From activity to active learning: drawing and dialogue interaction in virtual learning environments for computer-supported collaborative work in design.

Virtual learning environments (VLEs) would appear to be particular effective in computer-supported collaborative work (CSCW) for active learning. Most research studies looking at computer-supported collaborative design have focused on either synchronous or asynchronous modes of communication, but near-synchronous working has received relatively little attention. Yet it could be argued that near-synchronous communication encourages creative, rhetorical and critical exchanges of ideas, building on each other’s contributions. Furthermore, although many researchers have carried out studies on collaborative design protocol, argumentation and constructive interaction, little is known about the interaction between drawing and dialogue in near-synchronous collaborative design. The paper reports the first stage of an investigation into the requirements for the design and development of interactive systems to support the learning of collaborative design activities. The aim of the study is to understand the collaborative design processes while sketching in a shared white board and audio conferencing media. Empirical data on design processes have been obtained from observation of seven sessions with groups of design students solving an interior space-planning problem of a lounge-diner in a virtual learning environment, Lyceum, an in-house software developed by the Open University to support its students in collaborative learning.

Using virtual worlds in distance learning environments

This paper presents two tools developed to facilitate the use and automate the process of using Virtual Worlds for educational purposes. The first tool has been developed to automatically create the classroom space, usually called region in the virtual world, which means, a region in the virtual world used to develop educational activities between professors, students and interactive objects. The second tool helps the process of creating 3D interactive objects in a virtual world. With these tools educators will be able to produce 3D interactive learning objects and use them in virtual classrooms improving the quality and appeal, for students, of their classes. © 2011 IEEE.

Towards an Open Source Framework for Collaborative Problem-Based Learning Environments

This paper presents our research works in the domain of Collaborative Environments centred on Problem Based Learning (PBL) and taking advantage of existing Electronic Documents. We first present the modelling and engineering problems that we want to address; then we discuss technological issues of such a research particularly the use of OpenUSS and of the Enterprise Java Open Source Architecture (EJOSA) to implement such collaborative PBL environments.

e-MIS Contents: Multimedia Contents for e-Learning Environments in Minimally Invasive Surgery

This work describes the design and application of multimedia contents for web technologies-based training in minimally invasive surgery (MIS). The chosen strategy allows knowing the deficiencies of the current training methods so new multimedia contents can cover them. This study is concluded with the definition of three different types of multimedia contents accordingly to the development degree and didactic objectives that they present: Didactic resources are basic contents such as videos or documents that can be enhanced with contributions of users. On the other hand, case reports and didactic units have a defined structure. Didactic resources and case reports provide an informal training while didactic units are included in a more regulated training.

Virtual Learning Environments In Faculties Of Education In Spain: Changes On Student Attitude

This paper presents some results of a R+D project entitled “e-Learning system for Practical Training of University students in Education Faculties (ForELearn)”, developed in Spain by the Universidad de Granada and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education. In a first phase, through the use of AulaWeb Learning Management System, a set of adaptations and improvements of this software application have been done for the design and development of an experimental course of Practicum supervision. Next, the implementation of this course by means of a group of face to face and online seminars provides experimental data for the analysis and discussion about the point of view of users (preservice teachers) that have tracked their practice supervision with AulaWeb.

Learning Analytics and Interactions in Virtual Learning Environments. A Comparative Study of Typologies and their Relationship with Academic Performance

Analysis of learning data (learning analytics) is a new research field with high growth potential. The main objective of Learning analytics is the analysis of data (interactions being the basic data unit) generated in virtual learning environments, in order to maximize the outcomes of the learning process; however, a consensus has not been reached yet on which interactions must be measured and what is their influence on learning outcomes. This research is grounded on the study of e-learning interaction typologies and their relationship with students? academic performance, by means of a comparative study between different interaction typologies (based on the agents involved, frequency of use and participation mode). The main conclusions are a) that classifications based on agents offer a better explanation of academic performance; and b) that each of the three typologies are able to explain academic performance in terms of some of their components (student-teacher and student-student interactions, evaluating students interactions and active interactions, respectively), with the other components being nonrelevant.