adenu.ia.uned.es/

1. alfanet.ia.uned.es Issues in developing adaptive learning management systems for higher education institutions Jesus G. Boticario, Olga C. Santos aDeNu Research Group {jgb, ocsantos}@dia.uned.es http://adenu.ia.uned.es/ June 20, 2006

2. EHEA • Challenges • Requirements • aLFaNET (IST-2001-33288) • Approach • Features • Components • Evaluation & Lessons Learned • Conclusions Overview June 20, 2006

3. EHEA Challenges Reports and European Programmes => (Dearing, Bricall, E-Learning, eLearning Programme…) Student-centred learning DFEE-UK 1998 We recommend that, … HE give high priority to … implementing learning and teaching strategies which focus on the promotion of students’ learning eLearning (EU) (2001-04; 2004-06) help“the learner to match his or her own needs for personal development” provide “facilities for LLL to upgrade the skills of people with disabilities” User-centred learning = eLearning ? eLearning Programme 2004-06 “e-learning takes into account individual needs and learning-styles, … not based on a "one size fits all" philosophy” June 20, 2006

4. EHEA Requirements Question How to construct LMS that support HE user-centered scenarios? Students  Courses concrete scenarios where each user satisfies a particular set of learning goals Focus on learners their needs, backgrounds, learning styles and observed behavior when facing alternative learning situations become relevant learning situations have to be explicitly managed throughout different courses Adaptation is about creating a learner experience that purposely adjusts to various conditions (personal characteristics, pedagogical knowledge, the learner interactions, the outcome of the actual learning processes) over a period of time with the intention to increase pre-defined success criteria (effectiveness of e-learning: score, time, economical costs, user satisfaction) [aLFanet, 2004] June 20, 2006

5. European R&D alfanet.ia.uned.es June 20, 2006

6. aLFaNET (IST-2001-33288) • ContributionsCombination of design-time and run-time adaptation • Covering thefull life-cycleof eLearning • Adaptive course deliverystandard-based IMS-LD, IMS-CP, IEEE-LOM, IMS-LIP, IMS-QTI • Providing open source components (GPL) LD and QTI Authoring Tools, LD engine Coppercore, Adaptive and interaction packages • ParticipantsSAGE, UNED, OUNL, KLETT, EDP, ACE-BNET June 20, 2006

7. Full life cycle in LMS June 20, 2006

8. Design Publication Learner LMS Auditing Full life cycle in aLFaNET User Manager Course Manager Config UI and Recom LD + QTI PresentationInstructional Design Interactive ServicesQTI Interpreter Adaptation Module Use Audit June 20, 2006

9. Authoring focused on LD - Create dynamic & adaptive tests based on QTI test items and their metadata - Create the course (example of a tree view of a course in the authoring tool) IMS-LD • Pedagogical models • templates: • Concept learning • ………………… • ……………….. Inductive presentation (guidelines) ·    Inductive presentation requires presenting first a number of possible examples and then giving a definition of the concept. ·      - The examples should be as diverse as possible to allow learner to generalize. They should represent the full range of cases that the learner will encounter after the instruction. ·       - Begin with easy examples so learners can master the activity and build confidence. - End with ……………………….. June 20, 2006

10. Design aLFanet – a full life cycle Publication Course and material design Publication • Examples of adaptation: • - Presentation layer: • Personalised interface • - Dynamic adaptive assessment: • Rule based selection from the relevant item banks • - Pedagogical model: inductive – deductive • if "KnowledgeLevel" = Beginner & • "StudentLearningStyle" = Inductive • Then Show ………. • - Adaptation module: advice for remediation • “John, taking into account your profile and • your past interactions ………………..” LD (pre-designed adaptations and provides the hooks and the information upon which the runtime adaptation bases) IM (interactive adaptations based on analysis of the actual user interactions lead to the recommendations and adaptive dynamic tests) • Alfanet LMS: • Presentation Layer • LD-engine (CopperCore) • Adaptation agents • Dynamic adaptive • assessments (QTI) Auditing feedback Auditing feedback June 20, 2006 Auditing Use

11. aLFanet LMS Guided and Personalized Learning Recommendations Learning Tasks and Activities June 20, 2006

12. Evaluation Results aLFaNET 4 different pilot sites: “Spanish course for German Learners” (KLETT), “Environment and Electrical Distribution” (EDP), “How to teach through the Internet“ (UNED) and “Communication technology” (OUNL) 111 users: 22 at KLETT, 28 at EDP, 40 at UNED and 21 at OUNL Strengths (users)  dynamic adaptation and recommendations supplied flexibility of task order residing on the internet (i.e. all information is available) variety of different exercises and assessments good guidance and feedback by the use of tests course material is adapted to each personal learning profile Weak points (authors) »improvement and integration of the authoring tools »more documentation on how to implement different adaptive scenarios June 20, 2006

13. Lessons Learned aLFaNET • Evaluation outcomes • effectiveness of the LMS is rated positive • efficiency is rated less positive (performance problems) • usability and navigation using the current interfaces was low rated • Lessons learned • the design phase is experienced as a complex task (templates) • defining adaptations within a course still needs technical knowledge • experiencing adaptation  diversity in learning materials and open learning paths • user characteristics considered (cognitive modality, learning style, interest, knowledge level, level of activity and similarity between learners) useful to provide an adapted responses June 20, 2006

14. Conclusions • EHEA is challenging HE institutions to provide personalized ICT services  management of individual and group profiles, contents, devices, interaction modes, and their relationships with each ICT service aLFanet (eLearning + R&D) • aLFanet is aLMS based on a pervasive use of educational standards (IMS-LD, IMS-CP, IEEE-LOM/IMS-MD, IMS-LIP, IMS-QTI), which combines predefined rules with dynamic responses on runtime • From aLFanet experience follows • inter-service user models based on standards are needed (ALL) • users’ needs and preferences evolve over time (dynamic adaptation) • developing extensive specifications present serious difficulties  templates and interactive assistance tools • monitoring and tracking facilities should focus on providing qualitative features • personalized feedback to users users’ needs and preferences, service and environment features June 20, 2006

15. aLFanet architecture • JADE • CopperCore • dotLRN • IMS-LIP • IEEE-LOM • IMS-CP • IMS-QTI • IMS-LD June 20, 2006