Educational Modeling Languages Research Articles

Examining a WeChat-supported 5E-flipped classroom pedagogical approach

The use of flipped classroom has gained widespread interest among many universities in recent years. Yet, despite this interest, we still lack specific guidance on how to structure the pre-class and in-class activities in a conceptually coherent way to engage students. Using an educational modelling language (orchestration graphs), we illustrate a flipped classroom design that incorporates the use of 5E instructional phases and a mobile instant messaging tool (WeChat). We implemented this WeChat-supported 5E flipped classroom approach in two master-level graduate classes, namely E-Learning Strategies and Engaging Adult Learners involving a total of 48 students. A mixed-method approach was utilised to collect quantitative and qualitative data from student surveys, and student interviews and instructor reflections. Results suggested a majority of participants found the flipped classroom approach to be more engaging than the traditional method. We also discussed the benefits and challenges of using WeChat along four different axes: 1) interactivity vs. distraction; 2) immediacy vs. pressure; 3) abundancy vs. disorganisation; 4) intimacy vs. detachment.

A User-Centered Educational Modeling Language Improving the Controllability of Learning Design Quality

Semiformal EMLs are developed to facilitate the adoption of educational modeling languages (EMLs) and to address practitioners’ learning design concerns, such as reusability and readability. In this article, SDLD (Structure Dialogue Learning Design) is presented, which is a semiformal EML that aims to improve controllability of learning design quality, one of the major concerns of practitioners that has not been previously addressed by EMLs. To address this problem, SDLD follows the proposals of Transactional Distance Theory (TDT). The adoption of this theory helps to measure, identify, and integrate the determinants of learning design quality in the creation of learning designs. Results from using SDLD showed that it improves the expressiveness of EMLs, especially in terms of the interactional facet of learning units and confirmed that it improves the usefulness of existing EMLs. In this context, SDLD represents, on the one hand, a first step toward the operationalization of the TDT. On the other hand, it is another way to facilitate the adoption of EMLs for their utility.

Recompiling learning processes from event logs

In this paper a novel approach to reuse units of learning (UoLs) – such as courses, seminars, workshops, and so on – is presented. Virtual learning environments (VLEs) do not usually provide the tools to export in a standardized format the designed UoLs, making thus more challenging their reuse in a different platform. Taking into account that many of these VLEs are legacy or proprietary systems, the implementation of a specific software is usually out of place. However, these systems have in common that they record the events of students and teachers during the learning process. The approach presented in this paper makes use of these logs (i) to extract the learning flow structure using process mining, and (ii) to obtain the underlying rules that control the adaptive learning of students by means of decision tree learning. Finally, (iii) the process structure and the adaptive rules are recompiled in IMS Learning Design (IMS LD) – the de facto educational modeling language standard. The three steps of our approach have been validated with UoLs from different domains.

Online and Collaborative Learning Design model based on IMS-LD to Stimulate Collaborative Learning in E-learning Environments

In the e-learning field, there is an urgent need for the sharing, reuse and design of online courses as learning objects. However, in the vast majority of cases, e-learning courses are built in a manner that not stimulating cooperation, interaction, and collaborative learning. The primary aim of this paper is to develop a strategy for constructing learning objects, strategy targeted at supporting instructors in designing educational contents in order to promote collaborative learning in e-learning environments. A key challenge in this work is the definition of a new method of learning design of e-learning contents to stimulate collaborative learning. In addition, we introduce a general model of online and collaborative learning design. Model is based on the methods of instructional design and Educational Modeling Languages, particularly the IMS-LD specification. Firstly, the paper presents the online and collaborative design process of a content based on a life cycle adapted. Then, the paper describes the steps of the modeling process of content. Finally, the paper exposes the adopted technical choices and a first prototype is set up to provide a subjective evaluation of the new framework.

Modeling the Collaborative Instructional Framework for LMSs Using Educational Modeling Languages

This paper focuses on collaborative learning and educational languages in order to model collaborative instruction. In a previous work, we carried out and tested a collaborative instructional framework (CIF) based on pedagogical goals of the analysis level of Bloom’s taxonomy named CIF. Besides, we developed a collaborative tool that supports CIF named mobile collaborative argument support (MoCAS). We conducted experiments in the classroom with students and teachers using CIF and MoCAS and we realized that CIF needed to be improved. Our research goal presented in this paper is to improve CIF to make it support interoperability and portability using educational standards in a learning management systems. Therefore, we present the CIF modeled with intelligent manufacturing system standards using the reload learning design and Moodle tools.

Project-based Learning Modeling Language

The evolution of ICT promotes researchers in e-learning to integrate in the author system, the ability to design custom learning paths, tailored to the needs of users in e-learning platforms. The scenario of learning activities is one of techniques available to teachers, in order to customise and to adapt learning paths. The authors of educational scenarios can choose from several educational approaches, which change the learning environment.Our case study is based on project-based learning, as a method of collaborative work of a group.In this educational framework, a scenarisation of collaborative learning activities in the context of group work presents several challenges for researchers. The Modelling languages of learning scenarios such as EML (Educational modelling language) are criticized by their abstraction and their difficulty to be used by teachers.To avoid these constraints, we propose in this paper a meta- model that will describe a modelling language.The modelling language is used as an author tool, to formalise an activities scenario in online educational project.Our meta-modelling approach is based on the notion of process, and the implementation of the Framework of activity theory. To illustrate our proposal, we have implemented the evaluation process, as instantiation of the proposed meta-model.The assessment process during a project requires points of decision making. The decision is addressed through the hierarchical analysis method (AHP).

A model-driven development approach for learning design using the LPCEL Editor

Complex learning scenarios are represented using Educational Modeling Languages (EMLs). Different people with specific skills usually design these scenarios. The IMS LD is a commonly used EML for which some visual editors are being created in order to assist the authoring process. However, these editors have a limited level of expressiveness and do not provide the facilities for designers to collaborate in the design process. The LPCEL Editor provides a broad level of expressiveness and facilitates the authoring process with an editor that includes: (1) Visual Elements, (2) Intermediate Representation, (3) Learning Patterns, (4) Collaboration tools and (5) Web Services. In order to verify that the components are sufficient, we conducted a user evaluation to analyze their perspective regarding the level of functionality of the tools.

PoEML: Modeling learning units through perspectives

This paper introduces an Educational Modeling Language (EML) to support the computational modeling of learning units. These computational models can be processed by suitable e-learning systems to support the authoring and delivering of learning experiences. Nevertheless, the modeling of learning units is a complex endeavor, involving issues of expressiveness, reusability, adaptability and flexibility. This paper proposes the Perspective-oriented EML to simplify this complexity. In PoEML, the model of a learning unit is not a single piece, as in current EMLs, but it is made up by several perspectives, where each perspective is focused on non-overlapping specific issues.

A Visual Educational Modeling Language to Help Teachers in Learning Scenario Design

A Visual Educational Modeling Language to Help Teachers in Learning Scenario Design

A model-driven approach for modelling and simulating new malleable learning scenarios for digital native generations

Our research proposes an innovative approach that aims at supporting pedagogical designers and teachers to reach ‘new’ learners of today or ‘digital natives’ by allowing them to model, generate and simulate new pervasive, context-aware and adaptive learning scenarios. The core element of this approach consists of an educational modelling language called context-aware adaptive activities modelling language (CAAML) and based jointly on activity theory and IMS-LD standard. To define CAAML language, firstly, we start with identifying relevant concepts that can describe the domain of ‘malleable learning’ which is a useful designation we have found for pervasive, context-aware and adaptive learning. Secondly, we describe its meta-model based on those domain concepts. After, we present the developed authoring tool called ContAct-Me which is based on the CAAML language. To test and evaluate our work, we finally present a learning scenario that values the importance of the proposed graphical language in expressing, modelling and simulating new malleable learning environments.

An extensible approach to visually editing adaptive learning activities and designs based on services

Learning management systems (LMS) provide an operational environment in which an online course can be created and later executed. Inter-operation between creators and their authoring facilities, and the LMS execution engine are based on defining standards and specifications, such as the IMS Learning Design (LD). Because an LMS better serves as a course player than as a course creator, a large number of approaches and environments for standards-compliant course authoring have been developed. These approaches and environments propose a number of issues that deal with how adaptations are edited and how to define the connection of learning activities with external learning applications and services. These questions have raised concern, mostly because of the excessive commitment of the creators’ methods and tools used with an educational modeling language, as well as the isolation of the language used to describe the course from the host LMS. This work describes an abstract, extendible language used to specify the learning design of a course, which can be transformed into any LD language as required by the execution environment. The language is used from a generative authoring environment that offers the possibility of editing web services as an additional resource to assess learning activities.

Symposium 7: Current challenges in learning design and pedagogical patterns research

The goal of this symposium is to bring together experts in learning design and pedagogical patterns research to exchange their current views on learning design as well as their experiences in evaluating the application of their proposed approaches in practice. Four papers are included, which between them they cover different aspects of the following three themes: i) Approaches to visualising and representing design patterns, ii) Computational representation of enacted patterns and iii) Analyses of emerging enacted patterns. In particular we are interested in exploring how can designs be represented, shared and discussed, and how they might be used and by whom. The first paper acts as a position paper in relation to the remaining four. It provides an overview of different types of design representations and demonstrates how these can be used in different contexts. The second explores design aspects around creativity and collaboration. Collaborative design is also picked up in the third paper, but in the context of pedagogical patterns. The final paper looks at issues to do with sharing and discussing designs and puts forward a number of theoretical frameworks for understanding new emergent practices in web 2.0 spaces. The symposium will use the content of the papers as a basis for exploring the three themes and will attempt to draw out new insights into addressing these questions. Modern networked learning environments have the potential to enhance significantly the student learning experience; offering new ways in which they can communicate and interact with each other and with their tutors. However, the sheer variety of new technologies available now is bewildering. Those tasked with designing learning experiences need new forms of guidance to take advantage of the affordances of new technologies and to make pedagogically informed design decisions. The learning design and pedagogical patterns research fields that have emerged in recent years are attempting to provide solutions to these issues. Learning design research is concerned with articulating and representing the design process and providing tools and methods to help designers in their design process (Lockyer et al., 2008). Pedagogical patterns research is concerned with elicited empirically derived good practice and representing that within a standard format according to the underlying pedagogical pattern principles (Retalis and Goodyear, forthcoming). This series of papers provides a snapshot of current thinking in these fields. The symposium will aim to draw out some common synergies across these fields. These fields are related, but distinct from instructional design research (Spector et al., 2008; Reigeluth et al. 2009); learning design because of its emphasis on the holistic design process and its alignment to a socio-cultural perspective and pedagogical patterns in terms of its derivation from Alexander’s work in Architecture. Designing effective technology-enhanced learning environments in an efficient and affordable way is a demanding task, which requires creativity and a significant amount of expertise [Goodyear, 2002]. On the one hand, people new to e-learning design need advice from experts, experienced peers, and users so as to avoid investing a large amount of resources in ‘re-inventing the wheel’ or in creating solutions that may be educationally ineffective. On the other hand practitioners, instructional designers and content experts need to effectively collaborate for the joint development of learning designs thus leading to an increase of the quality of e-learning provision across Europe. Currently, several initiatives have been set up and a lot of attempts have been made in order to explore conceptualizations of learning designs such as IMS LD, educational modelling languages like EML, learning flow design patterns, pedagogical patterns and of course visual tools for creating learning designs. The learning design research community faces a big challenge: to find powerful ways of providing structured, teacher-friendly, formalized and visual representations of learning designs.

Authoring and Reengineering of IMS Learning Design Units of Learning

Educational Modeling Languages (EMLs) are notations that allow instructors to formally describe educational processes, including teaching and learning interactions and activities. The description of a specific teaching process using an EML is called a learning design. EMLs, where IMS Learning Design (IMS LD) is becoming a de facto standard, address aspects such as the interoperability and reusability of teaching practices across learning management systems. However, the actual application of EMLs is being hindered by different problems such as the technical skills required to use typical EMLs and the difficulty of understanding and maintaining preexisting learning designs. Thus, to promote the adoption of EMLs, it is necessary to provide more user-friendly tools and methodologies to facilitate their assimilation and reduce the workload required to use them. In this paper, we present the e-LD system, which provides a graphical notation to design or redesign learning designs, an import-modification-export process to reengineer IMS LD learning designs, and a tool to generate and analyze dependencies between different IMS LD elements.

Preface to the special issue: "Comparing Educational Modelling Languages on the 'Planet Game' Case Study"

People with a background in computer science tend to refer to technical specifications for designing learning as metadata standards. And strictly speaking, they are right. Such educational modelling languages, as specification languages for designing learning opportunities are generically called, take a collection of learning opportunities as its starting point and then 'embellishes' them by allotting to them students and staff in various roles, as well as pertinent background information. These embellishments really are data about the learning opportunities, they explicate who is involved with the opportunities, and what information and services are relevant for them. Indeed, they are data about data, hence metadata. However, such a characterisation amounts to a tremendous underestimation of the power of such educational modelling languages Editors: Laurence Vignollet (Universit e de Savoie, France).

Modelling the "Planet Game" Case Study with LDL and Implementing it with LDI

<div class="abstract_container"> LDL (Learning Design Language) is an educational modelling language which was designed to model collaborative activities. This paper details the solution proposed to address, with LDL and the associated infrastructure LDI, the two steps presented in the workshop "Comparing Educational Modelling Languages on a case study". The modelling of the case study is described in detail. Its "operationalisation" and execution are illustrated with videos. The second step is addressed in conclusion. </div><p class="editors_container"><strong>Editors:</strong> Laurence Vignollet (Université de Savoie, France). <p class="demo_container"><strong>Interactive elements:</strong> Embedded in this article are QuickTime movies of the demonstration of the operationalization and execution of the case study (see section 3). To view them, you will require Apple's QuickTime plug-in for your browser, or the player.

Description of the 'Planet Game' Case Study and guidelines to the authors

This paper describes the 'Planet Game' case study, also called the 'Astronomy Game', initially proposed to the participants of the workshop Comparing Educational Modelling Languages on a Case Study which was held in Heerlen, The Netherlands, during ICALT 2006. This case study is supposed to facilitate the comparison of approaches (model/tool/...). This is only a « framework » that has been sometimes adapted by the authors of the papers of the special issue. This paper gives also guidelines to structure the paper, again to improve the comparison of the approaches for the reader of the special issue. Editors: Laurence Vignollet (Universit e de Savoie, France).

The added value of implementing the Planet Game scenario with Collage and Gridcole

This paper discusses the suitability and the added value of Collage and Gridcole when contrasted with other solutions participating in the ICALT 2006 workshop titled Comparing educational modelling languages on a case study. In this workshop each proposed solution was challenged to implement a Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning situation (CSCL) posed by the workshop's organizers. Collage is a pattern-based authoring tool for the creation of CSCL scripts compliant with IMS Learning Design (IMS LD). These IMS LD scripts can be enacted by the Gridcole tailorable CSCL system. The analysis presented in the paper is organized as a case study which considers the data recorded in the workshop discussion as well the information reported in the workshop contributions. The results of this analysis show how Collage and Gridcole succeed in implementing the scenario and also point out some significant advantages in terms of design reusability and generality, user-friendliness, and enactment flexibility. Editors: Laurence Vignollet (Universite de Savoie, France) Interactive elements: Collage authoring tool is published in SourceForge and can be also downloaded from http://gsic.tel.uva.es/collage

A Transversal Analysis of Different Learning Design Approaches

The goal of the ICALT workshop Comparing Educational Modelling* Languages on a Case was to compare different Learning Design approaches. Various teams were asked to design and implement a common case study and to answer common given challenges. Then, a special issue on Comparing Educational Modelling Languages on the Planet Game Case Study was proposed to give the workshop challengers the opportunity to describe their solution in more detail. It is now time to make the comparison. Based on an in-depth analysis and many exchanges with the teams involved, this paper introduces the approaches and highlights current challenges in the Learning Design field in connection with the pitfalls included in the case study and the given challenges. Editors: Laurence Vignollet (Universit e de Savoie, France).

Why service-orientation could make e-learning standards obsolete

Standardisation in e-learning is characterised by the development of numerous specifications. Main efforts address the annotation of metadata, content aggregation, educational modelling languages, or the definition of interfaces for platforms and runtime systems to execute learning objects. Each of these fields comprises several competing activities that are generally not compatible to each other. In this paper, we discuss typical problems of common e-learning standards and contrast this with a service-oriented approach to deliver major functionalities of e-learning platforms and content. The approach is based on web services, which can be plugged together to build platforms that solve many of the compatibility problems inherent in present-day standards. It turns out that the consistent implementation of e-learning functionalities based on web services can make several e-learning standards obsolete.

Learning design in healthcare education

Emerging from ongoing work into educational modelling languages, learning design principles and the IMS Learning Design framework provide formal ways to annotate and record educational activities. Once educational activities have been encoded they can be played, replayed, adopted, shared, and analysed, thereby reifying much that is otherwise lost in face-to-face teaching. The use of learning design tools, including the free and open source LAMS system (www.lamsfoundation.org), allow practitioners to experiment with learning design approaches in their own teaching, both in terms of creating and encoding their own designs and playing, adapting and analysing designs from other teachers either from within or outside a particular field or subject area. This paper reviews the key issues associated with designing for learning in the context of healthcare education, some of the themes and approaches already in development or use, and the implications of this approach on the practice and theory of healthcare education.