This thesis focuses on three of the main components of an e-learning system: Infrastructure model, data integration and personalization. For the infrastructure model, our aim is to get best use of heterogeneously structured, geographically distributed data resources. Therefore, a detailed analysis of the available infrastructure models is carried out and an open source reference implementation based on grid technology is implemented. Furthermore, a simple data integration mechanism is proposed for the suggested reference implementation. For personalization, a statistical algorithm is proposed based on extracting and utilizing the learner model. The learner model based on Felder-Silverman learning style is extracted automatically using NBTree classification algorithm in conjunction with Binary relevance classifier for basic science learners. Experimental results show that the performance of the proposed automated learner modelling approach is consistent with the results, obtained by the questionnaires traditionally used for learning style assessment. In the thesis, the classification results are further utilized for providing the user with personalized queries. Keywords: Interactive learning environments / personalization in e-learning

Summary Distant Learning (DL) in Lithuania is rapidly developing, various Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) emerge. The most popular of them are WebCT, Moodle, Atutor. Therefore I have decided to analyse Moodle Virtual Learning Environment as it is widely used by many institutions of high and secondary education. Purpose of the paper To analyse the tools of virtual learning environments, in order to select those that could be added to Moodle environment and help achieve efficient usage of Moodle in creating and providing DL courses. Objectives: a) Analyse the concept and functions of VLE. b) Provide general analysis of VLE. c) Provide a comparative analysis of Moodle, File3, WebCT environments. d) Determine which functions should be added to VLE Moodle. e) Integrate the selected tools to Moodle environment. f) Prepare methodical material of Moodle environment for teachers and students. Methods of the study: a) Search and systemization of information. b) Analysis and generalization of scientific and informational material. c) Data processing. d) Comparative data analysis. In order to achieve the set objective I have compared Moodle and WebCT, which have proven to be the most popular VLE, as well as File3 – an average level VLE created in Finland. By comparing these VLE becomes apparent that Moodle VLE contains a number of various teaching and handling tools however the distributed versions of this program are short of some tools: they have no internal e-mail, which is... [to full text]

This study explored the racial identity development of White corporate trainers who deliver training in racially diverse organizations. The purpose of this study was to acquire an understanding about the various factors that affect the racial identity development of White trainers as well as to distinguish ways in which racially diverse organizations support the creation of culturally responsive training. The study sought to identify aspects that affect White trainers’ identity and the role of the organizations in defining, or impacting, competencies related to culturally responsive training. A basic qualitative design guided the study and data was collected through two face-to-face interviews and a written reflection in response to their own completed interview transcripts. The participants included six White females and one male and were employed in organizations in the areas of oil and gas, real estate, retail, and consulting. The participants were identified by their connection to Texas A&M University students and faculty, the Academy of Human Resource Development, or the American Society for Training and Development. The findings of the study indicated that White corporate trainers develop their racial identity through a variety of experiences in their personal and professional environments. The White trainers’ perceptions of racial identity were impacted through environmental influences and their construction of Whiteness. Their racial consciousness was further developed through their work within racially diverse organizations and cultural diversity within the training environment exposed the trainers to their weaknesses and areas for growth. The process of becoming more culturally responsive trainers was a constant evolution that took place through self-reflection and the acknowledgment of race as an important component related to identity and their work.

In this dissertation, the object of research is the advanced generative learning objects (AGLOs), models and processes related to them. The objective of the research is to develop and to investigate the methods that enable to formalize the designing of advanced generative learning objects and using them in teaching/learning of informatics effectively. Scientific novelty: 1. AGLOs expand the informatics learning variability aspects (pedagogical, social, technological, and content). Based on those insights, it is possible to adapt and apply software engineering and computer science methods in the e-learning domain. 2. To our best knowledge, feature-based modelling in the informatics learning domain has been performed systematically for the first time. Such an approach evaluates the domain variability, aggregates and verifies the created models. 3. Formalization of the models at two levels (feature-based and executable specification) provides pre-conditions for automated tools design. 4. From the viewpoint of automatic educational content creation, AGLO extends the concept of reusability in e-learning. The specialized learning environments with integrated AGLO implement the visual transformation of a real task into its physical process, thus providing a high level of motivation and effective learning. / Darbe tiriami informatikos (programavimo) mokymuisi skirti išplėstiniai generatyviniai mokymosi objektai (IGMO) ir su jais susiję informaciniai specifikavimo/atvaizdavimo, transformavimo modeliai ir procesai. Darbo tikslas yra pateikti ir ištirti metodiką, įgalinančią formalizuoti išplėstinių generatyvinių mokymosi objektų kūrimą ir efektyvų jų naudojimą mokant informatikos (programavimo). Darbo mokslinis naujumas: 1. IGMO išplečia informatikos mokymosi sritį naujais aspektais (pedagoginiais, socialiniais, technologiniais, turinio), aprašomais terminu mokymosi variantiškumas. Tai įgalino pagrįstai adaptuoti ir naujai pritaikyti programų inžinerijos ir kompiuterijos principus ir metodus e.mokymosi sričiai. 2. Požymiais grįstas sisteminis informatikos (programavimo) mokymosi srities modeliavimas, mūsų žiniomis, atliktas pirmą kartą. Jis įvertina mokymosi variantiškumą ir agreguoja bei verifikuoja įvairialypius modelius. Tai sudaro prielaidas sistemingam IGMO kūrimui. 3. Modelių formalizavimas dviejuose lygmenyse (požymių modelių ir vykdomųjų specifikacijų) sudaro sąlygas automatizuotiems įrankiams kurti. 4. IGMO išplečia pakartotinio panaudojimo koncepciją e.mokymesi turinio automatinio kūrimo požiūriu. Sukurtos specializuotos heterogeninės mokymosi aplinkos, į kurias integruoti IGMO, įgyvendina realaus uždavinio vizualinę transformaciją į fizinį procesą bei užtikrina aukštą mokinių motyvaciją ir efektyvų mokymąsi.

Darbe tiriami informatikos (programavimo) mokymuisi skirti išplėstiniai generatyviniai mokymosi objektai (IGMO) ir su jais susiję informaciniai specifikavimo/atvaizdavimo, transformavimo modeliai ir procesai. Darbo tikslas yra pateikti ir ištirti metodiką, įgalinančią formalizuoti išplėstinių generatyvinių mokymosi objektų kūrimą ir efektyvų jų naudojimą mokant informatikos (programavimo). Darbo mokslinis naujumas: 1. IGMO išplečia informatikos mokymosi sritį naujais aspektais (pedagoginiais, socialiniais, technologiniais, turinio), aprašomais terminu mokymosi variantiškumas. Tai įgalino pagrįstai adaptuoti ir naujai pritaikyti programų inžinerijos ir kompiuterijos principus ir metodus e.mokymosi sričiai. 2. Požymiais grįstas sisteminis informatikos (programavimo) mokymosi srities modeliavimas, mūsų žiniomis, atliktas pirmą kartą. Jis įvertina mokymosi variantiškumą ir agreguoja bei verifikuoja įvairialypius modelius. Tai sudaro prielaidas sistemingam IGMO kūrimui. 3. Modelių formalizavimas dviejuose lygmenyse (požymių modelių ir vykdomųjų specifikacijų) sudaro sąlygas automatizuotiems įrankiams kurti. 4. IGMO išplečia pakartotinio panaudojimo koncepciją e.mokymesi turinio automatinio kūrimo požiūriu. Sukurtos specializuotos heterogeninės mokymosi aplinkos, į kurias integruoti IGMO, įgyvendina realaus uždavinio vizualinę transformaciją į fizinį procesą bei užtikrina aukštą mokinių motyvaciją ir efektyvų mokymąsi. / In this dissertation, the object of research is the advanced generative learning objects (AGLOs), models and processes related to them. The objective of the research is to develop and to investigate the methods that enable to formalize the designing of advanced generative learning objects and using them in teaching/learning of informatics effectively. Scientific novelty: 1. AGLOs expand the informatics learning variability aspects (pedagogical, social, technological, and content). Based on those insights, it is possible to adapt and apply software engineering and computer science methods in the e-learning domain. 2. To our best knowledge, feature-based modelling in the informatics learning domain has been performed systematically for the first time. Such an approach evaluates the domain variability, aggregates and verifies the created models. 3. Formalization of the models at two levels (feature-based and executable specification) provides pre-conditions for automated tools design. 4. From the viewpoint of automatic educational content creation, AGLO extends the concept of reusability in e-learning. The specialized learning environments with integrated AGLO implement the visual transformation of a real task into its physical process, thus providing a high level of motivation and effective learning.

Submitted by Jos? Henrique Henrique (jose.neves@ufvjm.edu.br) on 2017-05-09T18:11:27Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) edson_batista_sena.pdf: 2251476 bytes, checksum: 028f563476a851ba89cf53a932fe2ba7 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Rodrigo Martins Cruz (rodrigo.cruz@ufvjm.edu.br) on 2017-05-16T18:51:42Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) edson_batista_sena.pdf: 2251476 bytes, checksum: 028f563476a851ba89cf53a932fe2ba7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-16T18:51:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) edson_batista_sena.pdf: 2251476 bytes, checksum: 028f563476a851ba89cf53a932fe2ba7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016 / Um dos grandes desafios dos dias atuais no desenvolvimento de tecnologias computacionais aplicadas ao processo educacional ? produzir solu??es que sejam capazes de atender corretamente ao processo de ensino e aprendizagem, al?m de definir a forma mais adequada de incorporar esses mecanismos no ambiente escolar. Esta inser??o deve ocorrer de forma que alunos e professores aproveitem ao m?ximo esses instrumentos, e passem a utiliz?-los com o intuito de agregar mais valor aos processos de ensino e aprendizagem. Para que isso ocorra, ? fundamental que os ambientes virtuais forne?am conte?do adequado, objetos de aprendizagem atraentes, al?m de serem din?micos e altamente adapt?veis ?s necessidades e interesses dos estudantes durante as sess?es de aprendizagem, visando a melhoria cont?nua do processo educacional para professores, tutores e estudantes. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo principal apresentar um modelo computacional probabil?stico, que pode ser incorporado ?s estruturas dos ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem, a fim de auxiliar no processo de detec??o autom?tica das tend?ncias e prefer?ncias dos estilos de aprendizagem do estudante, utilizando uma combina??o do modelo proposto por Felder e Silverman para estilos de aprendizagem, o FSLSM, com as t?cnicas de infer?ncia probabil?stica dos modelos ocultos de Markov (HMM). Para a valida??o do modelo, foram realizados experimentos em um simulador computacional capaz de reproduzir parcialmente o processo de intera??o do estudante com o ambiente virtual de aprendizagem, realizando um processo de infer?ncia com base no comportamento do estudante, ao qual foi utilizado o algoritmo de Viterbi para este prop?sito. Ao final, os resultados dos experimentos s?o apresentados e demonstraram um elevado grau de precis?o no processo de infer?ncia do estilo de aprendizagem probabil?stico. / Disserta??o (Mestrado Profissional) ? Programa de P?s-Gradua??o em Educa??o, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, 2016. / The great challenges of the present day in the development of computer technologies in educational process is to produce solutions that are able to respond properly to the teaching and learning methods, and define the most appropriate way to incorporate these mechanisms at school. This integration should take place so that students and teachers make the most of these instruments, and start to use them in order to add more value to teaching and learning processes. For this to happen, it is critical that virtual environments provide appropriate content, appealing learning objects, and are dynamic and highly adaptable to the needs and interests of students during the learning sessions, aimed at continuous improvement of the educational process for teachers, tutors and student. This study aims to present a probabilistic computational model, which can be incorporated into the structures of virtual learning environments, auxiliary order in the automatic detection process of the trends and preferences of student learning styles using a combination of the proposed model by Felder and Silverman to learning styles the FSLSM, with the probabilistic inference techniques of hidden Markov models (HMM). To validate the model, experiments were performed on a computer simulator able to partially reproduce the student interaction process with the virtual learning environment, making an inference process based on the student?s behavior, where we used the Viterbi algorithm to this purpose. At the end, the results of the experiments are presented and demonstrated a high degree precision in the process of inference of probabilistic learning style.

This thesis proposes a reference model and its computational core to support the creation of software applications within educational environments, which address Differences In Learning (DiffInL) and are applicable to both learners and instructors. This work differs from others in that the strength of this model resides on the re-usable character of the reasoning mechanism enabled by the computational environment. The starting point is the definition of agreed learning goals that the learner needs to achieve. In turn, the reference model generates personalised, best-practice teaching and learning materials, suitable for achieving the individual’s learning goals. This reference model consists of MODEL and MANAGEMENT components. The MODEL components store the domain needed to create learners and instructional models, which are required for the creation of Learning Spaces (LeS). The MANAGEMENT compo- nent also manages the semantics stored in various model components in order to carry out the configuration of an LeS. The architecture of software applications generated from the reference model is illustrated and contains: Netbeans IDE 8.0.2, JavaServer Faces framework and OWL-API library. We tested this to generate teaching practices for Learning Difficulties (LDif) student. In order to prove the feasibility of creating a software application from the reference model, an example of a particular scenario in a specific educational setting for LDif Students has been shown. This proposed model has successfully proved its ability to address the needs of LDif Students through a corresponding novel and re-usable reasoning mechanism implemented in Web Ontology Language (OWL) and Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL) computational environments. The reference model has shown its ability to integrate with different disciplines such as psychology, sociology and human-computer interactions. The main contribution to research is the creation of a novel reference computational model which addresses the needs of people with DiffInL. The strength of this model resides on the re-usable character of the reasoning mechanism enabled by the computational environment. The whole framework allows a unified implementation which takes into account classes, constraints, matching, and inference mechanisms for the complete configuration of an LeS. The suggested approach also differs from previous work in that it is personalised, and the applied reasoning rules are dynamic. Therefore this model can be constantly “tuned” according to the questions we may ask in such environments. Overall, the proposed reference model in this research offers a promising and feasible solution that can support current educational systems and benefit both learners and instructors. It also demonstrates the applicability of the latest technologies and would allow for future technologies to be incorporated, in order to enhance the model.

O objetivo principal desta dissertação é apresentar uma proposta de trabalho em um ambiente de Modelagem Matemática desenvolvida com turmas de quinta e sexta séries do Ensino Fundamental, em uma Escola da rede Municipal de Xangri-Lá, no Rio Grande do Sul. Para isso foi elaborado um roteiro, tendo como tema, a construção das paredes de um ginásio escolar. A metodologia de pesquisa foi o estudo de caso, de acordo com Fiorentini e Lorenzato (2006) e César (2005). O referencial teórico é baseado em Barbosa (2001a, 2001b, 2003b) e Skovsmose (2000). O trabalho foi desenvolvido no segundo caso, proposto por Barbosa (2001a), mas transitou entre os diferentes ambientes de aprendizagem de Skovsmose (2000). Os resultados apresentados pelos alunos, bem como o desempenho, a participação e o interesse, mostraram que o roteiro é válido e adequado para as turmas em questão. É importante reconhecer que o trabalho desenvolvido, em um ambiente de Modelagem Matemática, contribuiu para uma melhor compreensão dos conteúdos desenvolvidos. Como produto final, há o material elaborado e aplicado neste estudo, o qual pode ser utilizado por outros professores que busquem aplicar atividades semelhantes em suas aulas. / This dissertation’s main objective is to present a proposal of work in a mathematical modeling environment developed with students in fifth and sixth grades in an elementary public school in the Municipal network of Xangri-lá, Rio Grande do Sul. It was prepared , for this, a didactical sequence with the theme : the construction of the walls of a school gym. The research methodology was the case study according to Fiorentini and Lorenzato (2006) and César (2005). The theoretical reference is based on Barbosa (2001a, 2001b, 2003b) and Skovsmose (2000). The study was conducted in the second case, proposed by Barbosa (2001a), but moved in the Skovsmose’s different learning enviroments (2000). The results presented by the students, as well as the performance, participation and interest, showed that the sequence is valid and appropriate for the grades in question. It is important to recognize that the work in a mathematical modeling environment contributed to a better understanding of the contents. As a final product, there is the material made and applied in this study , which can be used by other teachers who seek to use similar activities in their classes.

Este trabalho de tese apresenta o Modelo Presença Plus (PPlus) para identificação de pistas textuais denotadoras de presença social em interações discursivas feitas por alunos em fóruns e chats educacionais. O grau de presença social (PS) é um indicativo de como os sujeitos interagem entre si e com o ambiente de aprendizagem; sendo considerado, na literatura, significativo para o desenvolvimento de relacionamentos e fortalecimento de sentimento de pertencimento no grupo. O trabalho se baseia na vertente Pragmática da Linguística, campo que enfatiza a importância de se considerar o contexto de produção dos eventos comunicativos e a dinâmica dialógica entre os interlocutores. Considerando que o mapeamento das interações dos discentes para detectar e avaliar seu grau de presença pode se constituir uma tarefa complexa e morosa para tutores de cursos a distância, desenvolveu-se um software para realizar o processamento automático das mensagens eletrônicas visando torná-lo uma funcionalidade a ser adicionada a ambientes virtuais de ensino e aprendizagem (AVEAs). Apesar de alguns impasses referentes, particularmente, aos aspectos sintáticos dos textos, os resultados obtidos no processamento, por lexicometria, das postagens foram satisfatoriamente semelhantes aos levantados na análise manual. O modelo PPlus e a escala de graus de PS foram também testados em um segundo ambiente disponibilizado na plataforma Moodle, tendo apresentado resultados equivalentes. A sondagem com professores e tutores de cursos a distância forneceu dados que corroboram a proposta de uma ferramenta a ser inserida em AVEAs de modo a facilitar o acompanhamento de estados afetivos, grau de envolvimento e interação entre os participantes no e com o ambiente. / This thesis presents Presence Plus (PPLus), a model for identifying indicators of social presence in text-based interactions made by students in educational forums and chats. The degree of social presence (SP) can be an indicator of how individuals interact among themselves and with the learning environment, and is considered by the literature to be relevant for the development of relationships and the strengthening of the sense of belonging in the group. This study is based on Pragmatics, an area of Linguistics that emphasizes the importance of the context in communicative events and the dialogic dynamics among speakers. Considering that mapping students’ interactions, as well as detecting and evaluating their degree of SP, may be a complex and time-consuming task in distance learning tutoring, a software was developed to do the automatic processing of posts, aiming at making it a possible functionality in virtual learning environments (VLEs). Despite the few conflicting results, mostly related to textual syntactic relations, data from processing tests using lexicometrics were satisfactorily similar to those obtained by manual analysis. The PPlus model and the SP scale were also tested in a different course in the Moodle platform. Results from this experiment presented equally positive data. Feedback from the questionnaire answered by teachers and tutors working in distance learning courses support the proposal of a tool that may facilitate their assessment of affective states, involvement and text-based interaction dents within the environment.

Ontology is a term originated in Philosophy through the Greek terms "ontos" (being) and "logos" (study), which means the study of being qua being. This term was brought to Computer Science as a computational artifact that represents knowledge of a certain universe of discourse. One way to do this is through the five roles of knowledge representation: substitute, ontological commitment, intelligent reasoning, computational efficiency and human expression. In computer science, ontologies are applied in many areas such as Requirements Engineering, Database, Semantic Web and Linked Data. The subarea responsible for ontology building process is ontology engineering, which has about twenty methodologies. However, knowing well the domain, defining the concepts involved in it correctly and at the same time comply the knowledge representation roles make ontology modeling an arduous task. Thus, how bigger is the complexity of ontology, the more its quality tends to decrease, reducing the reuse’s potential. Consequently, the quality of the evaluation process of an ontology becomes a fundamental task. The literature of this area proposed different approaches for ontology evaluation, but they are based on quality metrics that do not guide the evaluators in decision making about the quality of ontology. As a result, the establishment of ontology quality becomes more dependent on the experience of the evaluator and less dependent on the knowledge representation criteria. One way to simplify this process is to guide the evaluator about what criteria are related to each role of knowledge representation. This work establishes a methodology for ontology evaluation, which is based on a match between the roles of knowledge representation with the main quality criteria for the ontology. This match is built by Goal, Question, Metric approach. This methodology consists of three phases: Ontology Type Verification; Questions Verification and ontology Quality Verification. This methodology was validated by conducting an experiment that aims to show that the methodology leads evaluators with different experiences in ontology to the same evaluation result. As a result of the experiment, was possible create a formula for global and partial scores for the quality of ontology, validating it. / Ontologia é um termo originado na Filosofia através dos termos gregos “ontos” (ser) e “logos” (estudo), que significa o estudo do ser enquanto ser. Este termo foi trazido para a Ciência da Computação como sendo um artefato computacional que representa o conhecimento de determinado universo do discurso. Uma das formas de se fazer isto é através dos cinco papeis da representação do conhecimento: substituto, compromisso ontológico, raciocínio inteligente, eficiência computacional e expressão humana. Em ciência da computação, as ontologias são aplicadas em muitas áreas como, por exemplo, em Engenharia de Requisitos, Banco de Dados, Web Semântica e Dados Conectados. A subárea responsável pelo processo de construção de ontologias é a engenharia de ontologia, que conta com aproximadamente vinte metodologias. Entretanto, conhecer bem o domínio, definir corretamente os conceitos envolvidos nele e ao mesmo tempo cumprir os papeis da representação do conhecimento tornam modelar ontologia uma tarefa bastante árdua. Desta forma, quanto maior a complexidade da ontologia, mais a sua qualidade tende a cair, reduzindo o seu potencial de reuso. Por consequência, o processo de avaliação da qualidade de uma ontologia se torna uma tarefa fundamental. A literatura da área propôs diferentes abordagens para avaliação de ontologias, porém as mesmas são baseadas em métricas de qualidade que não guiam os avaliadores na tomada de decisão sobre a qualidade da ontologia. Como resultado, o estabelecimento da qualidade da ontologia se torna uma tarefa mais dependente da experiência do avaliador e menos dependente de critérios de representação de conhecimento. Uma forma de simplificar este processo é guiar o avaliador sobre quais critérios estão relacionados com cada papel da representação do conhecimento. Este trabalho estabelece uma metodologia para avaliação de ontologias, a qual tem como base uma correspondência entre os papeis da representação do conhecimento com os principais critérios de qualidade para a avaliação de ontologia. Esta correspondência é construída através da abordagem Goal, Question, Metric. Este método consiste em três fases: Verificação do Tipo da Ontologia; Verificação das Questões e Verificação da Qualidade da ontologia. Este método foi validado através da realização de um experimento que objetiva mostrar que a metodologia conduz avaliadores com diferentes experiências em ontologia para o mesmo resultado de avaliação. Como resultado do experimento, foi possível criar uma fórmula para escores global e parcial para a qualidade da ontologia, validando-a.