A H yCo : an A pproach to a W eb- B ased L earning and T esting S ystem

1. 4th Workshop “Software Engineering Education and Reverse Engineering” Zagreb 5 – 12 September 2004 AHyCo:an Approach to a Web-Based Learning and Testing System Nataša Hoić-Božić, natasa.hoic@ri.htnet.hr Faculty of Philosophy, University of Rijeka Vedran Mornar vedran.mornar@fer.hr Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb

2. Introduction • Enhancingtraditional computer-aided education by using the hypermedia paradigm • Web-based hypermedia system in education • Advantages: • More activity from students • Improve student’s motivation • Easier learning • Disadvantage: • “Get lost in hyperspace” problem

3. Adaptive hypermedia system • Adaptive hypermedia system (AHS): • Hypermedia (or hypertext) system • User model • Adapting the hypermedia content by using the user model • Adaptive presentation and adaptive navigation support • Most important shortcoming: authoring component

4. Structure of AHyCo AHS • AHyCo - Adaptive Hypermedia Courseware • Web-based adaptive educational hypermedia system • Authoring environment and Web-based learning environment • Adaptive navigation support and lessons sequencing

5. DOMAIN MODEL ADAPTATION MODEL HYPERMEDIA COMPONENT & USER INTERFACE USER STUDENT MODEL Model of AHyCo system • Model consists of: • Domain model (DM) - the structure of learning domain • Student model (SM) - student's knowledge of the learning concepts • Adaptation model (AM) - rules for adaptation

6. Domain model • DM describes the structure of the learning domain • Two-level structure: • Graph of concepts (lessons Ciand tests Tj) • Graph of modules Mk course • Suitable for storing learning materials from different areas (computer science, mathematics, medicine, art, etc.) • Concept-oriented structure of the knowledge

7. Concepts from domain model • Concepts - elementary pieces of knowledge for the given domain • Links - prerequisite relationships  between concepts or modules • Ci Cj - “concept Cishould be learned before concept Cj" • Two types of concepts: • LessonsCi • Tests Tj

8. Concept - lesson Ci • Presents the subject matter, introduces new learning concepts, presents examples,... • Definition of lesson Ciincludes: • Set of multimedia fragments that represent the content of the lesson (text and graphics, sound, animation, video) • Set of prerequisite concepts • Set of questions Qirelated to the lesson • Weight of the lessonwci • Minimum acceptable knowledge level for MYCIN modellMyi

9. Concept - test Tj • Test contains the questions about the domain lessons • Definition of testTjincludes: • Set of prerequisite lessons, PTj: Tj will contain the questions related to lessons from PTj • Total number of questions nj • Set of configuration rules Njthat specify how many questions for each lesson Cishould be placed into the test

10. Questions • Multiple-choicesingle/multiple answer questions related to the lesson • Stem - a set of hypermedia fragments • Set of offered answers • Index of the correct answer • Weight of the questionq • Two kinds of questions: • Hypermedia questions • Parameterized questions

11. Module • Related concepts are grouped into modules Mk • Easier navigation through the learning material • Definition of moduleMkincludes: • Set of concepts • Set of prerequisite modules • Minimum acceptable knowledge for modulelmk

12. The coursestudent has enrolled • Directed graph ofmodulesor course An example of a courseware with 4 modules

13. Student model and testing • SM represents the student's knowledge of the learning concepts • two-level overlay model 1. lessons Ci • ri- estimate about the student’s reading • ki- student’s knowledge of the concept Ci (MYCIN) 2. modules Mk • kmk- student’sknowledge value • kmk = kj * wcj

14. Adaptation model • AM describes the rules for adaptive navigation: “pedagogical rules” • Classification of the concepts: • completely recommended concepts • recomended concepts • learned concepts • not recommended concepts • concepts for repetition • Adaptive annotation technique: various colours for each concept types

15. Adaptive navigation • Navigation within the module • Traversing of a directed graph following the suggested hyperlinks • Navigation between the modules • Tests or quizzes Tj to check the students’ knowledge • When student reaches the marginal knowledge level kmk, hyperlinks to other modules become active • Student could proceed to the next module

16. Components of AHyCo • System components: • Microsoft SQL Server 2000 database • Microsoft Access forms - interface for authors • Midle-tier component - communication between Web application and database • Microsoft ASP.NET C# Web application - learning environment

17. Authoring component • Microsoft Access forms as an interface for authors to the MS SQL 2000 database • Main steps in the process of authoring: • Creating hypermedia lessons • Creating questions • Designing tests • Creating module • Creating graph of concepts • Creating course

18. Example: Creating hypermedia lesson • Lessons asWord objects in database and sets of HTML documents

19. Example: Creating parameterized question

20. Example: Creating graph of concepts • Graph based on prerequisite relationships between the concepts

21. AHyCo learning environment http://ahyco.fer.hr http://localhost/ahyco

22. Example: Web page with lesson

23. Example: Web page with question

24. Future plans • Evaluation of the learning environment • Structuring and preparing the courseware for several courses on FER and FFRI • Further development of the testing environment • Adding more question types • Incorporating the problem questions • Further development of the authoring environment • Verification with the teachers