Perceptions of e-learning environment

This paper explores the Web 2.0 ethos with respect to the application of pedagogy within 3D online virtual environments. 3D worlds can create a synthetic experience capturing the essence of being in a particular world or context. The AliveX3D platform adopts the Web 2.0 ethos and applies it to online 3D virtual environment forming a Web 2.0/Web3D hybrid that has wider usability than previous alternatives. This combined with the AliveX3D Scene Editor allows learning experiences, which are controlled by the learner, appear authentic and facilitate collaboration conversations to be developed simultaneously. This immersion enables learners to negotiate meaning based on their own personal cognitive, affective and kinaesthetic experiences rather than on the descriptions of others’ experiences. We conclude by suggesting the choices embedded within the worlds allow the learning focus to shift away from isolated pre-designed interactions, to a situation that encourages the learner to control...

Nowadays, information and communication technologies are incorporating extremely rapidly to the individual's education and training. This trend lead the European academic research to focus on key terms like open distance learning or lifelong learning. In this context, there are a large number of past and actual projects and researches concerning the content, methodologies, technologies and new pedagogical challenges - all parts of so-called e- learning environments. There are a lot of achievements from this work but there is still a significant work left for the process of building a reliable and efficient learning process capable of satisfying the end user needs and meet the necessary requirements imposed by the educational organizations (content, standardization, measurement tools, ratings, etc.). This article reveals the components of an e-learning environment, the present trends in this research field and some conclusions.

Abstract. Developing e-Learning applications concerns issues of human communication and facilitating technology. One of the key research issues in Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) is the participation of remote audience in a communicative activity. This is particularly important in learning contexts. In the two studies reported here, we discuss systems infrastructure by presenting the concept of the Virtual Observatory through the AstroGrid project. We explore how such a Grid can be used in the future as an e- ...

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Purpose
Digital libraries have the potential to offer unprecedented resources for supporting e‐learning. This paper addresses and discusses such aspects as what is meant by “e‐learning”, and how can it be supported by the library environment, the functionality of the digital library; and how e‐learning resources are included and organized in the digital library.
Design/methodology/approach

The paper explores the advantages of digital libraries for e‐learning and the types of learning that can be supported by digital libraries.
Findings

There is undoubtedly a keenness to use online information resources for research and teaching, but this seems to be matched by a lack of awareness of how best to integrate these resources into the e‐learning environment.

Originality/value
The paper provides a useful insight into the role and influence of digital libraries and online resources on e‐learning.

Sierra, JL, Fernández-Valmayor, A., Guinea, M., & Hernanz, H.(2006). From Research Resources to Learning Objects: Process Model and Virtualization Experiences. Educational Technology & Society, 9 (3), 56-68. 56 ISSN 1436-4522 (online) and 1176-3647 (print).© International ...

This article focuses on the design of competency-based performance assessment in e-learning. Though effort has been invested in designing powerful e-learning environments, relatively little attention has been paid to the design of valid and reliable assessments in such environments, leaving many questions to educational developers and teachers. As a solution to this problem, a systematic approach to designing performance assessments in e-learning contexts is presented, partly based on the 4C/ID model. This ...

This paper discusses the use of natural language or ‘conversational’ agents in e-learning environments. We describe and contrast the various applications of conversational agent technology represented in the e-learning literature, including tutors, learning companions, language practice and systems to encourage reflection. We offer two more detailed examples of conversational agents, one which provides learning support, and the other support for

In this paper, we present the pedagogical and conceptual design of an e-learning environment, NetAIDS, for HIV/AIDS education in Uganda. We also identify the first concrete design solutions for the NetAIDS environment, which will be later implemented and ...

The purpose of the Classroom Context Study was to explore how classrooms impact students' overall experience of being at a community college. The study was conducted at LaGuardia Community College by the Student Experiences Research Group (SERG) from 2015-2017. 11 courses were included using surveys and observations, which 280 students participated. Technology use in the classroom correlates with student motivation and attitude. Technology can be quite useful, as well as distracting.

This paper presents the (student) proceedings of a successful inter-university co-operation between a research university and a university of applied sciences, in the field of Visual Literacy and Visual Communication. The origin lays in the international symposium “Digital Communities for Global Education” (Enschede NL, 2006) and the start was a web-based course in Informational Graphic Design. The ongoing development is

One of the interesting problems that have attracted the attention of both industry and academia in current e-learning environments is the reusability of learning content in Learning Management Systems (LMS). A number of standards have defined a Run-Time environment in order to allow an LMS to deal with learning objects i.e. to launch, track and communicate with it. Such standards achieved high performance when dealing with simple learning objects such as a text file, picture or a simple animation but when dealing with much complicated content such as rich interactive or adaptive content they show many limitations This paper takes a closer look at the issue of reusability and interoperability of interactive learning content and presents a case study that followed one of the non-standardised research efforts where an existing LMS integrates an independently developed interactive learning simulation activity. The lessons that have been learned from this work has also been stated here.

PurposeFirst, to explore the application of e‐learning as a medium for workplace learning, as a form of adult learning and organisational learning from a theoretical point of view, second, to review empirical studies on recent solutions to pedagogical problems encountered in workplace learning in general and in e‐learning in particular, and finally, to consider the challenges facing the further development of e‐learning solutions targeted at the workplace.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews theories of adult learning, workplace learning and organisational learning and brings out main pedagogical implications of these theories from an e‐learning point of view. Some empirical studies in which electronic networks and communication tools have been utilised in workplace learning are also described.FindingsThe development of successful e‐learning solutions for the use of work organizations requires integrating research knowledge from different sources: theories of the learning or...

This paper considers the roles and competencies of the e-tutor. A literature review shows that different roles are assigned to the online tutors. Definitions of these roles are presented and discussed. Afterwards, we present eleven roles we consider important to manage the ...

In the last years, authoring based on e-learning standards has been consolidated as a core factor of industry and development of interoperable and effective virtual learning environments. However, there is a need for further research on abstraction to provide a more instructional view in the context of authoring tools in a variety of ways, in order to avoid being driven by Learning Technology (LT) specifications, facilitate instructional knowledge aggregation, and to provide an appropriate level of clarity and semantics in the design of collaborative activities. We propose a combination of techniques to provide this instructional abstraction in the context of the new European educational model, combining instructional layers and collaborative scripts in authoring tools, and semantic web techniques for extending e-learning material in order to harness the wealth of existing web content and semantically labeled repositories.

With the expansion of e-learning, the understanding and evaluation of already created e-learning environments is becoming an extremely important issue. One way to dealing with the problem is analysis of case studies, i.e. already created environments, from the reuse perspective. The paper presents a general framework and model to assess UNITE, the unified e-learning environment for schools, from the reuse perspective. UNITE is the e-learning environment of the ongoing EU project (FP6 IST-26964, 2006-2008, http://www.unite-ist.org/). UNITE assets are described using feature diagrams (FDs) telling us about the internal structure of UNITE; representing relationships among the compound and atomic features, thus enhancing better transparency of UNITE and in this way empowering reuse. The factors of UNITE influential to reuse with some concrete results are also presented. We provide analysis aiming to extract from the model the relevant information of two kinds: (1) which is influential t...

DIPSEIL is a project for distributed e-learning environment aiming to define, develop and test a distributed system for individualized learning and the underlying pedagogical procedures to implement, facilitate and promote performance-centered learning experiences in the context of international university education. DIPSEIL is a continuing work, based on an existing model, developed working prototype, conducted empirical research and analysis of experimental

E-learning may provide a lot of useful features in a wide range of learning and teaching situations. However, the provision of static learning material will not meet the requirements of the users. We believe that well-tailored, highly personalized learning sessions are needed. Regarding to this background, the research project AdeLE (Adaptive e-Learning with Eye-Tracking) aims to develop and implement a

Ethics in education means, granting educational opportunities to anyone on equal basis; disregarding nationality, gender, ideological differences or mental/physical disabilities. Through this perspective, online learning environments have an important potential, owing to their nature to reach international audiences. Considering the number and diversity of students in e-Learning environments, policies balancing different expectations and studying how the participants perceive ethics in online learning ...

This paper reports the results of a pilot study, conducted to observe and evaluate the patterns of use and completion of a set of project management units and to identify any relationships between these factors and learning style. The aim of the study was to gather ...

With the advance of information and communication technology (ICT) and the growth of interest in the use of the Internet for education, teachers are now working in new online environments. In line with this situation, there is great need for teacher development in the integration of ICT into teaching and learning activities and in the design, implementation and evaluation of