07081334.pdf
Virtual Engineering Sciences Learning Lab:
Giving STEM Education a Second Life
Stephanie E. August, Member, IEEE, Michele L. Hammers, Don Brian Murphy,
Allison Neyer, Penda Gueye, and Robert Q. Thames
Abstract—Engineering education in the 21st century faces multiple obstacles including limited accessibility of course resources due, in
part, to the costs associated with acquiring and maintaining equipment and staffing laboratories. Another continuing challenge is the
low level of participation of women and other groups historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines. As a partial remedy for these
issues, we established a Virtual Engineering Sciences Learning Lab (VESLL) that provides interactive objects and learning activities,
multimedia displays, and instant feedback procedures in a virtual environment to guide students through a series of key quantitative
skills and concepts. Developed in the online virtual world Second Life
TM
, VESLL is an interactive environment that supports STEM
education, with potential to help reach women and other underrepresented groups. VESLL exposes students to various quantitative
skills and concepts through visualization, collaborative games, and problem solving with realistic learning activities. Initial assessments
have demonstrated high student interest in VESLL’s potential as a supplementary instructional tool and show that student learning
experiences were improved by use of VESLL. Ultimately, the VESLL project contributes to the ongoing body of evidence suggesting
that online delivery of course content has remarkable potential when properly deployed by STEM educators.
Index Terms—Computer science education, computer uses in education, computer-assisted instruction, multimedia information systems
Ç
1 INTRODUCTION
THE Virtual Engineering Sciences Learning Lab (VESLL)project is an online interactive learning environment
that introduces students to quantitative skills and concepts
through visualization and interactive problem solving [1].
Initial content focuses on positional numbering systems,
logic operations, gates, and flip-flops, and visualization of a
rate flow problem from differential equations. VESLL is
based in Second LifeTM. SL is a widely used free online vir-
tual environment populated with content (locations, objects,
and activities) imagined and created by its users (also
known as “residents”). In SL, a private “island” has been
created specifically for VESLL where users can explore con-
tent, solve puzzles and participate in activities, and interact
with other users. SL uses common geographic terms such
(such as “island” and “mainland”) to designate virtual
spaces within the environment; an island is a freestanding
space where an owner has exclusive rights to develop
(“build”) content.
For general users, Second LifeTM is a free online service;
therefore, while there are costs associated with maintain-
ing the VESLL island, there is no additional cost (beyond ...
Involving students in managing their own learningeLearning Papers
The primary function of universities is to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to prosper throughout their professional career. Today, to be successful, students will need to continually enhance their knowledge and skills, in order to address immediate problems and to participate in a process of continuing vocational and professional development.
Authors: Malinka Ivanova, Tatyana Ivanova
Re Live Paper Addison And OharefinalversionAddison4
This is the Paper that accompanied the slides on "How Can Massive Multi-user Virtual Environments and Virtual Role Play Enhance Traditional Teaching Practice". This was some of my earliest work.
07081334.pdf
Virtual Engineering Sciences Learning Lab:
Giving STEM Education a Second Life
Stephanie E. August, Member, IEEE, Michele L. Hammers, Don Brian Murphy,
Allison Neyer, Penda Gueye, and Robert Q. Thames
Abstract—Engineering education in the 21st century faces multiple obstacles including limited accessibility of course resources due, in
part, to the costs associated with acquiring and maintaining equipment and staffing laboratories. Another continuing challenge is the
low level of participation of women and other groups historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines. As a partial remedy for these
issues, we established a Virtual Engineering Sciences Learning Lab (VESLL) that provides interactive objects and learning activities,
multimedia displays, and instant feedback procedures in a virtual environment to guide students through a series of key quantitative
skills and concepts. Developed in the online virtual world Second Life
TM
, VESLL is an interactive environment that supports STEM
education, with potential to help reach women and other underrepresented groups. VESLL exposes students to various quantitative
skills and concepts through visualization, collaborative games, and problem solving with realistic learning activities. Initial assessments
have demonstrated high student interest in VESLL’s potential as a supplementary instructional tool and show that student learning
experiences were improved by use of VESLL. Ultimately, the VESLL project contributes to the ongoing body of evidence suggesting
that online delivery of course content has remarkable potential when properly deployed by STEM educators.
Index Terms—Computer science education, computer uses in education, computer-assisted instruction, multimedia information systems
Ç
1 INTRODUCTION
THE Virtual Engineering Sciences Learning Lab (VESLL)project is an online interactive learning environment
that introduces students to quantitative skills and concepts
through visualization and interactive problem solving [1].
Initial content focuses on positional numbering systems,
logic operations, gates, and flip-flops, and visualization of a
rate flow problem from differential equations. VESLL is
based in Second LifeTM. SL is a widely used free online vir-
tual environment populated with content (locations, objects,
and activities) imagined and created by its users (also
known as “residents”). In SL, a private “island” has been
created specifically for VESLL where users can explore con-
tent, solve puzzles and participate in activities, and interact
with other users. SL uses common geographic terms such
(such as “island” and “mainland”) to designate virtual
spaces within the environment; an island is a freestanding
space where an owner has exclusive rights to develop
(“build”) content.
For general users, Second LifeTM is a free online service;
therefore, while there are costs associated with maintain-
ing the VESLL island, there is no additional cost (beyond ...
Involving students in managing their own learningeLearning Papers
The primary function of universities is to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to prosper throughout their professional career. Today, to be successful, students will need to continually enhance their knowledge and skills, in order to address immediate problems and to participate in a process of continuing vocational and professional development.
Authors: Malinka Ivanova, Tatyana Ivanova
Re Live Paper Addison And OharefinalversionAddison4
This is the Paper that accompanied the slides on "How Can Massive Multi-user Virtual Environments and Virtual Role Play Enhance Traditional Teaching Practice". This was some of my earliest work.
The e-learning contained many educational resources are generally used in learning systems like Moodle, It’s free open source software packages designed and flexible platform to create Learning Objects (LOs) and users’ accounts. The author demonstrates how to use semantic web technologies to improve online learning environments and bridge the gap between learners and LOs. The ontological construction presented here helps formalize LOs context as a complex interplay of different learning-related elements and shows how we can use semantic annotation to interrelate diverse between learner and LOs. On top of this construction, the author implemented several feedback channels for educators to improve the delivery of future Web-based learning. The particular aim of this paper was to provide a solution based in the Moodle Platform. The main idea behind the approach presented here is that ontology which can not only be useful as a learning instrument but it can also be employed to assess students’ skills. For it, each student is prompted to express his/her beliefs by building own discipline-related ontology through an application displayed in the interface of Moodle. This paper presents the ontology for an e-Learning System, which arranges metadata, and defines the relationships of metadata, which are about learning objects; belong to academic courses and user profiles. This ontology has been incorporated as a critical part of the proposed architecture. By this ontology, effective retrieval of learning content, customizing Learning Management System (LMS) is expected. Metadata used in this paper are based on current metadata standards. This ontology specified in human and machine-readable formats. In implementing it, several APIs were defined to manage the ontology. They were introduced into a typical LMS such as Moodle. Proposed ontology maps user preferences with learning content to satisfy learner requirements. These learning objects are presented to the learner based on ontological relationships. Hence it increases the usability and customizes the LMS. In conclusion, ontologies have a range of potential benefits and applications in further and higher education, including the sharing of information across e-learning systems, providing frameworks for learning object reuse, and enabling information between learner and system parts.
Although of the semantic web technologies utilization in the learning development field is a new research area, some authors have already proposed their idea of how an effective that operate. Specifically, from analysis of the literature in the field, we have identified three different types of existing applications that actually employ these technologies to support learning. These applications aim at: Enhancing the learning objects reusability by linking them to an ontological description of the domain, or, more generally, describe relevant dimension of the learning process in an ontology, then; providing a comprehensive authoring system to retrieve and organize web material into a learning course, and constructing advanced strategies to present annotated resources to the user, in the form of browsing facilities, narrative generation and final rendering of a course. On difference with the approaches cited above, here we propose an approach that is modeled on narrative studies and on their transposition in the digital world. In the rest of the paper, we present the theoretical basis that inspires this approach, and show some examples that are guiding our implementation and testing of these ideas within e-learning. By emerging the idea of the ontologies are recognized as the most important component in achieving semantic interoperability of e-learning resources. The benefits of their use have already been recognized in the learning technology community. In order to better define different aspects of ontology applications in e-learning, researchers have given several classifications of ontologies. We refer to a general one given in that differentiates between three dimensions ontologies can describe: content, context, and structure. Most of the present research has been dedicated to the first group of ontologies. A well-known example of such an ontology is based on the ACM Computer Classification System (ACM CCS) and defined by Resource Description Framework Schema (RDFS). It’s used in the MOODLE to classify learning objects with a goal to improve searching. The chapter will cover the terms of the semantic web and e-learning systems design and management in e-learning (MOODLE) and some of studies depend on e-learning and semantic web, thus the tools will be used in this paper, and lastly we shall discuss the expected contribution. The special attention will be putted on the above topics.
Smart Learning Environment (SLE) is the hourly need to satisfy the urge generated by the new knowledge society. This includes a focus on learning methods to yield a required blend of learning environment that supports experience of effective and engaged learning. The essence of ‘SLE’ is to create a condition that can enhance the learners’ personalized and adaptive learning experience. For the Architecture and Design students, Studio- a physical space that allows students to accomplish their design learning in an innovative and creative manner, plays an integral role in their learning. The main objective of the paper is to redefine the concept of ‘Smart Learning Environment’ in the context of Design education and suggest a model for the ‘Smart Design Studio’ based on the perception of learners. The methodology includes surveys and group discussion at the University of Bahrain (UoB), to receive opinions on smart teaching-learning spaces and methods. A short experimental study was done to measure the impact on the design learning as a result of modifications done in the Design Studio. The experiment was centered on the theory of ‘Identity Development’ and ‘Personalization of spaces’. Finally, the paper concludes a new vision on SLE as a learner-centered-environment that allows multiple ways of learning to support all-round development of the learners. As a recommendation, authors suggest a model for the Design Studio to achieve effective, engaged and efficient learning. The key elements of the model are the disseminator and recipient of knowledge, learning methods, modes, tools and resources.
Designing for Change: Mash-Up Personal Learning EnvironmentseLearning Papers
Authors:Fridolin Wild, Felix Mödritscher, Steinn E. Sigurdarson.
Institutions for formal education and most work places are equipped today with at least some kind of tools that bring together people and content artefacts in learning activities to support them in constructing and processing information and knowledge. For almost half a century, science and practice have been discussing models on how to bring personalisation through digital means to these environments.
Rapid e-learning, as an informal educational tool for advanced studentseLearning Papers
Author: Nicolò Antonio Piave.
This article deals with the possibility of introducing rapid e-learning software, usually used by teachers and content producers, into a hybrid learning paradigm and informal educational tool.
The e-learning contained many educational resources are generally used in learning systems like Moodle, It’s free open source software packages designed and flexible platform to create Learning Objects (LOs) and users’ accounts. The author demonstrates how to use semantic web technologies to improve online learning environments and bridge the gap between learners and LOs. The ontological construction presented here helps formalize LOs context as a complex interplay of different learning-related elements and shows how we can use semantic annotation to interrelate diverse between learner and LOs. On top of this construction, the author implemented several feedback channels for educators to improve the delivery of future Web-based learning. The particular aim of this paper was to provide a solution based in the Moodle Platform. The main idea behind the approach presented here is that ontology which can not only be useful as a learning instrument but it can also be employed to assess students’ skills. For it, each student is prompted to express his/her beliefs by building own discipline-related ontology through an application displayed in the interface of Moodle. This paper presents the ontology for an e-Learning System, which arranges metadata, and defines the relationships of metadata, which are about learning objects; belong to academic courses and user profiles. This ontology has been incorporated as a critical part of the proposed architecture. By this ontology, effective retrieval of learning content, customizing Learning Management System (LMS) is expected. Metadata used in this paper are based on current metadata standards. This ontology specified in human and machine-readable formats. In implementing it, several APIs were defined to manage the ontology. They were introduced into a typical LMS such as Moodle. Proposed ontology maps user preferences with learning content to satisfy learner requirements. These learning objects are presented to the learner based on ontological relationships. Hence it increases the usability and customizes the LMS. In conclusion, ontologies have a range of potential benefits and applications in further and higher education, including the sharing of information across e-learning systems, providing frameworks for learning object reuse, and enabling information between learner and system parts.
Although of the semantic web technologies utilization in the learning development field is a new research area, some authors have already proposed their idea of how an effective that operate. Specifically, from analysis of the literature in the field, we have identified three different types of existing applications that actually employ these technologies to support learning. These applications aim at: Enhancing the learning objects reusability by linking them to an ontological description of the domain, or, more generally, describe relevant dimension of the learning process in an ontology, then; providing a comprehensive authoring system to retrieve and organize web material into a learning course, and constructing advanced strategies to present annotated resources to the user, in the form of browsing facilities, narrative generation and final rendering of a course. On difference with the approaches cited above, here we propose an approach that is modeled on narrative studies and on their transposition in the digital world. In the rest of the paper, we present the theoretical basis that inspires this approach, and show some examples that are guiding our implementation and testing of these ideas within e-learning. By emerging the idea of the ontologies are recognized as the most important component in achieving semantic interoperability of e-learning resources. The benefits of their use have already been recognized in the learning technology community. In order to better define different aspects of ontology applications in e-learning, researchers have given several classifications of ontologies. We refer to a general one given in that differentiates between three dimensions ontologies can describe: content, context, and structure. Most of the present research has been dedicated to the first group of ontologies. A well-known example of such an ontology is based on the ACM Computer Classification System (ACM CCS) and defined by Resource Description Framework Schema (RDFS). It’s used in the MOODLE to classify learning objects with a goal to improve searching. The chapter will cover the terms of the semantic web and e-learning systems design and management in e-learning (MOODLE) and some of studies depend on e-learning and semantic web, thus the tools will be used in this paper, and lastly we shall discuss the expected contribution. The special attention will be putted on the above topics.
Smart Learning Environment (SLE) is the hourly need to satisfy the urge generated by the new knowledge society. This includes a focus on learning methods to yield a required blend of learning environment that supports experience of effective and engaged learning. The essence of ‘SLE’ is to create a condition that can enhance the learners’ personalized and adaptive learning experience. For the Architecture and Design students, Studio- a physical space that allows students to accomplish their design learning in an innovative and creative manner, plays an integral role in their learning. The main objective of the paper is to redefine the concept of ‘Smart Learning Environment’ in the context of Design education and suggest a model for the ‘Smart Design Studio’ based on the perception of learners. The methodology includes surveys and group discussion at the University of Bahrain (UoB), to receive opinions on smart teaching-learning spaces and methods. A short experimental study was done to measure the impact on the design learning as a result of modifications done in the Design Studio. The experiment was centered on the theory of ‘Identity Development’ and ‘Personalization of spaces’. Finally, the paper concludes a new vision on SLE as a learner-centered-environment that allows multiple ways of learning to support all-round development of the learners. As a recommendation, authors suggest a model for the Design Studio to achieve effective, engaged and efficient learning. The key elements of the model are the disseminator and recipient of knowledge, learning methods, modes, tools and resources.
Designing for Change: Mash-Up Personal Learning EnvironmentseLearning Papers
Authors:Fridolin Wild, Felix Mödritscher, Steinn E. Sigurdarson.
Institutions for formal education and most work places are equipped today with at least some kind of tools that bring together people and content artefacts in learning activities to support them in constructing and processing information and knowledge. For almost half a century, science and practice have been discussing models on how to bring personalisation through digital means to these environments.
Rapid e-learning, as an informal educational tool for advanced studentseLearning Papers
Author: Nicolò Antonio Piave.
This article deals with the possibility of introducing rapid e-learning software, usually used by teachers and content producers, into a hybrid learning paradigm and informal educational tool.
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2. entation Island, so new users should not experience
any intimidation by them.
SL allows users to specify areas as private, giving
researchers and instructors the opportunity to create a
contained section of the world in which only new
adopters can operate; the restrictions on that area can
be modified over time. SL is designed to be “social”,
allowing new members to collaborate on tasks and to
gauge reasonable success rates and expectations from
each other while removing the need to explore alone. It
is also designed to be platform-independent, which
means that learners who encounter SL in one setting
(e.g., a Macintosh lab) can also go on to use it in a very
different everyday setting (e.g., home PC platform).
3.2 Immersion identity
Immersion identity has direct implications for the
amount of energy a learner will direct to exploring the
VLE to accomplish instructional tasks, whether self-
guided or structured. Immersion identity also influ-
ences feelings of control and ownership in virtual
learning scenarios, making it more likely that learners
will place importance on their own learning, and feel a
sense of obligation or desire to perform in the VLE.
SL offers significant avatar customization and a
wide selection of actions, from talking to flying. The
richness of interaction in SL demonstrates great poten-
tial for immersion identity. The environment also al-
lows users to modify their avatar’s appearance and
behaviors using a graphical user interface, or via the
Linden Scripting Language (a derivative of Java). This
multi-method avatar customization means that re-
searchers or educators may incorporate identity devel-
opment as tasks to meet instructional goals in the VLE.
3.3 Constructability
A precept of VLEs that learners are in a simulated
world that allows them to act on the world in various
ways. Learners’ understanding grows as they see evi-
dence of how their actions affect the world. Virtual
worlds are governed by rules–when users change a rule
for an object, they can see how it affects just that ob-
ject, demonstrating the boundary of the class, as well
as how rules are defined for classes. To be successful
in constructability, a VLE should provide learners as
many different ways to manipulate the environment
but also not overwhelm them. Actions in the world can
fall into many categories (e.g., building new objects,
writing new rules, changing existing rules).
SL offers multiple opportunities for constructabil-
ity. Learners can build new objects, change or break
objects (making them behave in unexpected ways) and
are able to see the effects of their actions on the envi-
ronment immediately.
The constructability of Second Life is also robust
enough to support paired or even group building ac-
tivities. Using variations in editing permission, multi-
ple learners can work on disparate segments of a larger
project and assemble it later, or multiple users can
work on the same object. For example, three users
could design a car, with one person responsible for
making the wheels and tires, and two constructing the
frame of the vehicle. All three participants could then
add the wheels to the vehicle and create a body for it,
with each learner writing specific script to govern the
properties and actions of the collection of objects mak-
ing up the car. The car can be finished and made avail-
able to everyone as a single object.
4. Conclusions
With the extensive challenges of teaching and learn-
ing computational concepts, multiple methods of in-
struction must continue to be practiced and developed.
Building on Guzdial’s assessment of teaching in con-
text, VLEs appear to be a rich resource for exploration
in instructional research, while also presenting a vari-
ety of constraints and potential complications. We
argue that the design principles of adoption safety,
immersion identity, and constructability may help
VLEs to be more successful in providing a meaningful,
self-guided or structured educational experience for
interested learners. Our work with SL demonstrates
how these principles might be realized in a specific
VLE and we are continuing to explore SL as an infra-
structure for rich self-guided learning experiences.
5. Acknowledgements
This work was supported by The National Science
Foundation, CCF-0405612. We thank Anastassia Iou-
jinina for her help in building SL materials.
6. References
[1] Bialystok, E. (1990). The structure of age: in search of
barriers to second language acquisition. Second Lan-
guage Research, 13 (2), 116-137.
[2] Falk, J., & Dierking, L. (2002). Lessons Without Limit:
How Free-Choice Learning is Transforming Education.
Walnut Creek, CA: Altamira Press.
[3] Hmelo, C.E., & Guzdial, M. (1996). Of black and glass
boxes: Scaffolding for doing and learning. Proceedings
of the 1996 International Conference on the Learning
Sciences, (pp. 128-134).
488