The importance of the study is grounded in the need to increase the success rates at community colleges, which is critical for meeting national goals for college attainment and promoting upward social mobility. The majority of community college students arrive unprepared for college-level math and are placed into developmental math. A drive to increase math performance has focused on course redesigns incorporating adaptive learning technologies. While adept at adapting subject matter to students' individual needs, there remains the need to understand the role of student metacognition in the learning process. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between specific learner attributes and academic success in developmental math for students who are acquiring their skills through an adaptive learning technology environment. The Motivated Strategies of Learning Questionnaire, GRIT, and Mental Toughness Questionnaires were used to uncover relationships and differences between measured traits, student success, and demographic items such as age, gender, race, amount of time spent in paid work, and previous credits. Survey results were analyzed using a correlation research design and demonstrated significant relationships between time and gender, topics mastered and race, time and Motivated Strategies for Learning, time and self-regulation, and grade and emotional control. The study makes recommendations about how to best develop and leverage adaptive learning technologies in the future.

Constructivism is a learning theory that states that people learn by actively constructing their own knowledge, based on prior knowledge. Many different perspectives exist on constructivist pedagogical principles and on how to apply them to instructional design. It is thus not only difficult to evaluate the conformity of existing learning systems with constructivist principles, it is also quite hard to ensure that a new learning system being designed will ultimately facilitate and stimulate constructivist learning. A critical characteristic often mentioned in learning systems is adaptability. That is, the ability to provide a learning experience that is continuously tailored to the needs of the individual learner. The present research aims to help designing truly constructivist and adaptive learning systems. For that purpose, it is necessary to clarify what constructivism entails in an operational manner: I propose a set of criteria for certain aspects of constructivism and use it both as guidelines for designing learning systems and for evaluating the conformity of learning systems with these constructivist principles. One facet often mentioned as being strongly relevant to constructivism is cognitive flexibility, meaning the ability to spontaneously restructure one's knowledge, in many ways, in adaptive response to radically changing situational demands. The claim I make in the present thesis is that the operational approach I proposed makes the design and use of adaptive learning environments supporting cognitive flexibility straightforward and effective. More specifically, the dissertation makes four main contributions to the interdisciplinary field of learning and e-Learning technology. Firstly, the thesis proposes operational criteria for cognitive flexibility and presents both justifications and examples of their use. The set of criteria may be used in different instructional situations for designing and evaluating conditions of learning. Secondly, on the basis of the criteria for cognitive flexibility, the thesis proposes an operational instructional design process and shows an example of its use. The process may also be applied in a variety of instructional situations for the design and use of learning systems fostering cognitive flexibility. Thirdly, the thesis introduces a new, open-source, domain-independent, Web-based adaptive e-Learning platform, named COFALE, and illustrates an example of its use. The platform may be used for designing adaptive learning systems supporting cognitive flexibility in various domains. And fourthly, the thesis reports on a preliminary evaluation of the example handled by COFALE with actual learners. The study provides a certain number of encouraging results for fostering cognitive flexibility by means of ICT-based learning conditions.

In letteratura si assume generalmente che gli agenti siano dotati di perfetta razionalità e quindi siano in grado di anticipare l'evoluzione del sistema economico. Partendo dalla letteratura sull'apprendimento adattivo, si ipotizza che gli agenti si comportino come econometrici, aggiustando le proprie previsioni mano a mano che i dati diventano disponibili. Il primo capitolo analizza l'apprendimento dell'equilibrio da parte degli agenti in presenza di un meccanismo di trasmissione del cost channel. Supponendo che la Banca Centrale operi in regime discrezionale, si osserva che una politica monetaria che risponde all'aspettative garantisce la determinatezza dell'economia solo se la banca centrale dimostra una minor preferenza per la stabilizzazione dell'output. Tuttavia, l'area di determinatezza dell'equilibrio si allarga se la banca centrale stabilizza anche il tasso di interesse. La seconda parte della tesi si concentra invece sul ruolo della stabilità finanziaria nella conduzione della politica monetaria. Sei nei modelli standard di tipo Keynesiano rispondere agli asset prices sortisce degli effetti positivi solo se gli agenti stimano il modello corretto dell'economia, ecco che in presenza di mal specificazione o eterogeneità la banca centrale riesce a raggiungere la stabilità economica attraverso i normali canali. La conclusione si ribalta se il meccanismo di cost channel opera nell'economia. / In the literature agents are endowed by full rationality and hence they are able to anticipate the evolution of the economy. On the findings of the adaptive learning literature, we assume that agents behave as econometricians updating their own forecasts by the available data. In the first essays we analyze the learnability of the equilibrium by agents when the cost channel mechanisms of monetary policy is operating. Under discretion the expectations-based interest rate rule leads the economy to determinacy of the rational expectations equilibrium (REE), only if the degree of preference for economic stability is sufficiently low. On the other hand, the determinacy of REE enlarges if the central bank stabilizes also the interest rate. The second part of the thesis concerns on the role of financial stability in the conducting of monetary policy. If in the standard New Keynesian model responding to asset prices shows benefits for the economy, the presence of misspecification and heterogeneity leads the economy to indeterminacy and E-instability. In an economy characterized by wealth effect and cost channel we show that the optimal discretionary monetary policy drive the economy toward the asymptotic convergence of the economy to the fundamental REE.

The adaptiveness provides uniquely identifying and monitoring the learner&rsquo / s learning activities according to his/her respective profile. The adaptive intelligent learning management systems (AILMS) help a wide range of students to achieve their learning goals effectively by delivering knowledge in an adaptive or individualized style through online learning settings. This study presents a multi-agent system, called MODA, developed to provide adaptiveness in learning management systems (LMS). A conceptual framework for adaptive learning systems is proposed for this purpose. The framework is based on the idea that adaptiveness is the best matching between the learner profile and the course content profile. The learning styles of learners and the content type of learning material are used to match the learner to the most suitable content. The thesis covers the pedagogical framework applied in MODA, the technical and multi-agent architectures of MODA, the TCP-IP based protocol providing communication between MODA and LMS, and a sample application of the system to an open source learning management system, OLAT. The study also discusses the possibilities of future interests.

As the amount of accessible and shareable knowledge increases, it is figured out that learning platforms offering the same context and learning path to all users can not meet the demands of learners. This issue brings out the necessity of designing and developing adaptive hypermedia systems. This study describes an agent-based adaptive learning framework whose goal is to implement effective tutoring system with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques and cognitive didactic methods into Adaptive Educational Hypermedia Systems (AEHS) in the domain of Unified Modeling Language (UML). There are three main goals of this study. First goal is to explore how supportive agents affect student&rsquo / s learning achievement in distance learning. Second goal is to examine the interaction between supportive agents and learners with the help of experiments in Human Computer Interaction laboratories and system analysis. The effects of the methodology that agents give misleading hints which are common mistakes of other learners are also investigated. Last goal is to deliver effective feedback to students both from IAs and tutors. In order to assess that UML-ALF has accomplished its objectives, we followed an experimental procedure. Experimental groups have taken the advantage of adaptive and intelligent techniques of the UML-ALF and control groups have used the traditional learning techniques. The results show that there is a positive correlation between variables practice score and number of agent suggestion which means, as the participants benefit from supportive agents, they get higher scores.

Augmented Reality (AR) has become a popular interactive technique in the last few years. One of the critical challenges is to identify the real-life objects. Further, how to fully exert the advantages of the AR technique under the limited resources available on the mobile devices is another critical challenge. To resolve the above issue, firstly this thesis reviewed the real-life object tagging and identification techniques. Secondly this thesis studied the Human Computer Interaction (HCI) Interface and the environmental sensors on the mobile phones. Lastly this thesis implemented a Multiple Real-life Object Identification Algorithm along with the development of the Multi Object Identification Augmented Reality (MOIAR) application. Subsequently, the MOIAR application has been implemented in the location-based mobile learning environment, where the Legislative Assembly of Alberta is included as an example real-life learning object. This MOIAR implementation has applied the tagging and identification technique review as well as the HCI and sensors study, to prove the usability and practicability of the MOIAR application. / 2012-01

abstract: This study was conducted to assess the performance of 176 students who received algebra instruction through an online platform presented in one of two experimental conditions to explore the effect of personalized learning paths by comparing it with linearly flowing instruction. The study was designed around eight research questions investigating the effect of personalized learning paths on students’ learning, intrinsic motivation and satisfaction with their experience. Quantitative results were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and split-plot ANOVA methods. Additionally, qualitative feedback data were gathered from students and teachers on their experience to better explain the quantitative findings as well as improve understanding of how to effectively design an adaptive personalized learning platform. Quantitative results of the study showed no statistical difference between students assigned to treatments that compared linear and adaptive personalized instructional flows. The lack of significant differences was explained by two main factors: (a) low usage and (b) platform and content related issues. Low usage may have prevented students from being exposed to the platforms long enough to create a potential for differences between the groups. Additionally, the reasons for low usage may in part be explained by the qualitative findings, which indicated that unmotivated and tired teachers and students were not very enthusiastic about the study because it occurred near the end of school year. Further, computer access was a challenging issue at the school throughout the study. On the other hand, platform and content related issues worked to inhibit the potential beneficial effects of the platforms. The three prominent issues were: (a) the majority of the students found the content boring or difficult, (b) repeated recommendations from the adaptive platform created frustration, and (c) a barely moving progress bar caused disappointment among participants. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Educational Technology 2015

Syftet med denna studie är att karaktärisera det arbetsorganisatoriska lärandet på företag inom tjänstesektorn ur ett genusperspektiv. Den yrkesklass som fokuseras är tjänstemän. För att besvara denna övergripande problematik studeras män och kvinnor och deras tillgång till och upplevelse av lärandet i både formella och informella former. Frågeställningarna handlar om huruvida männen och kvinnornas tillgång till lärande skiljer sig, både vad gäller utbud av formella läraktiviteter som förutsättningar för informellt lärande, samt vilka skillnader det finns mellan könen vad gäller karaktären på det arbetsorganisatoriska lärandet, huruvida det verkar vara tal om ett reproduktivt eller utvecklingsinriktat lärande. Studien bygger på en kvantitativ statistisk enkätstudie om 53 frågor som har besvarats av 73 personer från fem olika företag. Resultaten visar att männen och kvinnornas tillgång till lärande ser olika ut, både vad gäller utbud av formella läraktiviteter som förutsättningar för informellt lärande, på så sätt att männens tillgång till lärande är större; de deltar i större utsträckning i formella läraktiviteter och har bättre förutsättningar för informellt lärande. Det finns även tendenser om skillnader mellan könen vad gäller karaktären på det arbetsorganisatoriska lärandet, på så sätt att det bland kvinnorna i högre grad indikeras ett reproduktivt lärande medan det bland männen i högre grad indikeras ett utvecklingsinriktat lärande. Slutsatsen är att det finns anledning att misstänka att vårt ojämställda arbetsliv återspeglas även på det arbetsorganisatoriska lärandet.

Today, climate change, has become one of the greatest societal challenges of our time. This challenge requires an accurate understanding of climate change for making informed decisions regarding the environmental issues. The carbon cycle is one of the earth’s complicated cycles that has a critical role in the planet’s climate. Developing a thorough perception about this complex cycle uncovers how human activities impact the planet and reveals the connection between multiple environmental issues.Perceiving this complex cycle requires systems thinking skills that enable students to recognize components of the carbon cycle and understand the interrelating dynamic relationship between them. Establishing systems thinking skills and developing a thorough perception about the carbon cycle is a difficult matter for students. Adaptive visualisation-based tutoring systems have a great potential for facilitating teaching and learning cyclical models and systems thinking in schools. Such systems consider the students’ needs and provide personalised feedback that can guide individuals more effectively throughout the learning process. This thesis project intends to use diagrammatic visualizations, systems thinking, and adaptive tutoring systems as three technical approaches for conceptualising a learning system that aims to teach the carbon cycle. The framework of this thesis project is formed in relation to a research project called ‘Tracing Carbon’ focusing on science education for pupils on grade 7-9.

This systematic review paper reviews instructional strategies for online developmental mathematics courses offered at post-secondary institutions. Adaptive learning technology was thoroughly reviewed as an intervention strategy. Success rates and other data from studies are compared to draw conclusions about the most effective instructional strategies for teaching online developmental mathematics. The following databases were used to examine literature in the subject area: Elton B. Stephens Co. (EBSCOhost), Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), ProQuest, Wiley - Blackwell Publishers, Journal Storage (JSTOR), and Gale Cengage Learning. These databases were selected from the NovaCat Online Library system via the Nova Southeastern University website. The documents reviewed in this research paper were used as data to give a diverse, concise quantitative and qualitative discussion of results for the comparison of the studies. The implications of this study may be useful to students, faculty, administrators, researchers, etc. The results of this systematic review showed adaptive learning technology’s assistive nature in course design and implementation. Strategies and course design were critical to the outcome of each study reviewed that incorporated adaptive learning technology. Further research is suggested to identify specific combinations of methodologies for most success completion rates of developmental mathematics courses offered at post-secondary institutions.