, evaluation patterns are proposed that are able to drive the evaluators in the analysis of an e-learning application.

Towards Guidelines for Usability of e-Learning Applications

One present goal of researchers and developers is to design software tools that make learning materials available online in an educationally effective manner. We face the twofold challenge of implementing advanced e-learning functionalities, though designing their interface so as to provide an easy interaction grasping the students’ interest. A poorly designed interface makes students spend more time in learning it than in mastering the provided knowledge, so becoming a barrier to effective learning. In this context, both User-Centered Design (UCD) and Learner-Centered Design (LCD) guidelines are needed; it is also important to devise suited evaluation tools, able to help in identifying usability, and, more in general, accessibility flaws. Such tools must be designed bearing in mind the specific characteristics of e-learning applications. Traditional heuristic evaluation appears too general and subjective. In this paper, we propose a set of guidelines and criteria for e-learning platforms (containers) and for educational modules (contents), to be used within the SUE (Systematic Usability Evaluation) inspection. We point out that human factors experts can primarily evaluate “syntactic” aspects of applications. Experts of education science and domain experts are to be involved for a more comprehensive evaluation.

Can a CSCL environment promote effective interaction

The use of technology to support collaborative tasks and learning is at present one of the central themes of research into computer education. Recent experiences have demonstrated that computer-mediated peer interaction is in some contexts more effective than face-to-face communication. The present work aims to make a quantitative and qualitative assessment of the peer-to-peer communication fostered by the use of a Web-based environment to support cooperative learning of geometry. In line with other experiences conducted internationally, our results confirm that the use of technological support to stimulate communication has positive effects not only on the quality of the interaction but also on the quality of the learning gain of the individual members making up the cooperative community.

A recommendation method for e-learning environments: the rule-based technique

The ever growing importance of e-learning over the last decade has triggered an explosion of resources available on the Web. Although this multiplicity of available resources can foster the development of a critical spirit, discernment and the student’s ability to weigh up the merits of different points of view, it can also induce disorientation in the search for the resources best suited to her/his needs and learning style. This issue has driven research into recommendation systems, already well known in fields such as e-commerce, applied to e-learning environments. However, in such environments the recommendations can only be efficacious if the system is able to deal with the many different factors involved in the learning process, such as the learning goal and the student’s cognitive features. This work proposes a recommendation strategy that combines, by adopting a hybrid cascade approach, two knowledge-based techniques that can take these factors into account in the recommendation process.

Automated generation of itineraries in recommender systems for tourism

Current recommender systems can support tourists in choosing travel products (accommodation, activities, means of transport, etc.), in planning long trips, and in profitably spending time in a specific geographical area such as a region (or a city). In the last case, the system should be able to construct itineraries suited to the tourists interests. In this paper, a method for generating tourist itineraries in knowledge-based recommender systems is proposed. The method is based on a theoretical model that defines space-time relations among items of intangible cultural heritage (called events) and on transitive closure computation (of the relations), that is able to construct chains of events. The proposed method has been implemented in the T-Path recommender system, that suggests itineraries of cultural events occurring in the Apulia region.

Game-based learning and Gamification to promote engagement and motivation in medical learning contexts

Smart learning environments can be defined as systems aimed at proposing innovative uses of emerging pedagogical approaches and technologies to support effective learning experiences. In the past years, rather than designing and developing even more advanced technological solutions attention has been focused on defining environments that adopt appropriate strategies to sustain student motivation and engagement. Game-based learning and gamification approaches could be a promising solution, since there is much experimental evidence that proves their effect. In this context, our research aims at defining and developing a Smart Learning Environment able to improve engagement and motivation by means of game-based learning and gamification approaches. In particular, the paper presents two serious games that, using the gamification dimensions, aim at sustaining engagement and motivation in learning processes in medical contexts. In particular, the games involve both the patients, who have to acquire knowledge and skills about their disease, in order to become responsible for their choices, and the medical and paramedical staff, who must acquire knowledge and skills about diagnostic procedures, therapeutic interventions and follow-up of patients. Some results of a user test show that the games enhance student motivation and this means improvement also in knowledge acquisition.

Digitally enhanced assessment in virtual learning environments

One of the main challenges in teaching and learning activities is the assessment: it allows teachers and learners to improve the future activities on the basis of the previous ones. It allows a deep analysis and understanding of the whole learning process. This is particularly difficult in virtual learning environments where a general overview is not always available. In the latest years, Learning Analytics are becoming the most popular methods to analyze the data collected in the learning environments in order to support teachers and learners in the complex process of learning. If they are properly integrated in learning activities, indeed, they can supply useful information to adapt the activities on the basis of students needs. In this context, the paper presents a solution for the digitally enhanced assessment. Two different Learning Dashboards have been designed in order to represent the most interesting Learning Analytics aiming at providing teachers and learners with easy understandable view of learning data in virtual learning environments.

Distance Education and Social Learning in e-Health

In the context of chronic diseases, in order to guarantee a good quality of life, education is as important as the patients adherence to a specific therapy. Learning and training processes in these contexts has a dual purpose, on the one hand, to make the patient empowered in order to allow him to recognize the behaviors that might compromise her/his health and, secondly, to train non-specialist medical and paramedical staffs on the procedures for diagnosis and patients follow-up to provide an high quality service. In this context the UBICARE project aims at creating a system that favors the de-hospitalization of patients suffering from peritoneal dialysis and chronic heart failure. The paper describes how the e-learning can be fruitful for patient and medical staff training.

A holistic approach to the evaluation of e-learning systems

This paper describes the eLSE methodology to evaluate e-learning systems. By combing a specific inspection technique with user-testing, eLSE allows inspectors, even not having a wide experience in evaluating e-learning systems, to perform accurate evaluations. The inspection technique is based on the use of evaluation patterns which precisely describe the activities to be performed during inspection. For this reason, it is called Pattern-Based (PB) inspection. An experiment has shown that novice evaluators are able to come out with good results, confirming the efficiency and the effectiveness of PB inspection.

Smart Learning Environments Using Social Network, Gamification and Recommender System Approaches in e-Health Contexts

The fundamental role that ICT plays in the process of modernization of education and training, whether in formal or informal, is now universally recognized. The lifelong learning become increasingly urgent in many areas such as, for example, adult education, innovation and learning in the workplaces, health & wellbeing, cultural heritage, and so on. This requires the creation of learning paths cantered on the specific needs of the individual, for the development of skills and abilities as well as for the acquisition of content. Re-inventing the ecosystem training and re-strengthen the teaching and learning in the digital age, through practices more open and innovative in order to create learning experiences richer, engaging and motivating, is a priority. The article presents some solutions of smart learning environment in e-health domain that combines pedagogical approaches of social learning and game-based learning with technological approaches of the social network and recommender systems in order to provide engaging learning experiences.