PT AU BA CA GP BE Z2 TI Z1 FT PN AE Z3 SO SE BS VL IS SI BP EP AR DI D2 PN SU PD PY AB Z4 CT CY SP CL TC Z8 ZB Z9 SN BN UT J Li, Li; Lee, Hee "Andy"; Law, Rob Technology-mediated management learning in hospitality organisations INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT 31 2 451 457 10.1016/j.ijhm.2011.07.003 JUN 2012 2012 This study examines the role of information and communication technology (ICT) applications in management learning and development in hospitality organisations. Managers who search for authentic social knowledge are most likely to use learning management systems, company intranets, email applications and search engines. Managers who look for personal knowledge are most likely to select search engines, online audio or video communication applications, telephone conferencing and customer online community websites. This study provides evidence that e-learning practices in management development do not fully support managers' learning. The paper lastly offers solutions to address this mismatch. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0278-4319 WOS:000300467900017 J Fernandez, Susana; Borrajo, Daniel Using linear programming to solve clustered oversubscription planning problems for designing e-courses EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS 39 5 5178 5188 10.1016/j.eswa.2011.11.021 APR 2012 2012 The automatic generation of individualized plans in specific domains is an open problem that combines aspects related to automated planning, machine learning or recommendation systems technology. In this paper, we focus on a specific instance of that task; that of generating e-learning courses adapted to students' profiles, within the automated planning paradigm. One of the open problems in this type of automated planning application relates to what is known as oversubscription: given a set of goals, each one with a utility, obtain a plan that achieves some (or all) the goals, maximizing the utility, as well as minimizing the cost of achieving those goals. In the generation of e-learning designs there is only one goal: generating a course design for a given student. However, in order to achieve the goal, the course design can include many different kinds of activities, each one with a utility (that depend on the student profile) and cost. Furthermore, these activities are usually grouped into clusters, so that at least one of the activities in each cluster is needed, though many more can be used. Finally, there is also an overall cost threshold (usually in terms of student time). In this paper, we present our work on building an individualized e-learning design. We pose each course design as a variation of the oversubscription problem, that we call the clustered-oversubscription problem, and we use linear programming for assisting a planner to generate the design that better adapts to the student. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0957-4174 WOS:000301155300053 J Kotsiantis, S. B. Use of machine learning techniques for educational proposes: a decision support system for forecasting students' grades ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REVIEW 37 4 331 344 10.1007/s10462-011-9234-x APR 2012 2012 Use of machine learning techniques for educational proposes (or educational data mining) is an emerging field aimed at developing methods of exploring data from computational educational settings and discovering meaningful patterns. The stored data (virtual courses, e-learning log file, demographic and academic data of students, admissions/registration info, and so on) can be useful for machine learning algorithms. In this article, we cite the most current articles that use machine learning techniques for educational proposes and we present a case study for predicting students' marks. Students' key demographic characteristics and their marks in a small number of written assignments can constitute the training set for a regression method in order to predict the student's performance. Finally, a prototype version of software support tool for tutors has been constructed. 0 0 0269-2821 WOS:000301542600005 J Koskinen, Kaj U. Problem absorption as an organizational learning mechanism in project-based companies: Process thinking perspective INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT 30 3 308 316 10.1016/j.ijproman.2011.08.008 APR 2012 2012 In organizations existing rules and norms are usually used as the basis for solving new problems even when this means stretching those rules. Such absorption of new problems by rules reduces the need to explore and develop new solutions and to encode those solutions into new rules. Furthermore, one way that organizational learning can occur is through problem solving, i.e. learning takes place through identifying and resolving problems that occur in the execution of projects. Thus, finding a viable perspective and approach with which project-based companies can understand how their organizational learning through problem solving activities take place in the course of time is a very important issue. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to explore the potential of process thinking to open up new ways to understand organizational learning particularly through problem absorption within problem solving in project-based companies. All in all, with the help of this paper we have sought to offer a brief illustration of how process thinking may help to understand this issue. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. and IPMA. All rights reserved. 0 0 0263-7863 WOS:000301325700004 J Cheng, Bo; Wang, Minhong; Moormann, Juergen; Olaniran, Bolanle A.; Chen, Nian-Shing The effects of organizational learning environment factors on e-learning acceptance COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 58 3 885 899 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.10.014 APR 2012 2012 Workplace learning is an important means of employees' continuous learning and professional development. E-learning is being recognized as an important supportive practice for learning at work. Current research on the success factors of e-learning in the workplace has emphasized on employees' characteristics, technological attributes, and training design elements, with little attention to workplace contextual effects. The study aims to investigate the impacts of organizational learning environment factors, including managerial support, job support, and organizational support, on employees' motivation to use a workplace e-learning system. A model was proposed based on the expectancy theory of training motivation and the social influences and facilitating conditions in technology acceptance models. The model was tested on sample data collected from mainland China using Structural Equation Modeling and Moderated Structural Equation Modeling. The results suggested that employees' perceived managerial support and job support had a significant impact on their perceived usefulness of the e-learning system for individual learning, and that perceived organizational support had a significant influence on the perceived usefulness of the e-learning system for social learning. Perceived usefulness for individual learning was found to completely mediate the environmental influences on individuals' motivation to use the system, while perceived usefulness for social learning made partial mediation in the effects of the environmental factors on intention to use. In addition, perceived job support was found to have moderating effects on the relationship between employees' perceived usefulness of the e-learning system and their intention to use the system. Consistent with previous findings, employees' perceptions about the usefulness of the e-learning system have significant effects on their intention to use the system in the work setting. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000299714400003 J van Seters, J. R.; Ossevoort, M. A.; Tramper, J.; Goedhart, M. J. The influence of student characteristics on the use of adaptive e-learning material COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 58 3 942 952 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.11.002 APR 2012 2012 Adaptive e-learning materials can help teachers to educate heterogeneous student groups. This study provides empirical data about the way academic students differ in their learning when using adaptive e-learning materials. Ninety-four students participated in the study. We determined characteristics in a heterogeneous student group by collecting demographic data and measuring motivation and prior knowledge. We also measured the learning paths students followed and learning strategies they used when working with adaptive e-learning material in a molecular biology course. We then combined these data to study if and how student characteristics relate to the learning paths and strategies they used. We observed that students did follow different learning paths. Gender did not have an effect, but (mainly Dutch) BSc students differed from (international) MSc students in the intrinsic motivation they had and the learning paths and strategies they followed when using the adaptive e-learning material. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000299714400008 J Navarrete-Navarro, Pedro; Murillo-Cabeza, Francisco; Bono-de-Seras, Rocio; Rodriguez-Romero, Rafael; Rodriguez-Zarallo, Antonio; Vazquez-Mata, Guillermo Development of an acute ischemic stroke management course for hospital physicians in emergency departments and intensive care units EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE 19 2 108 111 10.1097/MEJ.0b013e328347fab2 APR 2012 2012 The objective of this study was to evaluate a training course on acute ischemic stroke (AIS) for hospital physicians, part of a regional strategy on AIS patient care. The course comprised an initial self-study (e-Learning) stage and 1-day theoretical-practical course on initial AIS management for Critical Care and Emergency physicians in the Andalusian Health Service (Spain). Data were collected on regional implementation of the stroke code and intravenous thrombolysis treatment. Between 2006 and 2009, 12 courses were attended by 356 physicians from emergency (n=148) and critical care (n=208) departments in the Andalusian health system. The initial stage was failed by 46.4% of trainees; the 1-day AIS course was successfully completed by all trainees, who reported a high satisfaction level. By the end of 2009, all hospitals had adopted the stroke code and approximately 5-6% of patients with AIS received intravenous thrombolysis. This type of healthcare strategy proved effective to improve AIS care in our setting. European Journal of Emergency Medicine 19: 108-111 (C) 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 0 0 0969-9546 WOS:000300898600009 J Raju, Pathmeswaran; Ahmed, Vian Enabling technologies for developing next-generation learning object repository for construction AUTOMATION IN CONSTRUCTION 22 SI 247 257 MAR 2012 2012 The development of learning objects which are smaller chunks of learning content is often time consuming and expensive. Recent efforts in producing learning objects that are reusable and sharable were not very successful due to the lack of interoperability between different learning systems. Semantic Web technologies together with ontologies provide rich medium for facilitating e-learning via the semantic annotated learning objects and shared repositories. However, Semantic Web technologies have not yet been applied widely to deliver learning objects. This paper introduces enabling technologies for developing next-generation learning object repository for construction. Semantic Web, ontology, reasoners, and associated technologies are discussed within the paper. This paper also demonstrates how the ontologies and Semantic Web technologies can be used to develop and deliver intelligent, sharable and dynamic learning objects. The paper also outlines the development of repository using the ontology-driven Semantic Web approach and discusses the construction education ontology and semantic databases. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 0 0926-5805 CCC:000301637500024 J Gutierrez-Martinez, Jose-Maria; Garcia-Cabot, Antonio; Garcia Luis de-Marcos, Eva; Barchino, Roberto; Gutierrez-de-Mesa, Jose-Antonio; Martinez, Jose-Javier; Oton, Salvador; Hilera, Jose-Ramon; de-Blas, Juan-Manuel E-LEARNING CONTENTS AUTOMATIC CONVERSION INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE COMPUTING INFORMATION AND CONTROL 8 3B 2065 2088 MAR 2012 2012 In this paper, an automatic transformation tool between different content packaging specifications is proposed. The aim of this tool is to serve as a gateway for independent, heterogeneous Learning Management Systems, thus achieving interoperability. The tool is designed to support all existing content packaging specifications, but in this paper we focus on two of the most important: IMS and SCORM. The paper also describes in detail the conversion process for these two specifications, by depicting all the aspects of the tool. 0 0 1349-4198 WOS:000301405400005 J [Anonymous] New e-learning from Safebridge NAVAL ARCHITECT 40 40 MAR 2012 2012 0 0306-0209 CCC:000301831600021 J Links, Matthew; Sargeant, Chris; Waters, Amy; Liauw, Winston; Thomas, Patrice Implementing a Multi-professional Web-based Learning Environment for a Comprehensive Cancer Centre: Obstacles, Solutions and Reflections JOURNAL OF CANCER EDUCATION 27 1 37 41 10.1007/s13187-011-0261-8 MAR 2012 2012 There is an urgent need for efficient cancer education programmes to promote safe practice in a comprehensive cancer centre. Educational practice has developed historically in an unplanned and inefficient way. Developments in educational theory and information technology provide an opportunity to develop systems with better educational methodology, better efficiency and potential for better impact on safety outcomes. We have developed such a programme at St. George Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Sydney, Australia, and describe here our experience in the first 2 years of implementing such a programme. In this article, we describe the programme, the obstacles and solutions we encountered and our reflections on the journey so far. 0 0 0885-8195 WOS:000300490600007 J Ferris, A. E.; Lawthom, C. E-LEARNING IN EPILEPSY JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY 83 3 10.1136/jnnp-2011-301993.73 MAR 2012 2012 Annual Meeting of the Association-of-British-Neurologists 2011 Assoc British Neurologists Gateshead, ENGLAND 0 0 0022-3050 WOS:000300612200076 J Rizvi, H.; Naresh, K.; Radia, D. Virtual Slide Based e-learning - Initial Experience from the London Deanery e-learning Project JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 226 S18 S18 1 MAR 2012 2012 201st Winter Scientific Meeting of the Pathological-Society-of-Great-Britain-and-Ireland JAN 05-06, 2012 Barts & London Med Sch; Barts & London NHS Trust; Pathol Soc Great Britain & Ireland Dept Cellular Pathol, London, ENGLAND 0 0 0022-3417 WOS:000300669800063 J Ruth, Stephen The Import-Export Paradigm for High-Quality College Courses An Answer to Tuition's Through-the-Roof Cost Spiral? IEEE INTERNET COMPUTING 16 2 82 86 MAR-APR 2012 2012 Three new free Stanford online courses drew 300,000 applicants in the fall semester of 2011. Might very high-quality courses with the best streaming lectures, student aids, exams, quizzes, mentoring, and so on facilitate an import-export approach to e-learning? 0 0 1089-7801 WOS:000300859200013 J Alfieri, Joanne; Portelance, Lorraine; Souhami, Luis; Steinert, Yvonne; McLeod, Peter; Gallant, Fleure; Artho, Giovanni Development and Impact Evaluation of an E-Learning Radiation Oncology Module INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RADIATION ONCOLOGY BIOLOGY PHYSICS 82 3 E573 E580 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2011.07.002 MAR 1 2012 2012 Purpose: Radiation oncologists are faced with the challenge of irradiating tumors to a curative dose while limiting toxicity to healthy surrounding tissues. This can be achieved only with superior knowledge of radiologic anatomy and treatment planning. Educational resources designed to meet these specific needs are lacking. A web-based interactive module designed to improve residents' knowledge and application of key anatomy concepts pertinent to radiotherapy treatment planning was developed, and its effectiveness was assessed.Methods and Materials: The module, based on gynecologic malignancies, was developed in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team of subject matter experts. Subsequently, a multi-centre randomized controlled study was conducted to test the module's effectiveness. Thirtysix radiation oncology residents participated in the study; 1920 were granted access to the module (intervention group), and 17 in the control group relied on traditional methods to acquire their knowledge. Pretests and posttests were administered to all participants. Statistical analysis was carried out using paired t test, analysis of variance, and post hoc tests.Results: The randomized control study revealed that the intervention group's pretest and post-test mean scores were 35% and 52%, respectively, and those of the control group were 37% and 42%, respectively. The mean improvement in test scores was 17% (p < 0.05) for the intervention group and 5% (p = not significant) for the control group. Retrospective pretest and post-test surveys showed a statistically significant change on all measured module objectives.Conclusions: The use of an interactive e-learning teaching module for radiation oncology is an effective method to improve the radiologic anatomy knowledge and treatment planning skills of radiation oncology residents. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. 0 0 0360-3016 WOS:000300423500031 J Dowling, Maura; Power, Moya; O'Boyle, Geraldine Continuing education for urology nurses: harnessing the potential of e-learning INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGICAL NURSING 6 1 30 34 10.1111/j.1749-771X.2011.01134.x MAR 2012 2012 The module Living with cancer of the lower urinary tract' was developed to address the learning needs of specialized urology nurses working in hospitals and generalist nurses caring for urology patients in practice settings. The module is also offered to oncology nurses undertaking specialist postgraduate education. The module is delivered by a blended learning approach and supported by the technology offered on the Blackboard Learning System (Version 9.1), a virtual learning environment that facilitates the delivery of on-line and flexible learning. While a number of challenges were faced during the module development and delivery, the positive benefits of collaborative working between university and expert nurse clinicians, and shared learning between urology and oncology nurses was evident. 0 0 1749-7701 WOS:000300668700006 J Kantak, Shailesh S.; Winstein, Carolee J. Learning-performance distinction and memory processes for motor skills: A focused review and perspective BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH 228 1 219 231 10.1016/j.bbr.2011.11.028 MAR 1 2012 2012 Behavioral research in cognitive psychology provides evidence for an important distinction between immediate performance that accompanies practice and long-term performance that reflects the relative permanence in the capability for the practiced skill (i.e. learning). This learning-performance distinction is strikingly evident when challenging practice conditions may impair practice performance, but enhance long-term retention of motor skills. A review of motor learning studies with a specific focus on comparing differences in performance between that at the end of practice and at delayed retention suggests that the delayed retention or transfer performance is a better indicator of motor learning than the performance at (or end of) practice. This provides objective evidence for the learning-performance distinction. This behavioral evidence coupled with an understanding of the motor memory processes of encoding, consolidation and retrieval may provide insight into the putative mechanism that implements the learning-performance distinction. Here, we propose a simplistic empirically-based framework - motor behavior-memory framework - that integrates the temporal evolution of motor memory processes with the time course of practice and delayed retention frequently used in behavioral motor learning paradigms. In the context of the proposed framework, recent research has used noninvasive brain stimulation to decipher the role of each motor memory process, and specific cortical brain regions engaged in motor performance and learning. Such findings provide beginning insights into the relationship between the time course of practice-induced performance changes and motor memory processes. This in turn has promising implications for future research and practical applications. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 0 0 0166-4328 WOS:000300472600027 J Jara, Carlos A.; Candelas, Francisco A.; Torres, Fernando; Dormido, Sebastian; Esquembre, Francisco Synchronous Collaboration of Virtual and Remote Laboratories COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION 20 1 124 136 10.1002/cae.20380 MAR 2012 2012 Virtual and remote laboratories (VRLs) are e-learning resources which enhance the accessibility of experimental setups providing a distance teaching framework which meets the student's hands-on learning needs. In addition, online collaborative communication represents a practical and a constructivist method to transmit the knowledge and experience from the teacher to students, overcoming physical distance and isolation. Thus, the integration of learning environments in the form of VRLs inside collaborative learning spaces is strongly desired. Considering these facts, the authors of this document present an original approach which enables user to share practical experiences while they work collaboratively through the Internet. This practical experimentation is based on VRLs, which have been integrated inside a synchronous collaborative e-learning framework. This article describes the main features of this system and its successful application for science and engineering subjects. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 20: 124-136, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.20380 0 0 1061-3773 WOS:000300428400013 J Granjo, J. F.; Rasteiro, M. G.; Gando-Ferreira, L. M.; Bernardo, F. P.; Carvalho, M. G.; Ferreira, A. G. A Virtual Platform to Teach Separation Processes COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION 20 1 175 186 10.1002/cae.20383 MAR 2012 2012 In this article the Unit Operations and Separation Processes area of a virtual platform called LABVIRTUAL (http://labvirtual.eq.uc.pt) is presented aiming to support the autonomous study of undergraduate students engaged in a Chemical Engineering degree, especially in Portuguese-speaking countries. The main features, subjects, computational applications, and examples in the platform are described, as well as a first assessment by the students. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 20: 175-186, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.20383 0 0 1061-3773 WOS:000300428400017 J Cheng, Yung-Ming The Effects of Information Systems Quality on Nurses' Acceptance of the Electronic Learning System JOURNAL OF NURSING RESEARCH 20 1 19 30 10.1097/JNR.0b013e31824777aa MAR 2012 2012 Background: To ensure the quality of healthcare provision, nurses must continuously enhance their professional knowledge and competencies via continuing education. As compared with traditional learning, electronic learning (e-learning) is a more flexible method for nurses' in-service learning. Hence, e-learning is expected to play a key role in providing continuing education for nurses.Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to examine whether system quality, information quality, service quality, and user-interface design quality as the antecedents to nurse beliefs can affect nurses' intention to use the e-learning system.Methods: A cross-sectional design was used to investigate the effects of information systems quality on nurses' acceptance of the e-learning system. This study gathered sample data from nurses at 3 hospitals in Taiwan. A total of 450 questionnaires were distributed, and 320 effective questionnaires were analyzed in this study, indicating an effective response rate of 71.1%. Collected data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.Results: System quality, information quality, and user-interface design quality had significant effects on perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), and perceived enjoyment (PE), and service quality had significant effects on PU and PEOU. Moreover, PEOU had significant effects on PU and PE, and the effects of PU, PEOU, and PE on intention to use were significant.Conclusions/Implications for Practice: User-interface design quality is the most key antecedent that can make significant impacts on nurses' PU and PE, and more efforts should be made to develop a friendlier user interface via designing useful and enjoyable features to induce nurses to use the e-learning system. Moreover, system quality can make the greatest impact on nurses' PEOU; thus, medical institutions should effectively enhance system quality to deliver benefits and pleasure to boost nurses' usage intention of the e-learning system via reducing the complexity. 0 0 1682-3141 WOS:000300608400003 J Sung, Eunmo; Mayer, Richard E. Affective impact of navigational and signaling aids to e-learning COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 28 2 473 483 10.1016/j.chb.2011.10.019 MAR 2012 2012 College students had 30 min to study a 17-frame online lesson on distance learning that included navigational aids (for showing the learner's location in the lesson), signaling aids (for highlighting the important content), both aids, or no aids. On a 30-item usability survey consisting of 8 usability scales, students who received navigational aids produced significantly higher mean ratings on each of the 8 usability scales ease of use, satisfaction of use, awareness of lesson structure, awareness of lesson length, awareness of location, ease of navigation, lesson comprehension, and lesson learning with effect sizes ranging from d = 0.50 to d = 1.35. Students who received signaling aids produced significantly higher ratings on 4 of the 8 usability scales ease of use, satisfaction of use, lesson comprehension, and lesson learning with effect sizes ranging from d = 0.39 to d = 2.15. Results help to clarify the mechanism underlying previous findings showing that students learned more from e-lessons that contained navigational aids. In the present study, there was a significant positive correlation between usability rating and recall test score for 5 of the 8 usability scales (particularly for ease of use), indicating partial support for the prediction that learners' satisfaction with an e-learning system is related to their learning outcome. Results support the predictions of the emotional design hypothesis and have implications for the design of e-learning interfaces. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0747-5632 WOS:000300028900024 J Francesca, Verga; Christoforos, Benetatos; Quinto, Sacchi; Roberto, Carta Development of a petroleum knowledge tutorial system for university and corporate training PETROLEUM SCIENCE 9 1 110 120 10.1007/s12182-012-0191-z MAR 2012 2012 The increasingly rapid development of the disciplines of petroleum engineering and petroleum geology has led to new methodologies and interpretation techniques forming new knowledge that should be offered quickly and efficiently to modern engineers and geologists. This need is equally important for students as well as for young professionals. Access and training to all scientific information is necessary to ensure success in their future careers. Today, e-learning has become a common medium for the management and distribution of on-line educational content. Learning Management Systems (LMSs) were not only developed to handle a large variety of multimedia content that provides an organized knowledge repository used to accelerate access to information and skill acquisition; but, LMSs can also keep detailed statistics on the use of the available material offering a powerful training and educational tool. In this document, the Petroleum Knowledge Tutorial System, an LMS platform offering a variety of online educational and training options to petroleum engineers and geologists, is presented. It was created using Moodle, open-source software that can be used to create on-line courses. The platform covers fundamental educational concepts in a structured way. It follows an optimized "workflow" that can be applied not only to solve a specific exercise but also any similar problem encountered over the course of one's career. The platform was designed to offer a repository of learning material in various forms and to favor user-platform interactions. It can be used for training and evaluation purposes through exercises and problem solving that the user can perform online by using browsing software along with internet access. Special tools were created and implemented on the platform to assist the user in completing a variety of tasks including performing exercises involving calculations with given data and plots of points or lines on graphs without leaving the learning environment. Furthermore, videos with detailed explanations follow each learning module and provide the full solution to every exercise. The LMS automatically keeps a large statistical database including the users' access to activities on the platform that can be exported and further processed to improve the platform functionality and evaluate the users' performance. 0 0 1672-5107 WOS:000299723900017 J Jeong, Hwa-Young; Choi, Cheol-Rim; Song, Young-Jae Personalized Learning Course Planner with E-learning DSS using user profile EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS 39 3 2567 2577 10.1016/j.eswa.2011.08.109 FEB 15 2012 2012 Various methods of e-learning systems, based on information and communications, and geared towards improving learning effectiveness and students' attention span, have been studied. However, most e-learning systems force students to follow the learning course or content established by a teacher. These methods are convenient, but they limit the effectiveness of e-learning.To overcome this limitation and increase effective learning, new techniques that reflect alternative learning styles, such as adaptive learning and personalized learning, have been studied. In this study, we proposed a Personalized Learning Course Planner (PLCP) that allows students to easily select the learning course they desire. User profile data was collected from the students' initial priorities about learning contents as well as the test scores after their study. E-Learning Decision Support System (EL-DSS) in PLCP suggests an appropriate learning course organization, according to calculated results based on the user profile data.To verify the effectiveness of the proposed system, we implemented an English learning system consisting of PLCP. We conducted an experiment with 30 university students and evaluated students' satisfaction by questionnaire analysis. The results indicate that the proposed system improved learning effectiveness and student satisfaction. Further investigation of the participants indicated that suggesting a learning course suitable for students' previous test scores and priorities encouraged students to concentrate on the lesson. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0957-4174 WOS:000297823300037 J Li, Jian-Wei; Chang, Yi-Chun; Chu, Chih-Ping; Tsai, Cheng-Chang A self-adjusting e-course generation process for personalized learning EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS 39 3 3223 3232 10.1016/j.eswa.2011.09.009 FEB 15 2012 2012 This paper proposes a self-adjusting e-course generation process, which support to provide a truly personalized learning environment. The proposed process is divided into four steps: (1) determining learning concept structure, (2) adjusting the difficulty of the e-learning material, (3) analyzing a learner's ability and learning goals, and (4) composing personalized e-courses. Meanwhile, this paper applies the collaborative voting approach to determine the difficulty of the e-learning material, and the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to analyze a learner's ability and her/his learning goals. Since evolutionary algorithms (EAs) have been developed to find close optimal solutions, this paper adopts them to compose personalized e-courses that meet individual learners' demands. Once a learner learns one or more learning concepts covered in a personalized e-course, the feedback information from the learner must be returned to: (I) self-adjust the difficulty of the e-learning material for step 2, and (II) update the learners' ability and learning goals for step 3. Furthermore, to find appropriate EAs for personalized e-course composition, this paper devises some experiments to compare two widely applied EAs, Genetic algorithms (GA) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). When the number of e-learning materials is less than 300, the experimented results indicate that the executing effectiveness of PSO is better than that of GA. Besides, to validate the practicability of the proposed process, an e-course authoring tool based on the proposed process is developed to generate personalized e-courses. The generated personalized e-courses have been provided to 103 actual learners who participate in an "Introduction to Computer" curriculum. The investigation results indicate that the proposed process adapts to learners by utilizing the feedback from many learners. In other words, learning experiences of one organization/class can benefit to another organization/class's learners in the same curriculum. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0957-4174 WOS:000297823300105 J Belen Diez-Bedmar, Maria; Perez-Paredes, Pascual THE TYPES AND EFFECTS OF PEER NATIVE SPEAKERS' FEEDBACK ON CMC LANGUAGE LEARNING & TECHNOLOGY 16 1 62 90 FEB 2012 2012 Online collaborative writing tasks are frequently undertaken in forums and wikis. Variation between these two communication modes has yet to be examined, particularly type of feedback and its effects. We investigated the type of feedback and the impact of English native-speakers' feedback on Spanish peers' discourse restructuring in the context of an online collaborative writing task involving tertiary level students of English and Spanish as foreign languages. The collaborative task was to develop a tourist brochure in the foreign language in a Moodle e-learning environment. Two corpora were compiled of learner exchanges. The communication formats of both forums and wikis determined the type of feedback provided by peers in online communication tasks. Regarding the effect of such feedback, we can conclude that, although morphosyntactic and lexical feedback is largely acknowledged and incorporated, the Spanish peers seemed to accept it without further follow-up or discussion. Affective feedback, in the main, provoked no language-based reaction. These effects vary, however, by forums and the wiki sub-tasks. 0 0 1094-3501 WOS:000301137400007 J Ashleigh, Melanie; Ojiako, Udechukwu; Chipulu, Max; Wang, Jaw Kai Critical learning themes in project management education: Implications for blended learning INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT 30 2 153 161 10.1016/j.ijproman.2011.05.002 FEB 2012 2012 This research examines the underlying reasons why students taking project management courses emphasise skills that are transferable and the utilisation of e-learning environments as critical to their learning experiences. Students' opinions are expressed through a series of fouls groups. We found that the underlying reasons for students' emphasis on these two factors as crucial to learning and teaching project management could be classed under five higher-order themes. The implications of our findings are that in order to develop desired human, conceptual and technical skills, a teaching approach based on a blend of learning that resides at the intersection of the 'transferable skills' and 'e-learning environments' construct is required for the effective teaching of project management. For effectiveness, this blended form of andragogy (learning :Focused on adults) must be flexible enough to cater for the vast variations in the profiles of students, and their individual learning preferences. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. PMA and IPMA. All rights reserved. 0 0 0263-7863 WOS:000300136900002 J Busstra, Maria C.; Hulshof, Paul J. M.; Houwen, Jan; Elburg, Lucy; Hollman, Peter C. H. Nutrient analysis explained for non-chemists by using interactive e-learning material JOURNAL OF FOOD COMPOSITION AND ANALYSIS 25 1 88 95 10.1016/j.jfca.2011.07.003 FEB 2012 2012 The diverse educational and professional background of individuals involved in food composition data work presents challenges in their training. In particular, it is difficult to explain chemical analysis of nutrients to individuals lacking a background in chemistry. Therefore an interactive e-learning module entitled "Nutrient Analysis for Non-chemists" was developed. Interactive e-learning provides a powerful set of tools to stimulate a learning process tailored to the needs and background of course members. In its design, specific aims derived from theories on learning and instruction were first formulated: motivate the student; provide an authentic learning context; visualize important concepts; promote active learning; and avoid unnecessary cognitive load. The e-learning module developed contains a large variety of interactive exercises, animations, and background information. The following four topics or cases were elaborated: Fats and Fatty Acids, Proteins and Amino Acids, Carbohydrates and Fiber, and Elements. In diverse educational settings, the module was evaluated by course members of postgraduate courses who highly appreciated it with an overall score of 4.5 on a 5-point scale. The e-learning module that was developed can be nicely integrated into a blended learning course on food composition data. However, it is also very well suited for individual distance learning. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 0 0 0889-1575 WOS:000299976600013 J Aronson, Jeffrey K. What do clinical pharmacologists do? A questionnaire survey of senior UK clinical pharmacologists BRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY 73 2 161 169 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2011.04079.x FEB 2012 2012 Since the discipline expanded during 19701990, the number of UK consultant clinical pharmacologists has fallen. This paper describes the results of a questionnaire survey of the work patterns of 53 UK consultant clinical pharmacologists, including 35 (66%) employed by universities and 13 (25%) employed by the National Health Service (NHS). The range of activities undertaken includes: teaching medical students and others the principles of clinical pharmacology and practical therapeutics; research in a wide range of pharmacological and therapeutic areas; patient care, mostly in acute and general hospital medicine and in out-patient clinics; service both locally and nationally on a wide range of committees related to drug therapy; editorial work on learned journals and preparation of written teaching materials, including journal articles, didactic textbooks, reference books, and e-learning materials. The median amount of time that a UK consultant clinical pharmacologist spends on these activities is 50 hours per week; several work more than that. The time is spent as follows: teaching 10%; research 40%; clinical work 30%; policy and administration 12%; editorial work and writing 8%. The numbers of physicians who have been newly registered with the General Medical Council as clinical pharmacologists each year has so far been undiminished, but the number of consultant posts has fallen in 19902010. Many trainees therefore leave the discipline when they become consultants. 0 0 0306-5251 WOS:000298876300002 J Ehlers, U. -D.; Hilera, J. R. Special Issue on quality in e-learning JOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING 28 1 1 3 10.1111/j.1365-2729.2011.00448.x FEB 2012 2012 Quality is at the heart of education and training in all countries. Knowledge, information, and learning technologies are seen as a vital tool for achieving this. The promises of e-learning are to open up our systems to the world, improve access for all, and increase learning effectiveness. In addition, knowledge, information, and learning technologies are seen as a catalyst for change in our efforts to reform and modernize education and training for an improved knowledge society. 0 0 0266-4909 WOS:000299042600001 J Bremer, C. Enhancing e-learning quality through the application of the AKUE procedure model JOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING 28 1 15 26 10.1111/j.1365-2729.2011.00444.x FEB 2012 2012 The paper describes the procedure model AKUE, which aims at the improvement and assurance of quality and cost efficiency in the context of the introduction of e-learning and the development of digital learning material. AKUE divides the whole planning and implementation process into four different phases: analysis, conception, implementation, and evaluation. AKUE analyses at which level of the organization or curriculum decisions have to be made. Accordingly, it differentiates various types of projects for which different planning methods and quality criteria are applied. For each step, specific worksheets and procedures are applied in order to support planning and decision making. Through the definition of outcomes and feedback loops at each step, quality standards and cost efficiency can be achieved. 0 0 0266-4909 WOS:000299042600003 J Masoumi, D.; Lindstrom, B. Quality in e-learning: a framework for promoting and assuring quality in virtual institutions JOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING 28 1 27 41 10.1111/j.1365-2729.2011.00440.x FEB 2012 2012 With the growing demand for e-learning along with striving for excellence associated with globalization, there are worldwide calls for enhancing and assuring quality in e-learning, specifically in the context of the developing countries. Such calls for quality enhancement, accountability, added value, value for money, self-evaluation, and role players' satisfaction in higher education settings cannot go unheeded. Addressing the concerns regarding enhancing and assuring quality in e-learning, a comprehensive e-quality framework is developed by taking into account the pros and cons of the previous models, frameworks, and studies of e-quality. This e-quality framework offers a structured set of factors and benchmarks as a tool for practical quality work with e-learning in virtual institutions. 0 0 0266-4909 WOS:000299042600004 J Ossiannilsson, E.; Landgren, L. Quality in e-learning - a conceptual framework based on experiences from three international benchmarking projects JOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING 28 1 42 51 10.1111/j.1365-2729.2011.00439.x FEB 2012 2012 Between 2008 and 2010, Lund University took part in three international benchmarking projects, E-xcellence+, the eLearning Benchmarking Exercise 2009, and the First Dual-Mode Distance Learning Benchmarking Club. A comparison of these models revealed a rather high level of correspondence. From this finding and from desktop studies of the current discourse regarding e-learning, a conceptual framework for e-learning has emerged based on a range of critical success factors. This model could be used as a foundation for future e-learning and as an inspiration to develop, implement, evaluate, and internalize e-learning. It shows that various aspects of accessibility, flexibility, interactiveness, personalization, and productivity should be embedded in all levels of management and services within the field of e-learning in higher education. To meet students' expectations, demands, and rights, these critical issues should be taken into account from a holistic perspective with transparency and innovation in mind. Therefore, successful e-learning requires change from an organizational as well as a pedagogical perspective. One conclusion from this study is that a revolution is on the way and that learning will be reoriented along paradigms of collaboration and networking. Globalization, sustainability, and lifelong learning will be some of the leading concepts in this process. 0 0 0266-4909 WOS:000299042600005 J Meier, C.; Seufert, S.; Euler, D. Quality assessment and development in the course of the EFMD CEL programme accreditation JOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING 28 1 52 64 10.1111/j.1365-2729.2011.00442.x FEB 2012 2012 This paper reviews the experiences and learnings derived from the European Foundation for Management Development's programme accreditation teChnology-Enhanced Learning (EFMD CEL) programme accreditation. The EFMD CEL quality framework is briefly described, and an overview of the programmes that have pursued accreditation is presented. Subsequently, the evaluation results for the programmes having undergone accreditation/re-accreditation are analysed. This analysis moves from a more aggregated view to a more detailed view, and observations are related to relevant findings in the literature. Also, the key issues and recommendations identified by the auditors for further development of the programmes reviewed are discussed, as are the evaluation results for three programmes that have undergone re-accreditation. Key findings are the following: (1) the quality criteria at the core of the EFMD CEL quality framework are applicable for diverse programmes; (2) the programmes receive differentiated evaluations on the different quality dimensions and quality criteria; (3) auditors' ideas for improvement and recommendations most commonly pertain to the quality dimensions Pedagogy and Organization/Culture; (4) noticeable quality improvements are indeed initiated through the EFDM CEL audit and accreditation process; and (5) quality management is not a one-way street, and slippage with regard to some quality criteria may be observed in re-accreditation results. 0 0 0266-4909 WOS:000299042600006 J Marshall, S. Improving the quality of e-learning: lessons from the eMM JOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING 28 1 65 78 10.1111/j.1365-2729.2011.00443.x FEB 2012 2012 The quality of e-learning can be defined in many different ways, reflecting different stakeholders and the complexity of the systems and processes used in higher education. These different conceptions of quality can be mutually contradictory and, while politically significant, may also be beyond the direct control or influence of institutional leaders. The e-learning maturity model (eMM) provides a framework for e-learning quality improvement that measures the capability of institutions to sustainably engage in e-learning and visualizes that capability in a way that assists leaders and managers using that information to undertake systematic and targeted improvements in their institution's e-learning activities. This paper synthesizes the outcomes of multiple international eMM assessments to extract a set of starting points for institutions intending to improve the quality of e-learning experienced by their students. 0 0 0266-4909 WOS:000299042600007 J Kavadella, A.; Tsiklakis, K.; Vougiouklakis, G.; Lionarakis, A. Evaluation of a blended learning course for teaching oral radiology to undergraduate dental students EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION 16 1 E88 E95 10.1111/j.1600-0579.2011.00680.x FEB 2012 2012 Aims: The purpose of this study was to develop and implement a blended course (a combined face-to-face and online instruction) on undergraduate oral radiology and evaluate it by comparing its educational effectiveness (derived from students performance and answers to questionnaires) to a conventional courses. Students attitudes concerning the blended methodology were also registered.Methodology: An original course was developed and implemented, and its electronic version was uploaded to an e-learning educational platform. The course was attended by two groups of final-year students, who were taught by either the conventional face-to-face methodology or the blended learning methodology. Students answered a series of questionnaires, before and after following the course, regarding their perceptions, attitudes and evaluation of the course. Additionally, they completed knowledge assessment tests and their grades (before and after the course) were compared. Educational effectiveness of the course was determined by analysing the results of the questionnaires and the tests.Results: Students in the blended group performed significantly better than their colleagues of the conventional group in the post-course knowledge test, and female students of the blended group performed better than male students. Students evaluated high the course content, organisation, educational material, and the blended group students additionally appreciated the course design and clarity of instructions. Students' attitudes towards elements of blended learning (effectiveness, motivation and active engagement) were very positive. Most of the blended group students, who attended the face-to-face meeting (approx. 91%), evaluated it as helpful for summarising the subject and clarifying difficult issues.Conclusions: Blended learning is effective and well evaluated by dental students and can be implemented in undergraduate curriculum for teaching oral radiology. 0 0 1396-5883 WOS:000299202600014 J Loogma, Krista; Kruusvall, Jueri; Uemarik, Meril E-learning as innovation: Exploring innovativeness of the VET teachers' community in Estonia COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 58 2 808 817 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.10.005 FEB 2012 2012 In this article, the acceptance of e-learning by teachers of vocational secondary and professional higher education institutions (hereafter: VET teachers) in Estonia has been analysed. The analysis is based on questionnaire study, carried out in 2007. The theoretical framework of the article has been inspired by Everett Rogers' innovation diffusion theory. It appears that there exists a statistically reliable difference between innovators and the remaining adopter categories among VET teachers. One can see that in the context of the VET teachers' working environment, a multi-dimensional innovation gap appears, embracing gaps in the actual use of e-learning tools, different types of skills and competences, access and support indicators. The model of innovativeness constructed shows that the competences are predictors of innovativeness. The development of competences related to e-learning (ICT competence, e-learning competence, pedagogical competence) and innovativeness are closely related. It will be argued that while one of the challenges for the developers of e-learning is to provide teachers with relevant continuous training as well as making efforts in developing existing support structures, we can assume that for different adopter categories among teachers different strategies and support schemes should be applied, as the values and attitudes of different groups vary. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000298523800012 J Bhuasiri, Wannasiri; Xaymoungkhoun, Oudone; Zo, Hangjung; Rho, Jae Jeung; Ciganek, Andrew P. Critical success factors for e-learning in developing countries: A comparative analysis between ICT experts and faculty COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 58 2 843 855 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.10.010 FEB 2012 2012 This study identifies the critical success factors that influence the acceptance of e-learning systems in developing countries. E-learning is a popular mode of delivering educational materials in higher education by universities throughout the world. This study identifies multiple factors that influence the success of e-learning systems from the literature and compares the relative importance among two stakeholder groups in developing countries, ICT experts and faculty. This study collected 76 usable responses using the Delphi method and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach. The results reveal 6 dimensions and 20 critical success factors for e-learning systems in developing countries. Findings illustrate the importance of curriculum design for learning performance. Technology awareness, motivation, and changing learners' behavior are prerequisites for successful e-learning implementations. Several recommendations are provided to aid the implementation of e-learning systems for developing countries which have relevance for researchers and practitioners. Limitations as well as possible research directions are also discussed. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000298523800015 J Tanabe, Shoma; Masuda, Naold Evolution of cooperation facilitated by reinforcement learning with adaptive aspiration levels JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY 293 151 160 10.1016/j.jtbi.2011.10.020 JAN 21 2012 2012 Repeated interaction between individuals is the main mechanism for maintaining cooperation in social dilemma situations. Variants of tit-for-tat (repeating the previous action of the opponent) and the win-stay lose-shift strategy are known as strong competitors in iterated social dilemma games. On the other hand, real repeated interaction generally allows plasticity (i.e., learning) of individuals based on the experience of the past. Although plasticity is relevant to various biological phenomena, its role in repeated social dilemma games is relatively unexplored. In particular, if experience-based learning plays a key role in promotion and maintenance of cooperation, learners should evolve in the contest with nonlearners under selection pressure. By modeling players using a simple reinforcement learning model, we numerically show that learning enables the evolution of cooperation. We also show that numerically estimated adaptive dynamics appositely predict the outcome of evolutionary simulations. The analysis of the adaptive dynamics enables us to capture the obtained results as an affirmative example of the Baldwin effect, where learning accelerates the evolution to optimality. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0022-5193 WOS:000299243800017 J Nilsson, Mikael; Ostergren, Jan; Fors, Uno; Rickenlund, Anette; Jorfeldt, Lennart; Caidahl, Kenneth; Bolinder, Gunilla Does individual learning styles influence the choice to use a web-based ECG learning programme in a blended learning setting? BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 12 5 10.1186/1472-6920-12-5 JAN 16 2012 2012 Background: The compressed curriculum in modern knowledge-intensive medicine demands useful tools to achieve approved learning aims in a limited space of time. Web-based learning can be used in different ways to enhance learning. Little is however known regarding its optimal utilisation. Our aim was to investigate if the individual learning styles of medical students influence the choice to use a web-based ECG learning programme in a blended learning setting.Methods: The programme, with three types of modules (learning content, self-assessment questions and interactive ECG interpretation training), was offered on a voluntary basis during a face to face ECG learning course for undergraduate medical students. The Index of Learning Styles (ILS) and a general questionnaire including questions about computer and Internet usage, preferred future speciality and prior experience of E-learning were used to explore different factors related to the choice of using the programme or not.Results: 93 (76%) out of 123 students answered the ILS instrument and 91 the general questionnaire. 55 students (59%) were defined as users of the web-based ECG-interpretation programme. Cronbach's alpha was analysed with coefficients above 0.7 in all of the four dimensions of ILS. There were no significant differences with regard to learning styles, as assessed by ILS, between the user and non-user groups; Active/Reflective; Visual/Verbal; Sensing/Intuitive; and Sequential/Global (p = 0.56-0.96). Neither did gender, prior experience of E-learning or preference for future speciality differ between groups.Conclusion: Among medical students, neither learning styles according to ILS, nor a number of other characteristics seem to influence the choice to use a web-based ECG programme. This finding was consistent also when the usage of the different modules in the programme were considered. Thus, the findings suggest that web-based learning may attract a broad variety of medical students. 0 0 1472-6920 WOS:000300156400001 P KOBAYASHI Y Information processing device i.e. learning device, for generating estimation function e.g. for receiving feature quantity extracted from music, has output unit outputting estimation function generated by estimation function generation unit US2012016822-A1 KOBAYASHI Y 0 DIIDW:2012A95025 J Kim, Hye-jin; Caytiles, Ronnie D.; Kim, Tai-hoon Design of an Effective WSN-Based Interactive u-Learning Model INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISTRIBUTED SENSOR NETWORKS 514836 10.1155/2012/514836 2012 2012 Wireless sensor networks include a wide range of potential applications to improve the quality of teaching and learning in a ubiquitous environment. WSNs become an evolving technology that acts as the ultimate interface between the learners and the context, enhancing the interactivity and improving the acquisition or collection of learner's contextual information in ubiquitous learning. This paper presents a model of an effective and interactive ubiquitous learning environment system based on the concepts of ubiquitous computing technology that enables learning to take place anywhere at any time. The u-learning model is a web-based e-learning system utilizing various state-of-the-art features of WSN that could enable learners to acquire knowledge and skills through interaction between them and the ubiquitous learning environment. It is based on the theory of connectivism which asserts that knowledge and the learning of knowledge are distributive and are not located in any given place but rather consist of the network of connections formed from experiences and interactions with a knowing community. The communication between devices and the embedded computers in the environment allows learners to learn in an environment of their interest while they are moving, hence, attaching them to their learning environment. 0 0 1550-1329 WOS:000301419900001 J Alier, Marc; Mayol, Enric; Jose Casan, Maria; Piguillem, Jordi; Merriman, Jeffrey W.; Angel Conde, Miguel; Garcia-Penalvo, Francisco J.; Tebbens, Wouter; Severance, Charles Clustering Projects for eLearning Interoperability JOURNAL OF UNIVERSAL COMPUTER SCIENCE 18 1 106 122 2012 2012 Since the beginning of the discipline, eLearning has been about innovation. New software, systems, contents and tools are being created and experimented with and in constant evolution. But when systems, contents and tools become successful and part of the regular infrastructure of educational institutions, interoperability becomes an issue. Systems that are consolidated and regularly used need to be able to interoperate with new ones. And the new tendencies need to fit within the current infrastructure. This paper states how several research and development projects with heterogeneous funding sources and locations worldwide, gathered together to find a solution to this common problem, providing open specifications and standards, plus Free/Libre, Open Source reference implementations. 0 0948-695X CCC:000301282200007 J Caballe, Santi; Ganan, David; Dunwell, Ian; Pierri, Anna; Daradoumis, Thanasis CC-LO: Embedding Interactivity, Challenge and Empowerment into Collaborative Learning Sessions JOURNAL OF UNIVERSAL COMPUTER SCIENCE 18 1 25 43 2012 2012 Despite their demonstrated potential through a range of early studies, on-line collaborative learning systems do not yet have the impact that many believe is possible. In particular, collaborative learning approaches cannot be readily applied to every e-learning experience, since they require a degree of presence and/or collaboration which may be difficult to achieve. In addition, collaborative learning systems often lack the challenging resources and tools required to fully support collaborations, making the experience unattractive to end-users and discouraging progression. Whilst the learner might expect to control the collaborative experience, often it is the collaborative experience that controls and limits the learner. As a result, collaborative learning resources can lack authentic interactivity, user empowerment and balanced levels of challenge, thus having a negative effect in learner motivation and engagement. To overcome these deficiencies, we propose a new paradigm named Collaborative Complex Learning Objects (CC-LO): a special type of Learning Object which aims to leverage the knowledge elicited during live sessions of collaborative learning, augmented with author-generated information, to produce interactive and attractive resources to be experienced and played by learners. During CC-LO execution, learners can observe how avatars discuss and collaborate, how discussion threads grow, and how knowledge is constructed, refined and consolidated. Furthermore, learners can interact with the CC-LO in order to modify some parameters observing the consequences and assessing their understanding. The research reported in this paper was undertaken within the European Framework 7 project ALICE (Adaptive Learning via Intuitive/Interactive, Collaborative and Emotional Systems). 0 0948-695X CCC:000301282200003 J Lin, Jiaqing; Nishino, Hiroaki; Kagawa, Tsuneo; Utsumiya, Kouichi A method of two-handed gesture interactions with applications based on commodity devices COMPUTERS & MATHEMATICS WITH APPLICATIONS 63 2 SI 448 457 10.1016/j.camwa.2011.07.052 JAN 2012 2012 Recent progress on human-computer interface technology has enabled more intuitive and natural communications between humans and sensor-based devices in many fields such as games, e-learning, augmented reality (AR), and medical image processing. While traditional human-computer interface devices such as the keyboard and mouse still dominate in our daily life, we propose a new method of two-handed gesture interactions to control applications based on commodity devices such as Wiimote, the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii game console. Our main goal is to construct a unified way to interact with computers and their application systems just like using home appliances. The proposed system allows users to track their fingers moving in three-dimensional space in real time and define each gesture's function by using the commodity devices. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0898-1221 WOS:000300595700010 J Ellaway, Rachel eMedical Teacher MEDICAL TEACHER 34 3 259 261 10.3109/0142159X.2012.662451 2012 2012 0 0 0142-159X WOS:000300770300030 J Jokic, Snezana; Pardanjac, Marjana; Eleven, Erika; Durin, Savina TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF EMPLOYEES THROUGH E-LEARNING METALURGIA INTERNATIONAL 17 4 149 153 2012 2012 Constantly searching for increased efficiency and effectiveness, corporations, as well as small and medium enterprises (SME) look for a way to gain and maintain competitive advantage in the market. The development of intellectual capital, know-what, know-how and know-why and understanding the importance of this knowledge becomes the key to achieving the desired effects. The ability of organizations to educate and train employees while at workplace is utterly valuable. E-learning is one way that enables employees to obtain and renew the knowledge necessary to perform their tasks. This paper focuses on the application of e-learning in organizations. Innovations in information and communication technologies, as well as the current development of e-learning, conditions create new forms of learning, attractive to small and medium-sized organizations for overcoming traditional barriers such as lack of financial resources, lime, expertise and facilities. The paper presents the corporation needs to learn. The purpose of this paper is to explore existing and potential role of e-learning in small and medium organizations as a means of developing skills of employees. The results show that respondents have a positive attitude towards the use of e-learning for personal training and development. However, this kind of training in surveyed corporations was not used. It is also notable that ICT is not used frequently enough, and it is necessary to train, motivate and encourage employees to use it. 0 0 1582-2214 WOS:000300590900030 J Brtka, Eleonora; Brtka, Vladimir; Radosav, Dragica THE CLUSTERING DATA MINING MODULE AS A PART OF THE E-LEARNING SYSTEM METALURGIA INTERNATIONAL 17 4 220 223 2012 2012 The data mining techniques and their applications are widely recognized as powerful tools in various domains. In the domain of education there is a variety of data of various types collected during the process. The main question is: Is it possible to process collected data with the Data Mining System and what are main advantages of data mining and e-learning interaction? In this paper we present an insight into the possible interaction between Course Management System and Data Mining Techniques. The main goal of this work is to investigate some data mining techniques in order to deliver most appropriate learning object to the learner. The proposed application of educational data mining techniques is clustering followed by a case study We have used free data mining tool so that any user can immediately begin to apply data mining without having to purchase a commercial tool or program a specific personalized tool. 0 0 1582-2214 WOS:000300590900043 J Cisar, Sanja Maravic; Cisar, Petar; Vasic, Dragana; Obradovic, Borislav; Vasiljevic, Petar COMPUTER ADAPTIVE TESTS IN EVALUATION OF KNOWLEDGE OF C plus plus PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE METALURGIA INTERNATIONAL 17 4 39 46 2012 2012 The paper discusses the application of the computer adaptive test in knowledge evaluation of the programming language C++. For the purpose of this research an application was realized which enables adaptive testing. Its functionality was checked in practice. A survey was carried out among students for the purpose of evaluation, the attained data was statistically analyzed and interpreted. Based on the results of the research if was determined that there is a statistically significant difference in favor of the students in the experimental group as opposed to the students who had taken the test in the conventional way (paper-pencil tests). 0 0 1582-2214 WOS:000300590900007 P ZADGAONKAR A Dedicated portable e-learning device IN200902125-I3 ZADGAONKAR U 0 DIIDW:2012A06111 J Ayad, Essam; Yagi, Yukako Virtual microscopy beyond the pyramids, applications of WSI in Cairo University for E-education & telepathology ANALYTICAL CELLULAR PATHOLOGY 35 2 93 95 10.3233/ACP-2011-0027 2012 2012 Background: Telepathology, the practice of pathology at a long distance, has advanced continuously since 1986. The progress of telepathology passed through four stages: Static, Dynamic, Hybrid & Whole Slide Imaging.Materials and methods: A pilot project between the Italian Hospital in Cairo& the Civico Hospital in Palermo was completed successfully, applying the static & dynamic techniques of telepathology. This project began in 2003 and continued till now. In 2004, centers in Venice, London and Pittsburgh participated actively in our project.Results: Over eight years we consulted on many problematic pathological cases with specialized pathological centers in Italy, UK & USA. In addition to the highly specialized scientific value, we saved a lot of time and money.Conclusion: We concluded from our experience that telepathology is a very useful and applicable tool for additional consulting on difficult pathological cases especially for emerging countries. In view of this success we have already established our Digital Telepathology Unit in Cairo University, using the WSI technique in teaching which was greatly successful and encouraged us to build a huge digital pathology library which will expand our telepathology & E-learning programs to cover staff and students in Egypt and Eastern Mediterranean. 0 0 2210-7177 WOS:000300102500004 J Karamizadeh, Z.; Zarifsanayei, N.; Faghihi, A. A.; Mohammadi, H.; Habibi, M. The Study of Effectiveness of Blended Learning Approach for Medical Training Courses IRANIAN RED CRESCENT MEDICAL JOURNAL 14 1 41 44 JAN 2012 2012 Background: Blended learning as a method of learning that includes face to face learning, pure E-learning and didactic learning. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of medical education by this approach.Methods: This interventional study was performed in 130 students at different clinical levels participating in class sessions on "congenital adrenal hyperplasia and ambiguous genitalia". Sampling was done gradually during 6 months and all of them filled a pretest questionnaire and received an educational compact disk. One week later, a presence class session was held in a question and answer and problem solving method. Two to four weeks later, they filled a posttest questionnaire.Results: There was a significant correlation between pretest and posttest scores and the posttest scores were significantly more than the pretest ones. Sub-specialized residents had the most and the students had the least attitude towards blended learning approach. There was a significant correlation between the research samples' accessibility to computer and their attitude and satisfaction to blended learning approach.Conclusion: Findings generally showed that the blended learning was an effective approach in making a profound learning of academic subjects. 0 0 1561-4395 WOS:000300118000009 J Lin, Jian-Wei; Lai, Yuan-Cheng A SYNCHRONOUS COOPERATION SYSTEM FOR LEARNING ENTITY-RELATIONSHIP DIAGRAM INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE COMPUTING INFORMATION AND CONTROL 8 1B 827 843 JAN 2012 2012 Collaborative e-learning via Internet is becoming popular because it certainly improves learning effectiveness. Moreover, real-time communication further enhances the efficient sharing of knowledge and experiences within a collaborative group. Therefore, this paper proposes a premier synchronous collaboration system for learning entity-relationship model, called SCLERA to enable students to learn data model in the database field in a real-time cooperation manner. This paper first describes the design methodology of SCLERD, including network protocol and software architecture. Then system performance and educational evaluation are conducted to verify the system's feasibility and efficiency. The results of performance evaluation show that current devices and bandwidth can easily afford the needs of SCLERD. The results of educational evaluation unveil that most of students in the experiment group have better learning achievement than those in the control group. Also, all evaluated items receive positive feedback from the results of questionnaire. 0 0 1349-4198 WOS:000299648400023 J Hsieh, Tsui-Chuan; Yang, Chyan DO ONLINE LEARNING PATTERNS EXHIBIT REGIONAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES? TURKISH ONLINE JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 11 1 60 70 JAN 2012 2012 This paper used a multi-level latent class model to evaluate whether online learning patterns exhibit regional differences and demographics. This study discovered that the Internet learning pattern consists of five segments, and the region of Taiwan is divided into two segments and further found that both the user and the regional segments are highly interpretable. The individual segments are dictated by demographic variables, such as age and gender. For instance, younger people were good at employing Internet services; those 21-30 years old adopted e-learning, browsed blogs, and enjoyed the Internet more than others; and females preferred e-learning applications more than males did. On the other hand, the regional segments are dictated by the individual segments. For instance, the service area segment comprised a higher proportion of members who were good at online learning applications. The agricultural area segment made up a higher proportion of members who were traditional users. The findings provide both product or service providers/vendors and curriculum designers with an applicable guideline for developing service strategies for better matches and higher service satisfaction between the curriculum and the users' needs. 0 0 2146-7242 WOS:000299816400006 J Amal, Rifai; Messoussi, Rochdi Modelling method of recursive entity BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 43 1 28 38 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2010.01141.x JAN 2012 2012 With the development of the Information and Communication Technologies, great masses of information are published in the Web. In order to reuse, to share and to organise them in distance formation and e-learning frameworks, several research projects have been achieved and various standards and modelling languages developed. In our previous article, the limits of theses languages were examined and a new method named the recursive entity modelling method (REMM) was established to overcome these limits. But, when it was revised, some limitations were discovered. So, in this paper, an improved version of the REMM will be proposed, and the diagram of classes for a scenario modelled by this version will be established. In addition, both the learning scenario package and the generic XML schema permitting to implement these scenarios will be conceived. 0 0 0007-1013 WOS:000298476200021 J Hung, Jui-long Trends of e-learning research from 2000 to 2008: Use of text mining and bibliometrics BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 43 1 5 16 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2010.01144.x JAN 2012 2012 This study investigated the longitudinal trends of e-learning research using text mining techniques. Six hundred and eighty-nine (689) refereed journal articles and proceedings were retrieved from the Science Citation Index/Social Science Citation Index database in the period from 2000 to 2008. All e-learning publications were grouped into two domains with four groups/15 clusters based on abstract analysis. Three additional variables: subject areas, prolific countries and prolific journals were applied to data analysis and data interpretation. Conclusions include that e-learning research is at the early majority stage and foci have shifted from issues of the effectiveness of e-learning to teaching and learning practices. Educational studies and projects and e-learning application in medical education and training are growing fields with the highest potential for future research. Approaches to e-learning differ between leading countries and early adopter countries, and government policies play an important role in shaping the results. 0 0 0007-1013 WOS:000298476200019 J Smyth, Robyn The power of role-based e-learning BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 43 1 E40 E41 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2011.01274_8.x JAN 2012 2012 0 0 0007-1013 WOS:000298476200017 J Verdu, Elena; Regueras, Luisa M.; Verdu, Maria J.; Leal, Jose P.; de Castro, Juan P.; Queiros, Ricardo A distributed system for learning programming on-line COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 58 1 1 10 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.08.015 JAN 2012 2012 Several Web-based on-line judges or on-line programming trainers have been developed in order to allow students to train their programming skills. However, their pedagogical functionalities in the learning of programming have not been clearly defined. EduJudge is a project which aims to integrate the "UVA On-line Judge", an existing on-line programming trainer with an important number of problems and users, into an effective educational environment consisting of the e-learning platform Moodie and the competitive learning tool QUESTOURnament. The result is the EduJudge system which allows teachers to apply different pedagogical approaches using a proven e-learning platform, makes problems easy to search through an effective search engine, and provides an automated evaluation of the solutions submitted to these problems. The final objective is to provide new learning strategies to motivate students and present programming as an easy and attractive challenge. EduJudge has been tried and tested in three algorithms and programming courses in three different Engineering degrees. The students' motivation and satisfaction levels were analysed alongside the effects of the EduJudge system on students' academic outcomes. Results indicate that both students and teachers found that among other multiple benefits the EduJudge system facilitates the learning process. Furthermore, the experiment also showed an improvement in students' academic outcomes. It must be noted that the students' level of satisfaction did not depend on their computer skills or their gender. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000298524300001 J Gonzalez-Gomez, Francisco; Guardiola, Jorge; Martin Rodriguez, Oscar; Montero Alonso, Miguel Angel Gender differences in e-learning satisfaction COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 58 1 283 290 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.08.017 JAN 2012 2012 Student learning skills differ depending on gender. The importance of studying this situation in the classroom is that recommendations can be made taking gender into consideration. In e-learning, the roles of students and teachers change. In line with recent research, the question this paper raises is whether or not gender differences also exist in e-learning. The main contribution this research makes to the literature is to provide evidence on the issues male and female students consider important in their assessment of e-subjects. This study is based on a sample of 1185 students who are doing on-line courses at the Universidad de Granada in Spain. The main conclusion is that female students are more satisfied than male students with the e-learning subjects that make up the sample. Furthermore, we find that female students assign more importance to the planning of learning, as well as to being able to contact the teacher in various ways. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000298524300027 J Chen, Hsiu-Ju Clarifying the empirical connection of new entrants' e-learning systems use to their job adaptation and their use patterns under the collective-individual training environment COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 58 1 321 337 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.07.010 JAN 2012 2012 In recent years, with the development of e-learning, it is feasible for enterprises to adopt information systems to enhance organizations' human capital and knowledge renewal for competition. e-Learning systems designed for new entrants training aim to facilitate new entrants' job adaptation; however, the empirical link between their system use and job adaptation lacks. In addition, the influence of environmental variables on new entrants' e-learning training still needs clarification. Thus, based on the theoretical framework of the IS (information system) success model, this study is motivated to make an empirical connection of new entrants' e-learning systems use to their job adaptation, including organizational socialization and overall job-adaptation outcome, and also to clarify their system use patterns under different collective-individual socialization training environments. Data from one hundred and eighty-six valid respondents who entered their organizations within a year were gathered and analyzed with PLS (partial least square). The results suggested the valid connection of new entrants' e-learning systems use to their organizational socialization and overall job-adaptation outcome. New entrants also presented partially different system use patterns for adaptation under the different human interaction environments. The findings facilitated the design of training programs for new entrants at the e-learning environment. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000298524300030 J Huang, Eugenia Y.; Lin, Sheng Wei; Huang, Travis K. What type of learning style leads to online participation in the mixed-mode e-learning environment? A study of software usage instruction COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 58 1 338 349 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.08.003 JAN 2012 2012 Learning style is traditionally assumed to be a predictor of learning performance, yet few studies have identified the mediating and moderating effects between the two. This study extends previous research by proposing and testing a model that examines the mediating processes in the relationship between learning style and e-learning performance and the moderating effects of prior knowledge. The results show that the sensory/intuitive dimension of learning style predicts learning performance indirectly through the mediation of online participation. However, other types of learning styles do not affect online participation. Sensory students demonstrate a higher level and intuitive students a lower level of online participation. Prior knowledge plays an important role as a moderator between online participation and learning performance. This study was conducted in the context of software usage instruction using empirical data from 219 undergraduate students. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000298524300031 J Tsai, Meng-Jung; Hou, Huei-Tse; Lai, Meng-Lung; Liu, Wan-Yi; Yang, Fang-Ying Visual attention for solving multiple-choice science problem: An eye-tracking analysis COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 58 1 375 385 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.07.012 JAN 2012 2012 This study employed an eye-tracking technique to examine students' visual attention when solving a multiple-choice science problem. Six university students participated in a problem-solving task to predict occurrences of landslide hazards from four images representing four combinations of four factors. Participants' responses and visual attention were recorded by an eye tracker. Participants were asked to think aloud during the entire task. A 4 (options) x 4 (factors) repeated measures design, two paired t-tests and effect sizes analyses were conducted to compare the fixation duration between chosen and rejected options and between relevant and irrelevant factors. Content analyses were performed to analyze participants' responses and think aloud protocols and to examine individual's Hot Zone image. Finally, sequential analysis on fixated LookZones was further utilized to compare the scan patterns between successful and unsuccessful problem solvers. The results showed that, while solving an image-based multiple-choice science problem, students, in general, paid more attention to chosen options than rejected alternatives, and spent more time inspecting relevant factors than irrelevant ones. Additionally, successful problem solvers focused more on relevant factors, while unsuccessful problem solvers experienced difficulties in decoding the problem, in recognizing the relevant factors, and in self-regulating of concentration. Future study can be done to examine the reliability and the usability of providing adaptive instructional scaffoldings for problem solving according to students' visual attention allocations and transformations in a larger scale. Eye-tracking techniques are suggested to be used to deeply explore the cognitive process during e-learning and be applied to future online assessment systems. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000298524300034 J Cabrera-Lozoya, Andres; Cerdan, Fernando; Cano, Maria-Dolores; Garcia-Sanchez, Diego; Lujan, Sergio Unifying heterogeneous e-learning modalities in a single platform: CADI, a case study COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 58 1 617 630 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.09.014 JAN 2012 2012 Current e-learning forms are commonly based on improving the learning process through the enhancement of certain skills in students, such as collaborative, competitive or problem-based learning. However, it seems that there is still no e-learning formula that gathers the implementation of a number of more generic educational principles in a single e-learning system or platform. Therefore, this paper presents a web-based framework for the creation, development and implementation of heterogeneous learning environments called CADI. It offers a graphical user interface for students to interact with only the need for any generic WiFi compliant device. Its innovative design allows the instructor to select and combine the developed resources to create varied activities, providing content adapted to every single device. The usefulness of the system was tested by introducing a case study to a group of senior college students. The experience showed that the use of the system helped students to achieve better results in their evaluation. It also showed that the students had no problems interacting with it from the outset, promoting their active learning. Design, implementation and assessment results of the system are also presented and analyzed. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000298524300055 J Yusoff, Nor'ain Mohd; Salim, Siti Salwah Investigating cognitive task difficulties and expert skills in e-Learning storyboards using a cognitive task analysis technique COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 58 1 652 665 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.09.009 JAN 2012 2012 E-learning storyboards have been a useful approach in distance learning development to support interaction between instructional designers and subject-matter experts. Current works show that researchers are focusing on different approaches for use in storyboards, and there is less emphasis on the effect of design and process difficulties faced by instructional designers and subject-matter experts. This study explores problem aspects of the cognitive task and the skills required of subject-matter experts by applying a cognitive task analysis approach from the expert point of view. The result shows that subject-matter experts face difficulties in making decisions on three elements during e-learning course development. The three elements are storyboard templates, prescriptive interactive components, and review process. It is found that the representation skills and decision making of the three elements allows subject-matter experts to decide on alternatives of the task process. The result also indicates that it is important to leverage the design and process skills of subject-matter experts as it affects their interaction with instructional designers. Three recommendations are made: training development, prescriptive interactive components development, and interaction design document development. A new framework can be recommended to train subject-matter experts as e-learning storyboard users, and in turn provide for effective interaction between them and instructional designers. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000298524300058 J Lin, Wen-Shan; Wang, Chun-Hsien Antecedences to continued intentions of adopting e-learning system in blended learning instruction: A contingency framework based on models of information system success and task-technology fit COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 58 1 88 99 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.07.008 JAN 2012 2012 The objective of this study is to propose a research framework that investigates the relation between perceived fit and system factors that can motivate learners in continuing utilizing an e-learning system in blended learning instruction. As learners have the face-to-face learning opportunity in interacting with lecturers, the study aims at investigating the critical features the e-learning system can provide in assisting learning. Both quantitative (survey) and qualitative (focus group interview) methods are applied in this paper. Results reveal that the information quality and task-technology fit influence the confirmation of system acceptance. Perceived usefulness and system satisfaction have major impacts on continuance intentions. Notions from contingency theory are used to interpret these findings. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000298524300010 J van Seters, Janneke R.; Wellink, Joan; Tramper, Johannes; Goedhart, Martin J.; Ossevoort, Miriam A. A web-based adaptive tutor to teach PCR primer design BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY EDUCATION 40 1 8 13 10.1002/bmb.20563 JAN-FEB 2012 2012 When students have varying prior knowledge, personalized instruction is desirable. One way to personalize instruction is by using adaptive e-learning to offer training of varying complexity. In this study, we developed a web-based adaptive tutor to teach PCR primer design: the PCR Tutor. We used part of the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (the three cognitive processes: remember, understand, and apply) to design exercises of varying complexity. Using this method, we demonstrated that we were able to systematically categorize exercises. There was also a good learning effect and a positive student perception when using the PCR Tutor. 0 0 1470-8175 WOS:000299099300002 J Triola, Marc M.; Huwendiek, Soeren; Levinson, Anthony J.; Cook, David A. New directions in e-learning research in health professions education: Report of two symposia MEDICAL TEACHER 34 1 E15 E20 10.3109/0142159X.2012.638010 2012 2012 Background: The use of Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) is rising across health professions education. Research to date is of limited use in guiding the implementation and selection of CAI innovations.Aims: In the context of two symposia, systemic reviews were discussed that evaluate literature in Internet-based learning, Virtual Patients, and animations. Each session included a debate with the goal of reaching consensus on best current practices and future research.Methods: Thematic analysis of the discussions was performed to arrange the questions by theme, eliminate redundancy, and craft them into a cohesive narrative.Results: The question analysis revealed that there are clear advantages to the use of CAI, and that established educational theories should certainly inform the future development and selection of CAI tools. Schools adopting CAI need to carefully consider the benefits, cost, available resources, and capacity for teachers and learners to accept change in their practice of education. Potential areas for future research should focus on the effectiveness of CAI instructional features, integration of e-learning into existing curricula and with other modalities like simulation, and the use of CAI in assessment of higher-level outcomes.Conclusions: There are numerous opportunities for future research and it will be important to achieve consensus on important themes. 0 0 0142-159X WOS:000299171600003 J De Maio, C.; Fenza, G.; Gaeta, M.; Loia, V.; Orciuoli, F.; Senatore, S. RSS-based e-learning recommendations exploiting fuzzy FCA for Knowledge Modeling APPLIED SOFT COMPUTING 12 1 113 124 10.1016/j.asoc.2011.09.004 JAN 2012 2012 Nowadays, Web 2.0 focuses on user generated content, data sharing and collaboration activities. Formats like Really Simple Syndication (RSS) provide structured Web information, display changes in summary form and stay updated about news headlines of interest. This trend has also affected the e-learning domain, where RSS feeds demand for dynamic learning activities, enabling learners and teachers to access to new blog posts, to keep track of new shared media, to consult Learning Objects which meet their needs.This paper presents an approach to enrich personalized e-learning experiences with user-generated content, through a contextualized RSS-feeds fruition. The synergic exploitation of Knowledge Modeling and Formal Concept Analysis techniques enables the design and development of a system that supports learners in their learning activities by collecting, conceptualizing, classifying and providing updated information on specific topics coming from relevant information sources. An agent-based layer supervises the extraction and filtering of RSS feeds whose topics cover a specific educational domain. (C) 2011 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved. 0 0 1568-4946 WOS:000296986100011 J Park, Han Woo Examining academic Internet use using a combined method QUALITY & QUANTITY 46 1 251 266 10.1007/s11135-010-9344-6 JAN 2012 2012 Since the inception of the Internet in South Korea, the Internet has become an important medium for information and communication among collegians due to its complete integration into everyday school lives. This study examines the scholarly use and role of advanced computer and communications technologies in general and the Internet in particular via an open-ended, qualitative survey among Korean university students. Through word frequency analysis and semantic mapping, this paper identifies the key issues in academic Internet use. In addition to information science methods, content analysis is used to investigate the attitudinal and behavior dimensions in scholarly Internet use. The results are expected to enable professors and policymakers to target populations who underutilize the educational potential of Internet technologies and to design e-learning programs for such students. 1 1 0033-5177 WOS:000297169900015 J Toman, Cynthia; Thifault, Marie-Claude Historical Thinking and the Shaping of Nursing Identity NURSING HISTORY REVIEW 20 184 204 10.1891/1062-8061.20.184 2012 2012 Nursing history was a core component of nurse training programs as early as 1907, when American Adelaide Nutting published her three-volume history. However, it had all but disappeared by the end of the 20th century, supplanted by other subjects. The University of Ottawa Nursing History Research Unit developed two online nursing history courses, in English and French, respectively, which proved popular and prompted substantial interest in the reintroduction of nursing history to our curriculum. This article presents findings of a study that examined the concept of "historical thinking"-what it is, how it develops, and what it contributes to practice-based professions-based on student postings in these courses. Analysis suggests that primary sources and critical appraisal skills are keys to the formation of historical thinking, and that these courses fostered a strong sense of professional identity among participants who often lamented lack of previous exposure to nursing history. Online nursing history courses can capitalize on e-learning technologies, and fit crowded curricula and student learning styles, while extending the reach of historians beyond traditional university walls. 0 0 1062-8061 WOS:000293299200008 J Behmann, M.; Bisson, S.; Walter, U. Social Medicine in Medical Faculties: Realisation of the Topic in the Specialty "Social Medicine, Occupational Health" GESUNDHEITSWESEN 73 12 853 859 10.1055/s-0030-1265191 DEC 2011 2011 Purpose of the Study: The 9th Revision of German Medical Licensing Regulations for Physicians has come into effect on October 1st 2003. Social medicine was separated into the fields, occupational health, social medicine" and the various cross-sectional modules: epidemiology, biometry, medical computer science; health economics, health-care system, public health; prevention, health promotion; rehabilitation, physical medicine, naturopathic treatment. This paper studies the realisation of teaching in the field social medicine at German medical faculties.Methods: The survey was conducted in collaboration with the German Association for Social Medicine and Prevention (DGSMP). A survey was conducted at 38 institutes of 36 German medical faculties. The written questionnaire contained mostly selection items in which chances and barriers of the field were queried with supply items. Information about time scale, general conditions and resources was aked for. On the basis of the guidelines of the DGSMP, the topics to be taught were evaluated concerning their relevance and integration into education.Results: The response rate was 68% (n = 26). Social insurance, basic principles, responsibility in the Social Security Code and the different providers were judged as the most important topics. There was a strong demand for lecturing material. 82% (n = 18) of the faculties wished to have specific material, for example e-learning, examples, lesson plans, curricula and also textbooks. 91% (n = 19) of the faculties requested an exchange of information between the faculties concerning educational contents, motivation of students and e-learning.Discussion: The realisation of teaching is different between the faculties concerning the number of hours, teaching methods and number of students per year. The motivation of the students is one of the problems, but also the lack of acceptance within the clinic. Specific resources and exchange between the faculties are necessary concerning e-learning, which is offered at only few faculties so far, but interest for a more intensive usage exists. Potentials of social medicine are the promotion of awareness among the students and the "identification of basics for medical acts in the social security system". Social medicine offers the possibility to connect the theoretical institutes with the clinic. 0 0 0941-3790 WOS:000299726500013 J Chang, Hui-Chuan; Liu, Chung-Feng; Hwang, Hsin-Ginn Exploring Nursing E-Learning Systems Success Based on Information System Success Model CIN-COMPUTERS INFORMATICS NURSING 29 12 741 747 10.1097/NCN.0b013e31821a1651 DEC 2011 2011 E-learning is thought of as an innovative approach to enhance nurses' care service knowledge. Extensive research has provided rich information toward system development, courses design, and nurses' satisfaction with an e-learning system. However, a comprehensive view in understanding nursing e-learning system success is an important but less focused-on topic. The purpose of this research was to explore net benefits of nursing e-learning systems based on the updated DeLone and McLean's Information System Success Model. The study used a self-administered questionnaire to collected 208 valid nurses' responses from 21 of Taiwan's medium-and large-scale hospitals that have implemented nursing e-learning systems. The result confirms that the model is sufficient to explore the nurses' use of e-learning systems in terms of intention to use, user satisfaction, and net benefits. However, while the three exogenous quality factors (system quality, information quality, and service quality) were all found to be critical factors affecting user satisfaction, only information quality showed a direct effect on the intention to use. This study provides useful insights for evaluating nursing e-learning system qualities as well as an understanding of nurses' intentions and satisfaction related to performance benefits. 0 0 1538-2931 WOS:000298328100008 J Thomson, Natasha M.; Campbell, Dianne E.; O'Leary, Fenton M. Teaching medical students to resuscitate children: An innovative two-part programme EMERGENCY MEDICINE AUSTRALASIA 23 6 741 747 10.1111/j.1742-6723.2011.01477.x DEC 2011 2011 Objective: The objective of the present study was to design and evaluate a novel, blended learning approach to the teaching of paediatric resuscitation to medical students.Methods: Participants were recruited from the Graduate Medical Program at the University of Sydney. The course incorporated an initial e-learning module and a subsequent practical component. The e-learning module taught basic and advanced life support. Students then attended a 90 min practical session, which focussed on team work and the psychomotor components of resuscitation. Improvement in knowledge was measured by a multiple choice question (MCQ) test. The MCQ was completed prior to beginning the whole course, after completion of the e-learning module and again at follow up 8 months later. Students also completed an evaluation survey.Results: Twenty-one students participated. There was a significant objective increase in knowledge from pre-course to post e-learning scores, median scores (interquartile range) from 12/23 (10.5 to 13.5) to 21/23 (20 to 22.5), P < 0.001. This significant increase in knowledge was still apparent at follow up 8 months later. Median MCQ score at follow up was 17/23 (14 to 18.5), P < 0.002. Students self-rated significant improvements in their knowledge, confidence and ability to perform basic and advanced life support for the whole course and between individual components (P < 0.001).Conclusions: A novel paediatric resuscitation course for medical students was developed and evaluated. This demonstrated significant objective improvements in student knowledge throughout the course, at course completion and at 8 month follow up. There were also significant subjective improvements in knowledge, confidence and ability to perform paediatric resuscitation. 0 0 1742-6731 WOS:000297930000011 J Seluakumaran, Kumar; Jusof, Felicita Fedelis; Ismail, Rosnah; Husain, Ruby Integrating an open-source course management system (Moodle) into the teaching of a first-year medical physiology course: a case study ADVANCES IN PHYSIOLOGY EDUCATION 35 4 369 377 10.1152/advan.00008.2011 DEC 2011 2011 Seluakumaran K, Jusof FF, Ismail R, Husain R. Integrating an open-source course management system (Moodle) into the teaching of a first-year medical physiology course: a case study. Adv Physiol Educ 35: 369-377, 2011; doi:10.1152/advan.00008.2011.-Educators in medical schools around the world are presently experimenting with innovative ways of using web-based learning to supplement the existing teaching and learning process. We have recently used a popular open-source course management system (CMS) called the modular object-oriented dynamic learning environment (Moodle) to construct an online site (DPhysiol) to facilitate our face-to-face teaching of physiology to a group of first-year students in the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery program. The integration of the Moodle site into our teaching was assessed using online log activity, student examination marks, and feedback from students. The freely available Moodle platform was simple to use, helped to effectively deliver course materials, and has features that allowed cooperative learning. Students used the CMS throughout their academic year and commented favorably regarding its use as a complement to the face-to-face classroom sessions. The group of students who used the CMS obtained significantly higher scores in the final examination compared with the previous class that did not use the CMS. In addition, there was a significant correlation between student participation and performance in online quizzes and their final examination marks. However, students' overall online usage of the CMS did not correlate with their examination marks. We recommend Moodle as a useful tool for physiology educators who are interested in integrating web-based learning into their existing teaching curriculum. 0 0 1043-4046 WOS:000298151300009 J Chen, Man-Ling; Su, Zhi-Yuan; Wu, Teng-Yen; Shieh, Tien-Yu; Chiang, Chi-Hui Influence of Dentistry Students' e-Learning Satisfaction: A Questionnaire Survey JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SYSTEMS 35 6 1595 1603 10.1007/s10916-010-9435-x DEC 2011 2011 Dental school graduates operating on patients without having had sufficient practice in school is potentially dangerous to the patients. In order to minimize this danger, it is necessary to establish a virtual learning environment for students. In this study, we incorporated DentSim, a clinical dentistry simulator, into an e-Learning platform. In addition to overcoming the time and space constraints on learning, DentSim can simulate clinical conditions. It also allows students to practice reading case histories and inspecting and diagnosing patients. To construct the research model for this study, we incorporated the four major factors for measuring e-Learner satisfaction-'learner interface', 'learning community', 'content' and 'personalization' with the variable of 'intention to use'. The subjects were 350 dental students studying at the College of Oral Medicine. The structural equation modeling (SEM) results showed that Factors that influenced 'intention to use' include 'learner interface', 'learning community' and 'personalization', and 'intention to use' affect 'e-Learner satisfaction' with the system. 0 0 0148-5598 WOS:000297914200025 J Maia, Bruno; Cunha, Joao P. A. R. Computer program for distance learning of pesticide application technology ANAIS DA ACADEMIA BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS 83 4 1413 1420 DEC 2011 2011 Distance learning presents great potential for mitigating field problems on pesticide application technology. Thus, due to the lack of teaching material about pesticide spraying technology in the Portuguese language and the increasing availability of distance learning, this study developed and evaluated a computer program for distance learning about the theory of pesticide spraying technology using the tools of information technology. The modules comprising the course, named Pulverizar, were: (1) Basic concepts, (2) Factors that affect application, (3) Equipments, (4) Spraying nozzles, (5) Sprayer calibration, (6) Aerial application, (7) Chemigation, (8) Physical-chemical properties, (9) Formulations, (10) Adjuvants, (11) Water quality, and (12) Adequate use of pesticides. The program was made available to the public on July 1(st), 2008, hosted at the web site www.pulverizar.iciag.ufu.br, and was simple, robust and practical on the complementation of traditional teaching for the education of professionals in Agricultural Sciences. Mastering pesticide spraying technology by people involved in agricultural production can be facilitated by the program Pulverizar, which was well accepted in its initial evaluation. 0 0 0001-3765 WOS:000297751100028 J Clay, Collette; Chamley, Carol; Coad, Jane; Mills, Natalie; Clouder, Lynn HOW WAS IT FOR US? REFLECTIONS FROM A UK E-LEARNING DEVELOPMENT FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH ACTA PAEDIATRICA 100 SI 110 110 463 DEC 2011 2011 0 0 0803-5253 WOS:000297503200223 J Ming, Yue; Bai, Zongshan A Mandarin E-Learning System Based on Speech Recognition and Evaluation COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION 19 4 651 659 10.1002/cae.20349 DEC 2011 2011 This paper establishes a speaker-independent pronunciation recognition and assessment system under the background of a Mandarin e-learning system framework. The recognition part is based on Hidden Markov Models (HMM) and improved in the aspect of acoustic and tone model. Making use of the recognition and detection results and corresponding parametric scorings, the machine scoring is performed to evaluate the quality of pronunciation its correlation with expert score are discussed. Through integrating recognition and assessment system with Web 2.0, we ultimately establish an open, shared and growing-up virtual Mandarin learning community, where all of learners, viewers, professors, without any restrictions on time and places, can express their perspective about how to advance Mandarin learning freely. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 19: 651-659, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.20349 0 0 1061-3773 WOS:000297102100004 J Huang, Chenn-Jung; Liao, Jia-Jian; Shen, Hung-Yen; Aye, Nwe Ni; Wang, Yu-Wu; Chen, Hong-Xin; Yang, Dian-Xiu; Luo, Yun-Cheng; Chuang, Yi-Ta Using Learning Style-Based Diagnosis Tool to Enhance Collaborative Learning in an Undergraduate Engineering Curriculum COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION 19 4 739 746 10.1002/cae.20359 DEC 2011 2011 In this study, an intelligent learning style aware diagnosis agent for computer-supported cooperative learning is proposed. Learners are first assigned to heterogeneous groups based on their learning styles questionnaire given right before the beginning of learning activities on the e-learning platform. The proposed diagnosis agent then scrutinizes each learner's learning portfolio on e-learning platform and automatically issues feedback messages in case some learner's behavior that is unfitted to his/her learning styles or devious argument on discussion board or wiki is detected. The Moodle, an open-source software e-learning platform, is used to establish the cooperative learning environment for this study. The experimental results reveal that the proposed learning style aware diagnosis agent indeed boosts the performance of the learners. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 19: 739-746, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.20359 0 0 1061-3773 WOS:000297102100014 J Barchino, Roberto; De Marcos, Luis; Maria Gutierrez, Jose; Oton, Salvador; Jimenez, Lourdes; Antonio Gutierrez, Jose; Ramon Hilera, Jose; Javier Martinez, Jose Assessment Design: A Step Towards Interoperability COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION 19 4 770 776 10.1002/cae.20363 DEC 2011 2011 The assessment in e-learning systems is a basic element to successfully complete any formative action. In this article we present a generic, flexible, interoperable and reusable language for design assessments, and its implementation in the EDVI Learning Management System. This language is based on XML and we have used XML Schema technology. We also describe the language attributes required to set the assessment plan based on our practical experience in e-learning courses. The main purpose of this language is to make the assessment design interoperable among systems in a simple and efficient way. An adequate implementation will also reduce the time required to configure assessment activities, simplifying and automating them. (C) 2009Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 19: 770-776, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.20363 1 1 1061-3773 WOS:000297102100017 J Gordon, Morris; Chandratilake, Madawa; Baker, Paul Improved junior paediatric prescribing skills after a short e-learning intervention: a randomised controlled trial ARCHIVES OF DISEASE IN CHILDHOOD 96 12 1191 1194 10.1136/archdischild-2011-300577 DEC 2011 2011 Objective Medication errors are common, with junior doctors accounting for the majority in acute healthcare. Paediatrics is uniquely challenging, but the evidence base to guide prescribing education is limited. The authors set out to develop a short, educationally sound, low cost e-learning resource for paediatric prescribing to improve junior doctors' prescribing skills and to evaluate its effectiveness.Design A non-blinded randomised controlled trial.Setting North Western Deanery Foundation School, UK.Participants 162 volunteer foundation (junior) doctors randomised into control (86) and intervention (76) groups.Interventions On study entry, participants were assessed on prescribing skill, prescribing habits and confidence. The intervention group completed the e-learning course designed for the study, which took 1-2 h. At 1 and 3 months after the intervention, both groups were assessed on similar prescribing assessments, habits and confidence.Main outcome measures Total score (expressed as a percentage) on prescribing assessments, confidence and satisfaction scores.Results There were no preintervention differences in prescribing assessments (67% vs 67%, p=0.56). Postintervention, the e-learning group scored significantly higher than the control group (63% vs 79%, p<0.0001). At 3 months, the e-learning group still scored significantly higher (69% vs 79%, p<0.0001), with improved confidence scores (p<0.0001).Conclusions This short e-learning resource significantly improved the paediatric prescribing skills of junior doctors. Outcomes were maintained at 3 months, suggesting the utility of low cost, low fidelity, educationally sound e-learning interventions. However, the direct impact on patient outcomes following this intervention has yet to be determined. 0 0 0003-9888 WOS:000296923000022 J Chen, Liang-Chu; Lien, Yen-Hsuan Using author co-citation analysis to examine the intellectual structure of e-learning: A MIS perspective SCIENTOMETRICS 89 3 867 886 10.1007/s11192-011-0458-y DEC 2011 2011 The increased use of e-learning techniques as an accepted form of teaching has resulted in a growing volume of academic research dedicated to their assessment. Despite the importance of the technique, there is little comprehensive knowledge on e-learning, especially in non-educational fields. Author co-citation analysis (ACA) is an analytical method for identifying the intellectual structure of specific knowledge domains through the relationship between two similar authors. ACA has been applied to many fields, such as information retrieval, knowledge management, and strategic management; however, it has not yet been used to analyze e-learning development. This study examines the intellectual structure of e-learning from the perspective of management information systems (MIS). By applying the ACA method, we analyze and categorize international and Taiwanese research topics into clusters. Our results show that Taiwanese authors put more effort into practical studies of business training, while international authors focus on a users' psychological reaction to learning context. Altogether, our research provides a clear intellectual analysis of e-learning practices from 1996 to 2009, enabling us to thoroughly study and understand the influence of these techniques on modern education. 0 0 0138-9130 WOS:000296474400009 J O'Neill, E.; Stevens, N. T.; Clarke, E.; Cox, P.; O'Malley, B.; Humphreys, H. Use of e-learning to enhance medical students' understanding and knowledge of healthcare-associated infection prevention and control JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION 79 4 368 370 10.1016/j.jhin.2011.08.008 DEC 2011 2011 An online infection prevention and control programme for medical students was developed and assessed. There was a statistically significant improvement (P < 0.0001) in the knowledge base among 517 students after completing two modules. The majority of students who completed the evaluation were positive about the learning experience. (C) 2011 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0195-6701 WOS:000296918200019 J Barros, Heitor; Silva, Alan; Costa, Evandro; Bittencourt, Ig Ibert; Holanda, Olavo; Sales, Leandro Steps, techniques, and technologies for the development of intelligent applications based on Semantic Web Services: A case study in e-learning systems ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 24 8 SI 1355 1367 10.1016/j.engappai.2011.05.007 DEC 2011 2011 Semantic Web Services domain has gained special attention in academia and industry. It has been adopted as a promise to enable automation of all aspects of Web Services provision and uses, such as service creation, selection, discovery, composition, and invocation. However, the development of intelligent systems based on Semantic Web Services (SWS) is still a complex and time-consuming task, mainly with respect to the choice and integration of technologies. In this paper, we discuss some empirical issues associated with the development process for such systems and propose a systematic way for building intelligent applications based on SWS by providing the development process with steps, techniques and technologies. In addition, one experiment concerning the implementation of a real e-learning system using the proposed approach is described. The evaluation results from this experiment showed that our approach has been effective and relevant in terms of improvements in the development process of intelligent applications based on SWS. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0952-1976 WOS:000296545900005 J Zahidah, Z.; Noorhidawati, A.; Zainab, A. N. Exploring the needs of Malay manuscript studies community for an e-learning platform MALAYSIAN JOURNAL OF LIBRARY & INFORMATION SCIENCE 16 3 31 47 DEC 2011 2011 Philology studies are often associated with traditional methods of teaching and learning. This study explores the possibility of e-learning adoption amongst Malay manuscripts learning community. The Soft System Methodology (SSM) is used to guide the investigation. SSM emphasises on understanding the problem situations faced by Malay manuscript learning community and expresses the situations in rich pictures. The manuscript learning community comprises lecturers, students and researchers in the field of philology. Data were gathered from interviews, focus group discussions and observations. Academy of Malay Studies, University of Malaya is the case study setting, focusing on lecturers who teach and students who enrol in a philology course as well as doctoral students researching on manuscript studies. The findings highlight problems faced by the various stakeholders and propose solutions in the form of a conceptual model for a collaborative electronic platform to improve teaching and learning as well as utilizing digitized manuscript surrogates held in a digital library of Malay manuscripts. 0 0 1394-6234 WOS:000296589000004 J Kim, JaMee; Lee, WonGyu Assistance and possibilities: Analysis of learning-related factors affecting the online learning satisfaction of underprivileged students COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 57 4 2395 2405 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.05.021 DEC 2011 2011 Online learning is used for different purposes such as the actualization of equal opportunity in education or excellence in education. In Korea, nationwide online learning has been launched since 2005 to boost the self-directed learning capabilities and academic achievement of underprivileged students. The purpose of this study was to examine factors affecting the online learning satisfaction of underprivileged students. The subjects in this study were 1043 students and 915 underprivileged students. The underprivileged students were found to be more satisfied with online learning than the students, and the students who were under the guidance of their online homeroom teachers (hereinafter called the students of class type) expressed better satisfaction than the others who studied on their own (hereinafter called the students of self-study type). And the learning support function (F3) was identified as the variable that exerted the largest influence on the satisfaction level of the underprivileged students. This study was significant in that it attempted to suggest what kind of assistance should be provided to raise the online learning satisfaction of underprivileged students and to set up learning assistance models geared toward underprivileged students by covering diverse relevant elements without leaning toward any particular one. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000295860100018 J Jara, Carlos A.; Candelas, Francisco A.; Puente, Santiago T.; Torres, Fernando Hands-on experiences of undergraduate students in Automatics and Robotics using a virtual and remote laboratory COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 57 4 2451 2461 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.07.003 DEC 2011 2011 Automatics and Robotics subjects are always greatly improved when classroom teaching is supported by adequate laboratory courses and experiments following the "learning by doing" paradigm, which provides students a deep understanding of theoretical lessons. However, expensive equipment and limited time prevent teachers having sufficient educational platforms, and several low cost and flexible solutions have been developed to permit an effective teaching in Automatics and Robotics at a reasonable cost. Virtual and remote laboratories are inside this group of solutions as Web-based experimentation tools which have demonstrated the importance and effectiveness of hand-on experiences. This paper presents an experience teaching based on a blended-learning method using as experimentation tool a virtual and remote robotic laboratory called RobUALab, which is also described in the paper, in Automatics and Robotics subjects of the Computer Science degree at the University of Alicante. Students experiment with a set of hand-on exercises about Automatics and Robotics using RobUALab, firstly in face-to-face classes where they experiment in-situ with the real plant and, afterwards, they access to the experimentation environment in order to finish remotely their practical exercises outside the laboratory. The results obtained in the evaluation of the educational methodology proposed attest its efficiency in terms of learning degree and performance of the students. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000295860100024 J Tsai, Chin-Chung; Ho, Hsin Ning Jessie; Liang, Jyh-Chong; Lin, Hung-Ming Scientific epistemic beliefs, conceptions of learning science and self-efficacy of learning science among high school students LEARNING AND INSTRUCTION 21 6 757 769 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2011.05.002 DEC 2011 2011 This study examined the relationships among Taiwanese high school students' scientific epistemic beliefs, conceptions of learning science, and self-efficacy of learning science. The questionnaire responses gathered from 377 high school students in Taiwan were utilized to elicit such relationships. The analysis of the structural equation model revealed that students' absolutist scientific epistemic beliefs led to lower-level conceptions of learning science (i.e. learning science as memorizing, preparing for tests, calculating, and practicing) while sophisticated scientific epistemic beliefs might trigger higher-level conceptions of learning science (i.e. learning science as increase of knowledge, applying, and attaining understanding). The students' lower-level conceptions of learning science were also found to negatively associate with their self-efficacy of learning science, while the higher-level conceptions of learning science fostered students' self-efficacy. However, this study found that students who viewed scientific knowledge as uncertain (advanced epistemic belief) tended to possess lower self-efficacy toward learning science. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1 1 0959-4752 WOS:000294935700006 J Kim, Hyunah; Lee, Eunjung; Chun, Junchul; Kim, Kwanghoon Pio A SCORM-based e-Learning Process Control Model and Its Modeling System KSII TRANSACTIONS ON INTERNET AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS 5 11 2121 2142 10.3837/tiis.2011.11.014 NOV 29 2011 2011 In this paper, we propose an e-Learning process control model that aims to graphically describe and automatically generate the manifest of sequencing prerequisites in packaging SCORM's content aggregation models. In specifying the e-Learning activity sequencing, SCORM1 provides the concept of sequencing prerequisites to be manifested on each e-Learning activity of the corresponding tree-structured content organization model. However, the course developer is required to completely understand the SCORM's complicated sequencing prerequisites and other extensions. So, it is necessary to achieve an efficient way of packaging for the e-Learning content organization models. The e-Learning process control model proposed in this paper ought to be an impeccable solution for this problem. Consequently, this paper aims to realize a new concept of process-driven e-Learning content aggregating approach supporting the e-Learning process control model and to implement its e-Learning process modeling system graphically describing and automatically generating the SCORM's sequencing prerequisites. Eventually, the proposed model becomes a theoretical basis for implementing a SCORM-based e-Learning process management system satisfying the SCORM's sequencing prerequisite specifications. We strongly believe that the e-Learning process control model and its modeling system achieve convenient packaging in SCORM's content organization models and in implementing an e-Learning management system as well. 0 0 1976-7277 WOS:000300514600013 J Chen, Chin-Chih; Symons, Frank J.; Reynolds, Arthur J. Prospective Analyses of Childhood Factors and Antisocial Behavior for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS 37 1 5 18 NOV 2011 2011 This prospective longitudinal study investigated the association between childhood factors (individual, family, and school characteristics) and later antisocial behavior (official juvenile delinquency and adult crime) for students identified with high-incidence disabilities (i.e., learning disabilities, emotional disturbance). The sample consisted of 1,370 economically disadvantaged, predominantly minority students living in a large urban area. Findings indicated that students with high-incidence disabilities had higher rates of juvenile delinquency and adult crime. Individual (classroom adjustment), family (parent participation in school and child abuse/neglect), and school factors (preschool program participation, school quality, and school mobility) were differentially associated with juvenile delinquency and adult crime while controlling for demographics and early child and family risks. Implications for intervention, policy, and future research to address the needs of students with high-incidence disabilities are discussed. 0 0 0198-7429 WOS:000300631100003 J Wahl, Stacy E.; Latayan, Monica B. Nursing Education Innovation: Using e-Learning Technology to Meet Learners' Needs JOURNAL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION IN NURSING 42 11 483 484 10.3928/00220124-20111024-03 NOV 2011 2011 Globalization, rapid advances in health care and research, and evidence-based practice challenge organizations to meet the continuing education needs of their professional staff while functioning within the confines of economic cutbacks. This column describes an innovative way technology was used to offer asynchronous learning to all members of one organization's nursing staff. J Contin Educ Nurs 2011; 42(11): 483-484. 0 0 0022-0124 WOS:000299739000003 J Schmeling, Andreas; Kellinghaus, Manuel; Becker, Jan Carl; Schulz, Ronald; Schaefer, Angelika; Pfeiffer, Heidi A web-based e-learning programme for training external post-mortem examination in curricular medical education INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEGAL MEDICINE 125 6 857 861 10.1007/s00414-011-0613-2 NOV 2011 2011 In Germany, the external post-mortem examination is considered a medical duty and may be performed by any licensed physician. Concerning legal medicine as a curricular subject in teaching medical students, the external post-mortem examination is regarded a core area. At the University of Muenster, 15 virtual cases of death have been developed by using the web-based Inmedea Simulator. The programme allows performing all relevant steps in executing a complete external post-mortem examination. A particular importance was attached to the aspect of training users in approaching the subject in a systematic way to interpret significant forensic findings correctly and to comprehend their medico-legal implications. The programme was used for the first time in the academic term of 2010/2011. The overall reception of the programme by the medical students resulted to be positive in a first evaluation. 0 0 0937-9827 WOS:000299091200013 J Sanchez-Rebull, Maria-Victoria; Campa-Planas, Fernando; Hernandez-Lara, Ana B. Dolceta online consumer education: development of the financial education module in Spain PROFESIONAL DE LA INFORMACION 20 6 682 688 10.3145/epi.2011.nov.13 NOV-DEC 2011 2011 Dolceta (Development of online consumer education tool for adults) is an ongoing project involving 28 countries of the European Union, with support from the European Commission. The main objective of this paper is to describe how the Dolceta module on financial education was constructed in the case of the Spanish platform, how decisions related to this module were made, and the cooperation and coordination processes developed to construct the contents and activities of this module in line with the other participating European countries. Thus, we intend to describe the organization and development at the European level of a learning experience through the use of new information and communication technologies (ICT) in the fields of financial and consumer education, in order to publicize this experience and to guide other similar initiatives, especially at an early stage. 0 0 1386-6710 WOS:000299030100013 J Savage, Carl; Amanalibi, Shirin; Andersson, Agneta; Lohr, Susanne Carrera; Eliasson, Zenitha; Eriksson, Hanna; Erlandsson, Anette; Goobar, Sofia; Holm, Jenny; Johansson, Claudia; Langendahl, Elin; Lindberg, Amie; Lundin, Jennifer; Uhrdin, Anna; Schwarz, Ulrica von Thiele Turning the tables: When the student teaches the professional - A case description of an innovative teaching approach as told by the students NURSE EDUCATION TODAY 31 8 803 808 10.1016/j.nedt.2010.11.023 NOV 2011 2011 Background: Is it possible to increase the value, meaningfulness, and relevance of a course experience by integrating it with the healthcare context? Students and teachers from a course on organization, learning and leadership sought to explore this possibility through a collaborative effort with nurses from an affiliated teaching hospital.Methods: Working as teachers, students created continuing nursing education (CNE) courses using the Adaptive Reflection process. The students and teachers then researched the experience in terms of: 1) content analysis of student self-reflections (discussion notes and logbooks) on the learning process, 2) a student self-assessed outcome achievement survey, and 3) perceived relevance of the CNE courses by the clinical nurse educators.Results: Thirteen nursing students created three CNE courses together with sixteen nurses. Each course consisted of multiple 20-minute long web-based modules with automatic formative feedback. In the process, students exceeded course outcome-levels, journeyed from chaos to confidence and experienced new ways of viewing the group and their own capabilities.Conclusions: The innovative design of the course moved the focus from student-centered learning to learning by contributing to health care. Working in a real world context, the content of the students' efforts and the skills they developed not only met course requirements, but were also aligned with the needs of the wards. This contribution was valued by the students and the RNs which enhanced students' feelings of self-confidence. Further research lies in testing the model in other contexts. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0260-6917 WOS:000297783200015 J Fernandez Aleman, Jose Luis; Manuel Carrillo de Gea, Juan; Rodriguez Mondejar, Juan Jose Effects of competitive computer-assisted learning versus conventional teaching methods on the acquisition and retention of knowledge in medical surgical nursing students NURSE EDUCATION TODAY 31 8 866 871 10.1016/j.nedt.2010.12.026 NOV 2011 2011 Purpose: This paper presents a novel approach of computer-assisted learning for nursing education in university undergraduate courses.Background: The most innovative aspect of the proposal is the design of nursing assignments as on-line competitions. The effects of competitive e-learning versus conventional teaching methods on the acquisition and retention of knowledge were compared in a course on medical-surgical nursing.Method: A total of 116 students of mixed gender, age, computer experience and educational background in a second-year course on medical-surgical nursing participated in the study. Data were collected from nursing students at four time points. The on-line activities were carried out using a web-based automatic evaluation system.Results: The study revealed that the competitive e-learning method produced significant cognitive gains for the experimental group students in the immediate follow-up test. Nevertheless, both teaching methods resulted in similar knowledge retention in the 10-week follow-up test.Conclusion: Significant benefits were found following our approach. The work of the students could be evaluated along the course, the workload of instructors was reduced and students received immediate feedback by the on-line judge, which promoted both independent learning and reflective thinking. The approach is applicable to any other nursing educational institution. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0260-6917 WOS:000297783200026 J Glogowska, Margaret; Young, Pat; Lockyer, Lesley; Moule, Pam How 'blended' is blended learning?: Students' perceptions of issues around the integration of online and face-to-face learning in a continuing professional development (CPD) health care context NURSE EDUCATION TODAY 31 8 887 891 10.1016/j.nedt.2011.02.003 NOV 2011 2011 Purpose: This paper explores students' perceptions of blended learning modules delivered in a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) health care context in the UK. 'Blended learning' is the term used to describe a hybrid model of learning where traditional face-to-face teaching approaches and newer electronic learning activities and resources are utilised together.Method: A new model of CPD for health care practitioners based on a blended learning approach was developed at a university in the south west of England. As part of the evaluation of the new modules, a qualitative study was conducted, in which 17 students who had experienced the modules were interviewed by telephone.Results: Three main themes emerged from the interviews relating to the 'blended' nature of the blended learning modules. These were i) issues around the opportunities for discussion of online materials face-to-face; ii) issues of what material should be online versus face-to-face and iii) balancing online and face-to-face components.Conclusion: Teaching staff engaged in the development of blended learning courses need to pay particular attention to the ways in which they develop and integrate online and face-to-face materials. More attention needs to be paid to allowing opportunity for students to come together to create a 'community of inquiry'. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0260-6917 WOS:000297783200030 J Chin-Roemer, Robin; DeCrease, Ben; Gomez, Ricardo Exploring e-learning development: studies of ICT access and educational usage in Latin America INFORMATION DEVELOPMENT 27 4 280 289 10.1177/0266666911424076 NOV 2011 2011 This paper examines how the accelerating spread of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in developing countries can be correlated to an increase in the potential for the implementation of e-learning programs and pedagogies. Using data from a University of Washington team's 2008 landscape study of public access venues, as well as a review of literature in the fields of ICT and e-learning, this document surveys the progress of Latin America and analyzes useful directions for research within and across the topics of e-learning and ICT. 0 0 0266-6669 WOS:000298349500006 J Rojko, A.; Hercog, D.; Jezernik, K. E-training in mechatronics using innovative remote laboratory MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTERS IN SIMULATION 82 3 SI 508 516 10.1016/j.matcom.2010.10.017 NOV 2011 2011 This paper describes a novel E-training developed for teaching mechatronics. The training has been developed as part of the Leonardo da Vinci lifelong learning programs and MeRLab project (Innovative Remote Laboratory in the E-training of Mechatronics). The primary target group are engineers or technicians who have already completed formal education in the field of mechanical, electrical engineering or other technical fields, but have no knowledge of mechatronics, although their job requires it. For the training, special E-learning platform has been built in the user friendly environment, which is based on combination of commercial eCampus platform and open-source Moodle platform. The complete materials with the animations, graphical presentations, tests and the utilities such as discussion forums are offered. In addition to E-learning materials, the remote laboratory experiments are also available. The training has been executed with a group of 70 participants from Slovenia and second group of 6 participants from Austria. 90% of participants have successfully finished this quite extensive training. Results of anonymous survey show that they have evaluated the training as excellent and think that the gained knowledge will be useful in their further career. (C) 2010 IMACS. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 6th Vienna International Conference on Mathematical Modelling (MATHMOD) 2009 Vienna, AUSTRIA 0 0 0378-4754 WOS:000298461600014 J Logar, V.; Karba, R.; Papic, M.; Atanasijevic-Kunc, M. Artificial and real laboratory environment in an e-learning competition MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTERS IN SIMULATION 82 3 SI 517 524 10.1016/j.matcom.2010.10.019 NOV 2011 2011 In this paper an approach to a study of multivariable system control is presented, where special attention is devoted to the implemented remote experiment. It has been realized through an e-learning environment, based on the E-CHO. Matlab. PHP software and a MySQL database. The e-management system E-CHO has been developed at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Ljubljana, Slovenia and is already widely used in different educational, business and academic applications, however, this is its first use in control design. The system is used for the communication with the users and the performance of the remote virtual (simulated) and/or real-time experiments using a laboratory pilot plant. The environment allows testing, design and evaluation of various modelling and control techniques. The system has now been used three times as an e-learning and e-competition game in 2007/2008, 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 and has been accepted very well among the students. In students' opinion the idea of e-learning competition introduces a novel, alternative approach to the study, enables more freedom in work organization, increases learning efficiency and stimulates students' interest. Since the presented system is very adaptable, direct extensions are possible in the sense of virtual and remote experiments with different models and real pilot plants. (C) 2010 IMACS. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 6th Vienna International Conference on Mathematical Modelling (MATHMOD) 2009 Vienna, AUSTRIA 0 0 0378-4754 WOS:000298461600015 J Scherer, A.; Kroepil, P.; Heusch, P.; Buchbender, C.; Sewerin, P.; Blondin, D.; Lanzman, R. S.; Miese, F.; Ostendorf, B.; Boelke, E.; Moedder, U.; Antoch, G. Case-based interactive PACS learning. Introduction of a new concept for radiological education of students RADIOLOGE 51 11 969 + 10.1007/s00117-011-2241-8 NOV 2011 2011 Purpose. Medical curricula are currently being reformed in order to establish superordinated learning objectives, including, e.g. diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive competences. This requires a shifting from traditional teaching methods towards interactive and case-based teaching concepts. Conceptions, initial experiences and student evaluations of a novel radiological course Co-operative Learning In Clinical Radiology (CLICR) are presented in this article.Materials and methods. A novel radiological teaching course (CLICR course), which combines different innovative teaching elements, was established and integrated into the medical curriculum. Radiological case vignettes were created for three clinical teaching modules. By using a PC with PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) access, web-based databases and the CASUS platform, a problem-oriented, case-based and independent way of learning was supported as an adjunct to the well established radiological courses and lectures. Student evaluations of the novel CLICR course and the radiological block course were compared.Results. Student evaluations of the novel CLICR course were significantly better compared to the conventional radiological block course. Of the participating students 52% gave the highest rating for the novel CLICR course concerning the endpoint overall satisfaction as compared to 3% of students for the conventional block course. The innovative interactive concept of the course and the opportunity to use a web-based database were favorably accepted by the students. Of the students 95% rated the novel course concept as a substantial gain for the medical curriculum and 95% also commented that interactive working with the PACS and a web-based database (82%) promoted learning and understanding.Conclusion. Interactive, case-based teaching concepts such as the presented CLICR course are considered by both students and teachers as useful extensions to the radiological course program. These concepts fit well into competence-oriented curricula. 0 0 0033-832X WOS:000298390700010 J Furcea, L.; Graur, F.; Scurtu, L.; Plitea, N.; Pisla, D.; Vaida, C.; Detesan, O.; Szilaghy, A.; Neagos, H.; Muresan, A.; Vlad, L. The advantages of implementing an e-learning platform for laparoscopic liver surgery CHIRURGIA 106 6 799 806 NOV-DEC 2011 2011 The rapid expansion of laparoscopic surgery has led to the development of training methods for acquiring technical skills. The importance and complexity of laparoscopic liver surgery are arguments for developing a new integrated system of teaching, learning and evaluation, based on modern educational principles, on flexibility allowing wide accessibility among surgeons. This paper presents the development of e-learning platform designed for training in laparoscopic liver surgery and pre-planning of the operation in a virtual environment. E-learning platform makes it possible to simulate laparoscopic liver surgery remotely via internet connection. The addressability of this e-learning platform is large, being represented by young surgeons who are mainly preoccupied by laparoscopic liver surgery, as well as experienced surgeons interested in obtaining a competence in the hepatic minimally invasive surgery. 0 0 1221-9118 WOS:000298380000015 J Kim, Soohwan; Cheon, Jongpil; Han, Seonkwan; Kim, Hyeoncheol Examining Differences of Users' Perceptions of Multimedia Content Types in a National Online Learning System ASIA-PACIFIC EDUCATION RESEARCHER 20 3 621 628 NOV 2011 2011 This study investigates students' perceptions of four different multimedia types (animation, video, plain drill, and game types) in a national online learning system (i.e., Cyber Home Learning System). A total of 324 students from 3(rd) to 6(th) grades who were actually using the system participated in this study. Based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), perceived case of use, perceived usefulness, and satisfaction were collected. The analysis of the relationships between the three perceptions and the participants' actual time to use the system confirmed that the perceptions were significant factors contributing to the actual use. So, three comparisons of the three perceptions were conducted in terms of grade levels, multimedia content types, and gender. The findings indicated that some perceptions of multimedia content types differed by grade levels and gender. More specifically, lower grade students were more favorable to multimedia contents, and all graders were not satisfied with video type. Male students had more positive perceptions toward video, plain drill, and game types of multimedia content than female students. This study provides practical implications to designing multimedia content when considering grade level and gender. 0 0 0119-5646 WOS:000297481800017 J Beijer, L. J.; Rietveld, A. C. M.; van Stiphout, A. J. L. Auditory discrimination as a condition for E-learning based Speech Therapy: A proposal for an auditory discrimination test (ADT) for adult dysarthric speakers JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 44 6 701 718 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2011.05.002 NOV-DEC 2011 2011 Background: Web based speech training for dysarthric speakers, such as E-learning based Speech Therapy (EST), puts considerable demands on auditory discrimination abilities. Aims: To discuss the development and the evaluation of an auditory discrimination test (ADT) for the assessment of auditory speech discrimination skills in Dutch adult dysarthric speakers as a prelude to EST.Method: Five ADT subtests were developed, each addressing a vital speech dimension in speech therapy: articulation (segmental elements), intensity, overall pitch, speech rate and intonation. A healthy control group of 36 participants performed a 'same-different task in each subtest. ADT items yielding scores of at least 80% but below 100% correctly responding healthy controls were considered sensitive to diminished auditory discrimination. Subsequently, the ADT was carried out by 14 neurological patients with dysarthric speech and 14 matched healthy controls. Score percentages, sensitivity indices and reaction times (ms) on only sensitive items were compared.Results: The majority of the ADT items met the 'minimal 80% to below 100% criterion' in the healthy control group. The neurological participants performed lower on all outcome measures across all subtests than the healthy controls, although not all of these differences achieved statistical significance.Conclusions: The results of the healthy control group show that the majority of the ADT items meet our criterion for sensitivity to diminished auditory discrimination. The poorer performance of dysarthric patients across all subtests supports the sensitivity of the ADT. However, further research involving larger and more homogeneous groups of neurological patients is required.Learning outcomes: Readers will be encouraged to (1) identify potential factors that may hinder web based speech training and (2) estimate the value of assessing auditory discrimination skills as a vital condition for (web based) speech training in dysarthric patients. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 0 0 0021-9924 WOS:000297388800012 J Baillargeon, Martine; Maheux, Brigitte; Gilbert, Andree The Challenge of Teaching Occupational Medicine to Medical Students The Universite de Montreal Experience JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE 53 11 1258 1261 10.1097/JOM.0b013e31822cfd4f NOV 2011 2011 Nonrecognition and mismanagement of work-related diseases is often linked to inadequate medical training. However, undergraduate training in occupational medicine faces many challenges, including lack of student interest and limited curriculum time. The purpose of this article is to present an undergraduate training program developed in one medical school to ensure that all medical students acquire the basic knowledge to recognize workrelated health conditions and understand the fundamental principles of workers' comprehensive care. The program involves various learning methods including case studies, small-group learning, interactive large-group teaching, field activities, and e-learning. It has resulted in improving students' attitudes and competencies in occupational medicine and requires little curriculum time. 0 0 1076-2752 WOS:000296803400009 J Joo, Young Ju; Lim, Kyu Yon; Park, Su Yeong Investigating the structural relationships among organisational support, learning flow, learners' satisfaction and learning transfer in corporate e-learning BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 42 6 973 984 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2010.01116.x NOV 2011 2011 E-learning in corporate training has been growing rapidly because of the pursuit of time and budget efficiency in course development and delivery. However, according to previous studies, efficiency does not always guarantee training effectiveness, which is the major concern of human resource development. It is therefore necessary to identify the factors influencing the effectiveness of e-learning courseware and understand their interrelationships. The purpose of the study is to investigate the structural relationships among organisational support, learning flow, learners' satisfaction and learning transfer. The study participants were 379 learners who completed an e-learning courseware at a large Korean company and responded to an online survey. Based on the results of structural equation modelling, the findings suggest that organisational support and learning flow have direct effects on learning transfer and learners' satisfaction, while learning flow mediates organisational support and learners' satisfaction. 0 0 0007-1013 WOS:000296968800029 J Chang, Chiungsui Usability testing for e-learning material for new employee training: A design-based research approach BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 42 6 E125 E130 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2011.01216.x NOV 2011 2011 0 0 0007-1013 WOS:000296968800003 J Martin, Marie Web 2.0-based e-learning BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 42 6 E172 E173 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2011.01247_7.x NOV 2011 2011 0 0 0007-1013 WOS:000296968800019 J Menon, A.; Korner-Bitensky, N.; Straus, S. E.; Teasell, R.; McKibbon, A. K.; Thorpe, K. E.; Chignell, M.; Woodbury, E., I; Harriman, M.; Lammi, B. M.; Miller, C. An interactive e-learning resource for implementing stroke rehabilitation best practices STROKE 42 11 E626 E626 NOV 2011 2011 2nd Canadian Stroke Congress OCT 02-04, 2011 Ottawa, CANADA 0 0 0039-2499 WOS:000296574500213 J Kofranek, Jiri; Matousek, Stanislav; Rusz, Jan; Stodulka, Petr; Privitzer, Pavol; Matejak, Marek; Tribula, Martin The Atlas of Physiology and Pathophysiology: Web-based multimedia enabled interactive simulations COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE 104 2 143 153 10.1016/j.cmpb.2010.12.007 NOV 2011 2011 The paper is a presentation of the current state of development for the Atlas of Physiology and Pathophysiology (Atlas). Our main aim is to provide a novel interactive multimedia application that can be used for biomedical education where (a) simulations are combined with tutorials and (b) the presentation layer is simplified while the underlying complexity of the model is retained. The development of the Atlas required the cooperation of many professionals including teachers, system analysts, artists, and programmers. During the design of the Atlas, tools were developed that allow for component-based creation of simulation models, creation of interactive multimedia and their final coordination into a compact unit based on the given design. The Atlas is a freely available online application, which can help to explain the function of individual physiological systems and the causes and symptoms of their disorders. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. 1 1 0169-2607 WOS:000296945100013 J Olmos, Paula; Vega, Luis The Use of the Script Concept in Argumentation Theory ARGUMENTATION 25 4 415 426 10.1007/s10503-011-9212-0 NOV 2011 2011 In recent times, there have been different attempts to make an interesting use of the concept of script (as inherited from the fields of psychology and cognitive sciences) within argumentation theory. Although, in many cases, what we find under this label are computerized routines mainly used in e-learning collaborative proceses involving argumentation, either as an educational means or an educational goal, there are also other studies in which the concept of script plays a more theoretical role as the kind of commonly human cognitive structure that could account for the way in which argumentation might develop in ordinary language and ordinary settings. We aim at exploring these latter possibilities, differentiating between the global ascription of the script concept to argumentation practices as procedural and regulated actions from the somewhat more suggestive association between socially shared scripts (expected narratives, plausible sequences, customary experiences, etc.) and the way some enthymemes work from an interactive, rhetorical perspective. The concept of script could help us understand some more procedural than propositional aspects of the cognitive sets shared by arguer and audience and account for the communicative success of apparently defective argumentation. 0 0 0920-427X WOS:000296833900001 J Llamas-Nistal, Martin; Caeiro-Rodriguez, Manuel; Castro, Manuel Use of E-Learning Functionalities and Standards: The Spanish Case IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION 54 4 540 549 10.1109/TE.2010.2090154 NOV 2011 2011 This paper shows the results of a survey performed in Spain on the different functionalities of e-learning platforms. This survey was filled in by a group of teachers, experts in engineering education from across Spain, within the scope of the Spanish Chapter of the IEEE Education Society. This paper presents their opinions on several aspects of e-learning functionalities, such as knowledge levels, levels of use, and usefulness, as well as describing the most commonly used platforms. One of the objectives of this work is to create a debate in the international community about the use of e-learning platforms and their main functionalities, the most frequently used standards, the implications for and the levels of support by institutions in their use of e-learning platforms, and in general, their advantages and disadvantages. 1 1 0018-9359 WOS:000296478700004 J Weyten, Ludo; Rombouts, Pieter; Catteau, Benoit; De Bock, Maarten Validation of Symbolic Expressions in Circuit Analysis E-Learning IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION 54 4 564 568 10.1109/TE.2010.2090882 NOV 2011 2011 Symbolic circuit analysis is a cornerstone of electrical engineering education. Solving a suitable set of selected problems is essential to developing professional skills in the field. Anew method is presented for automatic validation of circuit equations representing a student's intermediate steps in the solving process. Providing this immediate feedback may strongly enhance the training effects. The new method was embedded in a Web-based e-learning system and has proved to be useful in circuit analysis training, both at an introductory level and for more advanced problems in analog electronics. 0 0 0018-9359 WOS:000296478700007 J Fernandez Aleman, Jose Luis Automated Assessment in a Programming Tools Course IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION 54 4 576 581 10.1109/TE.2010.2098442 NOV 2011 2011 Automated assessment systems can be useful for both students and instructors. Ranking and immediate feedback can have a strongly positive effect on student learning. This paper presents an experience using automatic assessment in a programming tools course. The proposal aims at extending the traditional use of an online judging system with a series of assignments related to programming tools. Some empirical results on how students use an automated assessment system in a CS2 course are presented. Research suggested that automated assessment systems promoted the students' interest and produced statistically significant differences in the scores between experimental and control groups. 0 0 0018-9359 WOS:000296478700009 J Choi, Hyunmi; Pargeon, Kim; Bausell, Rebecca; Wong, John B.; Mendiratta, Anil; Bakken, Suzanne Temporal lobe epilepsy surgery: What do patients want to know? EPILEPSY & BEHAVIOR 22 3 479 482 10.1016/j.yebeh.2011.07.038 NOV 2011 2011 Patients with pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) contemplating brain surgery must make a complex treatment decision involving trade-offs. Patient decision aids, containing information on the risks and benefits of treatment interventions, increase patient knowledge and facilitate shared decision making between patients and physicians. We conducted five focus groups to describe the information patients need to make informed decisions about RE surgery. Twenty patients who had undergone TLE surgery described the information used in their decision-making process, and evaluated the potential for a patient decision aid to assist other patients who are considering surgery. Thematic analysis revealed information needs that were both experiential (i.e., learning about other patients' experiences through testimonials) and factual (i.e., individualized statistical information). Patients also made suggestions on how this information should be delivered to patients. These data will accelerate the development of a patient decision aid designed to assist TLE patients in their decision making about epilepsy surgery. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 0 0 1525-5050 WOS:000296826700011 J Scalise, Kathleen; Timms, Michael; Moorjani, Anita; Clark, LaKisha; Holtermann, Karen; Irvin, P. Shawn Student Learning in Science Simulations: Design Features That Promote Learning Gains JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING 48 9 1050 1078 10.1002/tea.20437 NOV 2011 2011 This research examines science-simulation software available for grades 6-12 science courses. The study presented, funded by the National Science Foundation, had two objectives: a literature synthesis and a product review. The literature synthesis examines research findings on grade 6-12 student learning gains and losses using virtual laboratories and science-simulation software, derived from a review of 79 relevant studies identified. Based on that literature, significant aspects of how such products influence student learning are identified. Tables summarize the research-based evidence about best practices in instructional design for such virtual lab and simulation products. Some products were then reviewed as case studies to determine in what ways and to what extent they implement such research-identified best practices. The overall goal was to consider where the most progress is being made in effective virtual-lab and simulation products, and what directions future development should take. The intent is to inform science educators, teachers, administrators, and policy makers who are using, buying, and examining middle and high school instructional materials. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 48: 1050-1078, 2011 1 1 0022-4308 WOS:000295965000004 J Sun, Lili; Wang, Hua Access control and authorization for protecting disseminative information in E-learning workflow CONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION-PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE 23 16 SI 2034 2042 10.1002/cpe.1748 NOV 2011 2011 E-learning defined as learning activities performed over electronic devices is rapidly increasing and has become one of the key e-commerce applications with a growing commercial market in the near future. Access control and authorization in E-learning workflow is a vital problem with low costs and no location limits for students. E-learning organizers prefer to disseminate their message as widely as possible, while at the same time authorized people only are able to access disseminative information. However, in the E-learning workflow it is a challenge to protect from access, such as reading and updating, the digital message that has been disseminated out from the organizations. This paper aims to substantially provide a foundation for developing appropriate security solutions for organizations' secure dissemination of digital information. An application-level secure architecture is developed based on the references on both server side and client side. The architecture provides control and tracking capabilities for dissemination and usage of digital information while others provide only tracking capability. The outcomes of this paper can immediately apply to prevent unauthorized dissemination of digital content amongst agents of universities regardless of their intention or possession of the digital information and will contribute to higher security in E-learning. Copyright (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 0 0 1532-0626 WOS:000296273600011 J Sumak, Bostjan; Hericko, Marjan; Pusnik, Maja A meta-analysis of e-learning technology acceptance: The role of user types and e-learning technology types COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 27 6 2067 2077 10.1016/j.chb.2011.08.005 NOV 2011 2011 Existing literature in the field of e-learning technology acceptance reflects a significant number of independent studies that primarily investigate the causal relationships proposed by technology acceptance theory, such as the technology acceptance model (TAM). To synthesize the existing knowledge in the field of e-learning technology acceptance, we have conducted a systematic literature review of 42 independent papers, mostly published in major journals. Furthermore, in order to view the research context by combining and analyzing the quantitative results of the reviewed research studies, a meta-analysis of the causal effect sizes between common TAM-related relationships was conducted. The main findings of this study, which is the first of its kind, are: (1) TAM is the most-used acceptance theory in e-learning acceptance research, and (2) the size of the causal effects between individual TAM-related factors depends on the type of user and the type of e-learning technology. The results of the meta-analysis demonstrated a moderating effect for user-related factors and technology-related factors for several evaluated causal paths. We have gathered proof that the perceived ease of use and the perceived usefulness tend to be the factors that can influence the attitudes of users toward using an e-learning technology in equal measure for different user types and types of e-learning technology settings. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0747-5632 WOS:000295769500001 J Hernandez, Blanca; Montaner, Teresa; Javier Sese, F.; Urquizu, Pilar The role of social motivations in e-learning: How do they affect usage and success of ICT interactive tools? COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 27 6 2224 2232 10.1016/j.chb.2011.07.001 NOV 2011 2011 There is an increasing interest among educational institutions and private organizations to understand the role of ICT interactive tools (e.g. forums, blogs, chats, blackboards, newsgroups) in the successful implementation of an e-learning system. In this study, we offer a social perspective in the study of e-learning, and posit that individuals' actions are socially embedded. Therefore, we attempt to identify social motivations that underlie learners' attitudes and usage behavior of ICT interactive tools. We propose a comprehensive conceptual framework that identifies two groups of social motivations: (1) anticipated reciprocal relationships and (2) anticipated extrinsic rewards. The empirical test of the framework in a university setting reveals that both types of social motivations significantly influence learners' attitudes. Specifically, social influence and altruism, both of which relate to reciprocal relationships, and recognition by the instructor, which refers to extrinsic rewards and personal benefits, exert a strong positive effect on attitudes toward and usage of ICT interactive tools. The usage leads to improved intentions to continue using these technologies in the future. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0747-5632 WOS:000295769500018 J Eulalia Torras, M.; Mayordomo, Rosa Teaching presence and regulation in an electronic portfolio COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 27 6 2284 2291 10.1016/j.chb.2011.07.007 NOV 2011 2011 Teaching presence provides conceptual coherence to construct, operationalise and interpret the regulation of online learning environments. Electronic portfolios contribute to the regulatory process moving from an internalisation to an external regulation. The aim of this research is to analyse the relationship between the techno-pedagogical design of an electronic portfolio (Transfolio), the teaching presence focused on the use of the tool and the student regulation processes. This study analyses the online teaching-learning processes supported by Transfolio of two post-graduate courses by focusing on the techno-pedagogical support and on the regulation process. The nature of our research objectives leads us to use a mixed methodology based on a naturalistic observation, content analysis and comparative statistics. Results show that the teaching-learning process is characterised by the patterns of co-regulation and self-regulation. Also, results show the importance of the techno-pedagogical support provided by the teacher, not only in regard to the nature of this instructional support but also concerning how it is presented to the student and the importance that is attributed to it in the teaching-learning process, that is, what it is that assistance is offered in. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0747-5632 WOS:000295769500024 J Biasutti, Michele The student experience of a collaborative e-learning university module COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 57 3 1865 1875 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.04.006 NOV 2011 2011 The aim of this paper is to present a picture of student experience of a collaborative e-learning module in an asynchronous e-learning environment. A distance learning module on music education worth five credit points for a bachelor online degree for primary school educating teachers was assessed using a self-evaluation questionnaire that gathered quantitative and qualitative data about student satisfaction of the collaborative e-learning activity. The quantitative part of the questionnaire consisted of 27 closed questions on a 10-point Liken scale and offered data about satisfaction with the module. The qualitative part of the questionnaire provided an insight into the participant perspective of the online collaborative experience. General open questions on satisfaction and dissatisfaction were analyzed with an inductive analysis which showed the evaluation criteria used by 92 students. Results of the analysis showed five themes of the participants' perspectives, which were interpreted by the researcher as: teamwork, cognitive, operating, organizing, and emotive/ethic for the positive aspects and teamwork, operating, organizing, and emotive/ethic for the aspects to be improved. The aspects that were associated with satisfaction include: collaborating, comparing ideas, sharing knowledge and skills to support each other, peer learning, analyzing and integrating different points of view, the usability of the platform, group planning and workload management. Aspects of the student learning experience that should inform the improvements of e-learning include: more collaboration between students since some students engage differently: more coordination and organization, the workload management in the group activities, some technical problems such as updating modifications. The participants' results in the module increased their didactic potential as primary school teachers. The findings are discussed in relation to their potential impact on developing collaborative activities addressed to teacher education in distance learning. Implications for future research are also considered. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000294099000002 J Keramati, Abbas; Afshari-Mofrad, Masoud; Kamrani, Ali The role of readiness factors in E-learning outcomes: An empirical study COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 57 3 1919 1929 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.04.005 NOV 2011 2011 Although many researchers have studied different factors which affect E-Learning outcomes, there is little research on assessment of the intervening role of readiness factors in E-Learning outcomes. This study proposes a conceptual model to determine the role of readiness factors in the relationship between E-Learning factors and E-Learning outcomes. Readiness factors are divided into three main groups including: technical, organizational and social. A questionnaire was completed by 96 respondents. This sample consists of teachers at Tehran high schools who are utilizing a technology-based educating. Hierarchical regression analysis is done and its results strongly support the appropriateness of the proposed model and prove that readiness factors variable plays a moderating role in the relationship between E-Learning factors and outcomes. Also latent moderated structuring (LMS) technique and MPLUS3 software are used to determine each variable's ranking. Results show that organizational readiness factors have the most important effect on E-Learning outcomes. Also teachers' motivation and training is the most important factor in E-Learning. Findings of this research will be helpful for both academics and practitioners of E-Learning systems. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000294099000007 J Hsieh, Po-An J.; Cho, Vincent Comparing e-Learning tools' success: The case of instructor-student interactive vs. self-paced tools COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 57 3 2025 2038 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.05.002 NOV 2011 2011 e-Learning tools have profoundly transformed modern pedagogical approaches. Vendors provide different types of systems, such as self-paced (SP) and instructor-student interactive (ISI) e-Learning tools. Although both types of tools represent promising solutions to facilitate the learning process, it is important to theoretically identify a framework to evaluate the success of these tools and assess whether one type of tool is more effective than another. Toward this end, we (1) propose a model to evaluate e-Learning tools' success by extending and contextualizing Seddon's information systems (IS) success model for the e-Learning environment and (2) formulate four hypotheses to predict the differences in the success factors between SP and ISI tools. We test the model and hypotheses using data from 783 students across seven higher education institutions in Hong Kong. The results support the proposed e-Learning tool success model and three of the four hypotheses. ISI tools outperform SP tools in terms of system quality, perceived usefulness, satisfaction, and learning outcome. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000294099000016 J Rao, Chitra P.; Prameela, M. D. Do medical students prefer e-learning to reading printed textbooks? CURRENT SCIENCE 101 7 825 825 OCT 10 2011 2011 0 0 0011-3891 WOS:000296264700004 J Lau, Adela S. M. Hospital-Based Nurses' Perceptions of the Adoption of Web 2.0 Tools for Knowledge Sharing, Learning, Social Interaction and the Production of Collective Intelligence JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH 13 4 e92 10.2196/jmir.1398 OCT-DEC 2011 2011 Background: Web 2.0 provides a platform or a set of tools such as blogs, wikis, really simple syndication (RSS), podcasts, tags, social bookmarks, and social networking software for knowledge sharing, learning, social interaction, and the production of collective intelligence in a virtual environment. Web 2.0 is also becoming increasingly popular in e-learning and e-social communities.Objectives: The objectives were to investigate how Web 2.0 tools can be applied for knowledge sharing, learning, social interaction, and the production of collective intelligence in the nursing domain and to investigate what behavioral perceptions are involved in the adoption of Web 2.0 tools by nurses.Methods: The decomposed technology acceptance model was applied to construct the research model on which the hypotheses were based. A questionnaire was developed based on the model and data from nurses (n = 388) were collected from late January 2009 until April 30, 2009. Pearson's correlation analysis and t tests were used for data analysis.Results: Intention toward using Web 2.0 tools was positively correlated with usage behavior (r = .60, P < .05). Behavioral intention was positively correlated with attitude (r = .72, P < .05), perceived behavioral control (r = .58, P < .05), and subjective norm (r = .45, P < .05). In their decomposed constructs, perceived usefulness (r = .7, P < .05), relative advantage (r = .64, P < .05), and compatibility (r = .60, P < .05) were positively correlated with attitude, but perceived ease of use was not significantly correlated (r = .004, P < .05) with it. Peer (r = .47, P < .05), senior management (r = .24, P < .05), and hospital (r = .45, P < .05) influences had positive correlations with subjective norm. Resource (r = .41, P < .05) and technological (r = .69, P < .05) conditions were positively correlated with perceived behavioral control.Conclusions: The identified behavioral perceptions may further health policy makers' understanding of nurses' concerns regarding and barriers to the adoption of Web 2.0 tools and enable them to better plan the strategy of implementation of Web 2.0 tools for knowledge sharing, learning, social interaction, and the production of collective intelligence. 0 0 1438-8871 WOS:000299313300023 J Harris, J.; Felix, L.; Miners, A.; Murray, E.; Michie, S.; Ferguson, E.; Free, C.; Lock, K.; Landon, J.; Edwards, P. Adaptive e-learning to improve dietary behaviour: a systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT 15 37 1 + 10.3310/hta15370 OCT 2011 2011 Background: UK public health policy strongly advocates dietary change for the improvement of population health and emphasises the importance of individual empowerment to improve health. A new and evolving area in the promotion of dietary behavioural change is 'e-learning', the use of interactive electronic media to facilitate teaching and learning on a range of issues including health. The high level of accessibility, combined with emerging advances in computer processing power, data transmission and data storage, makes interactive e-learning a potentially powerful and cost-effective medium for improving dietary behaviour.Objective: This review aims to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of adaptive e-learning interventions for dietary behaviour change, and also to explore potential psychological mechanisms of action and components of effective interventions.Data sources: Electronic bibliographic databases (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, The Cochrane Library, Dissertation Abstracts, EMBASE, Education Resources Information Center, Global Health, Health Economic Evaluations Database, Health Management Information Consortium, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Web of Science) were searched for the period January 1990 to November 2009. Reference lists of included studies and previous reviews were also screened; authors were contacted and trial registers were searched.Review methods: Studies were included if they were randomised controlled trials, involving participants aged >= 13 years, which evaluated the effectiveness of interactive software programs for improving dietary behaviour. Primary outcomes were measures of dietary behaviours, including estimated intakes or changes in intake of energy, nutrients, dietary fibre, foods or food groups. Secondary outcome measures were clinical outcomes such as anthropometry or blood biochemistry. Psychological mediators of dietary behaviour change were also investigated. Two review authors independently screened results and extracted data from included studies, with any discrepancies settled by a third author. Where studies reported the same outcome, the results were pooled using a random-effects model, with weighted mean differences (WMDs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Cost-effectiveness was assessed in two ways: through a systematic literature review and by building a de novo decision model to assess the cost-effectiveness of a 'generic' e-learning device compared with dietary advice delivered by a health-care professional.Results: A total of 36,379 titles were initially identified by the electronic searches, of which 43 studies were eligible for inclusion in the review. All e-learning interventions were delivered in high-income countries. The most commonly used behavioural change techniques reported to have been used were goal setting; feedback on performance; information on consequences of behaviour in general; barrier identification/problem solving; prompting self-monitoring of behaviour; and instruction on how to perform the behaviour. There was substantial heterogeneity in the estimates of effect. E-learning interventions were associated with a WMD of +0.24 (95% CI 0.04 to 0.44) servings of fruit and vegetables per day; -0.78g (95% CI -2.5g to 0.95g) total fat consumed per day; -0.24g (95% CI -1.44g to 0.96g) saturated fat intake per day; -1.4% (95% CI -2.5% to -0.3%) of total energy consumed from fat per day; +1.45g (95% CI -0.02g to 2.92g) dietary fibre per day; +4 kcal (95% CI -85 kcal to 93 kcal) daily energy intake; -0.1 kg/m(2) (95% CI -0.7 kg/m(2) to 0.4 kg/m(2)) change in body mass index. The base-case results from the E-Learning Economic Evaluation Model suggested that the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was approximately 102,112 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). Expected value of perfect information (EVPI) analysis showed that although the individual-level EVPI was arguably negligible, the population-level value was between 37M pound and 170M pound at a willingness to pay of 20,000-30,000 pound per additional QALY.Limitations: The limitations of this review include potential reporting bias, incomplete retrieval of completed research studies and data extraction errors.Conclusion: The current clinical and economic evidence base suggests that e-learning devices designed to promote dietary behaviour change will not produce clinically significant changes in dietary behaviour and are at least as expensive as other individual behaviour change interventions.Future work recommendations: Despite the relatively high EVPI results from the cost-effectiveness modelling, further clinical trials of individual e-learning interventions should not be undertaken until theoretically informed work that addresses the question of which characteristics of the target population, target behaviour, content and delivery of the intervention are likely to lead to positive results, is completed. 0 0 1366-5278 WOS:000300462800001 J Lee, Yi-Hsuan; Hsieh, Yi-Chuan; Hsu, Chia-Ning Adding Innovation Diffusion Theory to the Technology Acceptance Model: Supporting Employees' Intentions to use E-Learning Systems EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY 14 4 SI 124 137 OCT 2011 2011 This study intends to investigate factors affecting business employees' behavioral intentions to use the e-learning system. Combining the innovation diffusion theory (IDT) with the technology acceptance model (TAM), the present study proposes an extended technology acceptance model. The proposed model was tested with data collected from 552 business employees using the e-learning system in Taiwan. The results show that five perceptions of innovation characteristics significantly influenced employees' e-learning system behavioral intention. The effects of the compatibility, complexity, relative advantage, and trialability on the perceived usefulness are significant. In addition, the effective of the complexity, relative advantage, trialability, and complexity on the perceived ease of use have a significant influence. Empirical results also provide strong support for the integrative approach. The findings suggest an extended model of TAM for the acceptance of the e-learning system, which can help organization decision makers in planning, evaluating and executing the use of e-learning systems. 0 0 1436-4522 WOS:000298968800012 J Sultan, Waleed H.; Woods, Peter Charles; Koo, Ah-Choo A Constructivist Approach for Digital Learning: Malaysian Schools Case Study EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY 14 4 SI 149 163 OCT 2011 2011 The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of Constructivist Learning Environments (CLEs) through the use of laptops supported within 1:1 e-learning education in Malaysian schools. The main objectives of this study were to investigate (a) different possible gaps between constructivist theory and classroom practices in Malaysian schools, (b) success, if any, of the classroom students who would undertake Classmate PC (CMPC) classroom putting while into practice a constructivist approach to learning, and (c) develop a conceptual framework model based on students' communication in a constructivist learning environment. Yet, (d) there is a strong need to address Constructivist Learning Environments (CLEs) practices on local Malaysian settings. A modified Constructivist eLearning Environment Questionnaire (CLEQ) survey used in this study was multiply regressed against student Perceived Learning Outcomes (PRCVD). Findings revealed different aspects of students' learning outcomes and enforcement to use creative thinking in building students' knowledge within constructivism learning context. 0 0 1436-4522 WOS:000298968800014 J Shih, Wen-Chung; Tseng, Shian-Shyong; Yang, Che-Ching; Liang, Tyne Time-Quality Tradeoff of Waiting Strategies for Tutors to Retrieve Relevant Teaching Methods EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY 14 4 SI 207 221 OCT 2011 2011 As more and more undergraduate students act as voluntary tutors to rural pupils after school, there is a growing need for a supporting environment to facilitate adaptive instruction. Among others, a teaching method retrieval system is intended to help tutors find relevant teaching methods for teaching a particular concept. However, teaching methods demanded by tutors might not be in well-organized forms or even unwritten. Thus, the technology of conventional information retrieval cannot be simply applied to retrieve teaching methods. Therefore, we propose to invite experts (teachers) to join the support environment and provide ad hoc teaching methods. Nevertheless, it is difficult for tutors to decide how long they will wait for replies from remote teachers, which is called a due time setting problem. Furthermore, a trade-off inherent in the problem is that an early reply does not necessarily mean a good one. Our idea is to propose an interactive approach to deal with the uncertainty during retrieving teaching methods. In this study, we define this problem and evaluate several waiting strategies. A prototype has been designed and implemented, and experiments have been conducted to evaluate the performance of the four waiting strategies. The results show that waiting strategies have a significant impact on retrieval performance. 0 0 1436-4522 WOS:000298968800018 J Li, Yanyan; Dong, Mingkai; Huang, Ronghuai Designing Collaborative E-Learning Environments based upon Semantic Wiki: From Design Models to Application Scenarios EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY 14 4 SI 49 63 OCT 2011 2011 The knowledge society requires life-long learning and flexible learning environment that enables fast, just-in-time and relevant learning, aiding the development of communities of knowledge, linking learners and practitioners with experts. Based upon semantic wiki, a combination of wiki and Semantic Web technology, this paper designs and develops flexible e-learning environments for different application scenarios aiming to facilitate collaborative knowledge construction and maximize resource sharing and utilization. One application scenario is to support hybrid learning by deploying an online course platform and the first round of using has shown that the course platform can effectively facilitate and support students to fulfill task-driven learning in a more flexibly and friendly collaborative manner. The other application scenario is to build a teamwork platform for supporting collaborative e-research. After several months' trial, team members agree that the platform can well meet their collaborative research work demands with the advantage of quick, easy and convenient operating assistance. The kernel idea of the collaborative e-learning environments is to enable structural organization of resources with semantic association while providing diverse customized facilities. 0 0 1436-4522 WOS:000298968800006 J Wang, Minhong; Vogel, Doug; Ran, Weijia Creating a performance-oriented e-learning environment: A design science approach INFORMATION & MANAGEMENT 48 7 260 269 10.1016/j.im.2011.06.003 OCT 2011 2011 E-learning is now being used by many organizations as an approach for enhancing the skills of knowledge workers. However, most applications have performed poorly in motivating employee learning, being perceived as less effective due to a lack of alignment of learning with work performance. To help solve this problem, we developed a performance-oriented approach using design science research methods. It uses performance measurement to clarify organizational goals and individual learning needs and links them to e-learning applications. The key concept lies in a Key Performance Indicator model, where organizational mission and vision are translated into a set of targets that drive learning towards a goal of improving work performance. We explored the mechanisms needed to utilize our approach and examined the necessary conceptual framework and implementation details. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach, a prototype workplace e-learning system was developed and used to evaluate the effectiveness of our approach. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1 1 0378-7206 WOS:000297491500002 J Nejdl, Wolfgang; Brusilovsky, Peter Editorial: Special Section on Social Web Technologies in E-Learning IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES 4 4 291 291 10.1109/TLT.2011.27 OCT-DEC 2011 2011 0 0 1939-1382 WOS:000298000700001 J Sampson, Demetrios G.; Zervas, Panagiotis Supporting Accessible Technology-Enhanced Training: The eAccess2Learn Framework IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES 4 4 353 364 10.1109/TLT.2011.11 OCT-DEC 2011 2011 During the last years, the design and development of technology-enhanced training systems for disabled groups of learners has attracted the attention of the technology-enhanced learning community. However, although a number of such systems have been designed to meet accessibility needs and preferences for those groups, most of them anticipate special-purpose e-training material and keep their e-training activities local to the particular system in use. As a result, neither reuse of existing digital training resources (widely available nowadays in web-based repositories) nor sharing of best technology-facilitated training practices among the communities of educational practitioners and training organizations is supported by these systems. Within this context, in this paper, we present the eAccess2Learn Framework which aims at providing tools and services that facilitate the design and development of accessible e-training resources and courses that bare the potential to be interexchanged between different e-training platforms and programs, thus making them potentially exploitable and reusable between different disabled user groups. 0 0 1939-1382 WOS:000298000700007 J Nathavitharana, K. A. Online generic induction for doctors in training: an end to repetition? BRITISH JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL MEDICINE 72 10 586 589 OCT 2011 2011 Multi-professional collaboration across the West Midlands has developed an online generic induction package consisting of 18 statutory, mandatory and general modules. The material incorporates best practises in e-learning, including an assessment component. 0 0 1750-8460 WOS:000297834400024 J Turani, Aiman; Al-Shrouf, Faiz Intelligent e-Learning Framework for Practicing Educational Testing Services INTERNATIONAL ARAB JOURNAL OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 8 4 372 375 OCT 2011 2011 This paper presents conceptual framework architecture of an e-Learning system that could be used to prepare students for an educational testing service like exam. The preparation process consists of two main activities that will be conducted in a distant learning environment: completing interactive learning activities based on subject materials and conducting a set online sample tests. The architecture employs intelligent software agents to facilitate the personalization of learning objects to be presented to each student. The system will be deployed using the web services platform, allowing access through personal computers, mobile devices and PDAs. The main objective of the system is to provide learners with more flexibility and to reduce their preparation time for the ETS exam by allowing them to navigate through materials and exam based on their academic profile from various access points. The architecture will be fully implemented by the Applied Science University in Jordan to be used by their graduating students in their preparation for setting the educational testing services exam. It will replace the current traditional way where students need to set in certain dates to conduct educational testing services tutorial sessions and paper-based exams. 0 0 1683-3198 WOS:000296930800005 J Shyu, Stacy Huey-Pyng; Huang, Jen-Hung Elucidating usage of e-government learning: A perspective of the extended technology acceptance model GOVERNMENT INFORMATION QUARTERLY 28 4 491 502 10.1016/j.giq.2011.04.002 OCT 2011 2011 Learning is critical to both economic prosperity and social cohesion. E-government learning, which refers to the government's use of web-based technologies to facilitate learning about subjects that are useful to citizens, is relatively new, relevant, and potentially cost-effective. This work proposes and verifies that the technology acceptance model (TAM) can explain and predict usage of e-government learning. The TAM examines how perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness and their antecedents influence intention and usage of a system. This study identifies antecedents that account for individual differences, thereby enhancing the explanatory power of the built model. A survey is used to collect data from users of an e-government learning website in Taiwan. Structural equation modeling is employed to examine the fit of the data to the model. From a theoretical point of view, this research extends the TAM to e-government learning and identifies the perceived e-government learning value and perceived enjoyment as antecedents of usage of e-government learning. This study also provides directions for future research and approaches to promote e-government learning. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 0 0 0740-624X WOS:000296175000007 J Carriero, A.; Zobel, B. Beomonte; Bonomo, L.; Meloni, G.; Cotroneo, A.; Cova, M.; Ettorre, G. C.; Fugazzola, C.; Garlaschi, G.; Macarini, L.; Mucelli, R. Pozzi; Sironi, S.; Torricelli, P.; Capaccioli, L.; Zuiani, C. E-learning in radiology: Italian multicentre experience RADIOLOGIA MEDICA 116 7 989 999 10.1007/s11547-011-0679-4 OCT 2011 2011 Purpose. The aim of our work was to design, implement and evaluate an e-learning programme in favour of trainee radiologists enrolled at the many specialty schools located throughout Italy, in the spirit of "sharing culture".Materials and methods. Once a common educational programme and time slot had been identified and planned, the programme was delivered via Internet-based video conferencing once a week for 2-h lectures. Each lecture was followed by interaction between the teaching staff and trainees at the individual sites. The universities involved were Trieste, Udine, Verona, Milano Bicocca, Novara, Varese, Genova, Sassari, Rome "Campus", Rome "Cattolica", Chieti, Foggia, Catania, Modena and Firenze. The University of Rome "Cattolica" participated in the project with two locations: Rome "Policlinico Gemelli" and Rome "Cattolica Campus of Campobasso".Results. Eighteen lectures were conducted, for a total of 36 h. "Transient" connection interruption occurred 13 times for a total of 33 min over 2,160 min of lessons. Video quality and, in particular, details of radiological images shown in slides or moving pictures, were rated as very good by 71% of trainees, good by 24% and satisfactory by 4.5%; no one gave a rating of unsatisfactory.Conclusions. Based on our experience, whereas e-learning in radiology has become established and compulsory, there is the need for legislation that on the one hand protects online teaching activity and on the other allows study and continuing medical education (CME) credits to be recognised. 0 0 0033-8362 WOS:000296362100001 J Wiseman, Allison; Horton, Khim Developing clinical scenarios from a European perspective: Successes and challenges NURSE EDUCATION TODAY 31 7 SI 677 681 10.1016/j.nedt.2011.01.001 OCT 2011 2011 This paper presents developmental work involving students from the University College Dublin (UCD), Ireland (n = 9), University of Surrey, England (n = 8) and University of Ljubljana and University of Maribor, Slovenia (n = 5) participating in the Erasmus Intensive Programme. The Erasmus programme offers a two week 'Summer School' in the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Maribor, Slovenia. Using a participatory approach, facilitators from both the UCD and Surrey engaged with students from all of the universities to develop scenarios for simulated learning experiences, in the care of older people, for utilisation on an e learning facility and within the simulated clinical learning environment. Students developed key transferable skills in learning, such as information literacy, cultural diversity, team working, communication, and clinical skills acquisition whilst exploring differences in healthcare delivery in other European countries. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0260-6917 WOS:000295663000008 J Deperlioglu, Omer; Sarpkaya, Yilmaz; Ergun, Ertugrul DEVELOPMENT OF A RELATIONAL DATABASE FOR LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS TURKISH ONLINE JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 10 4 107 120 OCT 2011 2011 In today's world, Web-Based Distance Education Systems have a great importance. Web-based Distance Education Systems are usually known as Learning Management Systems (LMS). In this article, a database design, which was developed to create an educational institution as a Learning Management System, is described. In this sense, developed Learning Management System consists of basis of Virtual Education Institutions. In this study, a fully relational database design has been realized in compliance with SCORM standards and got ready to be used as Virtual Education Institutions. This system can be used for any required education institute and it can be run within the same interface. In LMS that will be generated, a faculty or institute can be defined and academic and all administrative processes of the defined institute can be managed with the designed system. Proposed database design has been used in a LMS of Afyon Kocatepe University. In this system, many processes like indexing, uploading, downloading, production and editing of web based learning materials can also be performed easily and safely. 0 0 1303-6521 WOS:000295511700011 J Elameer, Amer Saleem; Idrus, Rozhan M. ELAMEER-IDRUS ORBITAL E-EDUCATION FRAMEWORK FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF MUSTANSIRIYAH (UOMUST) TURKISH ONLINE JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 10 4 165 173 OCT 2011 2011 The study of the university of Mustansiriyah case show us very clear that university suffers from a lot of problems start from the security, technology, management, pedagogical and ethical. Based on a pre-questionnaire survey about e-learning results, interviews and studies show us the need to the complete e-education system. Continuous scrutiny and study of the Iraqi higher education showed us very clearly there was something missing and need to be more reinforced in our modified Khan framework especially with the revolution of the wireless technologies. A framework was designed with many added dimensions like stability, time, learner, content control, standardization, scalability and modularization. As a result, a new framework, is an ELAMEER-IDRUS orbit e-education framework with a good acceptance at the post evaluation process that was achieved from a group of 231 senior academics. 0 0 1303-6521 WOS:000295511700016 J Kazancoglu, Yigit; Aksoy, Murat A FUZZY LOGIC-BASED QUALITY FUNCTION DEPLOYMENT FOR SELECTION OF E-LEARNING PROVIDER TURKISH ONLINE JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 10 4 39 45 OCT 2011 2011 According to the Internet World Stats (2010), the growth rate of internet usage in the world is 444.8 % from 2000 to 2010. Since the number of internet users is rapidly increasing with each passed year, e-learning is often identified with web-based learning. The institutions, which deliver e-learning service via the use of computer and internet, are responsible to choose the most suitable e-learning service provider for effective distance education. The purpose of this research is to identify the e-learning design requirements and to select the most suitable e-learning service provider. In this research, fuzzy logic - based Quality Function Deployment (QFD) was employed. A questionnaire was conducted in order to collect the data from a group of experts who were selected on the basis of their knowledge and expertise in related industry. By using the Converting Fuzzy data into Crisp Scores (CFCS) technique, the collected data was defuzzified. Then, the critical success factors of e-learning service providers were identified. As a result, fuzzy logic-based QFD was utilized for the selection of the e-learning service providers. 0 0 1303-6521 WOS:000295511700004 J Camargo, Lucila Basto; Aldrigui, Janaina Merli; Pettorossi Imparato, Jose Carlos; Mendes, Fausto Medeiros; Wen, Chao Lung; Boenecker, Marcelo; Raggio, Daniela Procida; Haddad, Ana Estela E-Learning Used in a Training Course on Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) for Brazilian Dentists JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION 75 10 1396 1401 OCT 2011 2011 The purpose of this study was to assess the benefits of using e-learning resources in a dental training course on Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART). This e-course was given in a DVD format, which presented the ART technique and philosophy. The participants were twenty-four dentists from the Brazilian public health system. Prior to receiving the DVD, the dentists answered a questionnaire regarding their personal data, previous knowledge about ART, and general interest in training courses. The dentists also participated in an assessment process consisting of a test applied before and after the course. A single researcher corrected the tests, and intraexaminer reproducibility was calculated (kappa=0.89). Paired t-tests were carried out to compare the means between the assessments, showing a significant improvement in the performance of the subjects on the test taken after the course (p<0.05). A linear regression model was used with the difference between the means as the outcome. A greater improvement on the test results was observed among female dentists (p=0.034), dentists working for a shorter period of time in the public health system (p=0.042), and dentists who used the ART technique only for urgent and/or temporary treatment (p=0.010). In conclusion, e-learning has the potential of improving the knowledge that dentists working in the public health system have about ART, especially those with less clinical experience and less knowledge about the subject. 0 0 0022-0337 WOS:000295566800014 J Sparks, Matthew A.; O'Seaghdha, Conall M.; Sethi, Sidharth Kumar; Jhaveri, Kenar D. Embracing the Internet as a Means of Enhancing Medical Education in Nephrology AMERICAN JOURNAL OF KIDNEY DISEASES 58 4 512 518 10.1053/j.ajkd.2011.06.009 OCT 2011 2011 This review discusses how the internet currently is being used to provide medical education in the nephrology community and addresses some of the issues and dilemmas unique to using this media. It focuses on how blogs, wikis, podcasts/YouTube, social bookmarking/media, and mobile devices are used to deliver e-learning in nephrology. Am J Kidney Dis. 58(4): 512-518. (C) 2011 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc. 0 0 0272-6386 WOS:000295379600006 J Gomez-Escalonilla, G.; Santin, M.; Mathieu, G. Students' Perspective on On-line College Education in the Field of Journalism COMUNICAR 37 73 79 10.3916/C37-2011-02-07 OCT 2011 2011 The advance in new technologies has changed the educational model considerably. On-line education has arrived with a bang at university and those degree courses linked to the field of communication have adopted this type of technologies. In just a few years, the number of courses available in the communication field that include on-line subjects has multiplied. It seems that this tendency of proliferation will continue due to a high demand for degrees in the communication field as well as the possibility of completing these degrees on-line. This paper shows the perspective that on-line journalism students at the Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid have on their studies. The results of a survey of students of the different courses that include the qualification allow us to gain a perspective of their experiences at the beginning and end of the studies. The questionnaire asks about socio-demographic traits from which we draw a sociological profile of on-line journalism student. It also delves into the motivations and expectations surrounding the decision to enrol in this mode and in its assessment both in terms of learning and the relationship between peers and teachers. Some of the conclusions point to the positive attitude of students and a satisfactory evaluation by the students. 0 0 1134-3478 WOS:000295037500009 J Escudier, M. P.; Newton, T. J.; Cox, M. J.; Reynolds, P. A.; Odell, E. W. University students' attainment and perceptions of computer delivered assessment; a comparison between computer-based and traditional tests in a 'high-stakes' examination JOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING 27 5 440 447 10.1111/j.1365-2729.2011.00409.x OCT 2011 2011 This study compared higher education dental undergraduate student performance in online assessments with performance in traditional paper-based tests and investigated students' perceptions of the fairness and acceptability of online tests, and showed performance to be comparable. The project design involved two parallel cross-over trials, one in Year 3 (n = 132) of the dental curriculum, one in Year 5 (n = 134). A total of 266 students undertook related tests of the same knowledge base in both online and traditional paper formats. Order of presentation of the test form was randomized. One hundred and thirty-two students in Year 3 additionally completed questions concerning their perceptions of the acceptability and fairness of the online examination process. Focus group discussions were held with groups of students (n = 30) from both Year 3 and 5 to explore their perceptions of the online format. The online tests were created using the commercial software package MaxExam (Bristol, UK). The results were analysed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the order of presentation being entered as a variable in the analysis. The results of the study showed that for both Years 3 and 5 students there was a high degree of consistency in performance between the two versions of the tests, although a minority of students performed better in the online version of the test. Over 70% of students rated the online test as acceptable, and 90% felt that the online format did not disadvantage them even in a 'high-stakes' situation. From these results, we conclude that online assessment does not confer any disadvantage to students. Students perceive such assessment to be both fair and acceptable, and to have some advantages over the traditional paper-based methods of assessment. 0 0 0266-4909 WOS:000295004900006 J Liao, Chin-Wen; Lin, Sho-yen An analysis of the interactive behaviors of self-learning management in a web-based Moodle e-learning platform AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT 5 22 9191 9199 SEP 30 2011 2011 This study adopted quasi-experiments and semi-structure interviews to investigate students' interactive behaviors in a situated internet-assisted learning environment. Forty senior university students participated in the study after taking a three-hour introductory energy course each week for 18 weeks with web-based cooperative learning at a Moodle learning platform. It was found that 62% of the students who have participated in the interactive discussions demonstrate significantly better learning outcomes than those who do not. Students believed that asynchronous web-based cooperative learning offered good learning approaches and experience. Through Moodle's e-learning platforms, students could express their own opinions freely and refer to other people's viewpoints towards the teaching themes. From the interview data, it was found that when students provided possible answers or gave their own explanations, they were not only connected to their previous knowledge, but also had self-reflections on their own opinions and re-examine their opinions when they were evoked by the stimulus of different opinions. From the feedback data, it showed that 52.4% of students were satisfied with the web-based cooperative learning. By means of interviews, it was verified that students held positive thoughts that on-line discussions offered them the chance to express different opinions and stimulated their thinking to promote their robust optimal self-learning management. 0 0 1993-8233 WOS:000297654600045 J Erasmus, Vicki; Huis, Anita; Oenema, Anke; van Empelen, Pepijn; Boog, Matthijs C.; van Beeck, Elise H. E.; Polinder, Suzanne; Steyerberg, Ewout W.; Richardus, Jan Hendrik; Vos, Margreet C.; van Beeck, Ed F. The ACCOMPLISH study. A cluster randomised trial on the cost-effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention to improve hand hygiene compliance and reduce healthcare associated infections BMC PUBLIC HEALTH 11 721 10.1186/1471-2458-11-721 SEP 24 2011 2011 Background: Public health authorities have recognized lack of hand hygiene in hospitals as one of the important causes of preventable mortality and morbidity at population level. The implementation strategy ACCOMPLISH (Actively Creating COMPLIance Saving Health) targets both individual and environmental determinants of hand hygiene. This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a multicomponent implementation strategy aimed at the reduction of healthcare associated infections in Dutch hospital care, by promotion of hand hygiene.Methods/design: The ACCOMPLISH package will be evaluated in a two-arm cluster randomised trial in 16 hospitals in the Netherlands, in one intensive care unit and one surgical ward per hospital. Intervention: A multicomponent package, including e-learning, team training, introduction of electronic alcohol based hand rub dispensers and performance feedback. Variables: The primary outcome measure will be the observed hand hygiene compliance rate, measured at baseline and after 6, 12 and 18 months; as a secondary outcome measure the prevalence of healthcare associated infections will be measured at the same time points. Process indicators of the intervention will be collected pre and post intervention. An ex-post economic evaluation of the ACCOMPLISH package from a healthcare perspective will be performed. Statistical analysis: Multilevel analysis, using mixed linear modelling techniques will be conducted to assess the effect of the intervention strategy on the overall compliance rate among healthcare workers and on prevalence of healthcare associated infections. Questionnaires on process indicators will be analysed with multivariable linear regression, and will include both behavioural determinants and determinants of innovation. Cost-effectiveness will be assessed by calculating the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, defined here as the costs for the intervention divided by the difference in prevalence of healthcare associated infections between the intervention and control group.Discussion: This study is the first RCT to investigate the effects of a hand hygiene intervention programme on the number of healthcare associated infections, and the first to investigate the cost-effectiveness of such an intervention. In addition, if the ACCOMPLISH package proves successful in improving hand hygiene compliance and lowering the prevalence of healthcare associated infections, the package could be disseminated at (inter) national level. 0 0 1471-2458 WOS:000296388200001 J Guerlac, Suzanne Humanities 2.0: E-Learning in the Digital World E-Learning and the Public University: Access and Affordability 2.0 REPRESENTATIONS 116 SI 102 127 10.1525/rep.2011.116.1.102 FAL 2011 2011 This essay analyzes the social and economic forces behind the push for online education (especially in public universities), the discourses that support it, and the sometimes surprising discursive alliances that form among critics of the university. It also considers the opportunities as well as the risks of digital humanities and calls for increasing digital literacy on the part of humanists. REPRESENTATIONS 116. Fall 2011 (C) The Regents of the University of California. ISSN 0734-6018, electronic ISSN 1533-855X, pages 102-27. All rights reserved. Direct requests for permission to photocopy or reproduce article content to the University of California Press at http://www.ucpressjournals.com/reprintinfo.asp. DOI:10.1525/rep.2011.116.1.102. 0 0 0734-6018 WOS:000300561700006 J Gibson, Maggie; Maltais, D.; Hardy, L.; Ruthe, S. Using e-learning to build capacity for disaster resilience: The "Frailty, Dementia and Disasters" Project INTERNATIONAL PSYCHOGERIATRICS 23 S393 S394 1 SEP 2011 2011 0 0 1041-6102 WOS:000300101100522 J Akyol, Zehra E-Learning in the 21st Century: A Framework for Research and Practice INTERNET AND HIGHER EDUCATION 14 4 269 270 10.1016/j.iheduc.2011.05.007 SEP 2011 2011 0 0 1096-7516 WOS:000298071700009 J Lee, Dae Sung; Seo, Young Wook; Lee, Kun Chang Individual and Team Differences in Self-Reported Creativity by Shared Leadership and Individual Knowledge in an e-Learning Environment INFORMATION-AN INTERNATIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL 14 9 SI 2931 2946 SEP 2011 2011 Many organizations continue to emphasize the need for increased creativity and innovation among their employees and within markets. However, most firms try diverse strategies to enhance creativity, restructuring the workplace or selecting creativity-generating units. As such, the purpose of this paper is to differentiate team creativity from individual creativity. We investigate three important antecedents of creativity - shared leadership, individual knowledge, and knowledge sharing - and then examine the relationship and differences between individual creativity and team creativity. We found that individual knowledge does not influence knowledge sharing or team creativity, but has a significant impact on individual creativity. Individual knowledge indirectly, rather than directly, influences team creativity via individuals. Shared leadership and knowledge sharing have a more significant influence on team creativity than individual creativity. 0 0 1343-4500 WOS:000297080600002 J Seo, Young Wook; Lee, Dae Sung; Lee, Kun Chang Bayesian Network-Based Management of Individual Creativity in an e-Learning Environment: An Approach to Balance Task Complexity and Individual Knowledge Competence INFORMATION-AN INTERNATIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL 14 9 SI 2961 2972 SEP 2011 2011 Many organizations continue to emphasize the need for increased creativity and innovation among their employees and within markets. However, most firms try diverse strategies to enhance creativity, restructuring the workplace or selecting creativity-generating units. As such, the purpose of this paper is to differentiate team creativity from individual creativity. We investigate three important antecedents of creativity - shared leadership, individual knowledge, and knowledge sharing - and then examine the relationship and differences between individual creativity and team creativity. We found that individual knowledge does not influence knowledge sharing or team creativity, but has a significant impact on individual creativity. Individual knowledge indirectly, rather than directly, influences team creativity via individuals. Shared leadership and knowledge sharing have a more significant influence on team creativity than individual creativity. 0 0 1343-4500 WOS:000297080600004 J Kahouli, Sondes Effects of technological learning and uranium price on nuclear cost: Preliminary insights from a multiple factors learning curve and uranium market modeling ENERGY ECONOMICS 33 5 840 852 10.1016/j.eneco.2011.02.016 SEP 2011 2011 This paper studies the effects of returns to scale, technological learning, i.e. learning-by-doing and learning-by-searching, and uranium price on the prospects of nuclear cost decrease. We use an extended learning curve specification, named multiple factors learning curve (MFLC). In a first stage, we estimate a single MFLC In a second stage, we estimate the MFLC under the framework of simultaneous system of equations which takes into account the uranium supply and demand. This permits not only to enhance the reliability of the estimation by incorporating the uranium price formation mechanisms in the MFLC via the price variable, but also to give preliminary insights about uranium supply and demand behaviors and the associated effects on the nuclear expansion.Results point out that the nuclear cost has important prospects for decrease via capacity expansion, i.e. learning-by-doing effects. In contrast, they show that the learning-by-searching as well as the scale effects have a limited effect on the cost decrease prospects. Conversely, results also show that uranium price exerts a positive and significant effect on nuclear cost, implying that when the uranium price increases, the nuclear power generation cost decreases. Since uranium is characterized by important physical availability, and since it represents only a minor part in the total nuclear cost, we consider that in a context of increasing demand for nuclear energy the latter result can be explained by the fact that the positive learning effects on the cost of nuclear act in a way to dissipate the negative ones that an increase in uranium price may exert. Further, results give evidence of important inertia in the supply and demand sides as well as evidence of slow correlation between the uranium market and oil market which may limit the inter-fuels substituability effects, that is, nuclear capacity expansion and associated learning-by-doing benefits. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 0 0 0140-9883 WOS:000295301600014 J Zaina, L. A. M.; Bressan, G.; Rodrigues Junior, J. F.; Cardieri, M. A. C. A. Learning Profile Identification Based on the Analysis of the User Context of Interaction IEEE LATIN AMERICA TRANSACTIONS 9 5 845 850 10.1109/TLA.2011.6030999 SEP 2011 2011 One of the e-learning environment goal is to attend the individual needs of students during the learning process. The adaptation of contents, activities and tools into different visualization or in a variety of content types is an important feature of this environment, bringing to the user the sensation that there are suitable workplaces to his profile in the same system. Nevertheless, it is important the investigation of student behaviour aspects, considering the context where the interaction happens, to achieve an efficient personalization process. The paper goal is to present an approach to identify the student learning profile analyzing the context of interaction. Besides this, the learning profile could be analyzed in different dimensions allows the system to deal with the different focus of the learning. 0 0 1195-9479 WOS:000295527400035 J Lo, Ta-Sheng; Chang, Tien-Hsiang; Shieh, Lon-Fon; Chung, Ya-Chuan KEY FACTORS FOR EFFICIENTLY IMPLEMENTING CUSTOMIZED E-LEARNING SYSTEM IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY JOURNAL OF SYSTEMS SCIENCE AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING 20 3 346 364 10.1007/s11518-011-5173-y SEP 2011 2011 In recent years, e-learning system has been adopted as a training tool in many firms, as it can help employees to complete training in a short time and at a low cost. Within this context, since 2003 the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) in Taiwan sponsored more than 50 enterprises each year to help them implement customized e-learning systems. Past research on e-learning mostly focused on one criterion and adopted regression approach, such as examining the relationships between satisfaction or continued usage intentions and various antecedent factors. Although the regression method could uncover the significant factors of e-learning adoption, they can not show the can (weighting) of each factor, and thus firms cannot allocate the optimal levels of resources. To overcome this problem, this study collected factors related to firms implementing customized e-learning systems from a review of the literature and expert opinions, and then constructed a hierarchical factor table. Based on the appropriateness and independence of factors, and as assessed by experts in the project promotion office of the IDB, e-learning solution providers and project leaders of the IDB sponsored enterprises, this paper then designed an Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) format questionnaire and sent it to these same experts to gather their responses. The factor weightings were derived based on the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) method. Finally, analysis of key factors was performed and recommendations provided. Based on the results for this work, service industry firms with limited resources can achieve proper resource allocation and more quickly and successfully adopt customized e-Learning systems. 0 0 1004-3756 WOS:000295537600007 J Bishop, Michelle; Rainger, P.; Newton, R.; Farndon, P. Increased demand for genetics education within the medical specialties: a role for e-learning JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS 48 S91 S91 1 SEP 2011 2011 British Human Genetics Conference SEP 05-07, 2011 Univ Warwick, Coventry, ENGLAND 0 0 0022-2593 WOS:000295103800199 J Magni, Luigi; Ricca, Carmine; Viola, Mariapia E-learning in Biotechnology: the EBTNA experience and new ICT perspective CURRENT OPINION IN BIOTECHNOLOGY 22 S31 S31 10.1016/j.copbio.2011.05.064 1 SEP 2011 2011 European Biotechnology Congress SEP 28-OCT 01, 2011 European Biotechnol Themat Network Assoc Istanbul, TURKEY 0 0 0958-1669 WOS:000295310800059 J Marshall, Nina L.; Spooner, Muirne; Galvin, P. Leo; Ti, Joanna P.; McElvaney, N. Gerald; Lee, Michael J. Evaluation of an e-Learning Platform for Teaching Medical Students Competency in Ordering Radiologic Examinations RADIOGRAPHICS 31 5 1463 1474 10.1148/rg.315105081 SEP-OCT 2011 2011 A preliminary audit of orders for computed tomography was performed to evaluate the typical performance of interns ordering radiologic examinations. According to the audit, the interns showed only minimal improvement after 8 months of work experience. The online radiology ordering module (ROM) program included baseline assessment of student performance (part I), online learning with the ROM (part II), and follow-up assessment of performance with simulated ordering with the ROM (part III). A curriculum blueprint determined the content of the ROM program, with an emphasis on practical issues, including provision of logistic information, clinical details, and safety-related information. Appropriate standards were developed by a committee of experts, and detailed scoring systems were devised for assessment. The ROM program was successful in addressing practical issues in a simulated setting. In the part I assessment, the mean score for noting contraindications for contrast media was 24%; this score increased to 59% in the part III assessment (P = .004). Similarly, notification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus status and pregnancy status and provision of referring physician contact information improved significantly. The quality of the clinical notes was stable, with good initial scores. Part III testing showed overall improvement, with the mean score increasing from 61% to 76% (P < .0001). In general, medical students lack the core knowledge that is needed for good-quality ordering of radiology services, and the experience typically afforded to interns does not address this lack of knowledge. The ROM program was a successful intervention that resulted in statistically significant improvements in the quality of radiologic examination orders, particularly with regard to logistic and radiation safety issues. 0 0 0271-5333 WOS:000295121700023 J Logan, Jessica M.; Thompson, Andrew J.; Marshak, David W. Testing to Enhance Retention in Human Anatomy ANATOMICAL SCIENCES EDUCATION 4 5 243 248 10.1002/ase.250 SEP-OCT 2011 2011 Recent work in cognitive psychology has shown that repeatedly testing one's knowledge is a powerful learning aid and provides substantial benefits for retention of the material. To apply this in a human anatomy course for medical students, 39 fill-in-the-blank quizzes of about SO questions each, one for each region of the body, and four about the nervous system, were developed. The quizzes were optional, and no credit was awarded. They were posted online using Blackboard, which provided feedback, and they were very popular. To determine whether the quizzes had any effect on retention, they were given in a controlled setting to 21 future medical and dental students. The weekly quizzes included questions on regional anatomy and an expanded set of questions on the nervous system. Each question about the nervous system was given three times, in a slightly different form each time. The second quiz was given approximately half an hour after the first one, and the third was given one week after the second to assess retention. The quizzes were unpopular, but students showed robust improvement on the questions about the nervous system. The scores increased by almost 9% on the second quiz, with no intervention except viewing the correct answers. The scores were 29% higher on the third quiz than on the first, and there was also a positive correlation between the grades on the quizzes and the final examination. Thus, repeated testing is an effective strategy for learning and retaining information about human anatomy. Anat Sci Educ 4: 243-248. (C) 2011 American Association of Anatomists. 0 0 1935-9772 WOS:000294987200001 J De Graauw, Jeanne A.; Baranski, Andrzej G.; Hofker, Sijbrand S.; Gobee, Oscar P.; Ploeg, Rutger J.; Ringers, Jan; Haase-Kromwijk, Bernadette J. STANDARDIZATION OF ORGAN PROCUREMENT AND E-LEARNING AS A TOOL TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN DONOR SURGERY: FIRST RESULTS OF A NEW CERTIFICATION SYSTEM IN THE NETHERLANDS TRANSPLANT INTERNATIONAL 24 SI 214 214 2 SEP 2011 2011 0 0 0934-0874 WOS:000294869601318 J Davids, Mogamat Razeen; Chikte, Usuf M. E.; Halperin, Mitchell L. Development and evaluation of a multimedia e-learning resource for electrolyte and acid-base disorders ADVANCES IN PHYSIOLOGY EDUCATION 35 3 295 306 10.1152/advan.00127.2010 SEP 2011 2011 Davids MR, Chikte UME, Halperin ML. Development and evaluation of a multimedia e-learning resource for electrolyte and acid-base disorders. Adv Physiol Educ 35: 295-306, 2011; doi:10.1152/advan.00127.2010.-This article reports on the development and evaluation of a Web-based application that provides instruction and hands-on practice in managing electrolyte and acid-base disorders. Our teaching approach, which focuses on concepts rather than details, encourages quantitative analysis and a logical problem-solving approach. Identifying any dangers to the patient is a vital first step. Concepts such as an "appropriate response" to a given perturbation and the need for electroneutrality in body fluids are used repeatedly. Our Electrolyte Workshop was developed using Flash and followed an iterative design process. Two case-based tutorials were built in this first phase, with one tutorial including an interactive treatment simulation. Users select from a menu of therapies and see the impact of their choices on the patient. Appropriate text messages are displayed, and changes in body compartment sizes, brain size, and plasma sodium concentrations are illustrated via Flash animation. Challenges encountered included a shortage of skilled Flash developers, budgetary constraints, and challenges in communication between the authors and the developers. The application was evaluated via user testing by residents and specialists in internal medicine. Satisfaction was measured with a questionnaire based on the System Usability Scale. The mean System Usability Scale score was 78.4 +/- 13.8, indicating a good level of usability. Participants rated the content as being scientifically sound; they liked the teaching approach and felt that concepts were conveyed clearly. They indicated that the application held their interest, that it increased their understanding of hyponatremia, and that they would recommend this learning resource to others. 0 0 1043-4046 WOS:000294770000011 J Narimatsu, H.; Kakinuma, A.; Sawa, T.; Komatsu, T.; Matsumura, T.; Kami, M.; Nakata, Y. Usefulness of a bidirectional e-learning material for explaining surgical anesthesia to cancer patients ANNALS OF ONCOLOGY 22 9 2121 2128 10.1093/annonc/mdq718 SEP 2011 2011 Background: We developed an e-learning system, which is based on an interactive animation video that assists anesthesiologists in preanesthetic interviews.Materials and Methods: First, the feasibility of the system was investigated in 18 anesthesiologists and 95 volunteers from the general public. Content/quantity, operability, and satisfaction were assessed with a five-point scale. Secondly, a randomized controlled trial was conducted on 211 cancer patients who were scheduled to undergo general anesthesia. They were divided into an e-learning group (n = 106) and a control group (n = 105). The patients in the e-learning group watched the interactive animation before a preanesthetic interview by an anesthesiologist.Results: In 10 of the 11 items for content/quantity, operability, and satisfaction, the average score for both anesthesiologists and volunteers was 3.0 in feasibility study. Then, the level of patient comprehension of preoperative rounds and postoperative complications in the e-learning group was significantly higher than that in the control group (mean: 4.4 +/- 0.5 versus 4.1 +/- 0.7, P = 0.003, and 4.3 +/- 0.5 versus 4.2 +/- 0.5, P = 0.02); however, no significant difference in anxiety was seen between the two groups. Patient satisfaction in the e-learning group was significantly higher (mean: 4.3 +/- 0.5 versus 4.0 +/- 0.6, P = 0.002).Conclusion: The e-learning system is an effective supplementary tool for preanesthetic interviews in cancer patients. 0 0 0923-7534 WOS:000294495100025 J Stefanovic, Miladin; Cvijetkovic, Vladimir; Matijevic, Milan; Simic, Visnja A LabVIEW-Based Remote Laboratory Experiments for Control Engineering Education COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION 19 3 538 549 10.1002/cae.20334 SEP 2011 2011 This paper deals with remote access to a real laboratory equipment using contemporary computer and network technology for creating the environment that will enable a remote user to perform the required laboratory exercises and control the laboratory equipment. Architecture and characteristics of WebLab will be described with special attention to the latest implemented laboratory experiment for control of the coupled water tanks (using LabVIEW). This paper will also give results of researches among student population in order to determine advantages and effects of using web laboratory in control engineering education. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 19: 538-549, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.20334 0 0 1061-3773 WOS:000294341000015 J Martinez-Caro, Eva Factors Affecting Effectiveness in E-Learning: An Analysis in Production Management Courses COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION 19 3 572 581 10.1002/cae.20337 SEP 2011 2011 E-learning may help to open up new channels for the traditional teaching of engineering but there are many questions about what makes e-learning an effective and satisfactory method, in particular, in the field of industrial engineering. This article evaluates the potential factors affecting the effectiveness of engineering e-learning courses by applying structural equation modeling in a sample of students of multiple production management courses for industrial engineering students. This way, the gaps and methodological weaknesses detected in prior studies has been avoided. The findings of this study suggest that interaction is key to getting successful outcomes, that the right mixture of human and technology must be found, that it is crucial to teach students to learn online and that special attention must be directed to non-traditional students who have the additional pressure of resolving time conflicts between e-learning, work and/or family life. These findings can help engineering colleges and schools offering e-learning courses to learn more about how to enhance students' success. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 19: 572-581, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.20337 0 0 1061-3773 WOS:000294341000018 J Talamo, Alessandra; Pozzi, Simone The tension between dialogicality and interobjectivity in cooperative activities CULTURE & PSYCHOLOGY 17 3 302 318 10.1177/1354067X11408131 SEP 2011 2011 The context of a vocational e-learning project is used to explore the relation between dialogicality, intersubjectivity, and interobjectivity. By means of narrative analysis, we show that human mediation is sometimes directed outwards (interobjectivity) and sometimes directed inwards (intersubjectivity). Some interactions are closer to the intersubjectivity polarity because participants focus on a shared understanding of the world, whereas others are oriented to the interobjectivity polarity because subjects direct their efforts to what is shared ''out there in the world.'' We claim that this positioning between the two polarities influences the type of interaction occurring between the subjects. Whenever subjects engage in dialogical interactions, where the other's collaboration is sought to redefine a shared understanding of the present state of the activity, the intersubjective polarity is put in place. In contrast, when the other's position takes on an instrumental function, the interobjectivity polarity is chosen. 0 0 1354-067X WOS:000294543300003 J [Anonymous] Myopia and e-learning CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL OPTOMETRY 94 5 502 502 SEP 2011 2011 0 0 0816-4622 WOS:000294220000020 J Schneckenberg, Dirk; Ehlers, Ulf; Adelsberger, Heimo Web 2.0 and competence-oriented design of learning-Potentials and implications for higher education BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 42 5 747 762 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2010.01092.x SEP 2011 2011 This paper discusses the potential of learning technologies to foster competence development of students. It aims to improve understanding of pedagogical conditions that have to be met to establish a competence orientation in e-learning. We review the literature to summarise recent changes in e-learning, identify attributes of web 2.0 technologies, revisit the concept of competence and specify implications for the competence-oriented design of learning environments. By referring to Kolb's learning cycle, we illustrate this view with a case study on the use of Google Apps as collaborative learning environment and recommend how competence-oriented e-learning activities can be created. Our findings reinforce the position that web 2.0 tools enable a shift from a distributive to a more collaborative mode in e-learning. In particular, the ease of use and intuition of web 2.0 technologies allow creating learning environments, which realise activity-rich pedagogical models and facilitate competence development of students. The paper concludes that, despite the demand of firms for versatile graduates and the obvious potential of learning technologies to foster competence development of students, universities need to establish institutional strategies to make this pedagogical change happen. 0 0 0007-1013 WOS:000293916400012 J Acampora, Giovanni; Manuel Cadenas, Jose; Loia, Vincenzo; Munoz Ballester, Enrique A Multi-Agent Memetic System for Human-Based Knowledge Selection IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SYSTEMS MAN AND CYBERNETICS PART A-SYSTEMS AND HUMANS 41 5 SI 946 960 10.1109/TSMCA.2011.2109376 SEP 2011 2011 In these last decades, both industrial and academic organizations have used extensively different learning methods to improve humans' capabilities and, as consequence, their overall performance and competitiveness in the new economy context. However, the rapid change in modern knowledge due to exponential growth of information sources is complicating learners' activity. At the same time, new technologies offer, if used in a right way, a range of possibilities for the efficient design of learning scenarios. For that reason, novel approaches are necessary to obtain suitable learning solutions which are able to generate efficient, personalized, and flexible learning experiences. From this point of view, computational intelligence methodologies can be exploited to provide efficient and intelligent tools to be able to analyze learner's needs and preferences and, consequently, personalize its knowledge acquirement. This paper reports an attempt to achieve these results by exploiting an ontological representation of learning environment and an adaptive memetic approach, integrated into a cooperative multi-agent framework. In particular, a collection of agents analyzes learner preferences and generate high-quality learning presentations by executing, in a parallel way, different cooperating optimization strategies. This cooperation is performed by jointly exploiting data mining via fuzzy decision trees, together with a decision-making framework exploiting fuzzy methodologies. 0 0 1083-4427 WOS:000294134300012 J Davies, E. Denison; Schneider, F.; Childs, S.; Hucker, T.; Krikos, D.; Peh, J.; McGowan, C.; Stone, P.; Cashman, J. A prevalence study of errors in opioid prescribing in a large teaching hospital INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE 65 9 923 929 10.1111/j.1742-1241.2011.02705.x SEP 2011 2011 Aim: In 2007, the National Patient Safety Agency performed a study demonstrating that errors in prescribing led to nearly 12,000 adverse clinical incidents a year. The following year, they issued a rapid response report entitled 'Reducing Dosing Errors with Opioid Medicines' designed to be implemented by all NHS trusts. We performed a prevalence study to assess opioid prescribing errors in our large multi-speciality teaching hospital prior to implementation of these recommendations. Methodology: We conducted a 1 day snapshot of opioid prescriptions on inpatient drug charts. For every chart, all opioid information was entered into the study proforma. All data were reviewed by consensus group and errors categorised by quality and whether they were potentially lethal, serious, significant or minor. Results: A total of 330/722 (46%) charts were found to have opioid prescriptions. On the study day, there were 74 charts with errors and on expert review another 16 erroneous charts were found giving a total of 90/330 (27.2%). The largest quality statement error group was 'unclear prescription, missing information'. There were 4 potentially lethal, 26 serious, 38 significant and 22 minor errors. Discussion: Previous studies have reported opioid prescription error rates of 51.2-70%. Compared with the opioid literature, our trust fares well with an error rate of 27% - four of these errors being potentially lethal. This study has identified where there are weaknesses in our hospital opioid prescribing practice and has aided us in rewriting our acute and chronic pain guidelines with the explicit inclusion of the National Patient Safety Agency recommendations. We have also disseminated the study results at the Trust academic meeting and developed an opioid e-learning package which will be mandatory for all new staff. 1 1 1368-5031 WOS:000293978400005 J Iris, Reychav; Vikas, Anand E-Learning technologies: A key to Dynamic Capabilities COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 27 5 1868 1874 10.1016/j.chb.2011.04.010 SEP 2011 2011 The field of Dynamic Capabilities has evolved very rapidly in recent years. Enhancing Dynamic Capabilities is considered to be a major tool to achieving a sustained competitive advantage. However, Dynamic Capabilities are inherently complex and there is a great deal of research on their various contributing factors. On a parallel research track, much has been written on the significance and long-lasting contribution of Knowledge Management and Learning on competitive advantage. Today's learning in organizations is increasingly centred around Electronic-Learning (E-Learning). This paper suggests that there is a solid link between technological tools (E-Learning), management processes (Knowledge Management) and organizational outcome (Dynamic Capabilities), and discusses the impact of E-Learning technologies on for-profit organizations as a means of enhancing Dynamic Capabilities through Knowledge Sharing, both within and across the organization's boundaries. Managers and knowledge experts in three leading companies were surveyed. The findings show that firms can acquire significant Dynamic Capabilities by using E-Learning technologies to promote Knowledge Sharing. It is further concluded that using E-Learning for developing channels of Knowledge Sharing across the organization helps to ensure excellence and competitiveness by increasing much sought-after Dynamic Capabilities. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0747-5632 WOS:000293319500048 J Chang, Christina Ling-Hsing The effect of an information ethics course on the information ethics values of students - A Chinese guanxi culture perspective COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 27 5 2028 2038 10.1016/j.chb.2011.05.010 SEP 2011 2011 The development of information technology has a significant influence on social structure and norms, and also impacts upon human behavior. In order to achieve stability and social harmony, people need to respect various norms, and have their rights protected. Students' information ethics values are of critical and radical importance in achieving this goal. Using qualitative approach, the present study utilizes Kohlberg's CMD model to measure improvement in students' "information ethics values" through "technology mediated learning (TML)" models, and to assess the extent to which it is influenced by gender and Chinese guanxi culture. We find that while e-learning improves female students' "respect rules," "privacy," "accessibility" and "intellectual property" values more than male students, the percentages relating to "intellectual property" for females in the higher stages remain lower than for males. Moreover, these results are interpreted from a Chinese guanxi culture perspective. In light of these results, educators should take account of such improvements when designing effective teaching methods and incentives. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1 1 0747-5632 WOS:000293319500066 J Andreazzi, Denise B.; Rossi, Flavia; Wen, Chao L. Interactive Tele-Education Applied to a Distant Clinical Microbiology Specialization University Course TELEMEDICINE AND E-HEALTH 17 7 524 529 10.1089/tmj.2011.0010 SEP 2011 2011 The microbiology laboratory provides a strategic support for infectious disease diagnosis and also alerts the medical community about bacterial resistance to antibiotics. The microbiologists' training is a challenge in Brazil, a country with an extensive territory, a diverse population, and disparity of resource allocation. The aim of this study was to implement an interactive tele-educational course in clinical microbiology to reach distant laboratory workers and to improve their professional skills. The course scientific content was defined according to competences associated, distributed in 560 h, with laboratory practices (knowledge matrix-contextual education). The 11-module course structure comprised 70% distance learning, 22% on campus (integrated modules), and 8% monographs. The group included 7 physicians and 21 microbiologists from 20 different Brazilian cities. The time flexibility and location were the two main reasons for student participation, thus decreasing absences to the workplace, different from the traditional teaching methodologies. The group performance was measured by monthly evaluations, and 1 year postcourse, the researcher visited their workplace. There was significant improvement in microbiological practices performed before compared with after group participation. Therefore, 76.9% of laboratory practices were modified because of the knowledge acquired in the course. Students showed behavioral changes in relation to performance in infection control as well as on the dissemination of their knowledge. This specialization course using distance education did not compromise the quality. This educational methodology represents an alternative to teach clinical microbiology to laboratory workers from remote hospitals, as a nationwide continuing educational strategy. 0 0 1530-5627 WOS:000294058200003 J Chen, Jian-Liang The effects of education compatibility and technological expectancy on e-learning acceptance COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 57 2 1501 1511 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.02.009 SEP 2011 2011 Discerning what influences a student's acceptance of e-learning is still unclear and has not been well investigated. On the basis of the expectancy-value theory, much effort has been put into identifying the effectual factors regarding the technological expectancy of students. However, aside from technological usage, the adoption of an e-learning system still must consider learning behavior. Thus, researchers should take into consideration both technological and learning expectancies of students while investigating e-learning acceptance. Following mainstream literature on information system acceptance, this study postulates that a student's behavioral intention to accept an e-learning system is determined both by his or her technological expectancy and educational compatibility. Four primary factors, that is, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions, specified in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) are used to reflect the technological expectancy of students. Further, educational compatibility, which refers the congruence of e-learning systems with the unique leaning expectancies of students, is integrated with the UTAUT to form a new theoretical model for e-learning acceptance. An empirical survey is conducted to examine the proposed model. A total of 626 valid samples were collected from the users of an e-learning system. The findings show that both technological expectancy and educational compatibility are important determinants of e-learning acceptance. However, educational compatibility reveals a greater total effect on e-learning acceptance than does technological expectancy. Implications and practical guidelines for both e-learning developers and practitioners are subsequently presented. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000292437400005 J Kim, Jungjoo; Kwon, Yangyi; Cho, Daeyeon Investigating factors that influence social presence and learning outcomes in distance higher education COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 57 2 1512 1520 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.02.005 SEP 2011 2011 There are many factors that influence distance learning especially in higher education where collaborative and communicative discourse is necessary for pursuing knowledge. Social presence, among other factors, is an important concept to be facilitated, developed and sustained in distance higher education as it promotes and supports discourse based learning. This study examines the relationship among demographic and other variables, social presence and learning satisfaction. Results showed demographic variables, such as gender, online learning experience and work status were not significant factors in terms of influencing on either social presence or learning satisfaction. While media integration and instructor's quality teaching were significant predictors of both social presence and learning satisfaction, interactivity among participants was a predictor of social presence but not of learning satisfaction. Along with the study findings, some implications were discussed for online learning practitioners in higher education setting. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000292437400006 J Bekebrede, G.; Warmelink, H. J. G.; Mayer, I. S. Reviewing the need for gaming in education to accommodate the net generation COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 57 2 1521 1529 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.02.010 SEP 2011 2011 There is a growing interest in the use of simulations and games in Dutch higher education. This development is based on the perception that students belong to the 'gamer generation' or 'net generation': a generation that has grown up with computer games and other technology affecting their preferred learning styles, social interaction patterns and technology use generally. It is often argued that in education this generation prefers active, collaborative and technology-rich learning, i.e. learning methods that involve extensive computer use and collaboration among students. Gaming is then proposed as a new teaching method which addresses these requirements. This article presents the results of a survey which studied whether this discourse is also applicable to higher education students from the Netherlands and whether games, considered as active, collaborative and technology-rich learning experiences, are of greater importance in the formal education of today's students. Of 1432 respondents from eight Dutch institutes of higher education surveyed between 2005 and 2009, about 25% fit our criteria of being a clear representative of the net generation. Furthermore, our analysis shows that there is little difference, and no statistically significant difference, in active, collaborative and technology-rich learning preferences between the representatives and non-representatives of the net generation. Furthermore, no large or statistically significant differences were found between representatives and non-representatives of the net generation with respect to the value they accorded to gaming in education. Overall our dataset did not fit the expectations raised by the net generation theory, with the percentage of students who fit the criteria being much lower than expected. However, regardless of whether they represented the net generation or not, in general our respondents preferred collaborative and technology-rich learning and deemed games a valuable teaching method. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000292437400007 J Sung, Yao-Ting; Chang, Kuo-En; Yu, Wen-Cheng Evaluating the reliability and impact of a quality assurance system for E-learning courseware COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 57 2 1615 1627 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.01.020 SEP 2011 2011 Assuring e-learning quality is of interest worldwide. This paper introduces the methods of e-learning courseware quality assurance (a quality certification system) adopted by the eLQSC (e-Learning Quality Service Centre) in Taiwan. A sequential/explanatory design with a mixed methodology was used to gather research data and conduct data analyses. Sixty-seven e-learning courseware applications were evaluated using the e-Learning Courseware Quality Checklist (eLCQC). Analyses of item difficulty, item discrimination and generalizability indicated that the eLCQC provides high-quality evaluations. After participating in the certification process, the e-learning producers reported having more confidence in enhancing e-learning courseware quality. The certification experience also helped the producers to change their previous design concepts about e-learning courseware and to develop new concepts; further, their increased confidence about courseware design also enhanced their confidence in marketing courseware. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000292437400014 J Arenas-Gaitan, Jorge; Ramirez-Correa, Patricio E.; Javier Rondan-Cataluna, F. Cross cultural analysis of the use and perceptions of web Based learning systems COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 57 2 1762 1774 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.03.016 SEP 2011 2011 The main objective of this paper is to examine cultural differences and technology acceptances from students of two universities, one is from a European country: Spain, and the other is in Latin America: Chile. Both of them provide their students with e-learning platforms. The technology acceptance model (TAM) and Hofstede's cultural dimensions are the tools used to measure the acceptance and use of web-based learning platforms and cultural diversity of respondents, respectively. In summary, we can affirm that the sample of tertiary Spanish and Chilean students are culturally different with regard to some of Hofstede's dimensions, but their behavior of acceptance of e-learning technology globally matches according to the TAM model. This study provides relevant implications for on-line courses managers' who have tertiary students from different nationalities. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000292437400027 J Wang, Hei Chia; Chiu, Yi Fang Assessing e-learning 2.0 system success COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 57 2 1790 1800 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.03.009 SEP 2011 2011 Traditional e-learning systems support "one-way" communication. Teachers provide knowledge for learners, but they are unable to use a student's learning experiences to benefit the class as a whole. To address these problems, this study explores e-learning success factors via the design and evaluation of an e-learning 2.0 system. This study develops a theoretical model to assess user satisfaction and loyalty intentions to an e-learning system using communication quality, information quality, system quality, and service quality. The empirical results show that communication quality, information quality, and service quality significantly and positively affect user satisfaction and loyalty intentions to use the e-learning system for sharing experience, communicating with others, and getting feedback. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000292437400030 J Wang, Tzu-Hua Developing Web-based assessment strategies for facilitating junior high school students to perform self-regulated learning in an e-Learning environment COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 57 2 1801 1812 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.01.003 SEP 2011 2011 This research refers to the self-regulated learning strategies proposed by Pintrich (1999) in developing a multiple-choice Web-based assessment system, the Peer-Driven Assessment Module of the Web-based Assessment and Test Analysis system (PDA-WATA). The major purpose of PDA-WATA is to facilitate learner use of self-regulatory learning behaviors to perform self-regulated learning and in turn improve e-Learning effectiveness. PDA-WATA includes five main strategies: 'Adding Answer Notes,' Stating Confidence,' Reading Peer Answer Notes,' Recommending Peer Answer Notes' and 'Querying Peers' Recommendation on Personal Answer Notes'. Using these strategies, examinees are allowed to add answer notes to explain why they chose a certain option as the correct answer and state their confidence in their own answer and answer notes, for peers' reference. In addition to reading peer answer notes, examinees can also recommend peer answer notes as valuable references. The recommendation information can also be queried by all examinees. Quasi-experimental design was adopted to understand the effectiveness of PDA-WATA in facilitating learner use of self-regulatory learning behaviors to perform self-regulated learning and in improving learner e-Learning effectiveness. Participants were 123 seventh-grade junior high school students from four classes. These four classes were randomly divided into the PDA-WATA group (n = 63) and the N-WBT group (n = 60). Before e-Learning instruction, all students took the pre-test of the Learning Process Inventory (LPI), used to understand how often learners use self-regulatory learning behaviors in the learning process, and the pre-test of the summative assessment. After a two-week e-Learning instruction, the students all took the post-test of the LPI and the summative assessment. Results indicate that students in the PDA-WATA group appear to be more willing to take the Web-based formative assessment than students in the N-WBT group. In addition, PDA-WATA appears to be significantly more effective than N-WBT in facilitating learner use of self-regulatory learning behaviors to perform self-regulated learning and in improving their e-Learning effectiveness. Moreover, this research also finds that in the PDA-WATA group, there is no significant difference between the learning effectiveness of students with a low level of self-regulated learning and students with a high level of self-regulated learning, but similar result cannot be found in the N-WBT group. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000292437400031 J Wang, Shu-Lin; Wu, Chun-Yi Application of context-aware and personalized recommendation to implement an adaptive ubiquitous learning system EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS 38 9 10831 10838 10.1016/j.eswa.2011.02.083 SEP 2011 2011 Advances in wireless networking, mobile broadband Internet access technology as well as the rapid development of ubiquitous computing means e-learning is no longer limited to certain settings. A ubiquitous learning (u-learning) system must however not only provide the learner with learning resources at any time and any place. However, it must also actively provide the learner with the appropriate learning assistance for their context to help him or her complete their e-learning activity. In the traditional e-learning environment, the lack of immediate learning assistance, the limitations of the screen interface or inconvenient operation means the learner is unable to receive learning resources in a timely manner and incorporate them based on the actual context into the learner's learning activities. The result is impaired learning efficiency. Though developments in technology have overcome the constraints on learning space, an inability to appropriately exploit the technology may make it an obstacle to learning instead. When integrating the relevant information technology to develop a u-learning environment, it is therefore necessary to consider the personalization requirements of the learner to ensure that the technology achieves its intended result. This study therefore sought to apply context aware technology and recommendation algorithms to develop a u-learning system to help lifelong learning learners realize personalized learning goals in a context aware manner and improve the learner's learning effectiveness. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1 1 0957-4174 WOS:000291118500013 J Chu, Kuo-Kuang; Lee, Chien-I; Tsai, Rong-Shi Ontology technology to assist learners' navigation in the concept map learning system EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS 38 9 11293 11299 10.1016/j.eswa.2011.02.178 SEP 2011 2011 Evidence indicates that concept mapping can reduce students' cognitive load and facilitate meaningful learning. Using a concept map description approach, the ontology defines the relationship between concepts that is feasible for resource sharing and reusing. In this study, we implement a concept map learning system with ontology technology to help users search the concept map, determine relationships between nodes or predicates, and find the common concept or predicate among the concepts to help reduce the user's cognitive load. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0957-4174 WOS:000291118500062 J Cavinato, Anna G. Lake Nakuru case study: An e-learning module to introduce pesticide analysis and GC-MS in the analytical curriculum ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 242 AUG 28 2011 2011 242nd National Meeting of the American-Chemical-Society (ACS) AUG 28-SEP 01, 2011 Amer Chem Soc (ACS) Denver, CO 0 0 0065-7727 WOS:000299378300455 J Kojima, Satoru; Mitani, Masanobu; Ishikawa, Akira Development of an E-learning Resource on Mobile Devices for Kinesiology: A Pilot Study JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL THERAPY SCIENCE 23 4 667 672 AUG 2011 2011 [Purpose] Although the potential use of mobile devices as new e-learning tools has been reported in various educational fields, there are not enough e-learning resources for mobile devices in physical or occupational therapy education. This article describes the results of development and students' use of a resource for physical and occupational therapy education. [Methods] We developed an e-learning resource for mobile devices as part of a kinesiology course. it was designed to help students acquire knowledge of the musculoskeletal system. The e-learning resource was provided to second-year physical and occupational therapy undergraduate students (n = 41) for 6 weeks of a 15-week course in kinesiology. After 6 weeks, the situation of use, students' levels of satisfaction, and comments were surveyed by questionnaire. [Results] The e-learning resource was text-based, and had many quizzes and tests. Approximately 70% of the students who had mobile devices used the resource on these devices at least once. Of these students, more than 80% were satisfied with it. The students used the resource on mobile devices at various locations. [Conclusion] Our e-learning resource for mobile devices could be used as a support tool to provide knowledge about the musculoskeletal system. 0 0 0915-5287 WOS:000294792800026 J Gross, M. W.; Schaefer, C.; Zimmermann, F. B. E-LEARNING IN RADIOONCOLOGY - EXPERIENCES IN GERMANY AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SWITZERLAND STRAHLENTHERAPIE UND ONKOLOGIE 187 8 533 533 AUG 2011 2011 0 0 0179-7158 WOS:000293478700085 J Kim, Svetlana; Song, Su-Mi; Yoon, Yong-Ik Smart Learning Services Based on Smart Cloud Computing SENSORS 11 8 7835 7850 10.3390/s110807835 AUG 2011 2011 Context-aware technologies can make e-learning services smarter and more efficient since context-aware services are based on the user's behavior. To add those technologies into existing e-learning services, a service architecture model is needed to transform the existing e-learning environment, which is situation-aware, into the environment that understands context as well. The context-awareness in e-learning may include the awareness of user profile and terminal context. In this paper, we propose a new notion of service that provides context-awareness to smart learning content in a cloud computing environment. We suggest the elastic four smarts (E4S)-smart pull, smart prospect, smart content, and smart push-concept to the cloud services so smart learning services are possible. The E4S focuses on meeting the users' needs by collecting and analyzing users' behavior, prospecting future services, building corresponding contents, and delivering the contents through cloud computing environment. Users' behavior can be collected through mobile devices such as smart phones that have built-in sensors. As results, the proposed smart e-learning model in cloud computing environment provides personalized and customized learning services to its users. 0 0 1424-8220 WOS:000294253900031 J Hernandez, Alberto; Capelastegui, Pedro; Vazquez, Enrique; Gonzalez, Francisco; de Poorter, Antoine Design and Implementation of IP Multimedia Subsystem Applications: An Enabler-Oriented Approach IEEE COMMUNICATIONS MAGAZINE 49 8 44 51 AUG 2011 2011 Multiparty networked applications, which are gaining interest in areas as diverse as online games, e-learning, e-health, and collaborative work, tend to depend on a set of common functions. In conventional IP networks, these shared functions require application-specific servers, leading to scale diseconomies and complicating interoperability. The IP Multimedia Subsystem addresses this by incorporating basic services called service enablers, which can be used as building blocks to facilitate application development. This article discusses our experience creating innovative enablers for IMS networks, and combining them into new multimedia applications. An enabler-centric process is described, and the configuration of a development IMS network is explained, with suggestions on how to replicate this architecture with freely available components. Following these principles, we designed and implemented a series of novel group-centric enablers exploiting the advantages of group management, which we describe in detail. A use case made possible by these enablers is shown, consisting of an e-health scenario for remote medical visits. We reflect on the advantages and challenges introduced by this development methodology, and provide insight on how a project of this nature should be approached. 0 0 0163-6804 WOS:000293917800007 J Algers, Anne; Lindstrom, Berner; Pajor, Edmond A. A New Format for Learning about Farm Animal Welfare JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL & ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS 24 4 SI 367 379 10.1007/s10806-010-9271-5 AUG 2011 2011 Farm animal welfare is a knowledge domain that can be regarded as a model for new ways of organizing learning and making higher education more responsive to the needs of society. Global concern for animal welfare has resulted in a great demand for knowledge. As a complement to traditional education in farm animal welfare, higher education can be more demand driven and look at a broad range of methods to make knowledge available. The result of an inventory on "farm animal welfare," "e-learning," "learning resources," and "open educational resources" in three different search engines is presented. A huge amount of information on animal welfare is available on the Internet but many of the providers lock in the knowledge in a traditional course context. Only a few universities develop and disseminate open learning resources within the subject. Higher education institutions are encouraged to develop open educational resources in animal welfare for the benefit of teachers, students, society, and, indirectly, animal welfare. 0 0 1187-7863 WOS:000294010500005 J Jung, Insung The dimensions of e-learning quality: from the learner's perspective ETR&D-EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 59 4 445 464 10.1007/s11423-010-9171-4 AUG 2011 2011 The present study was designed to identify the quality dimensions as perceived by adult learners who had taken one or more e-learning courses offered by higher education institutions in South Korea and to identify and confirm the structural features of these quality dimensions. The results of the exploratory factor analysis arising from a survey of 299 learners revealed that from their perspective, there were seven dimensions in evaluating the e-learning quality: Interaction, Staff Support, Institutional Quality Assurance Mechanism, Institutional Credibility, Learner Support, Information and Publicity and Learning Tasks. And the confirmatory factor analysis with responses obtained from another set of 496 adult learners confirmed a good fit of the seven-factor model to the observed data. While most of these seven dimensions are supported by previous studies, some dimensions, such as technology support, content and evaluation/assessment that e-learning providers had highlighted did not appear to be important for Korean adult learners. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed in relation to learner characteristics, e-learning design, and culture, and further research topics are suggested. 1 1 1042-1629 WOS:000293741000001 J Antonis, Konstantinos; Daradoumis, Thanasis; Papadakis, Spyros; Simos, Christos Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Web-Based Learning Design for Adult Computer Science Courses IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION 54 3 374 380 10.1109/TE.2010.2060263 AUG 2011 2011 This paper reports on work undertaken within a pilot study concerned with the design, development, and evaluation of online computer science training courses. Drawing on recent developments in e-learning technology, these courses were structured around the principles of a learner-oriented approach for use with adult learners. The paper describes a methodological framework for the evaluation of three main educational issues involved in the learning process of Web-based computer science training courses, and analyzes the results of this study with the aim of providing an improved learning design, and environment, for these courses. The findings highlight a number of potential barriers to learning and indicate the failed indicators that need to be improved in order to enhance effective performance. The authors give their views both on ways to improve the proposed learning environment and on the need for an optimal balance between asynchronous and synchronous activities, enhanced collaboration, and interactions among adult learners and e-tutors. 0 0 0018-9359 WOS:000293751300004 J Alonso, Fernando; Manrique, Daniel; Martinez, Loic; Vines, Jose M. How Blended Learning Reduces Underachievement in Higher Education: An Experience in Teaching Computer Sciences IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION 54 3 471 478 10.1109/TE.2010.2083665 AUG 2011 2011 This paper presents a blended learning approach and a study evaluating instruction in a software engineering-related course unit as part of an undergraduate engineering degree program in computing. In the past, the course unit had a lecture-based format. In view of student underachievement and the high course unit dropout rate, a distance-learning system was deployed, where students were allowed to choose between a distance-learning approach driven by a moderate constructivist instructional model or a blended-learning approach. The results of this experience are presented, with the aim of showing the effectiveness of the teaching/learning system deployed compared to the lecture-based system previously in place. The grades earned by students under the new system, following the distance-learning and blended-learning courses, are compared statistically to the grades attained in earlier years in the traditional face-to-face classroom (lecture-based) learning. 1 1 0018-9359 WOS:000293751300014 J Fernandez Aleman, Jose Luis; Palmer-Brown, Dominic; Jayne, Chrisina Effects of Response-Driven Feedback in Computer Science Learning IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION 54 3 501 508 10.1109/TE.2010.2087761 AUG 2011 2011 This paper presents the results of a project on generating diagnostic feedback for guided learning in a first-year course on programming and a Master's course on software quality. An online multiple-choice questions (MCQs) system is integrated with neural network-based data analysis. Findings about how students use the system suggest that the feedback is effective in addressing the level of knowledge of the individual and guiding him/her toward a greater understanding of particular concepts. In contrast, there is no evidence that learning required in programming problems, where students develop higher-level thinking according to Bloom's taxonomy, was exercised by using MCQs. 2 2 0018-9359 WOS:000293751300017 J Hoffman, Kerry; Dempsey, Jennifer; Levett-Jones, Tracy; Noble, Danielle; Hickey, Noelene; Jeong, Sarah; Hunter, Sharyn; Norton, Carol The design and implementation of an Interactive Computerised Decision Support Framework (ICDSF) as a strategy to improve nursing students' clinical reasoning skills NURSE EDUCATION TODAY 31 6 587 594 10.1016/j.nedt.2010.10.012 AUG 2011 2011 This paper describes the conceptual design and testing of an Interactive Computerised Decision Support Framework (ICDSF) which was constructed to enable student nurses to "think like a nurse." The ICDSF was based on a model of clinical reasoning. Teaching student nurses to reason clinically is important as poor clinical reasoning skills can lead to "failure-to rescue" of deteriorating patients. The framework of the ICDSF was based on nursing concepts to encourage deep learning and transferability of knowledge. The principles of active student participation, situated cognition to solve problems, authenticity, and cognitive rehearsal were used to develop the ICDSF. The ICDSF was designed in such a way that students moved through it in a step-wise fashion and were required to achieve competency at each step before proceeding to the next. The quality of the ICDSF was evaluated using a questionairre survey, students' written comments and student assessment measures on a pilot and the ICDSF. Overall students were highly satisfied with the clinical scenarios of the ICDSF and believed they were an interesting and useful way to engage in authentic clinical learning. They also believed the ICDSF was useful in developing cognitive skills such as clinical reasoning, problem-solving and decision-making. Some reported issues were the need for good technical support and the lack of face to face contact when using e-learning. Some students also believed the ICDSF was less useful than actual clinical placements. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0260-6917 WOS:000293434600011 J Granic, Andrina; Adams, Ray User sensitive research in e-learning: exploring the role of individual user characteristics UNIVERSAL ACCESS IN THE INFORMATION SOCIETY 10 3 SI 307 318 10.1007/s10209-010-0207-7 AUG 2011 2011 The increasing need for active and accessible learning in the inclusive knowledge society drives the demand for e-learning that engages users much more effectively than ever before. In this context, it is crucial to conduct research that embraces innovation in user sensitive design, or else influential individual user differences may be overlooked. The objective of this paper is to explore the creation of successful e-learning systems that are able to increase users' learning performance and enhance their personal learning experiences. The paper reports two converging and complimentary approaches, namely case studies and experimentation. First, case studies are used to explore the extent to which effective e-learning systems comply with eight specific factors. Of the eight, accessibility, individual differences and student modeling turn out to be the weakest points in current practice. Second, an empirical study investigates the influences of user individual user differences on users' learning outcomes in an e-learning environment. The experiment found that individual differences in motivation to learn and expectations about e-learning significantly impacted users' learning achievements. Third, based on these studies, improvements in research methodology are identified towards greater consideration of user sensitive research issues, thus enabling us to outline improved experimental procedures. Further experiment results should provide us with better insights into the arguments needed to carefully assess benefits of developing and involving a user model in an e-learning application. Consequently, evaluation and justification could now encompass both system performance as well as user performance. 0 0 1615-5289 WOS:000293020500008 J Ehlers, J.; Behr, M.; Bollwein, H.; Beyerbach, M.; Waberski, D. Standardization of computer-assisted semen analysis using an e-learning application THERIOGENOLOGY 76 3 448 454 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2011.02.021 AUG 2011 2011 Computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) is primarily used to obtain accurate and objective kinetic sperm measurements. Additionally, AI centers use computer-assessed sperm concentration in the sample as a basis for calculating the number of insemination doses available from a given ejaculate. The reliability of data is often limited and results can vary even when the same CASA systems with identical settings are used. The objective of the present study was to develop a computer-based training module for standardized measurements with a CASA system and to evaluate its training effect on the quality of the assessment of sperm motility and concentration. A digital versatile disc (DVD) has been produced showing the standardization of sample preparation and analysis with the CASA system SpermVision (TM) version 3.0 (Minitube, Verona, WI, USA) in words, pictures, and videos, as well as the most probable sources of error. Eight test persons educated in spermatology, but with different levels of experience with the CASA system, prepared and assessed 10 aliquots from one prediluted bull ejaculate using the same CASA system and laboratory equipment before and after electronic learning (e-leaming). After using the e-learning application, the coefficient of variation was reduced on average for the sperm concentration from 26.1% to 11.3% (P <= 0.01), and for motility from 5.8% to 3.1% (P <= 0.05). For five test persons, the difference in the coefficient of variation before and after use of the e-learning application was significant (P <= 0.05). Individual deviations of means from the group mean before e-learning were reduced compared with individual deviations from the group mean after e-learning. According to a survey, the e-learning application was highly accepted by users. In conclusion, e-learning presents an effective, efficient, and accepted tool for improvement of the precision of CASA measurements. This study provides a model for the standardization of other laboratory procedures using e-learning. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 0 0 0093-691X WOS:000292589400006 J Chebat, Jean-Charles; Davidow, Moshe; Borges, Adilson More on the role of switching costs in service markets: A research note JOURNAL OF BUSINESS RESEARCH 64 8 823 829 10.1016/j.jbusres.2010.10.003 AUG 2011 2011 The present paper focuses on several important and under-researched issues related to switching costs (SC) as a defensive marketing tool in retaining customers with complaint handling. While most previous research analyzed the effects of SC on the behavioral intent of customers, our findings have focused on the actual behavior of bank customers; that is, staying with or leaving the bank to which they had complained previously. The findings show that, of the six potential facets of SC, only two significantly affect the actual behavior of complainants, one directly (i.e., Continuity Costs) and the other as a moderator (i.e., Learning Costs). Likewise, a customer's evaluation of the complaint handling affects behavior directly. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 0 0 0148-2963 WOS:000291911700005 J Alepis, Efthymios; Virvou, Maria Automatic generation of emotions in tutoring agents for affective e-learning in medical education EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS 38 8 9840 9847 10.1016/j.eswa.2011.02.021 AUG 2011 2011 Web-based education is particularly appropriate for remote teaching and learning at any time and place, away from classrooms and does not necessarily require the presence of a human instructor. The need for time and place independence is even greater in some cases, such as for medical instructors who are usually doctors that have to treat patients on top of their tutoring duties. However, this independence from real teachers and classrooms may influence negatively the students who may feel deprived of the benefits of human-human interaction. In this paper we describe a novel approach for incorporating affective characteristics into e-learning through an authoring tool. The authoring tool incorporates and adapts principles of a cognitive theory for modeling possible emotional states that a tutoring agent may use for educational purposes. Medical instructors may use this authoring tool to create their own educational characters that will interact affectively with their students in the e-learning environment. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0957-4174 WOS:000290237500089 J Huang, Chenn-Jung; Wang, Yu-Wu; Huang, Tz-Hau; Chen, Ying-Chen; Chen, Heng-Ming; Chang, Shun-Chih Performance evaluation of an online argumentation learning assistance agent COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 57 1 1270 1280 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.01.013 AUG 2011 2011 Recent research indicated that students' ability to construct evidence-based explanations in classrooms through scientific inquiry is critical to successful science education. Structured argumentation support environments have been built and used in scientific discourse in the literature. To the best of our knowledge, no research work in the literature addressed the issue of automatically assessing the student's argumentation quality, and the teaching load of the teacher that used the online argumentation support environments is not alleviated. In this work, an intelligent argumentation assessment system based on machine learning techniques for computer supported cooperative learning is proposed. Learners' arguments on discussion board were examined by using argumentation element sequence to detect whether the learners address the expected discussion issues and to determine the argumentation skill level achieved by the learner. Learners are first assigned to heterogeneous groups based on their responses to the learning styles questionnaire given right before the beginning of learning activities on the e-learning platform. A feedback rule construction mechanism is used to issue feedback messages to the learners in case the argumentation assessment system detects that the learners go in a biased direction. The Moodle, an open source software e-learning platform, was used to establish the cooperative learning environment for this study. The experimental results exhibit that the proposed work is effective in classifying and improving student's argumentation level and assisting the students in learning the core concepts taught at a natural science course on the elementary school level. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000289396000017 J Cheng, Bo; Wang, Minhong; Yang, Stephen J. H.; Kinshuk; Peng, Jun Acceptance of competency-based workplace e-learning systems: Effects of individual and peer learning support COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 57 1 1317 1333 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.01.018 AUG 2011 2011 Current endeavors to integrate competency-based learning approaches with e-learning systems designed for delivery of training to adult learners in the workplace are growing. However, academic efforts in examining learners' perceptions of, and reactions toward, this technology-delivered pedagogical innovation are limited. Drawing together perspectives from the literature on training and instructional design and technology acceptance, this research proposed a conceptual model to examine the influences of perceived individual and social learning support on employees' acceptance of competency-based e-learning systems. Structural equation modeling and multi-group structural equation modeling techniques were applied to sample data collected from work settings in Mainland China. The results show the positive effects of perceived individual learning support and perceived support for promoting a norm of cooperation on employees' intention to use the competency-based e-learning system. It was also found that perceived support for enhancing social ties had a negative effect on employees' behavioral intention. The gender, age, prior experience, and work experience differences in the main effects were also investigated. Besides, qualitative data collected via semi-structured in-depth interview provide complementary evidence to the findings. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 2 2 0360-1315 WOS:000289396000021 J Brouwers, Melissa C.; Makarski, Julie; Durocher, Lisa D.; Levinson, Anthony J. E-learning interventions are comparable to user's manual in a randomized trial of training strategies for the AGREE II IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE 6 81 10.1186/1748-5908-6-81 JUL 26 2011 2011 Background: Practice guidelines (PGs) are systematically developed statements intended to assist in patient and practitioner decisions. The AGREE II is the revised tool for PG development, reporting, and evaluation, comprised of 23 items, two global rating scores, and a new User's Manual. In this study, we sought to develop, execute, and evaluate the impact of two internet interventions designed to accelerate the capacity of stakeholders to use the AGREE II.Methods: Participants were randomized to one of three training conditions. 'Tutorial'-participants proceeded through the online tutorial with a virtual coach and reviewed a PDF copy of the AGREE II. 'Tutorial + Practice Exercise'-in addition to the Tutorial, participants also appraised a 'practice' PG. For the practice PG appraisal, participants received feedback on how their scores compared to expert norms and formative feedback if scores fell outside the predefined range. 'AGREE II User's Manual PDF (control condition)'-participants reviewed a PDF copy of the AGREE II only. All participants evaluated a test PG using the AGREE II. Outcomes of interest were learners' performance, satisfaction, self-efficacy, mental effort, time-on-task, and perceptions of AGREE II.Results: No differences emerged between training conditions on any of the outcome measures.Conclusions: We believe these results can be explained by better than anticipated performance of the AGREE II PDF materials (control condition) or the participants' level of health methodology and PG experience rather than the failure of the online training interventions. Some data suggest the online tools may be useful for trainees new to this field; however, this requires further study. 0 0 1748-5908 WOS:000294332100001 J Chuo, Ying-Hsiang; Tsai, Chung-Hung; Lan, Yu-Li; Tsai, Chang-Shu The effect of organizational support, self efficacy, and computer anxiety on the usage intention of e-learning system in hospital AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT 5 14 5518 5523 JUL 18 2011 2011 The purpose of the study is to develop the usage intention model of e-learning systems. A survey of 1071 samples of six teaching hospitals in Taiwan shows that the effects of organizational support, self efficacy, and computer anxiety on usage intention are mediated by perceived ease of use, and perceived useful. According to the statistical results, the proposed model fits very well for the samples. Besides, both self efficacy and computer anxiety are important antecedents of perceived ease of use, and perceived useful. Also, organizational support has significantly influence on perceived ease of use. In addition, perceived ease of use has the most influence on usage intention, followed by perceived useful. Further investigation reveals that organizational support, self efficacy, and computer anxiety all have indirect influences on usage intention. This research can provide e-learning designers and managers of the hospital with the implication that we must focus not only on the technological aspect (perceived ease of use and perceived useful), but also on the social psychological aspect (organizational support, self efficacy, computer anxiety). 0 0 1993-8233 WOS:000294953600012 J Pale, Predrag; Miletic, Ivan; Kostanjcar, Zvonko; Pandzic, Hrvoje; Jeren, Branko Development of Pyramidia: an integrative e-learning multimedia tool INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING EDUCATION 48 3 SI 264 279 JUL 2011 2011 The software package described in this paper, Pyramidia, combines two strong elements into one lecturing system. The first is the simple addition of content and interactivity to existing PowerPoint presentations, and the second is video capture of a lecture. These features provide obvious benefits for both sides of the lecturing process: the lecturers and the students. Students can re-experience lectures at anytime, anywhere and at their own pace. Lecturers can add interactivity to their lectures without worrying about learning complex new software. Pyramidia is a descendant of previous software developments and research on ICT usage in education, and has been used and tested throughout a few semesters of lectures for several courses. Although there are many solutions, both commercial and academic, available to potential users, Pyramidia is unique for its .NET framework programming base. 0 0 0020-7209 WOS:000298718100005 J Vayre, E.; Dupuy, R.; Croity-Belz, S. E-LEARNERS' ENQUIRIES MADE OUTSIDE OF THE INTERNET: THE ROLE OF PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT TRAVAIL HUMAIN 74 3 253 282 JUL 2011 2011 Over the past few years in France, e-learning has progressively spread into educative and training spheres, including university-level education. Whilst recent researches have focused on the online behaviours of e-learners, few of them have investigated training conduct that has developed offline. From a work and organizational psycho-social point of view, we chose to study e-learners' enquiries about learning made outside the World Wide Web. We hypothesized that the conduct of students is not directly influenced by new online training contexts. Indeed, defending an interactionist and systemic approach, we consider that the development of students' enquiry strategies is linked to perceived social support provided by significant others. In order to test our hypothesis we decided to adopt a comparative approach that defines two training systems (face to face learning and e-learning). Our survey results, based on a questionnaire administered to 195 students, confirm our hypothesis. They show that e-learning programmes exert a specific influence on students' enquiries. Moreover, they reveal a modulation effect of social support. Indeed, social support provided by peers (students enrolled in the same training but also those who are enrolled in other programmes) encourages e-learners to carry out learning in face to face situations or via the phone.Finally, our research results underline the significant contribution made by people from different spheres of life to e-students' training conduct. Thus, they offer a precious information source for scientists and practitioners who are interested in online training development. 0 0 0041-1868 WOS:000296107900003 J Kim, Mi-Ryang; Kim, Tae Ung; Kim, Jaehyoun A Study on e-Learner Satisfaction: The Case of Online MBA Program INFORMATION-AN INTERNATIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL 14 7 SI 2487 2498 JUL 2011 2011 Over the past decade, e-learning has had an enormous impact on all levels of education. E-learning is expected to provide a variety of communication channels among students and faculty, and offer students flexibility beyond the space and time limit. However, some claim that where on-line delivery may be beneficial for some students, others feel dissatisfied with on-line courses resulting from feelings of isolation and lack of interaction [1]. This case focuses on the e-learner satisfaction, as global teaching effectiveness, perceived by adult part-time students, and introduces various dimensions of e-learning to evaluate their direct and indirect impact on the global teaching effectiveness. This research employs a quantitative modeling framework to develop a structural model that embodies the flow concept and interactivity components of what makes for satisfactory learning experiences. We use data collected from student survey to measure these constructs and fit a structural equation model. It is hoped that the results from this study provide meaning insight into the development and delivery of high quality e-learning courses. 0 0 1343-4500 WOS:000295904700023 J Brut, Mihaela M.; Sedes, Florence; Dumitrescu, Stefan Daniel A Semantic-Oriented Approach for Organizing and Developing Annotation for E-Learning IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES 4 3 239 248 10.1109/TLT.2010.40 JUL-SEP 2011 2011 This paper presents a solution to extend the IEEE LOM standard with ontology-based semantic annotations for efficient use of learning objects outside Learning Management Systems. The data model corresponding to this approach is first presented. The proposed indexing technique for this model development in order to acquire a better annotation of learning resources is further presented. This technique extends and combines two consecrated alternative methods for structure-based indexing of textual resources: the mathematical approach of the latent semantic indexing and the linguistic-oriented WordNet-based text processing. Thus, the reason behind the good results provided by the first method becomes more transparent due to the linguistic controlled choices proposed by the second method. The paper results are important in the context of adopting semantic web technologies in the e-learning field, but also as a progress in the area of ontology-based indexing of textual resources. 0 0 1939-1382 WOS:000294857500006 J Chandra, Surendar Experiences in Personal Lecture Video Capture IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES 4 3 261 274 10.1109/TLT.2011.10 JUL-SEP 2011 2011 The ability of lecture videos to capture the different modalities of a class interaction make them a good review tool. Multimedia capable devices are ubiquitous among contemporary students. Many lecturers are leveraging this popularity by distributing videos of lectures. They depend on the university to provide the video capture infrastructure. Some universities use trained videographers. Though they produce excellent videos, these efforts are expensive. Several research projects automate the video capture. However, these research prototypes are not readily deployable because of organizational constraints. Rather than waiting for the university to provide the necessary infrastructure, we show that instructors can personally capture the lecture videos using off-the-shelf components. Consumer grade high definition cameras and powerful personal computers allow instructor captured lecture videos to be as effective as the ones captured by the university. However, instructors will need to spend their own time on the various steps of the video capture workflow. They are also untrained in media capture; the capture mechanisms must be simple. Based on our experience in capturing lecture videos over three and a half years, we describe the technical challenges encountered in this endeavor. For instructors who accept the educational value of distributing lecture videos, we show that the effort required to capture and process the videos was modest. However, most existing campus storage and distribution options are unsuitable for the resource demands imposed by video distribution. We describe the strengths of several viable distribution alternatives. The instructors should work with the campus information technology personnel and design a distribution mechanism that considers the network location of the students. 0 0 1939-1382 WOS:000294857500008 J Caravantes, Arturo; Galan, Ramon Generic Educational Knowledge Representation for Adaptive and Cognitive Systems EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY 14 3 SI 252 266 JUL 2011 2011 The interoperability of educational systems, encouraged by the development of specifications, standards and tools related to the Semantic Web is limited to the exchange of information in domain and student models. High system interoperability requires that a common framework be defined that represents the functional essence of educational systems. To address this need, we developed a generic model of educational systems that we called Cognitive Ontology of Educational Systems (COES) and we encoded it as functional reference ontology. It generalizes the educational system architecture, taking into account the cognitive perspective. This framework ranges from the usual e-learning systems to complex cognitive and adaptive hypermedia systems.This article describes the part of the COES related to domain knowledge representation and proposes an implementation called Generic Educational Knowledge (GEK). The GEK model is structured in a flexible way that allows the authors to codify instructional and semantic levels as needed. In order to test its feasibility, the model was applied in a distance learning course using two educational-knowledge models, GEK and ADL-SCORM, and two educational systems, a traditional Web-Based Adaptive Hypermedia System and a Rich Internet Application with dialog interaction and cognitive monitoring. 0 0 1436-4522 WOS:000294410900021 J Wang, Minhong; Peng, Jun; Cheng, Bo; Zhou, Hance; Liu, Jie Knowledge Visualization for Self-Regulated Learning EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY 14 3 SI 28 42 JUL 2011 2011 The Web allows self-regulated learning through interaction with large amounts of learning resources. While enjoying the flexibility of learning, learners may suffer from cognitive overload and conceptual and navigational disorientation when faced with various information resources under disparate topics and complex knowledge structures. This study proposed a knowledge visualization (KV) approach to this problem in an online course. The investigation involved the design, development, and evaluation of an enhanced learning system for the course using the proposed approach. The focus was on visualization of domain knowledge structure and integrating the structure with curriculum design, learning resources, learning assessment, intellectual process, and social learning. Survey and interviews with students demonstrated high user satisfaction and acceptance with the developed system and its functions for KV. These findings lay the foundation for further exploration with the system to determine its impact on reducing cognitive load and improving the learning process. 0 0 1436-4522 WOS:000294410900004 J Akoumianakis, Demosthenes Learning as 'Knowing': Towards Retaining and Visualizing Use in Virtual Settings EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY 14 3 SI 55 68 JUL 2011 2011 The paper elaborates on the assumption that in modern organisations collaborative learning is an enacted capability that is more about 'acting' and co-engaging in shared practices. In such settings, virtual learning can be conceived as an emergent knowledge process with no pre-determined outcomes that occupies multiple online and offline constituencies. Then, retaining and visualizing the history of co-engagement in practice becomes a pre-requisite for effective e-learning environments. Using two case studies exploring the social production of radically different information-based products, namely networked music performances and vacation packages, the present work frames virtual learning in the traces online ensembles leave as their members co-engage (both online and offline) in socially constituted activities. The analysis leads to several findings, with most prominent the following: (a) 'Knowing' is accomplished through recurrent co-engagement in a designated practice, (b) Learning in online settings emerges through the intertwining of online and offline activities, and (c) Artefacts of practice need to embody critical design qualities, if they are to serve learning as 'knowing' in practice. 0 0 1436-4522 WOS:000294410900006 J Schermer, Tjard R.; Akkermans, Reinier P.; Crockett, Alan J.; van Montfort, Marian; Grootens-Stekelenburg, Joke; Stout, Jim W.; Pieters, Willem Effect of e-Learning and Repeated Performance Feedback on Spirometry Test Quality in Family Practice: A Cluster Trial ANNALS OF FAMILY MEDICINE 9 4 330 336 10.1370/afm.1258 JUL-AUG 2011 2011 PURPOSE Spirometry has become an indispensable tool in primary care to exclude, diagnose, and monitor chronic respiratory conditions, but the quality of spirometry tests in family practices is a reason for concern. Aim of this study was to investigate whether a combination of e-learning and bimonthly performance feedback would improve spirometry test quality in family practices in the course of 1 year.METHODS Our study was a cluster trial with 19 family practices allocated to intervention or control conditions through minimization. Intervention consisted of e-learning and bimonthly feedback reports to practice nurses. Control practices received only the joint baseline workshop. Spirometry quality was assessed by independent lung function technicians. Two outcomes were defined, with the difference between rates of tests with 2 acceptable and repeatable blows being the primary outcome and the difference between rates of tests with 2 acceptable blows being the secondary outcome. We used multilevel logistic regression analysis to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for an adequate test in intervention group practices.RESULTS We analyzed 1,135 tests. Rate of adequate tests was 33% in intervention and 30% in control group practices (OR = 1.3; P = .605). Adequacy of tests did not differ between groups but tended to increase with time: OR = 2.2 (P = .057) after 3 and OR = 2.0 (P = .086) in intervention group practices after 4 feedback reports. When ignoring test repeatability, these differences between the groups were slightly more pronounced: OR = 2.4 (P = .033) after 3 and OR = 2.2 (P = .051) after 4 feedback reports.CONCLUSIONS In the course of 1 year, we observed a small and late effect of e-learning and repeated feedback on the quality of spirometry as performed by family practice nurses. This intervention does not seem to compensate the lack of rigorous training and experience in performing spirometry tests in most practices. 1 1 1544-1709 WOS:000293106400008 J Njuguna, Njogu; Flanders, Adam E.; Kahn, Charles E., Jr. Informatics in Radiology Envisioning the Future of E-Learning in Radiology: An Introduction to SCORM RADIOGRAPHICS 31 4 1173 1179 10.1148/rg.314105191 JUL-AUG 2011 2011 Computer-based learning, or "e-learning," plays an increasingly important role in healthcare education. Modular, standardized approaches to e-learning make learning content portable, reusable, and interoperable. The Shareable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) is a standard for educational content that builds upon existing standards for e-learning. The " SCORM for Healthcare" model, which is designed to meet the particular needs of learning in health professions, is being developed to improve communication of educational needs, goals, and competencies among healthcare workers, educational providers, and certifying organizations. Radiologists can benefit from SCORM by becoming familiar with its features and the opportunities it affords to improve online learning. (C) RSNA, 2011 radiographics.rsna.org 0 0 0271-5333 WOS:000292867000021 J Chang, Paul J. Informatics in Radiology Envisioning the Future of E-Learning in Radiology: An Introduction to SCORM Invited Commentary RADIOGRAPHICS 31 4 1179 1180 JUL-AUG 2011 2011 0 0 0271-5333 WOS:000292867000022 J de-Marcos, Luis; Martinez, Jose-Javier; Gutierrez, Jose-Antonio; Barchino, Roberto; Hilera, Jose-Ramon; Oton, Salvador; Gutierrez, Jose-Maria GENETIC ALGORITHMS FOR COURSEWARE ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE COMPUTING INFORMATION AND CONTROL 7 7A 3981 4004 JUL 2011 2011 The process for creating learning contents using reusable learning objects (LOs) can be broken down into two sub-processes: LO finding and LO sequencing. Finding can be automated by the use of federated search engines along with gap analysis techniques; however, sequencing is usually performed by instructors, who create courses targeting generic profiles rather than personalised materials. This paper proposes a novel technique for courseware engineering that aims to solve two recurrent problems in this area: automation of the instructor's role and personalised course building. Simultaneously, e-learning standards are promoted in order to ensure interoperability. Competencies and metadata are used to define relations between LOs so that the sequencing problem turns into a constraint satisfaction problem and a genetic algorithm is designed and implemented to solve the sequencing problem. The proposed agent is tested in real and simulated scenarios. Results show that it succeeds in all test cases and that it handles reasonably the computational complexity inherent in this kind of problem. 1 1 1349-4198 WOS:000292626800030 J Wang, Chih-Ming; Chiang, Ming-Chao; Yang, Chu-Sing; Tsai, Chun-Wei AIDED CONTENTS SUPPORTING SERVICE FOR E-LEARNING SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE COMPUTING INFORMATION AND CONTROL 7 7A 4005 4026 JUL 2011 2011 In this paper, we present a novel method for automatically augmenting the learning contents of an e-Learning system, called Aided Contents Supporting Service (or ACSS for short). The proposed method starts off with the examination subsystem of which the exam items are the main learning contents. Then, motivated by the desire to provide the users of such a system with more contents, ACSS will automatically extract concepts associated with each exam item when it is being read. The key concepts associated with the exam items can even be sent as queries to content search engines to get more contents to aid learning. Moreover, the aided contents can be accumulated, ranked, and shared by the users of such a system. Our simulation results indicate that the proposed method can effectively find and integrate many more relevant contents into an e-Learning system. Besides, as a test bed, we not only apply the proposed method to an e-Learning system we develop, but we also use the grid computing technology to speed up the performance of the proposed method. 1 1 1349-4198 WOS:000292626800031 J Miller, Lisa M. Soederberg; Gibson, Tanja N.; Applegate, Elizabeth A.; de Dios, Jeannette Mechanisms underlying comprehension of health information in adulthood: The roles of prior knowledge and working memory capacity JOURNAL OF HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY 16 5 794 806 10.1177/1359105310392090 JUL 2011 2011 Prior knowledge, working memory capacity (WMC), and conceptual integration (attention allocated to integrating concepts in text) are critical within many contexts; however, their impact on the acquisition of health information (i.e. learning) is relatively unexplored.We examined how these factors impact learning about nutrition within a cross-sectional study of adults ages 18 to 81. Results showed that conceptual integration mediated the effects of knowledge and WMC on learning, confirming that attention to concepts while reading is important for learning about health. We also found that when knowledge was controlled, age declines in learning increased, suggesting that knowledge mitigates the effects of age on learning about nutrition. 1 1 1359-1053 WOS:000291676700010 J Greil, W.; von Stralendorff, I.; Mandl, H. Blended learning in continuing medical education NERVENARZT 82 7 895 901 10.1007/s00115-010-3123-4 JUL 2011 2011 In this article a blended learning concept in continuing medical education is evaluated over a broad range of ages, as there is little data on this topic so far. The aims of this study were to document the blended learning concept, to evaluate the subjective gain of knowledge, as well as didactic and virtual means. Finally the actual usage and accreditation are reported.The curriculum referred to the topic of bipolar disorder, combined episodes of face-to-face instruction and individual web-based learning over a period of 3 months.The didactic concept was very well accepted by the participants (N=346) and was evaluated as very user-friendly. The most appreciated dimensions were aEurosubjective gain of knowledge" and aEurosupport by media tutor". Nearly 80% participated in both face-to-face as well in both web-based episodes. The component of web-based learning was accredited by the responsible institution (State Medical Association) with increasing number of credits over a period of 3 years.Blended learning is a useful didactic concept in continuing medical education of psychiatrists independent of the age of the participants. 0 0 0028-2804 WOS:000292307000010 J Ruiz, Jorge G.; Tunuguntla, Renuka; Cifuentes, Pedro; Andrade, Allen D.; Ouslander, Joseph G.; Roos, Bernard A. Development and Pilot Testing of a Self-management Internet-based Program for Older Adults with Overactive Bladder UROLOGY 78 1 48 53 10.1016/j.urology.2011.01.043 JUL 2011 2011 OBJECTIVES To implement and pilot test our Self-Management Internet-Based Program for Older Adults with Overactive Bladder (OAB-SMIP) in a group of older adults with overactive bladder (OAB) to determine its usability and outcomes, including knowledge, self-efficacy, perception of bladder condition, and health-related quality of life.METHODS In a single-group study design with pre- and post-tests, we recruited 25 men and women age 55 or older with symptoms of OAB. The OAB-SMIP intervention consisted of 3 multimedia e-learning tutorials, social networking features, and other online resources delivered over 6 weeks.RESULTS Participants enjoyed the OAB-SMIP and found it easy to use. Participants demonstrated increased knowledge (SMD = 4.17, large effect size), and their symptoms improved after the intervention (SMD = 1.20-1.30, large effect sizes). Participants improved their overall self-efficacy (SMD = 1.84, large effect size) as well as their self-efficacy in performing pelvic muscle exercises (SMD = 1.41, large effect size) and controlling urge symptoms (SMD = 1.32, large effect size), and there were significant increases in health-related quality of life (SMD = 1.13, large effect size) after exposure to the OAB-SMIP. We did not find any significant gender differences.CONCLUSIONS Participants using the OAB-SMIP improved their knowledge, symptoms, self-efficacy in performing pelvic muscle exercises and overall management of OAB, as well as health-related quality-of-life scores. UROLOGY 78: 48-53, 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc. 2 2 0090-4295 WOS:000292080300014 J Gaeta, Matteo; Ritrovato, Pierluigi; Talia, Domenico Grid-Enabled Virtual Organizations for Next-Generation Learning Environments IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SYSTEMS MAN AND CYBERNETICS PART A-SYSTEMS AND HUMANS 41 4 784 797 10.1109/TSMCA.2011.2132714 JUL 2011 2011 Nowadays, we are witnesses of a transformation in the e-learning arena. This transformation has different drivers involving all the actors in the learning value chain, from final users to learning institutions through technology providers. All those actors share a common goal: making the learning processes more effective through the information and communication technologies. This is happening through the promotion of a paradigm shift from content-centered to process-centered solutions. In this paper, we present the results from the European Learning Grid Infrastructure project concerning models, processes, and services supported by a service-oriented software architecture for creating dynamic and adaptive virtual organizations for learning using Grid technologies. 0 0 1083-4427 WOS:000291819000016 J Gaeta, Matteo; Orciuoli, Francesco; Paolozzi, Stefano; Salerno, Saverio Ontology Extraction for Knowledge Reuse: The e-Learning Perspective IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SYSTEMS MAN AND CYBERNETICS PART A-SYSTEMS AND HUMANS 41 4 798 809 10.1109/TSMCA.2011.2132713 JUL 2011 2011 Ontologies have been frequently employed in order to solve problems derived from the management of shared distributed knowledge and the efficient integration of information across different applications. However, the process of ontology building is still a lengthy and error-prone task. Therefore, a number of research studies to (semi-)automatically build ontologies from existing documents have been developed. In this paper, we present our approach to extract relevant ontology concepts and their relationships from a knowledge base of heterogeneous text documents. We also show the architecture of the implemented system and discuss the experiments in a real-world context. 0 0 1083-4427 WOS:000291819000017 J Ocaya, R. O. A framework for collaborative remote experimentation for a physical laboratory using a low cost embedded web server JOURNAL OF NETWORK AND COMPUTER APPLICATIONS 34 4 SI 1408 1415 10.1016/j.jnca.2011.03.024 JUL 2011 2011 A TCP/IP-based scientific instrument control and data distribution system have been designed and realized as part of a low cost e-learning strategy to allow an institution of learning to offer remote access to a distant, physical laboratory for collaborative experimentation using a highly embedded web server. In principle a single experimental setup in the remote laboratory can be monitored and logged simultaneously by any number of permitted clients through a simple, custom web browser interface. The system features an IEEE 802.3 compliant full-duplex Medium Access Controller (MAC) and Physical Layer Device connected to actuators and measurement transducers for control, data acquisition, distribution and logging over a local high-speed TCP/IP network. The designed system differs in its approach from most contemporary approaches in that it specifies circuit level components required to set up a low cost collaborative remote experimentation server. The system hardware comprises a server made up of a PIC18f2620 and ENC28j60 and client PC terminals interconnected through a network hub. The software comprises the firm ware, written in C and Javascript, and a simple client web browser written in the Visual Basic.NET framework. This custom client browser approach circumvents the restrictions that standard client browsers place on direct file system access while optimizing data acquisition and transport while better handling several exception scenarios and implementing an authentication mechanism for secure client access. The system suggests a simplified external ROM-based client authentication solution to the problem of embedded system security that is of growing global concern. The figures of merit of the system, such as the round-trip times and the inter-sample times, are determined. Finally, typical data outputs of two networked PCs in a collaborative monitoring of temperatures in Newton's law of cooling experiment are presented. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 1084-8045 WOS:000291846700034 J Waterston, Rosemary Interaction in online interprofessional education case discussions JOURNAL OF INTERPROFESSIONAL CARE 25 4 272 279 10.3109/13561820.2011.566647 JUL 2011 2011 This study investigated online interaction within a curriculum unit at the University of Toronto, Canada that included an interprofessional case study discussion in a mixed-mode (face-to-face and online) format. Nine of the 81 teams that completed the four-day curriculum were selected for detailed review based on the attitudes students expressed on a survey about the value of collaborating online for enhancing their appreciation of other health care professions. Five of the teams selected were ''positive'' and four were ''negative''. The responses to other survey items by members of these teams were then compared, as well as their message posting patterns and the content of their online discussions. Differences between the two sets were situated within a theoretical framework drawn from the contact theory, social interdependence theory, and the Community of Inquiry model. Institutional support in the form of facilitator involvement, individual predispositions to online and group learning, the group composition, the learning materials, task and assignment, and technical factors all affected the levels of participation online. Discourse and organizational techniques were identified that related to interactivity within the online discussions. These findings can help curriculum planners design interprofessional case studies that encourage the interactivity required for successful online discussions. 0.5). Feedback from all users of the e-resource was positive. Virtual reality anatomy learning can be used to compliment traditional teaching methods effectively. Anat Sci Educ 4:119-125. (C) 2011 American Association of Anatomists. 0 1 1935-9772 WOS:000290773000001 J Kocna, P. E-LEARNING EXPERIENCES OF NATIONAL SOCIETIES OF CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE 49 S27 S27 1 MAY 2011 2011 0 0 1434-6621 WOS:000289974200024 J Boehme, Fanny; Gil-Mohapel, Joana; Cox, Adrian; Patten, Anna; Giles, Erica; Brocardo, Patricia S.; Christie, Brian R. Voluntary exercise induces adult hippocampal neurogenesis and BDNF expression in a rodent model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE 33 10 1799 1811 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2011.07676.x MAY 2011 2011 Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can result in a myriad of health problems in the affected offspring ranging from growth deficiencies to central nervous system impairments that result in cognitive deficits. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is thought to play a role in cognition (i.e. learning and memory) and can be modulated by extrinsic factors such as alcohol consumption and physical exercise. We examined the impact of voluntary physical exercise on adult hippocampal neurogenesis in a rat model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Intragastric intubation was used to deliver ethanol to rats in a highly controlled fashion through all three trimester equivalents (i.e. throughout gestation and during the first 10 days of postnatal life). Ethanol-exposed animals and their pair-fed and ad libitum controls were left undisturbed until they reached a young adult stage at which point they had free access to a running wheel for 12 days. Prenatal and early postnatal ethanol exposure altered cell proliferation in young adult female rats and increased early neuronal maturation without affecting cell survival in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus. Voluntary wheel running increased cell proliferation, neuronal maturation and cell survival as well as levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the DG of both ethanol-exposed female rats and their pair-fed and ad libitum controls. These results indicate that the capacity of the brain to respond to exercise is not impaired in this model of FASD, highlighting the potential therapeutic value of physical exercise for this developmental disorder. 1 1 0953-816X WOS:000290628900005 J Hamilton, Douglas R.; Sargsyan, Ashot E.; Martin, David S.; Garcia, Kathleen M.; Melton, Shannon L.; Feiveson, Alan; Dulchavsky, Scott A. On-Orbit Prospective Echocardiography on International Space Station Crew ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY-A JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR ULTRASOUND AND ALLIED TECHNIQUES 28 5 491 501 10.1111/j.1540-8175.2011.01385.x MAY 2011 2011 Objectives: A prospective trial of echocardiography was conducted on six crew members onboard the International Space Station. The main objective was to determine the efficacy of remotely guided tele-echocardiography, including just-in-time e-training methods and determine what is "space normal" echocardiographic data. Methods: Each crew member operator (n = 6) had 2-hour preflight training. Baseline echocardiographic data were collected 55-167 days preflight. Similar equipment was used in each 60-minute in-flight session (mean microgravity exposure - 114 days [34 - 190]). On-orbit ultrasound (US) operators used an e-learning system within 24 hours of these sessions. Expert assistance was provided using US video downlink and two-way voice. Testing was repeated 5-16 days after landing. Separate ANOVA was used on each echocardiographic variable (n = 33). Within each ANOVA, three tests were made: (a) effect of mission phase (preflight, in-flight, postflight); (b) effect of echo technician (two technicians independently analyzed the data); (c) interaction between mission phase and technician. Results: Eleven rejections of the null hypothesis (mission phase or technician or both had no effect) were found that could be considered for possible follow up. Of these, eight rejections were for significant technician effects, not space flight. Three rejections of the null hypothesis (aortic valve time velocity integral, mitral E-wave velocity, and heart rate) were attributable to space flight but determine to not be clinically significant. No rejections were due to the interaction between technician and space flight. Conclusion: Thus, we found no consistent clinically significant effects of long-duration space flight on echocardiographic variables of the given group of subjects. (Echocardiography 2011;28:491-501). 1 1 0742-2822 WOS:000290584300007 J DeBate, Rita D.; Cragun, Deborah; Severson, Herbert H.; Shaw, Tracy; Christiansen, Steve; Koerber, Anne; Tomar, Scott; Brown, Kelli McCormack; Tedesco, Lisa A.; Hendricson, William Factors for Increasing Adoption of E-Courses Among Dental and Dental Hygiene Faculty Members JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION 75 5 589 597 MAY 2011 2011 The incorporation of web-based learning into the dental curriculum has been consistently recommended in the literature on reform in dental education. There has been growing support for web-based learning in dental and dental hygiene education as demonstrated by deans' identifying this as a planned curricular innovation. The purpose of our study was to explore characteristics of e-courses that may serve to increase adoption among dental and dental hygiene faculty members. Eight ninety-minute focus groups (three dental; five dental hygiene) were conducted with dental (n=27) and dental hygiene (n=23) faculty members from six academic institutions. The resulting data were analyzed to identify two overarching themes and associated subthemes with regard to benefits and barriers influencing adoption of e-courses. A working conceptual framework, based on the Diffusion of Innovations, was developed from these themes to understand the characteristics that may influence the rate of adoption of e-courses among dental and dental hygiene faculty members. Analysis of the data revealed four main adoption barriers: 1) low perceived relative advantage to faculty members; 2) low compatibility with current curriculum; 3) high perceived time commitment; and 4) complexity of e-course development. This exploratory assessment identifies leverage points for facilitating the adoption and sustainability of e-courses in dental and dental hygiene education. 0 0 0022-0337 WOS:000290371800002 J Weller, Martin A pedagogy of abundance REVISTA ESPANOLA DE PEDAGOGIA 69 249 223 235 MAY-AUG 2011 2011 A pedagogy of abundance The digitalisation of content combined with a global network for delivery and an open system for sharing has seen radical changes in many industries. The economic model which has underpinned many content based industries has been based on an assumption of scarcity. With a digital, open, networked approach we are witnessing a shift to abundance of content, and subsequently new economic models are being developed which have this as an assumption. In this article the role of scarcity in developing higher education practice and pedagogy is explored. The shift to abundant content has as profound implications for education as it has for content industries. The possible contenders for a 'pedagogy of abundance' are examined and the necessary requirements for such a pedagogy outlined. 0 0 0034-9461 WOS:000290049100002 J Angeles Murga-Menoyo, Ma Information Technology and Innovation in Teaching. Concept Map Editors: Possibilities and Limitations REVISTA ESPANOLA DE PEDAGOGIA 69 249 273 288 MAY-AUG 2011 2011 Information Technology and Innovation in Teaching. Concept Map Editors: Possibilities and Limitations This e-learning article draws attention to the interesting features of concept map editors, particularly Cmap Tools, as instruments of innovation in university teaching. With the development of information technologies, the creation of this type of software has given a strong boost to the already-proved instrumental potential of the concept map technique in conventional learning environments. Information technologies incorporate new utilities and make it possible to extend concept maps to virtual educational contexts. After an analysis of the didactic potential of concept maps and the characteristics of editors, the article describes the specific features and applications of Cmap Tools, building up to an affirmation of the editor's motivating power. Cmap Tools does a good job of stimulating student work, as supported by the results of a pilot project run at the Spanish National University of Distance Education concerning adaptation to the requirements of the Bologna process. 0 0 0034-9461 WOS:000290049100005 J Acampora, Giovanni; Gaeta, Matteo; Loia, Vincenzo COMBINING MULTI-AGENT PARADIGM AND MEMETIC COMPUTING FOR PERSONALIZED AND ADAPTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES COMPUTATIONAL INTELLIGENCE 27 2 141 165 10.1111/j.1467-8640.2010.00367.x MAY 2011 2011 Learning is a critical support mechanism for industrial and academic organizations to enhance the skills of employees and students and, consequently, the overall competitiveness in the new economy. The remarkable velocity and volatility of modern knowledge require novel learning methods offering additional features as efficiency, task relevance and personalization. Computational Intelligence methodologies can support e-Learning system designers in two different aspects: (1) they represent the most suitable solution able to support learning content and activities, personalized to specific needs and influenced by specific preferences of the learner and (2) they assist designers with computationally efficient methods to develop "in time" e-Learning environments. This article attempts to achieve both results by exploiting an ontological representations of learning environment and memetic approach of optimization, integrated into a cooperative distributed problem solving framework. This synergy enables multi-island memetic approach managing a collection of models and processes for adapting an e-Learning system to the learner expectations and to formulate objectives in an effective and dynamic intelligent way. More precisely, our proposal exploits ontological representations of learning environment and a memetic distributed problem-solving approach to generate the best learning presentation and, at the same time, minimize the computational efforts necessary to compute optimal learning experiences. 0 0 0824-7935 WOS:000290267600001 J Cheng, Ching-Hsue; Wei, Liang-Ying; Chen, Yao-Hsien A NEW E-LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT EVALUATION MODEL BASED ON ROUGH SET AND SIMILARITY FILTER COMPUTATIONAL INTELLIGENCE 27 2 260 279 10.1111/j.1467-8640.2011.00380.x MAY 2011 2011 The trend of utilizing information and Internet technologies as teaching and learning tools is rapidly expanding into education. E-learning is one of the most popular learning environments in the information era. The Internet enables students to learn without limitations of space and time. Furthermore, the learners can repeatedly review the context of a course without the barrier of distance. Recently, student-centered instruction has become the primary trend in education, and the e-learning system, which is considered with regard to of personalization and adaptability, is more and more popular. By means of e-learning systems, teachers can adjust the learning schedule instantly for each learner according to a student's achievements and build more adaptive learning environments. Sometimes, teachers give biased assessments of students' achievements under uncontrollable conditions (i.e., tiredness, preference) and are in dire need of overcoming this predicament. To solve the drawback mentioned, a new model to evaluate learning achievements based on rough set and similarity filter is proposed. The proposed model includes four facets: (1) select important features (attributes) to enhance classification performance by feature selection methods; (2) utilize minimal entropy principle approach (MEPA) to fuzzify the quantitative data; (3) select linguistic values for each feature and delete inconsistent data using the similarity threshold (similarity filter); and (4) generate rules based on rough set theory (RST). The practical e-learning achievement data sets are collected by an e-learning online examination system from a university in Taiwan. To verify our model, the performances of the proposed model are compared with the listing models. Results of this study demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms the listing models. 0 0 0824-7935 WOS:000290267600005 J Desai, Tejas; Stankeyeva, Darina; Chapman, Arlene; Bailey, James Nephrology fellows show consistent use of, and improved knowledge from, a nephrologist-programmed teaching instrument JOURNAL OF NEPHROLOGY 24 3 345 350 10.5301/JN.2010.5820 MAY-JUN 2011 2011 Introduction: Teaching nephrology through a traditional classroom-based approach has significant time and place limitations. In the 21st century, these limitations are more prevalent and harder to resolve. Fortunately, online teaching instruments can overcome these restrictions. On this basis, we hypothesized that a nephrology-focused online teaching instrument, programmed and maintained by nephrology educators, would result in sustained use by, and improved test scores for, nephrology fellows.Methods: To test this hypothesis, we programmed and managed a 3-tiered Web-based teaching instrument based on the Blackboard platform. Nephrology fellows from Emory University, from the Classes of 2008-2010, were the primary subjects asked to use this instrument. We tracked their use of every teaching resource for 20 months. In addition we tested their knowledge of nephrolithiasis before and after using our interactive teaching module.Results: Both the e-Library and Discussion forums showed increases in total use from years 1 to 2 (31% and 91% increases, respectively). When stratified by category or year in training, the changes in average monthly use of all online teaching resources were nonsignificant. Eight of 10 renal fellows showed increases in postmodule test scores (42.3% increase for the Class of 2009; 10.7% increase for the Class of 2010).Conclusions: Our results demonstrate sustained use in all 3 tiers of the online instrument. There was a significant improvement in knowledge after using the online module. The results indicate that nephrology educators can program sustainable online teaching tools that improve fellows' knowledge of nephrology. 1 1 1121-8428 WOS:000290374700012 J Stelma, Juup An ecological model of developing researcher competence: the case of software technology in doctoral research INSTRUCTIONAL SCIENCE 39 3 367 385 10.1007/s11251-010-9132-7 MAY 2011 2011 This paper presents an ecological model of developing researcher competence, with a particular focus on doctoral students' use of research software. The model extends on theoretical work done by Young et al. (Instructional Science 30(1): 47-63, 2002), modelling the intentional dynamics of technological learning contexts. The development of the ecological model is linked to existing ways of understanding the doctoral experience. This includes the recent emphasis on pedagogy and learning, as well as different conceptualisations of context. The experiences of three doctoral student informants are used to exemplify aspects of the ecological model. A description of an e-learning resource, designed to support Education doctoral students' use of research software, illustrates a concrete pedagogical contribution of the model. The paper concludes with a more general discussion of contributions of the model to the field of ecological psychology and the literature on doctoral education. 1 1 0020-4277 WOS:000289486900007 J Cheng, Yung-Ming Antecedents and consequences of e-learning acceptance INFORMATION SYSTEMS JOURNAL 21 3 269 299 10.1111/j.1365-2575.2010.00356.x MAY 2011 2011 Based on the technology acceptance model (TAM), this study uses the framework of the extended TAM to examine the antecedents and consequences for employees' acceptance of the e-learning system within financial services organizations. The total of 328 useable responses collected from eight international or domestic financial services companies in Taiwan were tested against the model using structural equation modelling (SEM). The main research results are summarized as follows in terms of the antecedents of e-learning acceptance and its impact on employees' perceived performance. Four types of determinants are demonstrated: individual factors, system factors, social factors and network externality factor. Finally, this study proposes relevant suggestions for practitioners and future researchers. 1 1 1350-1917 WOS:000289265000004 J Shih, Ju-Ling; Chu, Hui-Chun; Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Kinshuk An investigation of attitudes of students and teachers about participating in a context-aware ubiquitous learning activity BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 42 3 373 394 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2009.01020.x MAY 2011 2011 In recent years, digital learning has been converting from e-learning to m-learning because of the significant growth of wireless and mobile computing technologies. Students can learn any time and any where with mobile devices. Consequently, context-aware ubiquitous learning (u-learning) is emerging as a new research area. It integrates wireless, mobile and context awareness technologies in order to detect the situation of the learners and provide more seamless adaptive support in the learning process. In this paper, a context-aware u-learning environment is developed for learning about campus vegetation in elementary schools based on an innovative approach by employing repertory grid method in designing learning content. In addition, we probe the feasibility of context-aware u-learning in courses by soliciting feedback from the students and teachers through interviews and questionnaires. The findings reveal that the environment is capable of enhancing students' motivation and learning effectiveness. Moreover, it is also capable of reducing the teaching load while enabling better control of class order. 1 1 0007-1013 WOS:000289251200012 J Chen, Chih-Ming; Lee, Tai-Hung Emotion recognition and communication for reducing second-language speaking anxiety in a web-based one-to-one synchronous learning environment BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 42 3 417 440 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2009.01035.x MAY 2011 2011 e-Learning is becoming an increasingly popular educational paradigm because of the rapid growth of the Internet. Recent studies have argued that affective modelling (ie, considering a learner's emotional or motivational state) should also be considered while designing learning activities. Many studies indicated that various learning emotions markedly impact learning outcomes. In the language education field, many studies have investigated anxiety associated with learning a second language, noting that anxiety has an adverse effect on the performance of those speaking English as a second language. Therefore, how to reduce anxiety associated with learning a second language to increase learning performance is an important research issue in the language education field. Accordingly, this study employed a sensor, signal processing, wireless communication, system-on-chip and machine-learning techniques in developing an embedded human emotion recognition system based on human pulse signals for detecting three human emotions-nervousness, peace and joy-to help teachers reduce language-learning anxiety of individual learners in a web-based one-to-one synchronous learning environment. The accuracy rate of the proposed emotion recognition model evaluated by cross-validation is as high as 79.7136% when filtering out human pulse signals that have bias. Moreover, this study applied the embedded emotion recognition system to assist instructor's teaching in a synchronous English conversation environment by immediately reporting variations in individual learner emotions to the teacher during learning. In this instructional experiment, the teacher can give appropriate learning assistance or guidance based on the emotion states of individual learners. Experimental results indicate that the proposed embedded human emotion recognition system is helpful in reducing language-based anxiety, thus promoting instruction effectiveness in English conversation classes. 1 1 0007-1013 WOS:000289251200014 J [Anonymous] Effectiveness and acceptability of face-to-face, blended and e-learning: a randomised trial of orthodontic undergraduates EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION 15 2 110 117 10.1111/j.1600-0579.2010.00651.x MAY 2011 2011 Aim:This study compared e-learning (EL), face-to-face learning (F2FL) and blended learning (BL) with respect to their effectiveness and student attitudes towards them. It also evaluated the effect of the order in which the components (EL and F2FL) of blended learning are delivered.Design:This was a prospective cluster randomised trial comparing four parallel groups.Method:Eight groups of fourth year dental undergraduate students were randomly allocated to one of four intervention groups: EL, F2FL, BL1 or BL2. These four groups were assessed for their baseline comparability of knowledge and skills. Each then received the same cephalometric tutorial but delivered by the allocated mode of learning. Effectiveness was immediately assessed with a MCQ which measured short-term recall of knowledge. Student attitudes were evaluated with a questionnaire followed by a focus group discussion.Results:Ninety (57%) students completed the study. Pearson's chi-square test found no statistically significant difference between F2FL and BL; EL alone was less effective (P < 0.05) for four MCQ questions but with no difference for the remaining six questions. Overall students were positive towards each learning modality, but a one-way analysis of variance found BL was the most and F2FL was the least accepted (P = 0.002). EL was significantly (P = 0.028) less preferred. The order of the components in BL had no significant effects.Conclusion:These results suggest that BL is more likely than either F2FL or EL alone, to be both effective and accepted when delivering cephalometric education to undergraduates. 0 0 1396-5883 WOS:000289626400008 J Behrend, Tara S.; Thompson, Lori Foster Similarity effects in online training: Effects with computerized trainer agents COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 27 3 1201 1206 10.1016/j.chb.2010.12.016 MAY 2011 2011 In this study, trainees worked with computerized trainer agents that were either similar to them or different regarding appearance or feedback-giving style. Similarity was assessed objectively, based on appearance and feedback style matching, and subjectively, based on participants' self-reported perceptions of similarity. Appearance similarity had few effects. Objective feedback similarity led to higher scores on a declarative knowledge test and higher liking for the trainer. Subjective feedback similarity was related to reactions, engagement, and liking for the trainer. Overall, results indicated that subjective similarity is more important in predicting training outcomes than objective similarity, and that surface-level similarity is less important than deep-level similarity. These results shed new light on the dynamics between e-learners and trainer agents, and inform the design of agent-based training. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0747-5632 WOS:000288875700018 J Udo, Godwin J.; Bagchi, Kallol K.; Kirs, Peeter J. Using SERVQUAL to assess the quality of e-learning experience COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 27 3 1272 1283 10.1016/j.chb.2011.01.009 MAY 2011 2011 Distance learning programs have been dramatically expanding in accordance with demand. Assessment of the quality of e-learning has become a strategic issue, one that is critical to program survival. In this study we propose a modified SERVQUAL instrument for assessing e-learning quality. The instrument consists of five dimensions: Assurance, Empathy, Responsiveness, Reliability, and Website Content. Data analysis from 203 e-learning students shows that four out of these five dimensions (except Reliability) play a significant role in perceived e-learning quality, which in turn affects learners satisfaction and future intentions to enroll in online courses. Managerial implications of the major findings are provided. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 2 2 0747-5632 WOS:000288875700028 J Lee, Ming Che; Tsai, Kun Hua; Hsieh, Tung Cheng A multi-strategy knowledge interoperability framework for heterogeneous learning objects EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS 38 5 4945 4956 10.1016/j.eswa.2010.09.157 MAY 2011 2011 This paper presents a knowledge exchange framework that can leverage the interoperability among semantically heterogeneous learning objects. With the release of various e-Learning standards, learning contents and digital courses are easy to achieve cross-platform sharing, exchanging, and even reorganizing. However, knowledge sharing in semantic level is still a challenge due to that the learning materials can be presented in any form, such as audios, videos, web pages, and even flash files. The proposed knowledge exchange framework allows users to share their learning materials (also called "learning objects") in semantic level automatically. This framework contains two methodologies: the first is a semantic mapping between knowledge bases (i.e. ontologies) which have essentially similar concepts, and the second is an ontology-based classification algorithm for sharable learning objects. The proposed algorithm adopts the IMS DRI standard and classifies the sharable learning objects from heterogeneous repositories into a local knowledge base by their inner meaning instead of keyword matching. Significance of this research lies in the semantic inferring rules for ontology mapping and learning objects classification as well as the full automatic processing and self-optimizing capability. Focused on digital learning materials and contrasted to other traditional technologies, the proposed approach has experimentally demonstrated significantly improvement in performance. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0957-4174 WOS:000287419900032 J Cheng, Kai-Wen Does thinking change with roles? A dynamic process of e-learners, e-learning managers and leaders in international accounting firms AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT 5 8 3229 3243 APR 18 2011 2011 Earlier studies of e-learning were mostly focused on development of e-learning systems, curriculums, and analysis of e-learners' feedbacks. These studies did not address the dynamic conceptual framework of e-learners, e-learning managers, and institution leaders when dealing with e-learning. The sensemaking concept offers a suitable framework for analyzing how each of these roles construct the environment, form interpretations, and take actions. This study conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with employees and employers involved in e-learning in practical research settings-two international accounting firms in Taiwan. A total of 3 institutional leaders (partners), 7 e-learning managers (directors of HR) and 10 e-learners (auditors) were interviewed. Through categorization, theme analysis and domain analysis, this study extracted their main discourses and explored the sensemaking process of each role to further construct a generalized dynamic model of e-learning. 0 0 1993-8233 WOS:000291554100021 J Alkhanak, Sana'a Abdul Karim; Azmi, Ilhaamie Abdul Ghani Information technology usage and attitudes towards online resources-Students perspective AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT 5 7 2582 2589 APR 4 2011 2011 Nowadays, the higher education trend is to emerge the traditional and online learning, placing a high concern on the development of Information Technology and deployment of e-learning. The aim of this study was to evaluate the features of information technology usage and to assess the attitudes and preferences towards e-learning courses resources among the students at the public University in Malaysia, which offered online courses resources besides the traditional education. A questionnaire was administered in three parts and a total of 515 students responded to the survey. Students indicated a strong reliance on university facilities to access the Internet from the campus, and in using the infrastructure facilities and services. Another revealed result that the students' attitudes and preferences toward online e-learning resources were positive and the availability of information about courses was the most important for the students' attitude toward using e-learning, and for the improvement of their course performance. Furthermore, students prefer taking courses which incorporate the use of Information Technology, and indicate that activities provided in interactive multimedia or e-learning systems are more effective compared to traditional classroom activities. 0 0 1993-8233 WOS:000291553900009 J Jia, Haiyang; Wang, Minhong; Ran, Weijia; Yang, Stephen J. H.; Liao, Jian; Chiu, Dickson K. W. Design of a performance-oriented workplace e-learning system using ontology EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS 38 4 3372 3382 10.1016/j.eswa.2010.08.122 APR 2011 2011 E-learning is emerging as a popular learning approach utilized by many organizations. Despite the ever increasing practices of e-learning in the workplace, most e-learning applications fail to meet learners' needs or serve organization's quests for success. Significant gaps exist between organizational interests and individual needs when they come to e-learning, which make e-learning applications less goal-effective. To solve this problem, a performance-oriented approach is presented in this study. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are set up to clarify organizational training needs, and help learners establish rational learning objectives. In addition, ontology is used for constructing formal and machine-understandable conceptualization of the performance-oriented learning environment. Using this approach, a KPI-oriented learning ontology and prototype system have been developed and evaluated to demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1 1 0957-4174 WOS:000286904600049 J Cocea, Mihaela; Weibelzahl, Stephan Disengagement Detection in Online Learning: Validation Studies and Perspectives IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES 4 2 114 124 10.1109/TLT.2010.14 APR-JUN 2011 2011 Learning environments aim to deliver efficacious instruction, but rarely take into consideration the motivational factors involved in the learning process. However, motivational aspects like engagement play an important role in effective learning-engaged learners gain more. E-Learning systems could be improved by tracking students' disengagement that, in turn, would allow personalized interventions at appropriate times in order to reengage students. This idea has been exploited several times for Intelligent Tutoring Systems, but not yet in other types of learning environments that are less structured. To address this gap, our research looks at online learning-content-delivery systems using educational data mining techniques. Previously, several attributes relevant for disengagement prediction were identified by means of log-file analysis on HTML-Tutor, a web-based learning environment. In this paper, we investigate the extendibility of our approach to other systems by studying the relevance of these attributes for predicting disengagement in a different e-learning system. To this end, two validation studies were conducted indicating that the previously identified attributes are pertinent for disengagement prediction, and two new meta-attributes derived from log-data observations improve prediction and may potentially be used for automatic log-file annotation. 0 0 1939-1382 WOS:000292542600002 J Amelung, Mario; Krieger, Katrin; Roesner, Dietmar E-Assessment as a Service IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES 4 2 162 174 10.1109/TLT.2010.24 APR-JUN 2011 2011 Assessment is an essential element in learning processes. It is therefore not unsurprising that almost all learning management systems (LMSs) offer support for assessment, e. g., for the creation, execution, and evaluation of multiple choice tests. We have designed and implemented generic support for assessment that is based on assignments that students submit as electronic documents. In addition to assignments that are graded by teachers, we also support assignments that can be automatically tested and evaluated, e. g., assignments in programming languages, or other formal notations. In this paper, we report about the design and implementation of a service-oriented approach for automatic assessment of programming assignments. The most relevant aspects of our "assessment as a service" solution are that on the one hand the advantages of automatic assessment can be used with a multitude of programming languages, as well as other formal notations (as so-called backends); on the other hand, the features of these types of assessment can be easily interfaced with different existing learning management systems (as so called frontends). We also report about the practical use of the implemented software components at our university and other educational institutions. 0 0 1939-1382 WOS:000292542600006 J Marks, Andrew; Maizels, Max; Mickelson, Jennie; Yerkes, Elizabeth; Herndon, C. D. Anthony; Lane, Jerry; Ben-Ami, Tamar; Maizels, Evelyn; Stoltz, Rachel Stork; Dixon, Scott; Liu, Dennis; Chaviano, Tony; Hagerty, Jennifer; Kaplan, William Effectiveness of the computer enhanced visual learning method in teaching the society for fetal urology hydronephrosis grading system for urology trainees JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC UROLOGY 7 2 113 117 10.1016/j.jpurol.2010.09.009 APR 2011 2011 Objective: A novel educational tool, Computer Enhanced Visual Learning (CEVL), has been used to improve resident performance of routine orchiopexy. Our objective was to assess the effect of a CEVL teaching module on the diagnostic accuracy of medical trainees in grading neonatal hydronephrosis on ultrasound using the Society for Fetal Urology (SFU) grading system.Methods: The authors designed an online-based computerized tutorial to teach the grading of hydronephrosis using multimedia, practice cases and a grading checklist. In a crossover design trial, 29 residents and medical students were asked to grade 16 standard neonatal renal ultrasounds using the SFU grading system before and after viewing the web-based e-learning module. Primary outcome was percent improvement in grading accuracy.Results: The mean percentages of ultrasounds that were graded correctly before and after CEVL intervention were 51% and 72% respectively (mean improvement 21%, 95% CI 3-13%, P < 0.001). Residents graded correctly 56% of ultrasounds before and 74% after CEVL (mean 18%, 7-28%, P = 0.002). Medical students graded correctly 37% before and 69% after CEVL (mean improvement 32%, 95% CI 16-48%, P = 0.002).Conclusion: Exposure to a computer-based learning module based on the CEVL platform improved urology residents' and medical students' correct assignment of SFU hydronephrosis grading to newborn renal ultrasounds. (C) 2010 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 1477-5131 WOS:000291195700004 J Zhang Tongzhen; Shen Ruimin; Lu Hongtao Using Non-Negative Matrix Factorization to Cluster Learners and Construct Learning Communities CHINESE JOURNAL OF ELECTRONICS 20 2 207 211 APR 2011 2011 In an e-learning environment, learning community is an effective solution to conquer feelings of loneliness and to share experiences and resources with one another quickly and efficiently for learners. How to cluster learners who share the same interest is a very active area of research. This paper draws knowledge point evaluation matrix from routine learning process; factorize this knowledge point evaluation matrix by Non-negative matrix factorization (NMF); use the result of factorization to build learning communities and the relation between learners and learning communities. As a result, learners with similar interests are automatically grouped into the same community; and each learner is associated with several communities according to his or her multiple interests. The algorithms were evaluated in an online college involving 1200 students. The evaluation showed the effectiveness and efficiency of the algorithms. 0 0 1022-4653 WOS:000291178100003 J Granic, Andrina; Cukusic, Maja Usability Testing and Expert Inspections Complemented by Educational Evaluation: A Case Study of an e-Learning Platform EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY 14 2 107 123 APR 2011 2011 This paper presents a comprehensive usability study conducted within the context of a Europe-wide project. The design of the evaluated e-learning platform is based on an innovative approach to the education of young Europeans by integrating into the curricula of a Europe-wide network of 14 schools different state-of-the-art technologies in e-learning. The evaluation methodology brings together end-user assessments and expert inspections, thus providing a detailed students', teachers' and experts' feedback. User testing integrates six empirical methods into a laboratory-based test. Usability inspection ascertains usability problems by means of recognized heuristics and enables an "educational evaluation" of the platform by means of three sets of criteria. The paper aims to present the effectiveness of the engaged evaluation methods as applied to e-learning platforms. It offers implications from the empirical findings of the user-based methods together with a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the employed inspection methods. Special attention is given to the aspect of educational evaluation. The conducted critical usability examination of a large-scale e-learning system across several countries in Europe revealed which of the chosen assessment methods should be combined to provide constructive and valuable improvement suggestions. A more significant contribution of this research is that the used evaluation approach proved successful, providing some general findings and know-how from the experience and could be reused by other researches because of its thorough structure. As there are relatively few existing accounts of usability assessment in the e-learning context, this paper adds to the body of knowledge. 0 0 1436-4522 WOS:000291089100010 J Park, Young; Heo, Gyeong Mi; Lee, Romee Blogging for Informal Learning: Analyzing Bloggers' Perceptions Using Learning Perspective EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY 14 2 149 160 APR 2011 2011 This study defines a blog as a contemporary web-based environment that can make a difference in adult informal learning practice. An online survey with 70 adult bloggers in Korea was undertaken to understand the nature of adults' blogging and its meanings in terms of learning. This study investigates (a) adults' blogging experiences related to learning, (b) bloggers' perceptions of the usefulness of blogging in terms of four perspectives on learning processes (i.e., learning as an acquisition process, a reflection process, a practice-based community process, and an embodied co-emergent process), and (c) the link between adult informal learning and blogging. The findings show that the majority of participants became aware of positive changes, including learning experiences, in everyday life after blogging. Among the four perspectives on learning processes, bloggers perceived blogging mainly as acquisition and/or reflection oriented learning process. Also, adult bloggers identified the characteristics of learning through blogging as 'self-directed,' 'practical,' 'situative,' 'unlimited and accessible,' and 'self-regulated,' which are distinguished from those of formal education in schools. This study therefore implies that the blog can be a meaningful learning environment and the blogging can be a significant factor in having the informal learning for adults more enriched and fulfilled. 1 1 1436-4522 WOS:000291089100013 J Tselios, Nikolaos; Daskalakis, Stelios; Papadopoulou, Maria Assessing the Acceptance of a Blended Learning University Course EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY 14 2 224 235 APR 2011 2011 Usefulness and ease of use proved to be key determinants of the acceptance and usage of e-learning. On the contrary, little is known about students' perceptions in a blended learning setting. In this paper, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was utilised, in order to investigate Greek university students' attitudes toward blended learning. The goal of the study was twofold. First, to investigate whether the students' perceptions in a blended learning setting were comparable with other studies reporting perceptions in the context of distant learning. Second, to investigate variation in students' perceptions before and after actual system use. A sample of 130 students before actual system use and 102 students after the end of the semester was used. As derived from the model analysis using partial least squares, the e-learning system was well accepted and the majority of our hypotheses were confirmed. The most notable difference between pre- and post-use scenario was that perceived usefulness did not prove to have a significant effect on behavioral intention before system use, whereas, in the end, it appeared to be significant. The results are compared with similar studies focused on e-learning acceptance. The implications, both for the designer of a blended learning course as well as for the educational community, are also discussed. 0 0 1436-4522 WOS:000291089100019 J Ghauth, Khairil Imran; Abdullah, Nor Aniza The Effect of Incorporating Good Learners' Ratings in e-Learning Content-based Recommender System EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY 14 2 248 257 APR 2011 2011 One of the anticipated challenges of today's e-learning is to solve the problem of recommending from a large number of learning materials. In this study, we introduce a novel architecture for an e-learning recommender system. More specifically, this paper comprises the following phases i) to propose an e-learning recommender system based on content-based filtering and good learners' ratings, and ii) to compare the proposed e-learning recommender system with exiting e-learning recommender systems that use both collaborative filtering and content-based filtering techniques in terms of system accuracy and student's performance. The results obtained from the test data show that the proposed e-learning recommender system outperforms existing e-learning recommender systems that use collaborative filtering and content-based filtering techniques with respect to system accuracy of about 83.28% and 48.58%, respectively. The results further show that the learner's performance is increased by at least 12.16% when the students use the e-learning with the proposed recommender system as compared to other recommendation techniques. 0 0 1436-4522 WOS:000291089100021 J Mason, Roger B. Student Engagement with, and Participation in, an e-Forum EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY 14 2 258 268 APR 2011 2011 This paper examines engagement with an online discussion forum, aiming to identify the different levels of participation and to investigate factors that encourage or discourage student participation. The case involved the posing of a short real-life problem via a forum on the university's virtual learning environment. An in-class survey was conducted to identify students' participation and attitudes toward the forum. Students understood the benefits of the task, but did not participate due to time pressures and lack of motivation. The reasons for this were found to be inadequate explanation and encouragement to do the task, and insufficient moderator participation. Recommendations for improving forum participation are provided. 0 0 1436-4522 WOS:000291089100022 J Lai, Horng-Ji The Influence of Adult Learners' Self-Directed Learning Readiness and Network Literacy on Online Learning Effectiveness: A Study of Civil Servants in Taiwan EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY 14 2 98 106 APR 2011 2011 This study examined the effect of civil servants' Self-Directed Learning Readiness (SDLR) and network literacy on their online learning effectiveness in a web-based training program. Participants were 283 civil servants enrolled in an asynchronous online learning program through an e-learning portal provided by the Regional Civil Service Development Institute in Taiwan. Data were collected via a questionnaire containing three parts: SDLR scale, network literacy scale, and online learning effectiveness scale. The findings indicated civil servants' SDLR and network literacy were positive; however, participants' involvement in online discussion was not appreciated according to the reported score of online learning effectiveness. Analysis of the data also revealed that three factors of SDLR (active learning, love of learning, and independent learning) and two constructs (Internet skill and information evaluation) of network literacy were significant predictors in predicting online learning effectiveness of civil servants. Additionally, civil servants' SDLR appeared to be the most important element in determining their online learning success based on the research findings. 0 0 1436-4522 WOS:000291089100009 J Egro, Francesco Maria Basic Burns Management e-learning tutorial: A new teaching tool BRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY 98 59 59 2 APR 2011 2011 Annual Meeting of the Society-of-Academic-and-Research-Surgery JAN 05-06, 2011 Soc Acad Res Surgery Royal Coll Surgery, Dublin, IRELAND 0 0 0007-1323 WOS:000290664500197 J Beynat, J.; Ben Mehidi, A.; Aubert, J. -P.; Bron, A. -M.; Massin, P.; Creuzot-Garcher, C. RETIDIAB (R): Assessment of a continuing medical education website for the improvement of diabetic retinopathy management DIABETES & METABOLISM 37 2 118 123 10.1016/j.diabet.2010.08.009 APR 2011 2011 Aim. - The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a continuing medical education (CME) website to improve ophthalmological management of diabetic retinopathy (DR).Methods. A worldwide website called RETIDIAB (R) was created in which, to log on for first time, users had to take a preliminary test to evaluate their baseline level of knowledge. This allowed them free access to the entire website at any time with no time obligation. The website comprised a course of theoretical concepts and different types of training, including multiple-choice questionnaires (MCQ) focused on the course content, interpretation of diabetic fundus photographs and case reports. After perusing the entire RETIDIAB website, users could take a second assessment test. Finally, they were asked to fill in a questionnaire evaluating the entire programme.Results. A total of 137 users were registered and, of these, 109 took only the preliminary test, while 28 took the second test and evaluated the entire website; of the latter, 75% were residents and 25% were practising physicians, and 15 were male and 13 were female, ranging in age from 26 to 42 (30.2 +/- 3) years. Statistically significant progress was seen between the first and second evaluations (37.3 +/- 14% correct answers vs 64 +/- 10%, respectively), and the average time interval between the first and second evaluations was 40 20 days. In addition, users expressed a high level of overall satisfaction with the site.Conclusion. This pilot study demonstrated the value and effectiveness of RETIDIAB, a new CME website exclusively devoted to DR management. (C) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved. 0 0 1262-3636 WOS:000290876400006 J Gallo, Ana-Maria Beyond the Classroom Using Technology to Meet the Educational Needs of Multigenerational Perinatal Nurses JOURNAL OF PERINATAL & NEONATAL NURSING 25 2 195 199 10.1097/JPN.0b013e3182163993 APR-JUN 2011 2011 For the first time in history, there are 4 distinct generations of nurses working side by side at the clinical bedside: Veterans, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. All the generations have their unique personalities, beliefs, values, and learning styles. Approach to learning range from the traditional instructional method preferred by the Veteran's nurses to the more advanced technology (eg, Web-based, webinars, simulations, podcasts, and blogs) approach favored by Generation Y. Nurse educators and clinical nurse specialists must consider each generation's style of learning to best engage, stimulate, and promote transference and assimilations of new knowledge. This article briefly describes the generational learning style differences and explores alternative educational modalities to the traditional classroom instruction. 0 0 0893-2190 WOS:000290202200020 J Hussein, Hisham Barakat ATTITUDES OF SAUDI UNIVERSITIES FACULTY MEMBERS TOWARDS USING LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (JUSUR) TURKISH ONLINE JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 10 2 43 53 APR 2011 2011 The research aims to identify the Attitudes of faculty members at Saudi Universities towards using E-learning Management System JUSUR, which follows the National Center for E-learning. A descriptive analysis was used as a research methodology. (90) participants in this research were asked to complete a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire, which consists of (34) items, classified in three main categories, and (2) items as probe statements. Validity and reliability of the questionnaire were ensured. Statistical treatments such as percentages, means, frequencies, and analysis of variance ANOVA were conducted. The results showed a positive Attitudes of the members of the faculty at Saudi University towards E-learning management system JUSUR, although it has not activated in a sufficient way yet, the results showed how their needs for training in using the system and in particular learning content management and file sharing, forums, and Questions Bank. Moreover, results showed no difference in attitudes towards using the system among the faculty members regarding gender or the types of colleges humanitarian, scientific and health. The paper has 9 tables, 9 shapes, and 20 references. 0 0 1303-6521 WOS:000289955400005 J Hong, Jon-Chao; Hwang, Ming-Yueh; Wang, Chun-Kai; Hsu, Tsui-Fang; Chen, Yu-Ju; Chan, Chiung-Hua EFFECT OF SELF-WORTH AND PARENTING STYLE ON THE PLANNED BEHAVIOR IN AN ONLINE MORAL GAME TURKISH ONLINE JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 10 2 82 90 APR 2011 2011 This idea of integrating moral education to digital gaming platform had been discussed since digital and online approaches were used in teaching. Online interactive instruction was one of moral teaching forms to assist moral instruction. However, most moral-related interactive online games lacked functions for players to explore themselves while game playing, that resulted in less participation in deeper learning and decrease understanding of moral values. Therefore, we, digital game-based learning lab of National Taiwan Normal University, developed the interactive moral online game, named 'To do or not to do', to help students explore and establish appropriate moral values. Results of Partial Least Squares (PLS) analyses indicated that behavioral intention was significantly influences by behavioral control, self-worth, attitude toward the game, subjective norm and parenting style. 0 0 1303-6521 WOS:000289955400009 J Chin, Kai-Yi; Chen, Yen-Lin; Chen, Jong-Shin; Hong, Zeng-Wei; Lin, Jim-Min Exploring the Teaching Efficiency of Integrating an Animated Agent into Web-Based Multimedia Learning System IEICE TRANSACTIONS ON INFORMATION AND SYSTEMS E94D 4 754 762 10.1587/transinf.E94.D.754 APR 2011 2011 In our previous project, an XML-based authoring tool was provided for teachers to script multimedia teaching material with animated agents, and a stand-alone learning system was designed for students to display the material and interact with animated agents. We also provided evidence that the authoring tool and learning system in computer-assisted learning systems successfully enhances learning performance. The aim of this study is to continue the previous project, to develop a Web-based multimedia learning system that presents materials and an animated agent on a Web browser. The Web-based multimedia learning system can provide an opportunity for students to engage in independent learning or review of school course work. In order to demonstrate the efficiency of this learning system, it was applied to one elementary school. An experimental material, 'Road Traffic Safety', was presented in two learning systems: a Web-based PowerPoint learning system and a Web-based multimedia learning system. The experiment was carried out in two classes that had a total of thirty-one 3rd-grade students. The results suggest that using our authoring tool in a Web-based learning system can improve learning, and in particular, enhance learners' problem-solving ability. Students with higher achievement on the post-test showed better comprehension in problem-solving questions. Furthermore, the feedback from the questionnaire surveys show students' learning interest can be fostered when an animated agent is integrated into multimedia teaching materials, and that students prefer to adopt the Web-based multimedia learning system for independent learning after school. 0 0 0916-8532 WOS:000289921900003 J Vandewoude, M.; Michel, J. -P.; Knight, P.; Anthony, P.; Glencorse, C.; Engfer, M. Variability of nutritional practice by geriatricians across Europe EUROPEAN GERIATRIC MEDICINE 2 2 67 70 10.1016/j.eurger.2011.01.016 APR 2011 2011 Introduction. - Older people are at risk of malnutrition. As this adversely affects clinical outcome, screening should be performed routinely. Our aim was to learn more about the knowledge and attitudes of geriatricians across Europe towards nutrition and their interest in receiving training.Methods. - A qualitative online survey of members of the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS) was conducted in spring 2010. It contained 47 questions using four case studies to illustrate clinical scenarios.Results. - Two hundred and eight responses were received from 20 countries. Twenty-six percent of the respondents had more than 25 years of experience and the majority worked in acute care. Only 20% had received any formal nutrition training, although nearly all indicated to consider nutrition when promoting healthy ageing. The majority recognised that a weight loss of 5-10% over the previous 6 months was indicative of malnutrition risk, whereas similar to 20% use a Body Mass Index cut-off of 18.5 kg/m(2) to initiate nutritional intervention. MNA (R) and 'MUST' were the nutritional tools most frequently used. Adequate protein and vitamin D intake were seen as important, but knowledge regarding oral nutritional supplements was limited. The majority (63%) indicated a training need and identified E-learning modules as the preferred method.Conclusions. - A survey in EUGMS has identified good awareness of the relevance of nutritional status for clinical outcome, but knowledge of appropriate identification of malnutrition and intervention was suboptimal. Participants showed high interest in attending specific nutrition training. E-learning modules should be considered as a means of educating healthcare professionals involved in geriatrics. (C) 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS and European Union Geriatric Medicine Society. All rights reserved. 0 0 1878-7649 WOS:000290083100002 J Burg, G.; Djamei, V The e-Learning Programm "DOIT-Virtual Campus'' JOURNAL DER DEUTSCHEN DERMATOLOGISCHEN GESELLSCHAFT 9 123 123 1 APR 2011 2011 0 0 1610-0379 WOS:000288955200437 J Nicolaou, Michael; Amstrong, Ray; Hassell, Andrew B.; Walker, David; Birrell, Fraser E-LEARNING IS WIDELY USED BY MUSCULOSKELETAL PROFESSIONALS (ESPECIALLY ACADEMICS AND TRAINEES) AND ARTHRITIS RESEARCH UK PROVIDES SOME OF THE BEST RESOURCES: RESULTS FROM A NATIONAL ELECTRONIC SURVEY RHEUMATOLOGY 50 59 59 3 APR 2011 2011 Annual Meeting of the British-Society-for-Rheumatology 2011 APR 12-14, 2011 British Soc Rheumatol Brighton, ENGLAND 0 0 1462-0324 WOS:000289163800157 J Myrick, Florence; Caplan, Wendy; Smitten, Jayne; Rusk, Kerry Preceptor/mentor education: A world of possibilities through e-learning technology NURSE EDUCATION TODAY 31 3 SI 263 267 10.1016/j.nedt.2010.10.026 APR 2011 2011 Preceptorship/mentorship is designed to socialize students into the nursing profession, promote their confidence/competence and foster their critical thinking ability. In today's global context, opportunities exist for local, rural, national and international student placements which provide exciting and mutually rewarding preceptorship experiences. Despite the recognized value of those involved in preceptorship/mentorship, however, little progress has been made regarding the development of an infrastructure that effectively supports their ongoing education. This project, piloted from October 2008 to February 2009, leveraged our established research and teaching experience in preceptorship with technologies that allowed us to create an accessible and engaging e-learning space designed to support preceptors in a seamless fashion, improve the quality of the student preceptorship and enhance professional teaching capacity. A purposive sample of 25 preceptors was selected with a total of 18 preceptors successfully completing the five month program. Upon completion, participants were surveyed and individually interviewed. Data analysis revealed the program to be informative, supportive and highly valued. Knowledge derived from this study can: a) further enrich the substantive nature and infrastructure of online preceptor education; and b) contribute to clarifying best practices for preceptor support, facilitation, and ongoing professional development with a view to enhancing the preceptorship experience. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1 1 0260-6917 WOS:000289323200009 J Wang, Minhong Integrating organizational, social, and individual perspectives in Web 2.0-based workplace e-learning INFORMATION SYSTEMS FRONTIERS 13 2 SI 191 205 10.1007/s10796-009-9191-y APR 2011 2011 E-learning is emerging as a popular approach of education in the workplace by virtue of its flexibility to access, just-in-time delivery, and cost-effectiveness. To improve social interaction and knowledge sharing in e-learning, Web 2.0 is increasingly utilized and integrated with e-learning applications. However, existing social learning systems fail to align learning with organizational goals and individual needs in a systemic way. The dominance of technology-oriented approaches makes e-learning applications less goal-effective and poor in quality and design. To solve the problem, we address the requirement of integrating organizational, social, and individual perspectives in the development of Web 2.0 e-learning systems. To fulfill the requirement, a key performance indicator (KPI)-oriented approach is presented in this study. By integrating a KPI model with Web 2.0 technologies, our approach is able to: 1) set up organizational goals and link the goals with expertise required for individuals; 2) build a knowledge network by linking learning resources to a set of competences to be developed and a group of people who learn and contribute to the knowledge network through knowledge creation, sharing, and peer evaluation; and 3) improve social networking and knowledge sharing by identifying each individual's work context, expertise, learning need, performance, and contribution. The mechanism of the approach is explored and elaborated with conceptual frameworks and implementation technologies. A prototype system for Web 2.0 e-learning has been developed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach. 3rd International Conference on Internet and Web Applications and Services (ICIW 2008) JUN 08-13, 2008 Athens, GREECE 6 6 1387-3326 WOS:000289258800004 J Fraser, L.; Gunasekaran, S.; Mistry, D.; Ward, V. M. M. Current use of and attitudes to e-learning in otolaryngology: questionnaire survey of UK otolaryngology trainees JOURNAL OF LARYNGOLOGY AND OTOLOGY 125 4 338 342 10.1017/S0022215110002793 APR 2011 2011 Introduction: The E-lefENT programme is a collaborative e-learning project developed by the Department of Health and ENTUK. Prior to its introduction, we aimed to assess current use of and attitudes towards e-learning amongst UK otolaryngology trainees.Method: A web-based questionnaire was distributed to UK otolaryngology trainees via regional programme directors.Results: A total of 117 responses was received (35 per cent response rate). Most trainees reported increasing exposure to e-learning throughout their training and rated their current computer literacy skills highly, although satisfaction with current e-learning resources was found to vary widely for a variety of reasons.Conclusion: Meeting the educational needs of otolaryngology trainees in the current era continues to be a challenge. Most trainees are already familiar with e-learning, although the quality and delivery of available websites is currently variable. The majority of trainees who responded seemed receptive to the implementation of a free, otolaryngology-specific e-learning resource. 0 0 0022-2151 WOS:000289434100002 J Palaigeorgiou, G.; Triantafyllakos, G.; Tsinakos, A. What if undergraduate students designed their own web learning environment? Exploring students' web 2.0 mentality through participatory design JOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING 27 2 146 159 10.1111/j.1365-2729.2010.00382.x APR 2011 2011 Following the increasing calls for a more skeptical analysis of web 2.0 and the empowerment of learners' voices in formulating upcoming technologies, this paper elaborates on the participatory design of a web learning environment. A total of 117 undergraduate students from two Greek Informatics Departments participated in 25 participatory design sessions, employing two needs' elicitation techniques, with the aim of envisioning a learning platform that meets their learning particularities and needs, incorporates and exploits their new technological habits, and can be harmoniously situated in their daily routine. Overall, 773 needs were elicited, proving that students had refined views about the elements that can render the next wave of e-learning applications successful. They convincingly demonstrated their web 2.0 mentality but sought for a smooth transition to the new environment, promoting an evolution rather than a revolution. The resulting set of needs demarcates a zone of expectancies where the enhancement of the learning content and the contextualization of knowledge remain top priorities with revamped opportunities, while networking, participation and collaboration complement and improve their characteristics. Our study is an example of exploiting participatory design for exposing students' thoughts and requirements from a critical design perspective. 0 0 0266-4909 WOS:000288383500004 J Tan, Li Tee IS18 e-Learning for Oncology CLINICAL ONCOLOGY 23 3 S26 S27 10.1016/j.clon.2011.01.388 APR 2011 2011 0 0 0936-6555 WOS:000288818800060 J Smeekens, A. E. F. N.; Broekhuijsen-van Henten, D. M.; Sittig, J. S.; Russel, I. M. B.; ten Cate, O. Th J.; Turner, N. M.; van de Putte, E. M. Successful e-learning programme on the detection of child abuse in Emergency Departments: a randomised controlled trial ARCHIVES OF DISEASE IN CHILDHOOD 96 4 330 334 10.1136/adc.2010.190801 APR 2011 2011 Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of an electronic learning (e-learning) programme on the performance of nurses in the recognition of child abuse in a simulated case in the Emergency Department (ED).Design Blinded, randomised controlled trial using pre-and postintervention design.Setting The ED of a University Medical Center in the Netherlands.Participants 38 ED nurses were included, 25 nurses were analysed.Intervention Half of the participants followed a 2-h e-learning programme focused on the recognition of child abuse, the others acted as a control group.Main outcome measurements Individual performance during a case-simulated parent interview to detect child abuse and self-reported self-efficacy for the detection of child abuse. Performance on the simulation was scored by an expert panel using a standardised assessment form which was designed to score quantity and quality of the questions posed by the nurse (minimum score 0; maximum score 114).Results During post-test, nurses in the intervention group performed significantly better during the simulation than the control group, (89 vs 71, 95% CI 2.9 to 33.3), and reported higher self-efficacy (502 vs 447, 95% CI -25.4 to 134.7). Performance in detecting child abuse correlated positively with the self-efficacy score (Spearman correlation 0.387, p value 0.056). Comparing post-and pretest results separately for the intervention and the control group showed a significant increase in performance in the intervention group.Conclusion E-learning improved the performance in case simulations and the self-efficacy of the nurses in the ED in the detection of child abuse. Wider implementation of the e-learning programme to improve the first step in the detection of child abuse is recommended.Trial registration Protocol registration system of clini-caltrials.gov: NCT00844571 1 1 0003-9888 WOS:000288315700004 J Chi, Min; VanLehn, Kurt; Litman, Diane; Jordan, Pamela Empirically evaluating the application of reinforcement learning to the induction of effective and adaptive pedagogical strategies USER MODELING AND USER-ADAPTED INTERACTION 21 1-2 137 180 10.1007/s11257-010-9093-1 APR 2011 2011 For many forms of e-learning environments, the system's behavior can be viewed as a sequential decision process wherein, at each discrete step, the system is responsible for selecting the next action to take. Pedagogical strategies are policies to decide the next system action when there are multiple ones available. In this project we present a Reinforcement Learning (RL) approach for inducing effective pedagogical strategies and empirical evaluations of the induced strategies. This paper addresses the technical challenges in applying RL to Cordillera, a Natural Language Tutoring System teaching students introductory college physics. The algorithm chosen for this project is a model-based RL approach, Policy Iteration, and the training corpus for the RL approach is an exploratory corpus, which was collected by letting the system make random decisions when interacting with real students. Overall, our results show that by using a rather small training corpus, the RL-induced strategies indeed measurably improved the effectiveness of Cordillera in that the RL-induced policies improved students' learning gains significantly. 0 0 0924-1868 WOS:000288799600005 J Anaya, Antonio R.; Boticario, Jesus G. Content-free collaborative learning modeling using data mining USER MODELING AND USER-ADAPTED INTERACTION 21 1-2 181 216 10.1007/s11257-010-9095-z APR 2011 2011 Modeling user behavior (user modeling) via data mining faces a critical unresolved issue: how to build a collaboration model based on frequent analysis of students in order to ascertain whether collaboration has taken place. Numerous human-based and knowledge-based solutions to this problem have been proposed, but they are time-consuming or domain-dependent. The diversity of these solutions and their lack of common characteristics are an indication of how unresolved this issue remains. Bearing this in mind, our research has made progress on several fronts. First, we have found supportive evidence, based on a collaborative learning experience with hundreds of students over three consecutive years, that an approach using domain independent learning that is transferable to current e-learning platforms helps both students and teachers to manage student collaboration better. Second, the approach draws on a domain-independent modeling method of collaborative learning based on data mining that helps clarify which user-modeling issues are to be considered. We propose two data mining methods that were found to be useful for evaluating student collaboration, and discuss their respective advantages and disadvantages. Three data sources to generate and evaluate the collaboration model were identified. Third, the features being modeled were made accessible to students in several meta-cognitive tools. Their usage of these tools showed that the best approach to encourage student collaboration is to show only the most relevant inferred information, simply displayed. Moreover, these tools also provide teachers with valuable modeling information to improve their management of the collaboration. Fourth, an ontology, domain independent features and a process that can be applied to current e-learning platforms make the approach transferable and reusable. Fifth, several open research issues of particular interest were identified. We intend to address these open issues through research in the near future. 0 0 0924-1868 WOS:000288799600006 J Koeck, Mirjam; Paramythis, Alexandros Activity sequence modelling and dynamic clustering for personalized e-learning USER MODELING AND USER-ADAPTED INTERACTION 21 1-2 51 97 10.1007/s11257-010-9087-z APR 2011 2011 Monitoring and interpreting sequential learner activities has the potential to improve adaptivity and personalization within educational environments. We present an approach based on the modeling of learners' problem solving activity sequences, and on the use of the models in targeted, and ultimately automated clustering, resulting in the discovery of new, semantically meaningful information about the learners. The approach is applicable at different levels: to detect pre-defined, well-established problem solving styles, to identify problem solving styles by analyzing learner behaviour along known learning dimensions, and to semi-automatically discover learning dimensions and concrete problem solving patterns. This article describes the approach itself, demonstrates the feasibility of applying it on real-world data, and discusses aspects of the approach that can be adjusted for different learning contexts. Finally, we address the incorporation of the proposed approach in the adaptation cycle, from data acquisition to adaptive system interventions in the interaction process. 1 1 0924-1868 WOS:000288799600003 J Yaghmaie, Mahkameh; Bahreininejad, Ardeshir A context-aware adaptive learning system using agents EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS 38 4 3280 3286 10.1016/j.eswa.2010.08.113 APR 2011 2011 Evolution of Web technologies has made e-learning a popular common way of education and training. As an outcome, learning content adaptation has been the subject of many research projects lately. This paper suggests a framework for building an adaptive Learning Management System (LMS). The proposed architecture is based upon multi-agent systems and uses both Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) 2004 and semantic Web ontology for learning content storage, sequencing and adaptation. This system has been implemented upon a well known open-source LMS and its functionalities are demonstrated through the simulation of a scenario mimicing the real life conditions. The result reveals the system effectiveness for which it appears that the proposed approach may be very promising. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0957-4174 WOS:000286904600040 J Hsu, Jung-Lung; Chou, Huey-Wen; Chang, Hsiu-Hua EduMiner: Using text mining for automatic formative assessment EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS 38 4 3431 3439 10.1016/j.eswa.2010.08.129 APR 2011 2011 Formative assessment and summative assessment are two widely accepted approaches of assessment. While summative assessment is a typically formal assessment used at the end of a lesson or course, formative assessment is an ongoing process of monitoring learners' progresses of knowledge construction. Although empirical evidence has acknowledged that formal assessment is indeed superior to summative assessment, current e-learning assessment systems however seldom provide plausible solutions for conducting formative assessment. The major bottleneck of putting formative assessment into practice lies in its labor-intensive and time-consuming nature, which makes it hardly a feasible way of achievement evaluation especially when there are usually a large number of learners in e-learning environment. In this regard, this study developed EduMiner to relieve the burdens imposed on instructors and learners by capitalizing a series of text mining techniques. An empirical study was held to examine effectiveness and to explore outcomes of the features that EduMiner supported. In this study 56 participants enrolling in a "Human Resource Management" course were randomly divided into either experimental groups or control groups. Results of this study indicated that the algorithms introduced in this study serve as a feasible approach for conducting formative assessment in e-learning environment. In addition, learners in experimental groups were highly motivated to phrase the contents with higher-order level of cognition. Therefore a timely feedback of visualized representations is beneficial to facilitate online learners to express more in-depth ideas in discourses. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0957-4174 WOS:000286904600056 J Cuellar, M. P.; Delgado, M.; Pegalajar, M. C. Improving learning management through semantic web and social networks in e-learning environments EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS 38 4 4181 4189 10.1016/j.eswa.2010.09.080 APR 2011 2011 Internet social networks have arisen in the last years as powerful tools where people exchange knowledge and multimedia content. They help to share interests between groups of people with common features. Undoubtedly, there is an inherent social network in any e-learning system, where the main actors are teachers, learners and learning resources. Most e-learning software are mainly focused in content dissemination and group work, but the possibilities that Internet LMSs could offer go further. Recently, there has been research work focused on Web Communities for learning and their formulation as Social Networks. Thus, social network analysis may be applied to infer group structures and to make intelligent recommendation systems and data mining.This paper proposes a method for the formulation and interpretation of learning management platforms as social networks. In order to achieve a major generalization, we develop an ontology to integrate the information from different Learning Management Systems. After that, a personalized social network is extracted from the ontology. This change in the point of view of a LMS could be a challenge to make further studies about learners, teachers and learning resources to obtain a better understanding of their social structure, and therefore to make or improve decisions about the learning process. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0957-4174 WOS:000286904600136 J Hickey, Kathleen T.; Johnson, Mary P.; Biviano, Angelo; Aboelela, Sally; Thomas, Tami; Bakken, Suzanne; Garan, Hasan; Zimmerman, John L.; Whang, William Cardiac e-Learning: Development of a Web-Based Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Educational System TELEMEDICINE AND E-HEALTH 17 3 196 200 10.1089/tmj.2010.0108 APR 2011 2011 Objective: The objective of this study was to design a Web-based implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) module that would allow greater access to learning which could occur at an individual's convenience outside the fast-paced clinical environment. Materials and Methods: A Web-based ICD software educational program was developed to provide general knowledge of the function of the ICD and the interpretation of the stored electrocardiograms. This learning tool could be accessed at any time via the Columbia University Internet server, using a unique, password protected login. A series of basic and advanced ICD terms were presented using actual ICD screenshots and videos that simulated scenarios the practitioner would most commonly encounter in the fast-paced clinical setting. To determine the usefulness of the site and improve the module, practitioners were asked to complete a brief (less than 5 min) online survey at the end of the module. Results: Twenty-six practitioners have logged into our Web site: 20 nurses/nurse practitioners, four cardiac fellows, and two other practitioners. The majority of respondents rated the program as easy to use and useful. Conclusion: The success of this module has led to it becoming part of the training for student nurse practitioners before a clinical electrophysiology rotation, and the module is accessed by our cardiac entry level fellows before a rotation in the intensive care unit or electrophysiology service. Remote electronic arrhythmia learning is a successful example of the melding of technology and education to enhance clinical learning. 0 0 1530-5627 WOS:000292196400009 J Bhatti, I.; Jones, K.; Richardson, L.; Foreman, D.; Lund, J.; Tierney, G. E-learning vs lecture: which is the best approach to surgical teaching? COLORECTAL DISEASE 13 4 459 462 10.1111/j.1463-1318.2009.02173.x APR 2011 2011 Aim Most medical teaching is still delivered by traditional face-to-face interaction. E-learning has the potential benefit of instilling deeper learning of topics by virtue of repeated and convenient access to content presented in a range of media. We aimed to evaluate objectively the benefit of educating medical students on a common surgical topic (haemorrhoids), through a website and podcast package vs a traditional lecture.Method Baseline knowledge was established by a questionnaire given to two different groups of third-year medical students starting their first clinical attachment. Group A (n = 73) was given a lecture and group B (n = 75) was asked to use a website containing text and pictures augmented by a podcast. Students were reassessed using the same preintervention questionnaire, and satisfaction was acquired from details given in a feedbackResults There was no difference in knowledge between the two groups at baseline. Both groups demonstrated significant gains in knowledge after intervention (P < 0.0001). Group B (Web / podcast) showed a significantly greater increase in knowledge (P < 0.05) than group A (lecture). Preintervention subjective assessment of knowledge rated by the students showed no difference between the groups. Both groups of students were equally satisfied with the educational method.Conclusion E-learning supplemented with a podcast results in greater knowledge acquisition when compared with a traditional lecture, without a loss of satisfaction with teaching. Using augmented Web-based educational tools reduces demands on teaching time with no decrease in quality for selected parts of the curriculum. 1 1 1462-8910 WOS:000288126600026 J Lee, Ching-Yieh; Pan, Peter Jen Der; Liao, Ching-Jung Impacts and preferences study for e-HO as a holistic learning environment complementary to e-Learning COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 56 3 747 759 10.1016/j.compedu.2010.10.017 APR 2011 2011 We present in this study the significance and impacts of an innovative e-HO as a holistic and horizontal platform complementary to e-Learning to help realize transdisciplinary learning and foster integration of knowledge in higher education. A comprehensive investigation of a survey conducted among 647 university students for e-HO is presented with detailed studies on students' preferences toward e-HO with respect to various demographic variables including gender, access frequency, grade level, discipline and access route concerning the five scales extracted in this particular survey. No significant gender difference surfaced, whereas access frequency turned out to be the most influential and decisive variable that has resulted in significant differences on all the scales involved, especially the characteristic 'Leisure climate'. Further significant differences appeared on different scales with distinct natures for different demographic variables other than gender and access frequency, indicating the multidimensional characteristics of the whole endeavor and that care must be taken whenever a learning environment like this is constructed in higher education. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000286682700021 J Klasnja-Milicevic, Aleksandra; Vesin, Boban; Ivanovic, Mirjana; Budimac, Zoran E-Learning personalization based on hybrid recommendation strategy and learning style identification COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 56 3 885 899 10.1016/j.compedu.2010.11.001 APR 2011 2011 Personalized learning occurs when e-learning systems make deliberate efforts to design educational experiences that fit the needs, goals, talents, and interests of their learners. Researchers had recently begun to investigate various techniques to help teachers improve e-learning systems. In this paper, we describe a recommendation module of a programming tutoring system - Protus, which can automatically adapt to the interests and knowledge levels of learners. This system recognizes different patterns of learning style and learners' habits through testing the learning styles of learners and mining their server logs. Firstly, it processes the clusters based on different learning styles. Next, it analyzes the habits and the interests of the learners through mining the frequent sequences by the AprioriAll algorithm. Finally, this system completes personalized recommendation of the learning content according to the ratings of these frequent sequences, provided by the Protus system. Some experiments were carried out with two real groups of learners: the experimental and the control group. Learners of the control group learned in a normal way and did not receive any recommendation or guidance through the course, while the students of the experimental group were required to use the Protus system. The results show suitability of using this recommendation model, in order to suggest online learning activities to learners based on their learning style, knowledge and preferences. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 2 2 0360-1315 WOS:000286682700033 J Darab, B.; Montazer, Gh. A. An eclectic model for assessing e-learning readiness in the Iranian universities COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 56 3 900 910 10.1016/j.compedu.2010.11.002 APR 2011 2011 Information technologies have caused the accumulation and interaction of knowledge to be increasingly reshaped with significant ramifications affecting the processes of acquisition, communication and dissemination of knowledge in almost all societies. In the meantime, assessing the capabilities of the educational system for the successful introduction and implementation of e-learning programs - namely, e-learning readiness - is of paramount importance for the goals of the national higher education to be achieved.To serve the above purpose, this survey attempts to propose a proper framework for strengthening the existing capabilities and identifying possible deficits. As such, the first part of the paper elaborates on an appropriate model developed for assessing e-learning readiness of the Iranian higher education institutions based on comparative studies as well as the national experts' views. It is noteworthy that the proposed model has been objectively tailored in accordance with particular features and local characteristics of the country, and has eventually been applied and tested against real situation in one of the most prestigious national universities for complementary studies. Thus, it is assumed flexibly adaptable and safely advisable to be practically applied for assessing e-learning readiness in all of the universities country wide. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1 1 0360-1315 WOS:000286682700034 J Lee, Yi-Hsuan; Hsieh, Yi-Chuan; Ma, Chun-Yuan A model of organizational employees' e-learning systems acceptance KNOWLEDGE-BASED SYSTEMS 24 3 355 366 10.1016/j.knosys.2010.09.005 APR 2011 2011 This study examines the factors that influence employees' adoption and use of e-learning systems and tests the applicability of the technology acceptance model (TAM) in the organizational context. We examined the relationship of employees' perceptions of their behavioral intention to use e-learning systems in terms of four determinants (individual, organizational, task characteristics, and subjective norm), to further explore the effects of management and organizational support on the subjective norm. Data were 357 valid questionnaires from four industries in Taiwan. The findings indicate that organizational support and management support significantly affected perceived usefulness and intention to use. Individuals' experience with computers and computer self-efficacy had significantly positive effects on perceived ease of use. Task equivocality significantly influenced perceived usefulness. Organizational and management supports significantly impacted the subjective norm, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and intention to use. Additionally, the results suggest that external variables that affect perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and intention to use, need to be considered as important factors in the process of designing, implementing, and operating e-learning systems. The results provided a more comprehensive insight of individual, organizational, and task characteristics in predicting e-learning acceptance behavior in the organizational contexts, rarely tested in previous studies. By considering these identified factors, practitioners can take corresponding measures to predict or promote organizational employees' e-learning systems acceptance more effectively and efficiently. Furthermore, by explaining employees' acceptance behavior, the findings of this research help to develop more user-friendly e-learning systems and provide insight into the best way to promote e-learning systems for employees. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 2 2 0950-7051 WOS:000288039600001 J Clark, Michael R. Chronic Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain: An e-Learning Program to Develop Shared Decision-making and Communication Skills CURRENT PAIN AND HEADACHE REPORTS 15 2 88 90 10.1007/s11916-011-0175-5 APR 2011 2011 0 0 1531-3433 WOS:000287926600002 J Alptekin, S. Emre; Karsak, E. Ertugrul An integrated decision framework for evaluating and selecting e-learning products APPLIED SOFT COMPUTING 11 3 2990 2998 10.1016/j.asoc.2010.11.023 APR 2011 2011 A sound decision methodology for evaluating and selecting e-learning products should consider multiple and conflicting criteria and the interactions among them. In this paper, a decision framework which employs quality function deployment (QFD), fuzzy linear regression and optimization is presented for e-learning product selection. First, a methodology for determining the target values for e-learning product characteristics that maximize overall customer satisfaction is presented. The QFD framework is employed to allocate resources and to coordinate skills and functions based on customer needs. Differing from earlier QFD applications, the proposed methodology employs fuzzy regression to determine the parameters of functional relationships between customer needs and e-learning product characteristics, and among e-learning product characteristics themselves. Finally, the e-learning product alternatives are evaluated and ranked with respect to deviations from the target product characteristic values. The potential use of the proposed decision framework is illustrated through an application on e-learning products provided by the universities in Turkey. (C) 2010 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved. 0 0 1568-4946 WOS:000287479200005 J Lai, Rabin D.; Saunders, Dennis HPLC Troubleshooting Expert System: An e-learning program ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 241 MAR 27 2011 2011 241st National Meeting and Exposition of the American-Chemical-Society (ACS) MAR 27-31, 2011 Amer Chem Soc Anaheim, CA 0 0 0065-7727 WOS:000291982803143 J Own, Zangyuan Application of mobile learning technique on an e-learning chemistry course in Taiwan ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 241 MAR 27 2011 2011 241st National Meeting and Exposition of the American-Chemical-Society (ACS) MAR 27-31, 2011 Amer Chem Soc Anaheim, CA 0 0 0065-7727 WOS:000291982803075 J Bottoni, Paolo; Capuano, Daniele; De Marsico, Maria; Labella, Anna; Levialdi, Stefano DELE: a Deaf-centred E-Learning Environment CHIANG MAI JOURNAL OF SCIENCE 38 SI 31 57 MAR 2011 2011 We present a framework to address educational issues, especially focusing on deaf people, and present a preliminary model based on recent methodological findings. We started to develop multimedia learning environments based on Storytelling and Conceptual Metaphors, and adopt Cognitive Embodiment as a framework to address sensorially-critical subjects. We are using such methods to develop a Deaf-centered E-Learning Environment (DELE) Therefore, a Story Controller is designed for supporting stories handling. Its behaviour is formally specified through a formal model based on statecharts. International Computer Science and Engineering Conference (ICSEC 2010) NOV 17-19, 2010 Chiang Mai, THAILAND 0 0 0125-2526 WOS:000291326100005 J Sels, G.; Vankeirsbilck, C.; Lemoyne, S.; Buylaert, W.; Monsieurs, K. E-LEARNING TO TRAIN AND ASSESS CAPNOGRAPHY KNOWLEDGE OF MEDICAL DOCTORS INVOLVED IN PREHOSPITAL EMERGENCY CARE: A FEASIBILITY STUDY ACTA CLINICA BELGICA 66 2 156 156 MAR-APR 2011 2011 0 0 0001-5512 WOS:000290931300030 J Weiner, Sharon A.; Stephens, Gretchen; Nour, Abdelfattah Y. M. Information-Seeking Behaviors of First-Semester Veterinary Students: A Preliminary Report JOURNAL OF VETERINARY MEDICAL EDUCATION 38 1 21 32 10.3138/jvme.38.1.21 SPR 2011 2011 Although emphasis in veterinary education is increasingly being placed on the ability to find, use, and communicate information, studies on the information behaviors of veterinary students or professionals are few. Improved knowledge in this area will provide valuable information for course and curriculum planning and the design of information resources. This article describes a survey of the information-seeking behaviors of first-semester veterinary students at Purdue University. A survey was administered as the first phase of a progressive semester-long assignment for a first semester DVM course in systemic mammalian physiology. The survey probed for understanding of the scientific literature and its use for course assignments and continuing learning. The survey results showed that students beginning the program tended to use Google for coursework, although some also used the resources found through the Purdue libraries' Web sites. On entering veterinary school, they became aware of specific information resources in veterinary medicine. They used a small number of accepted criteria to evaluate the Web site quality. This study confirms the findings of studies of information-seeking behaviors of undergraduate students. Further studies are needed to examine whether those behaviors change as students learn about specialized veterinary resources that are designed to address clinical needs as they progress through their training. 0 0 0748-321X WOS:000290825400006 J Chong, Mei Chan; Sellick, Kenneth; Francis, Karen; Abdullah, Khatijah Lim What Influences Malaysian Nurses to Participate in Continuing Professional Education Activities? ASIAN NURSING RESEARCH 5 1 38 47 MAR 2011 2011 Purpose A cross sectional descriptive study, which involved government hospitals and health clinics from Peninsular Malaysia sought to identify the continuing professional education (CPE) needs and their readiness for E-learning. This paper focuses on the first phase of that study that aimed to determine the factors that influence nurses' participation in CPE.Methods Multistage cluster sampling was used to recruit 1,000 nurses randomly from 12 hospitals and 24 health clinics from four states in Peninsular Malaysia who agreed to be involved. The respondent rate was 792 (79.2%), of which 562 (80%) had participated in CPE in the last 12 months.Results Findings suggested that updating knowledge and providing quality care are the most important factors that motivate participation in CPE, with respective means of 4.34 and 4.39. All the mean scores for educational opportunity were less than 3.0. Chi-square tests were used to test the association of demographic data and CPE participation. All demographical data were significantly associated with CPE participation, except marital status.Conclusions Implementation of mandatory CPE is considered an important measure to increase nurse's participation in CPE. However, effective planning that takes into consideration the learning needs of nurses is recommended. [Asian Nursing Research 2011;5(1):38-47] 0 0 1976-1317 WOS:000289701900005 J Havsteen, Inger; Christensen, Anders F.; Nielsen, Jens K.; Krieger, Derk; Christensen, Louisa; Christensen, Hanne E-learn CT Angiography: a Virtual Training Ground Prepares for Stroke Imaging STROKE 42 3 E281 E281 MAR 2011 2011 International Stroke Conference FEB 08-10, 2011 Amer Heart Assoc; Amer Stroke Assoc Los Angeles, CA 0 0 0039-2499 WOS:000287479401183 J Kleinpell, Ruth; Ely, E. Wesley; Williams, Ged; Liolios, Antonios; Ward, Nicholas; Tisherman, Samuel A. Web-based resources for critical care education CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE 39 3 541 553 10.1097/CCM.0b013e318206b5b5 MAR 2011 2011 Objective: To identify, catalog, and critically evaluate Web-based resources for critical care education.Data Sources: A multilevel search strategy was utilized. Literature searches were conducted (from 1996 to September 30, 2010) using OVID-MEDLINE, PubMed, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature with the terms "Web-based learning," "computer-assisted instruction," "e-learning," "critical care," "tutorials," "continuing education," "virtual learning," and "Web-based education." The Web sites of relevant critical care organizations (American College of Chest Physicians, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Thoracic Society, European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, Society of Critical Care Medicine, World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine, American Association of Critical Care Nurses, and World Federation of Critical Care Nurses) were reviewed for the availability of e-learning resources. Finally, Internet searches and e-mail queries to critical care medicine fellowship program directors and members of national and international acute/critical care list-serves were conducted to 1) identify the use of and 2) review and critique Web-based resources for critical care education.Data Extraction and Data Synthesis: To ensure credibility of Web site information, Web sites were reviewed by three independent reviewers on the basis of the criteria of authority, objectivity, authenticity, accuracy, timeliness, relevance, and efficiency in conjunction with suggested formats for evaluating Web sites in the medical literature.Measurements and Main Results: Literature searches using OVID-MEDLINE, PubMed, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature resulted in >250 citations. Those pertinent to critical care provide examples of the integration of e-learning techniques, the development of specific resources, reports of the use of types of e-learning, including interactive tutorials, case studies, and simulation, and reports of student or learner satisfaction, among other general reviews of the benefits of utilizing e-learning. Review of the Web sites of relevant critical care organizations revealed the existence of a number of e-learning resources, including online critical care courses, tutorials, podcasts, webcasts, slide sets, and continuing medical education resources, some requiring membership or a fee to access. Respondents to listserve queries (>100) and critical care medicine fellowship director and advanced practice nursing educator e-mail queries (>50) identified the use of a number of tutorials, self-directed learning modules, and video-enhanced programs for critical care education and practice.Conclusions: In all, >135 Web-based education resources exist, including video Web resources for critical care education in a variety of e-learning formats, such as tutorials, self-directed learning modules, interactive case studies, webcasts, podcasts, and video-enhanced programs. As identified by critical care educators and practitioners, e-learning is actively being integrated into critical care medicine and nursing training programs for continuing medical education and competency training purposes. Knowledge of available Web-based educational resources may enhance critical care practitioners' ongoing learning and clinical competence, although this has not been objectively measured to date. (Crit Care Med 2011; 39: 541-553) 2 2 0090-3493 WOS:000287480000017 J Cornish, Graham P. Copyright and E-learning: A Guide for Practitioners JOURNAL OF LIBRARIANSHIP AND INFORMATION SCIENCE 43 1 57 59 10.1177/09610006110430010602 MAR 2011 2011 0 0 0961-0006 WOS:000288785400007 J Mishra, Alok; Mishra, Deepti E-LEARNING EXPERIENCE AT VARIOUS UNIVERSITIES: ACADEMICS PERSPECTIVE TEHNICKI VJESNIK-TECHNICAL GAZETTE 18 1 133 140 MAR 2011 2011 E-learning has become an increasingly popular mode of instruction in higher education all over the world. In spite of proliferation of e-learning, few studies/cases have attempted to investigate the differences in e-learning processes from faculty perspective. This paper presents observations on e-learning experiences at three premier universities which provide online courses for students and professionals. Based on some important characteristics supported by literature review, a comparative view is presented and discussed. Furthermore, suggestions based on the outcome of our study are made for further reference. The objective of this paper is to discuss significant e-learning experiences as current practices at different universities from the perspective of the faculty. 0 0 1330-3651 WOS:000289201500020 J Moore, Joi L.; Dickson-Deane, Camille; Galyen, Krista e-Learning, online learning, and distance learning environments: Are they the same? INTERNET AND HIGHER EDUCATION 14 2 SI 129 135 10.1016/j.iheduc.2010.10.001 MAR 2011 2011 It is not uncommon that researchers face difficulties when performing meaningful cross-study comparisons for research. Research associated with the distance learning realm can be even more difficult to use as there are different environments with a variety of characteristics. We implemented a mixed-method analysis of research articles to find out how they define the learning environment. In addition, we surveyed 43 persons and discovered that there was inconsistent use of terminology for different types of delivery modes. The results reveal that there are different expectations and perceptions of learning environment labels: distance learning, e-Learning, and online learning. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 0 0 1096-7516 WOS:000288887800009 J Garcia, Enrique; Romero, Cristobal; Ventura, Sebastian; de Castro, Carlos A collaborative educational association rule mining tool INTERNET AND HIGHER EDUCATION 14 2 SI 77 88 10.1016/j.iheduc.2010.07.006 MAR 2011 2011 This paper describes a collaborative educational data mining tool based on association rule mining for the ongoing improvement of e-learning courses and allowing teachers with similar course profiles to share and score the discovered information. The mining tool is oriented to be used by non-expert instructors in data mining so its internal operation has to be transparent to the user and the instructor can focus on the analysis of the results and make decisions about how to improve the e-learning course. In this paper, a data mining tool is described in a tutorial way and some examples of rules discovered in an adaptive web-based course are shown and explained. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 3 4 1096-7516 WOS:000288887800003 J [Anonymous] E-learning modules on climate change and health PERSPECTIVES IN PUBLIC HEALTH 131 2 53 53 MAR 2011 2011 0 0 1757-9139 WOS:000288568800010 J Kolias, Vassilis; Kolias, Constantinos; Anagnostopoulos, Ioannis E.; Kambourakis, Georgios; Kayafas, Eleftherios TELS: A Voice-Response Internet-Based Learning System JOURNAL OF INTERNET TECHNOLOGY 12 2 SI 217 235 MAR 2011 2011 During the last decade the academic world is continuously capitalizing on the use of Internet and web-based learning solutions, because of the simplicity and immediacy in creating, organizing and managing educational material and student data. However, the delivery of educational content to the end-user is characterized by visual presentation and the requirement of some sort of access either wired or wireless to the Internet, which blocks visually impaired individuals or people who don't have access to the Internet in one way or another from accessing educational content. In this paper we describe the design and implementation of the Internet Telephony Learning System (TELS). Besides all other, TELS exploits mature Internet/web standards and the most popular communication mean in the world, the telephone, to provide audio interactivity between an otherwise traditional web application and the end-user. Unlike other similar applications, TELS does not need any special software or hardware to be accessed and since it is an open source traditional web application it can be custom-tailored to the individual needs of each institution. Since it is accessible to almost every communication device, we argue that it is useful for visually impaired, technologically uneducated, and underprivileged people for accessing information originally intended to be accessed visually via a Personal Computer. 0 0 1607-9264 WOS:000289038500004 J Rofe, J. Simon the 'IR model': a schema for pedagogic design and development in international relations distance learning programmes EUROPEAN POLITICAL SCIENCE 10 1 103 117 10.1057/eps.2010.25 MAR 2011 2011 This article looks at the design, development and delivery of the IR Model. The IR Model brings together best-practice in learning design and appreciation of e-learning in producing a distance learning programme in International Relations delivered 100 per cent online via a Virtual Learning Environment (Blackboard). The results of the IR Model are notable increases in student attainment over campus-based counterparts and an enhanced student experience, as well as being stimulating for academic teachers. 0 0 1680-4333 WOS:000288363700013 J Thomas, K. Jackson; Denham, Bryan E.; Dinolfo, John D. Perceptions Among Occupational and Physical Therapy Students of a Nontraditional Methodology for Teaching Laboratory Gross Anatomy ANATOMICAL SCIENCES EDUCATION 4 2 71 77 10.1002/ase.208 MAR-APR 2011 2011 This pilot study was designed to assess the perceptions of physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) students regarding the use of computer-assisted pedagogy and prosection-oriented communications in the laboratory component of a human anatomy course at a comprehensive health sciences university in the southeastern United States. The goal was to determine whether student perceptions changed over the course of a summer session regarding verbal, visual, tactile, and web-based teaching methodologies. Pretest and post-test surveys were distributed online to students who volunteered to participate in the pilot study. Despite the relatively small sample size, statistically significant results indicated that PT and OT students who participated in this study perceived an improved ability to name major anatomical structures from memory, to draw major anatomical structures from memory, and to explain major anatomical relationships from memory. Students differed in their preferred learning styles. This study demonstrates that the combination of small group learning and digital web-based learning seems to increase PT and OT students' confidence in their anatomical knowledge. Further research is needed to determine which forms of integrated instruction lead to improved student performance in the human gross anatomy laboratory. Anat Sci Educ 4:71-77. (C) 2011 American Association of Anatomists. 0 0 1935-9772 WOS:000288794500003 J Griesbacher, T.; Holzer, U.; Smolle, J.; Heinemann, A.; Peskar, B. A. Pharmacology e-learning in an integrated undergraduate curriculum of human medicine NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERGS ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 383 81 81 1 MAR 2011 2011 77th Annual Meeting on German-Society-for-Experimental-and-Clinical-Pharmacology-and-Toxicology MAR 30-APR 01, 2011 German Soc Expt & Clin Pharmacol & Toxicol Frankfurt, GERMANY 0 0 0028-1298 WOS:000288573100404 J Kozierkiewicz-Hetmanska, Adrianna; Nguyen, Ngoc Thanh A METHOD FOR LEARNING SCENARIO DETERMINATION AND MODIFICATION IN INTELLIGENT TUTORING SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE 21 1 69 82 10.2478/v10006-011-0005-2 MAR 2011 2011 Computers have been employed in education for years. They help to provide educational aids using multimedia forms such as films, pictures, interactive tasks in the learning process, automated testing, etc. In this paper, a concept of an intelligent e-learning system will be proposed. The main purpose of this system is to teach effectively by providing an optimal learning path in each step of the educational process. The determination of a suitable learning path depends on the student's preferences, learning styles, personal features, interests and knowledge state. Therefore, the system has to collect information about the student, which is done during the registration process. A user is classified into a group of students who are similar to him/her. Using information about final successful scenarios of students who belong to the same class as the new student, the system determines an opening learning scenario. The opening learning scenario is the first learning scenario proposed to a student after registering in an intelligent e-learning system. After each lesson, the system tries to evaluate the student's knowledge. If the student has a problem with achieving an assumed score in a test, this means that the opening learning scenario is not adequate for this user. In our concept, for this case an intelligent e-learning system offers a modification of the opening learning scenario using data gathered during the functioning of the system and based on a Bayesian network. In this paper, an algorithm of scenario determination (named ADOLS) and a procedure for modifying the learning scenario AMLS with auxiliary definitions are presented. Preliminary results of an experiment conducted in a prototype of the described system are also described. 0 0 1641-876X WOS:000288763300005 J Dong, Shaochun; Wang, Xiaoqi; Xu, Shijin; Wu, Gangshan; Yin, Hongwei The development and evaluation of Chinese digital science and technology museum JOURNAL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE 12 1 111 115 10.1016/j.culher.2010.10.003 MAR 2011 2011 There has been a considerable increase in the needs for implementation of multimedia representation technology into the museum field to develop online exhibitions and enhance museum educational functions. China Digital Science and Technology Museum (CDSTM) is such an emerging effort in this field. The purpose of CDSTM is to provide solutions to issues of unbalanced museum distribution, exhibition space limitation in China and seeking more ways to offer diverse and multimedia-rich exhibitions. This paper addresses the application of incorporating innovative and rapid digital technology in digital science and technology oriented museum development in China. Three modes of online exhibitions have been developed to emphasize user experiences through extensive application of animation and virtual reality technologies. CDSTM's e-learning functionality in promotion of scientific literacy in the public and enhancement of formal school science curriculum is also discussed. In addition, evaluation on users' expectation and satisfaction is conducted to identify perception based on questionnaire and web logs. The feedbacks indicate that CDSTM has positive impacts on mitigating traditional science and technology museum challenges, and has the potential to promote science education and science literacy in public as well. (C) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved. 0 0 1296-2074 WOS:000287474500014 J Leser, Roland; Baca, Arnold; Uhlig, Johannes Effectiveness of multimedia-supported education in practical sports courses JOURNAL OF SPORTS SCIENCE AND MEDICINE 10 1 184 192 MAR 2011 2011 Multimedia-assisted teaching and learning have become standard forms of education. In sports, multimedia material has been used to teach practical aspects of courses, such as motor skills. The main goal of this study is to examine if multimedia technology impacts learning in the field of sport motor skill acquisition. This question was investigated during a practical sports education course involving 35 students who participated in a university soccer class. The whole course was split into two groups: Group A was taught traditionally with no assistance of multimedia and Group B was prepared with multimedia-assisted instructional units. To quantify selected skills of soccer technique and tactic, the test subjects performed a specific passing test and a tactical assessment. Furthermore, a questionnaire was used to assess the subjective impressions of the test subjects. All testing instruments were applied before and after a six-week-long teaching period. A comparison of the gathered data between the two groups resulted in no significant differences, neither concerning the results of the technique test nor concerning the tactic test. However, the results of the questionnaire showed a positive agreement among the participants in the usability and assistance of multimedia for the sports practical course. Considering the reviewed conditions, it can be concluded that the use of multimedia content doesn't affect the learning effects. 0 0 1303-2968 WOS:000288680500025 J Alkhattabi, Mona; Neagu, Daniel; Cullen, Andrea Assessing information quality of e-learning systems: a web mining approach COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 27 2 862 873 10.1016/j.chb.2010.11.011 MAR 2011 2011 E-learning systems provide a promising solution as an information exchanging channel. Improved technologies could mean faster and easier access to information but do not necessarily ensure the quality of this information; for this reason it is essential to develop valid and reliable methods of quality measurement and carry out careful information quality evaluations. This paper proposes an assessment model for information quality in e-learning systems based on the quality framework we proposed previously: the proposed framework consists of 14 quality dimensions grouped in three quality factors: intrinsic, contextual representation and accessibility. We use the relative importance as a parameter in a linear equation for the measurement scheme. Formerly, we implemented a goal-question-metrics approach to develop a set of quality metrics for the identified quality attributes within the proposed framework. In this paper, the proposed metrics were computed to produce a numerical rating indicating the overall information quality published in a particular e-learning system. The data collection and evaluation processes were automated using a web data extraction technique and results on a case study are discussed. This assessment model could be useful to e-learning systems designers, providers and users as it provides a comprehensive indication of the quality of information in such systems. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0747-5632 WOS:000287622000028 J Imbernon, F.; Silva, P.; Guzman, C. Teaching Skills in Virtual and Blended Learning Environments COMUNICAR 36 107 114 10.3916/C36-2011-03-01 MAR 2011 2011 Universities are currently immersed in what is known as the process of European convergence to create the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The aim is to establish a standardized, compatible and flexible European university system that enables graduates and undergraduates to move easily from one institution to another within Europe. As a result of evaluation mechanisms, the system will be transparent and of high quality, which will make it attractive and competitive internationally in a globalized world. In this paper, we focus on two distance learning modes that will become more important as a result of this change in universities: e-learning and b-learning. These basically involve the virtualization of learning processes through the use of computer equipment. We carried out a qualitative study using the case study method. The results indicate that teaching staff use information and communication technology (ICT) to improve student learning. Similarly, a high percentage (78%) of lecturers use some form of digital platform as a support for teaching. In conclusion, training policies should strengthen university teachers' skills in the use of ICT equipment, tools and resources related to blended and virtual learning. 0 0 1134-3478 WOS:000286992400013 J Gwozdek, Anne E.; Springfield, Emily C.; Peet, Melissa R.; Kerschbaum, Wendy E. Using Online Program Development to Foster Curricular Change and Innovation JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION 75 3 339 350 MAR 2011 2011 Distance education offers an opportunity to catalyze sweeping curricular change. Faculty members of the University of Michigan Dental Hygiene Program spent eighteen months researching best practices, planning outcomes and courses, and implementing an e-learning (online) dental hygiene degree completion program. The result is a collaborative and portfolio-integrated program that focuses on the development of reflective practitioners and leaders in the profession. A team-based, systems-oriented model for production, implementation, and evaluation has been critical to the program's success. The models and best practices on which this program was founded are described. Also provided is a framework of strategies for development, including the utilization of backward course design, which can be used in many areas of professional education. 1 1 0022-0337 WOS:000288112700007 J Day, S.; Rayment, N.; Mohabeer, M. Specialty induction for junior doctors in genitourinary/HIV medicine using an e-learning tool SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS 87 2 93 93 10.1136/sti.2010.048124 MAR 2011 2011 0 0 1368-4973 WOS:000287516500003 J Ku, H.; Goh, S.; Ahfock, A. Flexible Engineering Degree Programs With Remote Access Laboratories in an Australian Regional University Known for Its Excellence in e-Learning COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION 19 1 18 25 10.1002/cae.20284 MAR 2011 2011 Flexible delivery of education is the starting point for discussion in this article. The e-learning history of the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) was used to contextualize the article. USQOnline was mentioned next. The article then describes the Distance and e-Learning Centre (DeC) in USQ. It then focused on the innovative delivery of USQ engineering degree programs, where the course flexibility was then highlighted together with their innovative residential schools and future remote access laboratories at USQ; an example of a remotely accessible laboratory was also mentioned. A large number of international and domestic students enrolled in USQ Bachelor of Engineering programs since their inception by external mode only. Finally, the article discussed distance education and e-learning in USQ and Australia. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 19: 18-25, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com; DOI 10.1002/cae.20284 1 1 1061-3773 WOS:000287900100003 J Cristea, Ana Daniela; Berdie, Adela Diana; Osaci, Mihaela; Chirtoc, Daniel The Advantages of Using Mind Map for Learning Web Dynpro COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION 19 1 201 207 10.1002/cae.20285 MAR 2011 2011 This article presents an easy study technique, based on a complex and modern informational technology, the Web programming on integrated systems, in particular Web Dynpro lava. The project developed for this learning technique is realised in Mind Map and combines an assembly of utilities, from the transparent presentation of complex concepts to comparative studies and tests used to verify the knowledge, all these being based on a rich collection of applications. Using this learning technique, it is possible to receive either an assembly image on the technology, or to deeply get into the subtlest details. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 19: 201-207, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com; DOI 10.1002/cae.20285 0 0 1061-3773 WOS:000287900100022 J Ku, H.; Fulcher, R.; Xiang, W. Using Computer Software Packages to Enhance the Teaching of Engineering Management Science: Part 1-Critical Path Networks COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION 19 1 26 39 10.1002/cae.20286 MAR 2011 2011 The aim of this article is to share the experience of using different software packages in the delivery of critical path networks in Engineering Management Science coded as ENG4004, in the Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Engineering Technology programs offered by the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), a regional Australian University with excellence in developing e-learning (Good University Guides, 2001). The article describes how the authors use different software packages to solve the critical path network problems of the course. At times, more than one package will be required for the effective delivery of a topic or module of the course. The needs for the usage were also explained. The assessments of the course were also studied and reviewed. How the software packages met the objectives of the module was also discussed together with the desired learning outcomes of students. The preferred software was Production and Operations Management (POM-QM) for Windows 3. It was finally concluded that the actual costs to the university and students are not too much but students learning experience and satisfaction will be greatly improved. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 19: 26-39, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com; DOI 10.1002/cae.20286 0 0 1061-3773 WOS:000287900100004 J Chen, C. H.; Lin, H. C. A Distance e-Learning Platform for Signal Analysis and Measurement Using FFT COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION 19 1 71 80 10.1002/cae.20292 MAR 2011 2011 The fast Fourier transform (FFT) and the power spectrum are still powerful tools for analyzing and measuring both stationary and transient signals in power systems. However, the misapplications of FFT can lead to incorrect results caused by some problems such as aliasing effect, spectral leakage, and picket-fence effect. Measurement errors can be efficiently reduced by understanding fundamentals of FFT as well as loading proper windows. This article develops a distance e-learning environment using a graphical programming tool to help electrical students and engineers for enhancing their signal analysis capability via the Internet Explorer (IE). Critical issues pertaining to engineering education, such as programming design of signal analysis. Internet connection, expected learning outcomes, and course evaluation, are discussed in detail. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 19: 71-80, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com; DOI 10.1002/cae.20292 0 0 1061-3773 WOS:000287900100009 J Koeda, Tatsuya; Seki, Ayumi; Uchiyama, Hitoshi; Sadato, Norihiro Dyslexia: Advances in clinical and imaging studies BRAIN & DEVELOPMENT 33 3 268 275 10.1016/j.braindev.2010.11.006 MAR 2011 2011 The aim of this report is to describe the characteristics of Japanese dyslexia, and to demonstrate several of our studies about the extraction of these characteristic and their neurophysiological and neuroimaging abnormalities, as well as advanced studies of phonological awareness and the underlying neural substrate. Based on these results, we have proposed a 2-step approach for remedial education (e-learning web site: http://www.dyslexia-koeda.jp/). The first step is decoding, which decreases reading errors, and the second is vocabulary learning, which improves reading fluency. This 2-step approach is designed to serve first grade children. In addition, we propose the RTI (response to intervention) model as a desirable system for remedial education. (C) 2010 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 0 0 0387-7604 WOS:000287623100012 J Fruhstorfer, B. H.; Palmer, J.; Brydges, S.; Abrahams, P. H. The Use of Plastinated Prosections for Teaching Anatomy-The View of Medical Students on the Value of This Learning Resource CLINICAL ANATOMY 24 2 246 252 10.1002/ca.21107 MAR 2011 2011 Over the past decade, the role of anatomical teaching in the undergraduate medical curriculum has changed considerably. At some medical schools, active dissection of cadaveric specimens is gradually being replaced by prosection-based methods and other resources such as e-learning. Warwick Medical School has recently obtained a large collection of plastinated prosections, which replace wet cadaveric specimens in undergraduate anatomy teaching. The aim of this study was to examine students' views on the use of plastinated prosections for their anatomical learning. A mixed method approach was employed using a questionnaire and focus group for data collection. The questionnaire was completed by 125 first-year medical students (response rate 68%). The majority of students (94%) rated plastinated prosections as a valuable resource for their anatomical learning. Various features of the specimens were highlighted, such as the detailed view of relevant anatomy, appreciation of relations between structures, and visualization of anatomy in real life. However, learning on plastinated prosections was perceived to be compromised because of limitations in terms of tactile and emotional experience. We conclude that plastinated prosections are an adequate resource for the early stages of undergraduate training, but that the learning experience may be further enhanced by providing opportunity for the study of wet cadaveric material. Clin. Anat. 24:246-252, 2011. (C) 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc. 1 1 0897-3806 WOS:000287456200017 J Bogdan, C. M. Domain Ontology of the VirDenT System INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMPUTERS COMMUNICATIONS & CONTROL 6 1 45 52 MAR 2011 2011 The goal of using virtual and augmented reality technologies in therapeutic interventions simulation, in the fixed prosthodontics (VirDenT) project, is to increase the quality of the educational process in dental faculties, by assisting students in learning how to prepare teeth for all-ceramic restorations. Its main component is an e-learning virtual reality-based software system that will be used for the developing skills in grinding teeth, needed in all-ceramic restorations. This paper presents a domain ontology that formally describes the knowledge of the domain problem that the VirDenT e-learning system dealt with. The ontology was developed based on the UML models of the VirDenT information system, making sure in this way the ontology captures knowledge identified and described in the analysis of the information system. At first, we constructed the taxonomy of these concepts, using the DOLCE ontology and its modules. Then, we defined the conceptual relations between the concepts. We also added SWRL rules that formally describe the business rules and knowledge previously identified. Finally, with the assistance of the Pellet reasoner system, we checked the ontology consistency. 0 0 1841-9836 WOS:000285329000004 J Chu, Hui-Chuan; Liao, Min-Ju; Chen, Tsung-Yi; Lin, Chia-Jou; Chen, Yuh-Min Learning case adaptation for problem-oriented e-learning on mathematics teaching for students with mild disabilities EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS 38 3 1269 1281 10.1016/j.eswa.2010.06.037 MAR 2011 2011 Both problem-oriented learning and case-based learning are effective methods for practical knowledge development. However, an automatic development of learning cases for adaptive learning is still an open issue. To support adaptive case-based learning in a proposed problem-oriented e-learning (POeL) environment and to address the complexity and diversity of the learning problems of students with mild disabilities, this study presents a learning case adaptation framework to support problem-oriented e-learning. This framework provides mechanisms to search and match similar learning cases according to encountered teaching problems by information retrieval techniques and to develop an adaptive learning case by adaptation techniques. Adaptation techniques include a substitution technique, a removal technique, and a composition technique, and utilize cosine-measure and genetic algorithm. In this research, adaptive learning cases were developed for teaching students with mild disabilities so as to assist regular and special education teachers to develop practical knowledge of teaching more effectively. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved, 0 0 0957-4174 WOS:000284863200001 J Cuellar, M. P.; Delgado, M.; Pegalajar, M. C. A common framework for information sharing in e-learning management systems EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS 38 3 2260 2270 10.1016/j.eswa.2010.08.014 MAR 2011 2011 Internet Learning Management Systems (LMSs) are powerful tools that help us in our daily teaching and learning activities. Most users and software are mainly focused in content dissemination and group works, but the possibilities that Internet LMSs could offer go further. Some recent approaches use semantic web to improve the capabilities and user experiences in e-learning by mean of artificial intelligence and knowledge management techniques. In this work, we develop a procedure to achieve the integration of different e-learning systems, and to give semantics to entities and relations in the database of LMSs by mean of ontologies. This integration could ease the dissemination of learning resources and knowledge from the databases of the Learning Management Systems. Moreover, the semantic interpretation of database schemes would allow to find precise information quickly. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1 1 0957-4174 WOS:000284863200107 J Park, Eun Hee; Hwang, Seon Young Development and Effects of an e-Learning Program in Operating Room Nursing for Nursing Students JOURNAL OF KOREAN ACADEMY OF NURSING 41 1 36 46 10.4040/jkan.2011.41.1.36 FEB 2011 2011 Purpose: This study was conducted to develop an e-Learning program that assists nursing students' clinical practice in operating room nursing and to examine the learning effects. Methods: Based on content and need analysis, 9 learning modules were developed for nursing care in operating rooms and with operating equipment. To verify the effects of the program, a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design was employed. The participants in this study were 74 third-year nursing students (34 in the experimental and 40 in the control group) from a junior college in G-city, Korea, who were engaged in a one week clinical practicum in an operating unit. Frequencies, chi(2)-test and t-test with the SPSS program 17.0 were used to analyze the data. Results: Knowledge was significantly higher in the experimental group compared to the control group (p=.018). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in self-directed learning. The experimental group had significantly higher motivation toward learning, which was examined posttest only (p=.027). Conclusion: These results indicate that the implementation of an e-Learning program needs to be continued as an effective educational tool, but more research on the best way to implement e-Learning in students' practicum is needed. 0 0 2005-3673 WOS:000289493400005 J Um, Hyemi; Kim, Min Sun; Kym, Hyo-Gun A Study on the Organizational Context for an Individual e-Learning Performance INFORMATION-AN INTERNATIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL 14 2 433 441 FEB 2011 2011 The marketplace is undergoing constant change in modern times. It is within this setting, therefore, that a key factor that demands focus and attention is the development of human resources to manage information and knowledge in preparation for an increasingly competitive future. Accordingly, as the importance of learning and personal development increases, so does the use of e-Learning, which is now promoted in a variety of corporations.However, previous research on the field of e-Learning, in the business sector, has taken a perspective which focused on the employees' individual learning characteristics. Even if the causes for specific learning performances have been clarified to some degree these studies have not been of a practical research nature. However, this present study focuses on the verification of the influential factors, on an individual's learning performance in an organizational environment.For verification of the hypothesis, the researcher distributed questionnaires to 300 people in corporations where e-Learning has been a part of their educational programs. The research was conducted during October 2002 and analyzed through an SPSS 11.0 program.The results of this study are as follows: firstly, e-Learning strategies combined with management strategies have a significant positive impact on individual learning performances. Second, The organization's atmosphere is partially significant. The organization's enthusiasm for e-Learning has a significant positive impact on individual motivation and the learning performance. However, the innovative disposition of the organization is not considered significant. Third, the organization's Reward and Evaluation system also has a significant positive impact on an individual's learning performance.The academic significance of this study lies in that the present study has tried to approach the research from an organizational standpoint, whereas previous research on e-Learning has remained conceptual or from the perspective of the individual learner's learning characteristics.The Practical issues that this study presents are that e-Learning managers should realize the importance of, and try to find ways of promoting, learning motivation within the organization as well adopt the use of an e-Learning system. Besides this, e-Learning operation strategies and a more practical reward and evaluation system should also be implemented. 0 0 1343-4500 WOS:000289322200013 J Keyte, Donna; Richardson, Cliff Re-thinking pain educational strategies: Pain a new model using e-learning and PBL NURSE EDUCATION TODAY 31 2 117 121 10.1016/j.nedt.2010.05.001 FEB 2011 2011 Despite some high profile reorganisation including the introduction of acute pain teams, many patients still experience unnecessary pain. Traditional teaching and learning strategies seem to have made little impact in clinical practice. This paper explores the possible reasons for this and identifies the need to help postregistration students transfer (re-contextualise) what they are learning to practice. A new, more flexible pain management module utilising a blended face to face/e-learning approach within a problem-based learning philosophy was introduced to increase knowledge in pain management whilst also attempting to overcome the barriers to knowledge transfer into practice. This is done by challenging attitudes and encouraging students to explore their clinical practice alongside theoretical concepts. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0260-6917 WOS:000287684900003 J Onuki, Mutsumi; Maruyama, Hitoshi Results of the Self-efficacy Stimulative Scale used for e-learning by Physical Therapy Vocational School Students-Examination by Exploratory Factor Analysis- JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL THERAPY SCIENCE 23 1 81 84 FEB 2011 2011 [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to prepare a scale for promoting sense of self-efficacy in physical therapy students in e-learning and to examine the scale items with factor analysis. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty-seven physical therapy students were asked to participate in e-learning and we measured the effect of e-learning using a Self-efficacy Stimulative Scale which we developed for this research. [Results] Factor analysis identified 3 factors, which were named "sense of accomplishment", "accumulation of experience" and "inquisitive mind". Coefficients of reliability were 0.89, 0.81 and 0.86, respectively, for each of the three factors. Furthermore, among the subscales, a significant correlation was found between "sense of accomplishment" and "accumulation of experience". [Conclusion] The results indicate that the Self-efficacy Stimulative Scale is structurally stable and has high factorial validity. 0 0 0915-5287 WOS:000288586800019 J Hughes, Julie; Herrington, Margaret; McDonald, Tess; Rhodes, Amy E-portfolios and Personalized Learning: Research in Practice with Two Dyslexic Learners in UK Higher Education DYSLEXIA 17 1 48 64 10.1002/dys.418 FEB 2011 2011 This paper analyses the use of an e-portfolio system in contributing to the personalized learning of two dyslexic learners at the University of Wolverhampton, UK. The rationale for this research rests at the intersection of generic findings from e-portfolio (and wider e-learning) research and the still challenging project in higher education (HE) of creating inclusive curricula. A qualitative, ethnographic approach was employed in a piece of collaborative research between academic staff and dyslexic learners. Two retrospective learner narratives were constructed and then reviewed by all co-authors in terms of the 'personalized fit' which they allowed with dyslexic thinking, learning and writing experience. The findings suggest a potential refinement of the general pedagogical claims about e-portfolio-based learning when considering dyslexic learners and thence the value of an enhanced prioritization of e-portfolio learning practices within inclusive HE curricula. The review and analysis also allow a 'critical' discussion of the practical and theoretical issues arising within this work. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 0 0 1076-9242 WOS:000287104800004 J Munoz-Merino, Pedro J.; Delgado Kloos, Carlos; Munoz-Organero, Mario Enhancement of Student Learning Through the Use of a Hinting Computer e-Learning System and Comparison With Human Teachers IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION 54 1 164 167 10.1109/TE.2010.2045001 FEB 2011 2011 This paper reports the results of an experiment in a Computer Architecture Laboratory course classroom session, in which students were divided into two groups for interaction both with a hinting e-learning system and with human teachers generating hints. The results show that there were high learning gains for both groups, demonstrating the effectiveness of the human teachers as well as of the computer-based hinting e-learning system even without the use of adaptive and personalization capabilities. In addition, in the worst case, the difference in favor of human teachers (with a low student-to-teacher ratio of 13.5 students per teacher) would not be significant with respect to the e-learning system, so the computer-based system can replace teachers without a significant loss of effectiveness. 0 0 0018-9359 WOS:000286930400020 J Martinez, Fernando; Carlos Herrero, Luis; de Pablo, Santiago Project-Based Learning and Rubrics in the Teaching of Power Supplies and Photovoltaic Electricity IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION 54 1 87 96 10.1109/TE.2010.2044506 FEB 2011 2011 Project-based learning (PBL) and cooperative learning are, in various aspects, very superior education methodologies compared to other traditional ones. They are highly appropriate methodologies for elective courses, as they exert a strong attraction on the students, quite apart from their educational advantages. This paper describes how PBL and cooperative learning have been used to teach the topics of power supplies and photovoltaic electricity within two elective undergraduate courses. A project is carried out for each of the two topics. Moodle is used as the e-learning platform to provide the course materials and the wiki resource and to allow the submission of assignments. The simulation is done by means of Simulink. Work has been done to develop skills for project planning, group management of the work, technical document writing and presentations in public. The methodology has been seen to be successful, as all the students who have followed it over the last few years have passed the courses in which it was included, Design of Industrial Applications and Industrial Electronics. Examples of the rubrics for assessing the projects and examples of the projects themselves are also included. 4 4 0018-9359 WOS:000286930400011 J Atanasijevic-Kunc, Maja; Logar, Vito; Karba, Rihard; Papic, Marko; Kos, Andrej Remote Multivariable Control Design Using a Competition Game IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION 54 1 97 103 10.1109/TE.2010.2046489 FEB 2011 2011 In this paper, some approaches to teaching multivariable control design are discussed, with special attention being devoted to a step-by-step transition to e-learning. The approach put into practice and presented here is developed through design projects, from which one is chosen as a competition game and is realized using the E-CHO system, Matlab, and a laboratory pilot plant. All the preparations for the game can be completed using a remote virtual and actual laboratory device, while the final competition evaluation takes place in the laboratory in order to preserve personal contacts between the students and the staff. The methods described, comprising all the important e-education elements, were found to stimulate the students' interest and speed up the learning process, and are directly extendable to different forms of courses suitable for new forms of study and education promotion, including lifelong education. 0 0 0018-9359 WOS:000286930400012 J Strunk, T.; Mueller, S. C. Education of medical students in urology in Germany. Present status UROLOGE 50 2 180 + 10.1007/s00120-010-2493-3 FEB 2011 2011 Background. There is a growing demand for doctors in Germany and diseases of the genitourinary tract have become more prevalent in recent years. Politicians plan to increase the number of students in an already heavily overloaded system but data on quality and structure of medical education in Urology are lacking. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent and quality of undergraduate medical education in urology.Material and methods. Departments of Urology at German University Hospitals were surveyed using a questionnaire. Questions covered four different fields of medical education and answers were analyzed by descriptive statistics.Results. Of the teachers involved in medical education 97% are physicians and 4% of these have special didactic qualifications. On average 1 teacher is responsible for 13 students and 44% of departments also have to carry out medical duties during teaching lessons. More than half of the departments offer modern learning forms, such as e-learning, problem-oriented learning or skills laboratory training.Conclusions. Urology departments at German University Hospitals spend much time on medical education. Nearly all physicians are involved in medical education, whether they are experienced or not and in many cases teaching is carried out in parallel to patient care. In more than half of the cases modern education tools were employed which implies a good standard of quality but there are no data on outcome. 1 1 1433-0563 WOS:000287792500004 J Ell, Shawn W.; Cosley, Brandon; McCoy, Shannon K. When bad stress goes good: increased threat reactivity predicts improved category learning performance PSYCHONOMIC BULLETIN & REVIEW 18 1 96 102 10.3758/s13423-010-0018-0 FEB 2011 2011 The way in which we respond to everyday stressors can have a profound impact on cognitive functioning. Maladaptive stress responses in particular are generally associated with impaired cognitive performance. We argue, however, that the cognitive system mediating task performance is also a critical determinant of the stress-cognition relationship. Consistent with this prediction, we observed that stress reactivity consistent with a maladaptive, threat response differentially predicted performance on two categorization tasks. Increased threat reactivity predicted enhanced performance on an information-integration task (i.e., learning is thought to depend upon a procedural-based memory system), and a (nonsignificant) trend for impaired performance on a rule-based task (i.e., learning is thought to depend upon a hypothesis-testing system). These data suggest that it is critical to consider both variability in the stress response and variability in the cognitive system mediating task performance in order to fully understand the stress-cognition relationship. 0 0 1069-9384 WOS:000287499000009 J Atha, J.; Mackley, P.; English, K.; Simpson, N. Development of an e-learning tool and patient card to improve pregnancy and contraceptive care of women with prosthetic heart valves THROMBOSIS RESEARCH 127 S148 S148 10.1016/S0049-3848(11)70135-9 3 FEB 2011 2011 4th International Symposium on Womens Health Issues in Thrombosis and Haemostasis FEB 04-06, 2011 Berlin, GERMANY 0 0 0049-3848 WOS:000286461800135 J Lin, Jian-Wei; Lai, Yuan-Cheng A DISTRIBUTED MEASUREMENT LABORATORY CAPABLE OF ON-LINE MONITORING OF INSTRUMENTS BASED ON AN OBJECT-ORIENTED APPROACH INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE COMPUTING INFORMATION AND CONTROL 7 2 571 586 FEB 2011 2011 A distributed measurement laboratory (DML) having instruments scattered in different geographic areas is proposed in this paper. Such a system allows users to practice any distributed instrumentation and simultaneously monitor it via real-time video. The system is characterized by use of object-oriented technique to integrate the scattered electronic instruments and video capture devices to form the DML, leading to a flexible and extendable architecture. Finally, evaluations of the DML have been conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed system. 0 0 1349-4198 WOS:000287278100006 J Tamborrini, G.; Krebs, A.; Michel, M.; Michel, B. A.; Ciurea, A. Web-based learning in musculoskeletal ultrasound ZEITSCHRIFT FUR RHEUMATOLOGIE 70 2 154 + 10.1007/s00393-010-0740-z FEB 2011 2011 Education and training in musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) comprises attendance at theoretical and practical courses and independent study. Web-based learning as a novel teaching method has previously been described. The present study summarizes normal and pathological findings in a web-based approach using widely accepted guidelines. In a prospective study over a period of 3 years normal and pathological images of the musculoskeletal system have been documented and catalogued. Overall 1240 ultrasound images and 183 ultrasound videos were collected. A total of 14.4% were normal and 85.6% were pathological MSUS findings; 61% concerned the upper extremity, while 39% were images and videos of the lower limbs. The most captured conditions included synovitis (33.3%), pathologies of the tendons e.g., tenosynovitis or tendinosis (19.6%) and normal findings (14.4%). The most represented diseases were rheumatoid arthritis (20%), calcium deposition disease (8.2%), gout (7.1%) and osteoarthritis (6.9%). The images and videos were edited and integrated in a web-based tool. 0 0 0340-1855 WOS:000287243600010 J Chu, Chih-Ping; Chang, Yi-Chun; Tsai, Cheng-Chang PC(2)PSO: personalized e-course composition based on Particle Swarm Optimization APPLIED INTELLIGENCE 34 1 141 154 10.1007/s10489-009-0186-7 FEB 2011 2011 This paper proposes a Personalized e-Course Composition approach based on Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm, called PC(2)PSO, to compose appropriate e-learning materials into personalized e-courses for individual learners. The PC(2)PSO composes a personalized e-course according to (1) whether or not the covered learning concepts of the personalized e-course meets the expected learning target of a learner, (2) whether or not the difficulty of the e-learning material matches a learner's ability, (3) the limitation of learning time for individual learners, and (4) the balance of the weight of learning concepts that are covered in a personalized e-course. PC(2)PSO can provide a truly personalized learning environment when used in conjunction with an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS). When an e-course authoring tool is based on the proposed approach, the PC(2)PSO can facilitate instructors in selecting appropriate e-learning materials from a mass of candidate e-learning materials, and then saves time and effort in the e-course editing process. 3 3 0924-669X WOS:000286599700011 J Yoon, Sang Won; Matsui, Masayuki; Yamada, Tetsuo; Nof, Shimon Y. Analysis of effectiveness and benefits of collaboration modes with information- and knowledge-sharing JOURNAL OF INTELLIGENT MANUFACTURING 22 1 SI 101 112 10.1007/s10845-009-0282-x FEB 2011 2011 This study addresses an empirical analysis of information- and knowledge-sharing among collaborative decision makers. In this research, each decision maker represents one of three distributed centers in ERP systems: Sales, Production, and Procurement Centers. Their respective objectives and decision policies are defined to design collaborative decision-making environments. MICSS-LAN, an ERP simulation tool, was applied for the experiments, generating explicit numerical results that enable the measurement of the effectiveness and benefits by collaborative decision making. The experimental results indicate that total profit and due date performance have been improved by information- and knowledge-sharing. It implies that better design and utilization of ERP structures can be achieved by a certain level of information- and knowledge-sharing. 0 0 0956-5515 WOS:000286115600010 J Stevens, Roger J. G. Do trainees want e-learning in plastic surgery? JOURNAL OF PLASTIC RECONSTRUCTIVE AND AESTHETIC SURGERY 64 2 E47 E49 10.1016/j.bjps.2010.08.021 FEB 2011 2011 0 0 1748-6815 WOS:000285716800004 J Stevens, Roger J. G. Do consultants want e-learning in plastic surgery for continuing professional development and revalidation? JOURNAL OF PLASTIC RECONSTRUCTIVE AND AESTHETIC SURGERY 64 2 E50 E52 10.1016/j.bjps.2010.09.012 FEB 2011 2011 1 1 1748-6815 WOS:000285716800005 J Noorbehbahani, F.; Kardan, A. A. The automatic assessment of free text answers using a modified BLEU algorithm COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 56 2 337 345 10.1016/j.compedu.2010.07.013 FEB 2011 2011 e-Learning plays an undoubtedly important role in today's education and assessment is one of the most essential parts of any instruction-based learning process. Assessment is a common way to evaluate a student's knowledge regarding the concepts related to learning objectives. In this paper, a new method for assessing the free text answers of students based on the BLEU algorithm is presented. We modify the BLEU algorithm so that it is suitable for assessing free text answers and call the new algorithm the modified BLEU (M-BLEU).To perform an assessment, it is necessary to establish a repository of reference answers written by course instructors or related experts. Several reference answers are included for each question. The M-BLEU algorithm is used to identify the most similar reference answer to a student answer; a similarity score is calculated and applied to score the answers provided by students. Evaluation results show that the proposed method achieves the highest correlation with human expert scores compared to other assessment methods such as latent semantic analysis (LSA) and n-gram co-occurrence. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0 0 0360-1315 WOS:000284819800002 J Lin, Kan-Min e-Learning continuance intention: Moderating effects of user e-learning experience COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 56 2 515 526 10.1016/j.compedu.2010.09.017 FEB 2011 2011 This study explores the determinants of the e-learning continuance intention of users with different levels of e-learning experience and examines the moderating effects of e-learning experience on the relationships among the determinants. The research hypotheses are empirically validated using the responses received from a survey of 256 users. The results reveal that negative critical incidents and attitude are the main determinants of the users' intention to continue using the e-learning, irrespective of their level of e-learning experience. In addition, the findings show that the user's experience of the e-learning service plays a moderating role. The impact of negative critical incidents on perceived ease of use is greater for less experienced users. By contrast, the impact of negative critical incidents on perceived usefulness is greater for more experienced users. Perceived ease of use has a more critical effect on the attitude and continuance intention of less experienced users, whereas perceived usefulness is found to be a stronger determinant of the attitude and behavioral intention of more experienced users. Moreover, the relationship between satisfaction and continuance intention is stronger for less experienced users than for more experienced users. The implications of the present findings for research and managerial practice are analyzed and discussed. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 2 2 0360-1315 WOS:000284819800018 J Lim, Anecita Gigi; Doherty, Iain; Honey, Michelle L. L. Creating Teaching Objects A Case Study of Delivering Recorded Narrations in Nursing Education CIN-COMPUTERS INFORMATICS NURSING 29 2 115 120 10.1097/NCN.0b013e3181f9dc2f FEB 2011 2011 This article evaluates the use of PowerPoint presentations and recorded narrations (developed and saved as Flash content using software called Articulate Presenter) as a tool to help postgraduate nursing students taking a pharmacology course to learn key pharmacological and pharmacotherapeutic concepts. Students found that the teaching objects, provided as additional resources to assist students in learning about difficult concepts, supported them in their learning. Additionally, students reported that while they appreciated the provision of the teaching objects, the objects lacked an interactive component and did not replace interaction with the teacher. Articulate Presenter, as a tool to create a recorded narration, was easy for the teacher to use and promoted teacher independence in the creation of teaching objects. 0 0 1538-2931 WOS:000288533600008 J Segura N., Alejandra; Salvador-Sanchez; Garcia-Barriocanal, Elena; Prieto, Manuel An empirical analysis of ontology-based query expansion for learning resource searches using MERLOT and the Gene ontology KNOWLEDGE-BASED SYSTEMS 24 1 119 133 10.1016/j.knosys.2010.07.012 FEB 2011 2011 This paper proposes an expansion of queries based on formal domain ontologies in the context of the search for learning resources in repositories. The expansion process uses the relation types that are represented in these models; common ontological relations, and ontological relations specific to domain and traditional terminology relations, typical of thesauri. The tests were conducted using Gene ontology as the knowledge base and MERLOT is used as the test repository. The results of this study case indicate that, at similar levels of precision, expanded queries improve levels of novelty and coverage compared to the original query (without expansion), i.e. expanded queries allow the user to retrieve relevant objects, which might not be obtained without expansion. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1 1 0950-7051 WOS:000284344800014 J Anaya, Antonio R.; Boticario, Jesus G. Application of machine learning techniques to analyse student interactions and improve the collaboration process EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS 38 2 SI 1171 1181 10.1016/j.eswa.2010.05.010 FEB 2011 2011 In e learning environments that use the collaboration strategy providing participants with a set of communication services may not be enough to ensure collaborative learning It is thus necessary to analyse collaboration regularly and frequently Using machine learning techniques is recommended when analysing environments where there are a large number of participants or where they control the collaboration process This research studied two approaches that use machine learning techniques to analyse student collaboration in a long-term collaborative learning experience during the academic years 2006-2007 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 The aims were to analyse collaboration during the collaboration process and that it should be domain independent Accordingly the intention was to be able to carry out the analysis regularly and frequently in different collaborative environments One of the two approaches classifies students according to their collaboration using unsupervised machine learning techniques clustering while the other approach constructs metrics that provide information on collaboration using supervised learning techniques decision trees The research results suggest that collaboration can be ana lysed in this way thus achieving the alms set out with two different machine learning techniques (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved 2 2 0957-4174 WOS:000284175700009 J Wildhaber, Reto A.; Verrey, Francois; Wenger, Roland H. A graphical simulation software for instruction in cardiovascular mechanics physiology BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING ONLINE 10 8 10.1186/1475-925X-10-8 JAN 25 2011 2011 Background: Computer supported, interactive e-learning systems are widely used in the teaching of physiology. However, the currently available complimentary software tools in the field of the physiology of cardiovascular mechanics have not yet been adapted to the latest systems software. Therefore, a simple-to-use replacement for undergraduate and graduate students' education was needed, including an up-to-date graphical software that is validated and field-tested.Methods: Software compatible to Windows, based on modified versions of existing mathematical algorithms, has been newly developed. Testing was performed during a full term of physiological lecturing to medical and biology students.Results: The newly developed CLabUZH software models a reduced human cardiovascular loop containing all basic compartments: an isolated heart including an artificial electrical stimulator, main vessels and the peripheral resistive components. Students can alter several physiological parameters interactively. The resulting output variables are printed in x-y diagrams and in addition shown in an animated, graphical model. CLabUZH offers insight into the relations of volume, pressure and time dependency in the circulation and their correlation to the electrocardiogram (ECG). Established mechanisms such as the Frank-Starling Law or the Windkessel Effect are considered in this model. The CLabUZH software is self-contained with no extra installation required and runs on most of today's personal computer systems.Conclusions: CLabUZH is a user-friendly interactive computer programme that has proved to be useful in teaching the basic physiological principles of heart mechanics. 0 0 1475-925X WOS:000287473900001 J Lin, Chi-Hung; Lin, I. Chun; Roan, Jinsheng To evaluate interface usability of an e-course platform: User perspective AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT 5 1 196 202 JAN 4 2011 2011 As a core term in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), the analysis of system usability continues to be one of priority focuses of HCI researchers. Through users' evaluation, a system's inherent problems can be learned and its design be improved. This research was conducted to obtain the overall evaluation from the participants over the e-Course platform based on the data gathered from questionnaires, interviews and scenario simulations. This study recruited five participants, three of whom were professors and the rest were teacher's assistant. We used nine constructs to evaluate interface usability of the system. The research results showed that the average scores of three scenarios from high to low were S1a, S1b and S2. In terms of usability goals, efficiency, learn ability, utility, effectiveness, their average score is high than 3. In terms of user's experiences goals, the average score is less then 3, but near to 3. Overall, the interface of e-Course platform is ease to use and acceptable. Finally, we organized interview results and provided nine suggestions for a director of computer department and system designer. These suggestions can let them to know about the priority of system improvement, and provide a useful reference for practice. 0 0 1993-8233 WOS:000286724700023 S Munk, Michal; Drlik, Martin Sato, M; Matsuoka, S; Sloot, PMA; VanAlbada, GD; Dongarra, J Impact of Different Pre-Processing Tasks on Effective identification of Users' Behavioral Patterns in Web-based Educational System PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE (ICCS) Procedia Computer Science 4 1640 1649 10.1016/j.procs.2011.04.177 2011 2011 Analyzing the unique types of data that come from educational systems can help find the most effective structure of the e-learning courses, optimize the learning content, recommend the most suitable learning path based on student's behavior, or provide inure personalized environment. We focus only on the processes involved in the data preparation stage of web usage mining. Our objective is to specify the inevitable steps that are required for obtaining valid data from the stored logs of the web-based educational system. We compare three datasets of different quality obtained from logs of the web-based educational system and pre-processed in different ways: data with identified users' sessions and data with the reconstructed path among course activities. We try to assess the impact of these advanced techniques of data pre-processing on the quantity and quality of the extracted rules that represent the learners' behavioral patterns in a web-based educational system. The results confirm some initial assumptions, but they also show that the path reconstruction among visited activities in c-leaning course has not statistically significant effect on quality and quantity of the extracted rules. International Conference on Computational Science (ICCS) on the Ascent of Computational Excellence 2011 Elsevier; Univ Tsukuba, Ctr Computat Sci Campus Nanyang Technolog Univ, Singapore, SINGAPORE 1 1 1877-0509 ***************** WOS:000299165200176 S Tirado-Ramos, Alfredo; Shiflet, Angela B. Sato, M; Matsuoka, S; Sloot, PMA; VanAlbada, GD; Dongarra, J The Fifth Workshop on Teaching Computational Science (WTCS 2011) PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE (ICCS) Procedia Computer Science 4 1898 1900 10.1016/j.procs.2011.04.206 2011 2011 The Fifth Workshop on Teaching Computational Science, within the International Conference on Computational Science, provides a platform for discussing innovations in teaching computational sciences at all levels and contexts of higher education. This editorial provides an introduction to the work presented during the sessions. International Conference on Computational Science (ICCS) on the Ascent of Computational Excellence 2011 Elsevier; Univ Tsukuba, Ctr Computat Sci Campus Nanyang Technolog Univ, Singapore, SINGAPORE 0 0 1877-0509 ***************** WOS:000299165200205 S Lassila-Perini, Kati; Malik, Sudhir; Hegner, Benedikt; Hinzmann, Andreas; Wolf, Roger IOP Planning and organization of an e-learning training program on the analysis software in CMS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COMPUTING IN HIGH ENERGY AND NUCLEAR PHYSICS (CHEP 2010) Journal of Physics Conference Series 331 082010 10.1088/1742-6596/331/8/082010 2011 2011 Analyzing physics data at LHC experiments is a complicated task involving multiple steps, sharing of expertise, cross checks and comparing different analyses. To maximize physics productivity, the CMS experiment at LHC has developed a collection of analysis tools called the PAT (Physics Analysis Toolkit). A comprehensive training program was designed and setup on using PAT software as an integral key part of the analysis of data from the CMS experiment. This note summarizes the requirements and the considerations that led to establish the PAT training program, the approach taken, the main organizational issues and the experience on its implementation and maintenance. The training and the feedback has proved to be very successful both for participants and the PAT development team. International Conference on Computing in High Energy and Nuclear Physics (CHEP) OCT 18-22, 2010 Taipei, TAIWAN 0 0 1742-6588 ***************** WOS:000301224200010 J Chen, Hong-Ren; Huang, Hui-Ling Learning Achievement of Knowledge Management Adaptivity in Web-based Interactive Learning Systems for a Junior High School in Taiwan NEW EDUCATIONAL REVIEW 25 3 183 193 2011 2011 The purpose of this research was to examine the learning achievement of junior high school students in computer courses that utilize knowledge management approaches integrated into web-based interactive learning systems. We developed a web-based interactive learning system that integrated knowledge management processes and allowed students to capture, store, share, apply, and create knowledge. This was implemented in an actual teaching environment. The results of using this system were then compared with those of traditional lectures to explore its impact on learning achievement for junior high school computer courses in Taiwan. Based on the results of the computer hardware achievement posttest, the use of knowledge management approaches integrated into a web-based interactive learning system helped to enhance learners' individual learning achievement for computer hardware contents. Given that knowledge application and creation are relatively more advanced components of knowledge management, significant improvements can be made in high prior knowledge group. 0 0 1732-6729 WOS:000301720000016 J Kostolanyova, Katerina; Sarmanova, Jana; Takacs, Ondrej Structure of Study Supports for Adaptable Instruction NEW EDUCATIONAL REVIEW 25 3 235 247 2011 2011 E-learning instruction adapted according to student study characteristics stands on three basic pillars: a definition and recognition of the student's learning style, adaptable study supports and a correct assignment of an instructional style to a specific student and his/her learning style. This paper is a continuance of the paper [1] about student learning style analysis and adds the "second pillar", the study support analysis and the design of their structure in a way which would enable a compilation of study supports optimized and tailored to all the student types with their different learning styles. 0 0 1732-6729 WOS:000301720000020 B Lizalova, Lenka; Kuncova, Martina Kvasnicka, R MOODLE ITEM ANALYSIS AS A TOOL FOR THE EDUCATION EFFICIENCY INCREASE EFFCIENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY IN EDUCATION 2011 178 186 2011 2011 One of the arguments for implementation of the e-learning system into the educational process is an excellent feedback between the teacher and the student. If the teacher uses the tables with the information about the activities of the students, observes how often the materials are read and analyses test results, he/she can obtain ideal information about the study process. The Item Analysis is a very important part of the Moodle system. This function provides perfect feedback and it becomes an important tool for the education efficiency increase. By using Item Analysis, we can detect weaknesses of e-learning materials and improve them. This article describes the usage and the effect of the Item Analysis in the e-course Business Economics to test more than 1,100 students at the College of Polytechnics Jihlava. 8th International Conference on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education JUN 09-10, 2011 Czech Univ Life Sci Prague, Fac Econom Management; Czech Univ Life Sci Prague, Dept Systems Engn; European Social Fund; European Union Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC 0 0 978-80-213-2183-0 WOS:000300799300020 B Takacs, Ondrej; Kostolanyova, Katerina; Sarmanova, Jana Kvasnicka, R EXPERIMENTAL VERIFICATION OF LEARNING STYLES IN E-LEARNING EFFCIENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY IN EDUCATION 2011 302 311 2011 2011 From the educational process efficiency point of view, the traditional form of e-learning ceases to meet the needs and the "customized" study form personalized approach to students is more often preferred. This paper describes the design of an adaptive learning environment, as it is being developed as a part of several scientific and ESF projects. The paper focuses, in particular, on the experimental verification of the theoretically suggested characteristics of students which define their individual learning styles. We have described an initial analysis of available learning styles classifications, pointed out the results brought by pilot testing of the students and we have also described in detail the results of modified testing of university and high school students. 8th International Conference on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education JUN 09-10, 2011 Czech Univ Life Sci Prague, Fac Econom Management; Czech Univ Life Sci Prague, Dept Systems Engn; European Social Fund; European Union Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC 0 0 978-80-213-2183-0 WOS:000300799300034 B Vojackova, Hana; Kuncova, Martina; Benesova, Martina Kvasnicka, R PROJECT OF THE E-LEARNING SUPPORT CREATION AT VSP JIHLAVA AND ITS EVALUATION EFFCIENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY IN EDUCATION 2011 322 330 2011 2011 The College of Polytechnics Jihlava (VSPJ) is one of the youngest public colleges in the Czech Republic. Currently, there are, however, more than 3,000 students studying six fields of study. Under the terms of improving the quality of teaching (not only for the combined form of study students), VSPJ submitted the project "Introducing E-learning System into Teaching and Creating E-courses at College of Polytechnics Jihlava" in the middle of March 2011. In the year of 2009, creating e-courses started, in the middle of March 2011 (i.e. approximately in two thirds of the project duration), 145 of 150 planned e-courses are prepared and tested. As a part of testing, there are partly students who have already passed the particular subjects (without having the chance to use e-learning), and partly there are evaluators who are colleagues from other Czech colleges and universities. Thus, in this article, we try to describe the development of the project of creating e-courses and the statistical evaluation of the questionnaires filled in by the full-time and combined form of study students by the middle of March 2011. 8th International Conference on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education JUN 09-10, 2011 Czech Univ Life Sci Prague, Fac Econom Management; Czech Univ Life Sci Prague, Dept Systems Engn; European Social Fund; European Union Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC 0 0 978-80-213-2183-0 WOS:000300799300036 B Zach, Petr; Holoubek, Josef; Kolman, Pavel Kvasnicka, R ANALYSIS OF THE USE OF FLASH APPLICATIONS IN THE ECONOMIC-MATHEMATICAL METHODS E-LEARNING COURSE EFFCIENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY IN EDUCATION 2011 351 359 2011 2011 The paper is concerned with some tools that the authors used in an economic mathematical methods course taught at the Faculty of Business and Economics of Mendel University in Brno to make the teaching more efficient and the studying of selected parts of this required course easier. The authors focussed on solutions of the basic types of graph problems using animations written in Adobe Flash CS3 Professional. As the programs have been tested in practice, too, experience has been included provided both by the teachers and the students using them. 8th International Conference on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education JUN 09-10, 2011 Czech Univ Life Sci Prague, Fac Econom Management; Czech Univ Life Sci Prague, Dept Systems Engn; European Social Fund; European Union Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC 0 0 978-80-213-2183-0 WOS:000300799300039 B Dannhoferova, Jana; Foltynek, Tomas Kvasnicka, R GUIDELINES FOR USING COLORS IN E-LEARNING COURSES EFFCIENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY IN EDUCATION 2011 46 55 2011 2011 Colors are certain method of the visualization of luminous energy. Using colors in e-learning courses has two points of view aesthetic and human. However, creators of e-learning materials observe neither aesthetic nor human aspects. The paper deals with the issue of the using colors and creating a color schemes in distance education, especially in e-learing courses. These aspects aren't generally included in any of the current methodologies for creation of the e-learning materials. For example, methodics of web accessibility are restricted only to contrast; methods of colors usage are completely missing.This paper brings the analysis of basic methods that lead to creation of a harmonious color schemes. As the tool, important principles of fine art and visual arts and special graphics software are used. The various forms of color blindness and color vision deficiency will be discussed too, because colors can constitute an obstacle for the people who suffer from color perception disorders. The aim of this paper is to outline rules for using colors in e-learning courses and creation of color schemes that respect various forms of color blindness or color perception disorders. The rules should have completed both e-learning methodics and methods of the validation of web accessibility. 8th International Conference on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education JUN 09-10, 2011 Czech Univ Life Sci Prague, Fac Econom Management; Czech Univ Life Sci Prague, Dept Systems Engn; European Social Fund; European Union Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC 0 0 978-80-213-2183-0 WOS:000300799300006 B Balogh, Zoltan; Magdin, Martin; Turcani, Milan; Burianova, Maria Kvasnicka, R INTERACTIVITY ELEMENTS IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS IN E-COURSES OF PROFESSIONAL INFORMATICS SUBJECTS EFFCIENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY IN EDUCATION 2011 5 14 2011 2011 The authors in their contribution deal with the aspects of the draft of the adaptive educational system using interactive multimedial educational applications as well as the support of their contents loading. The concern is the creation of a room for knowledge, which are presented to the user (student) based on a suitable model. Possibilities of creation of space for knowledge are described and relationships between concepts within this space are defined. The other issue is the definition and loading of the information educational space itself, which is represented by the contents of the concepts. The draft of the space is realized by means of modelling methods using Petri nets. The described output of the solution is a part of the project, which deals with the improvement of e-learning, specifically by the modification of existing tools, as well as by the draft and creation of new activities, which should support interactivity of students with educational material and teaching tasks. Study materials and supporting educational activities with implemented interactive elements focused on the support of mainly e-learning education within LMS Moodle medium were created within the project. In the paper we describe the students' accesses and manipulation with the interactive media elements which have been implemented into the e-course to support the teaching of the subject Architektura pocitacov 2 (Architecture of computers 2). 8th International Conference on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education JUN 09-10, 2011 Czech Univ Life Sci Prague, Fac Econom Management; Czech Univ Life Sci Prague, Dept Systems Engn; European Social Fund; European Union Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC 0 0 978-80-213-2183-0 WOS:000300799300001 B Houska, Milan; Berankova, Martina Kvasnicka, R THE IMPACT OF CONTACT LESSONS ON LEARNING OUTCOMES IN MATHEMATICS EFFCIENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY IN EDUCATION 2011 93 101 2011 2011 The current trend in tertiary education is characterized by reducing contact lessons and emphasizing the role of distance way of learning and e-learning. In this study, we concentrate to the analysis of learning outcomes of a specific group of distance learning students. The objective is to examine the impact of additional contact lectures on their results measured by the didactic test score and final mark. For this purpose, we analyze acquired data on learning outcomes by statistical methods and statistical significance testing, respectively. In total, we find that there is no statistically significant difference in performance of the students who attended the additional contact lecture and who did not. But we also find a distortion in our primary data; there was a small group of students with excellent results who did not attended the additional contact lecture but organized another type of contact learning by themselves. After redesigning the compared groups, the results of the group of students attending the additional lecture were significantly better according to both average test score and average final mark. 8th International Conference on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education JUN 09-10, 2011 Czech Univ Life Sci Prague, Fac Econom Management; Czech Univ Life Sci Prague, Dept Systems Engn; European Social Fund; European Union Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC 0 0 978-80-213-2183-0 WOS:000300799300011 S Morsi, Walid G.; El-Hawary, M. E. IEEE An Effective Method to Formulate Electric Power System Problems for Online Assessments 2011 24TH CANADIAN CONFERENCE ON ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING (CCECE) Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering 146 151 2011 2011 On-line teaching and distance education have become the main trend for universities in the last few years. Many difficulties still hamper fully teaching some electrical engineering course on-line such as question formulations, design, students' evaluation and reliability of assessments. This paper introduces an effective way of formulating some electric power systems course questions for creating on-line quizzes using Blackboard Learning System (BLS) in order to benefit from the advantages of on-line teaching while providing a suitable method for fairly evaluating the students. Different question types available in the assessment link in BLS such as multiple choice and calculated question, are used in this study to formulate some Electric Power Systems (EPS) problems. The advantages and disadvantages are discussed from both students and instructor point of view while the students' performance results are analyzed. 24th Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering (CCECE) MAY 08-11, 2011 Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers Canada Inc (IEEE Canada), Cent Canada Area; London Hydro; Agilent Technol; Auto 21; Gap Wireless; IEEE Canadian Fdn; GE Energy Serv Niagara Falls, CANADA 0 0 0840-7789 978-1-4244-9789-8 WOS:000297354900031 S Azemi, Asad; Chinn, Gary; Litzinger, Thomas IEEE Work in Progress - Enhancement of Distance Learning through Hybrid e-learning Approach 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 The usefulness of hybrid delivery in education has long been realized. With the advancement of computer and communication technologies and the introduction of Web-based authoring tools, its effectiveness has been further extended. In this regard, it has affected traditional distance-learning by transforming it from a static videotape delivery to a more dynamic format by adding/substituting the web as the delivery media. Our focus in this paper is the use of hybrid e-learning with a virtual face-to-face component for distance course delivery. We believe that hybrid e-learning, in conjunction with a synchronous online delivery, can minimize the negatives that are sometimes associated with more traditional, primarily asynchronous distance learning offerings. Details of this work, including design and delivery issues, student and course assessment, and required technology, as applied to a computer programming course, are included in the paper. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800303 S Caeiro-Rodriguez, Manuel; Llamas-Nistal, Martin; Gonzalez-Tato, Juan; Alvarez-Osuna, Javier IEEE Work in Progress-PI2E, Towards a Google Home Page for e-learning 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 The idea of this project is to translate the principles of Web 2.0 to e-learning, enabling social participation and dynamic data exchange between users. We are working in the development of an i-Google Gadget, called Edu-GAL (Educational-Gadget Activity List), with e-learning services and its integration with other existing tools and gadgets on the i-Google platform. Edu-GAL will take advantage of a set of existing Web services that provide main e-learning functionalities. The project is located in the context of so-called Personal Learning Environments (PLE). Compared to traditional e-learning systems, in especially Learning Management Systems (LMS), PLE are more learner-centered as it is the user who defines and decides the environment at which he/she will learn. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800096 S Caminero, Agustin C.; Ros, Salvador; Hernandez, Roberto; Robles-Gomez, Antonio; Pastor, Rafael IEEE Cloud-based e-Learning Infrastructures with Load Forecasting Mechanism Based on Exponential Smoothing: A Use Case 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 The development of cloud technologies allows the implementation of scalable, versatile, and customized systems, constructed on-demand. This allows more efficient use of computing resources, improving the revenue of the system and enhancing the Quality of Service (QoS) received by users while minimizing the power consumption of the machines.Several research works conclude that in order to efficiently manage a cloud-based infrastructure (meaning, deploy computing resources when needed without affecting negatively to the QoS perceived by users), accurate predictions on the load of machines should be made. Thanks to this, resources can be ready to use when users need them, and shutdown when they are not needed - thus reducing the power consumption and enhancing the revenue of the system.This paper presents algorithms to perform forecasts of the load of machines based on Exponential Smoothing (ES), so that the machines of the technological infrastructure of our University can be efficiently managed. Furthermore, algorithms to perform monitoring and provision of resources based on load forecasts are presented. The usefulness of these algorithms is illustrated by means of a use case based on the e-learning facilities of our University. This use case shows that thanks to the use of cloud technologies, enhanced with the developed algorithms for load forecasting and provision of resources, better use of resources and lower power consumption can be achieved, without affecting the QoS received by user. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800045 S de Castro, Antonio Vieira; de Carvalho, Carlos Vaz; Carrapatoso, Eurico IEEE Building a Medical Learning Methodology Based on Open Source Technologies 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 This article aims to present the steps for creating a learning methodology to the health area based on open source software and digital health learning contents. We intend to apply some common practices of engineering to the health area in order to enhance the preservation, sharing, production and re-use of contents. For this purpose, we created a thematic repository named MELOR (Medical Learning Objects Repository), an e-learning platform named MEDUCA (Medical Education), a social network, a ip-TV channel and several learning resources and learning objects in order to investigate new mechanisms to increase health education and enhance the sharing overall. We also created a main portal where other researchers can participate. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800357 S Glotzbach, Ronald J.; Kocur, Laura A. IEEE Work in Progress - Evaluation and Feedback for Web Programming Curriculum 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 Leading any curriculum development is always difficult and challenging. A survey of former students and industry professionals is being performed that will help guide the changes necessary to keep our students gainfully employed. Too often, improvements to courses come not through industry experts, but instead through what faculty feel is the best approach, which may or may not be correct. This paper looks at evaluation of curriculum contents, down to project assignments and tools used, and the implementation of new content and objectives. In addition to gathering some demographic information such as job title and location, the 72 questions in the survey ranged from "How frequently do you or others in your company/organization commonly use the following web technologies/languages?" to "How important is teaching Search Engine Optimization (SEO) so that students understand how to obtain better page listings?" to "With the purpose of HTML5 being to reduce the amount of reliance on RIAs and browser plug-ins like Flash, how important do you see Flash development being in the future?" The feedback garnered thus far has been useful in guiding changes in the web programming curriculum and has shown that industry professionals are generally interested in helping guide student learning. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800425 S Gouveia, David; Lopes, Duarte; de Carvalho, Carlos Vaz IEEE Serious Gaming for Experiential Learning 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 In Engineering Education, the traditional process of knowledge building was based on one-way (teacher->student) delivery of information, in classrooms. Students were passive receptors of the teacher's messages. In the past few years, the tendency is to implement active learning paradigms where students are the focus of the educational process. The interaction between teacher and students is more dynamic, enhanced by technological tools and includes rich content and flexible activities. The integration of Virtual Environments in Engineering Education allows new and innovative learning methods and is, therefore, a contribution to these new paradigms. This article presents the instantiation of these learning methods with first year engineering students. In our study, students were involved in simulation/gaming environments related to fundamental physics learning. Afterwards their knowledge was tested and their perception of the relevance of the system was evaluated. Results show that knowledge construction was greatly enhanced and that student's motivation for learning was increased. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800083 S Kocur, Laura A.; Glotzbach, Ronald J.; Schulze, Darrell G.; Miller, Christopher C. IEEE Work in Progress - Development and Integration of an Online Soil Mapping Web Application 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 Mapping technologies are abundant on the Web as well as through boxed software; however, the ability to overlay ones own maps onto the surface in order to provide enriched detail is not found in most typical software. "Integrating Spatial Educational Experiences (Isee) into Crop, Soil, and Environmental Science Curricula" is a USDA-funded project focused on making soil data in the form of maps more accessible and easy-to-use for undergraduate students. The current solution integrates the Google Earth API, GeoWebCache, PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript in the form of a website. Although the differences in GIS software usability are generally unknown, the Isee prototype may serve as a viable model of an approach applicable at other universities. The purpose of the research is to collect quantitative data to determine if differences in software with various interfaces influence a student's satisfaction and performance. The "Isee" website will be among the compared software, in which students will attempt to answer questions based on the information they can find with the software. The researcher will record performance data quantitatively throughout the session. Afterwards, students will report preferences and perceptions in a survey. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800399 S Llamas, Martin; Caeiro, Manuel; Castro, Manuel; Plaza, Inmaculada; Tovar, Edmundo IEEE Educ Soc Spanish Chapter IEEE Use of LMS Functionalities in Engineering Education 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 This paper shows the partial results of a survey sent to all the members of the IEEE Education Society around the world about some aspects on the use of Learning Management Systems (LMSs) in Engineering Education. The main interest of this study was to learn how e-learning functionalities were being used in the field of engineering education. The study covered the most commonly used LMSs, their main functionalities (Content Delivery, e-mail, Tasks-Exercises, Forums, Mailing lists, Exams, Self-assessment, Surveys, Groupwork, Chat, Calendar, FAQs, Wikis, Blogs, Glossaries, Videoconference, Notebook, Whiteboard, Learning Paths, Student Portfolio, Podcast, Student Tracking, and Vodcast), and aspects of their use, such as knowledge levels, training, patterns of use, perception of training proficiency, usefulness, learning curve; teachers' perceptions of the students' use of the different functionalities; institutional support; exams tools, and finally, the main advantages and disadvantages of elearning use. The objective of this paper is to show the main results of this survey in the use of LMSs, and therefore to contribute to a reflexive debate in the international community about e-learning functionalities. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800135 S Mark, Kai-Pan; Thadani, Dimple R.; Calonge, David Santandreu; Pun, Cecilia F. K.; Chiu, P. H. Patrio IEEE In-Service Teaching Assistant Training (InsTAT) for Engineering and Computer Science Graduate Students in Hong Kong: A Blended-Learning Approach 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 In-service teaching assistant (TA) training often receives relatively limited attention from university decision makers when compared to the plethora of courses designed for junior faculty (i.e., peer-to-peer mentoring or 'buddy' system) in tertiary institutions around the world. In Hong Kong, as in many other parts of the world, TAs serve in different capacities to provide front-line teaching and learning support in the university, despite their insufficient experience in using active learning strategies or grading students' assignments. Major challenges faced by new TAs, especially non-local graduates (as many of City University of Hong Kong's (CityU) graduate research students are originally from the Chinese Mainland), include the relative absence of teaching experience, the difficulty to switch from a teacher-centered approach to a student-centered approach, the adoption of English as the medium of instruction (EMI), and role transformation. This paper presents an innovative approach in providing a compulsory In-service Teaching Assistant Training (InsTAT) course for all graduate research students at CityU before undertaking any teaching-related duties: it includes an unconventional but effective multi-directional engagement team teaching approach with the extensive support of e-learning technologies throughout the course. Comments and feedback data show that students found the course very engaging, useful, and innovative. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800235 S Oliveira, Lilian S.; Oliveros, Didier V.; Pimentel, Maria da Graca; Queiroz-Neto, Jose Pinheiro IEEE Work in Progress - Alternative Interfaces for e-Learning Platforms used in Remote Areas 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 Several studies show that distance learning is a viable way to provide quality education in areas of difficult access. In the Amazon state, in Brazil, a region where most towns have no roads and transport is primarily via rivers, some projects have gained notoriety for providing effective results in education. These initiatives provide inclusion of people who live in geographically isolated cities. This article discusses the use of a web-based e-learning platform in a region with no high speed internet available and uses Digital TV as an alternative. The software developed using the Brazilian Digital TV pattern and its middleware called GINGA. This paper reports a study on how the extensions can be used. The software developed is an alternative to help these students that lived in isolated areas. The study case was applied to the Federal Institute College from Amazon (IFAM) that offers technician courses as environment and tourism. This Project observed the internet quality and proposes the use of Digital TV as a good option to local with restrictions from the Internet. To prove the viability of the software developed, we made an experimental test with real users. We conducted usability evaluations using the think aloud protocol and used a control group to compare the learning level of two groups. The first students group use the Digital TV software and the second group the web-based tool, after watching the class they answer five questions about the class content. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800168 S Pastor, Rafael; Hernandez, Roberto; Ros, Salvador; Robles-Gomez, Antonio; Caminero, Agustin; Castro, Manuel; Hernandez, Rocael IEEE A Video-Message Evaluation Tool Integrated in the UNED E-learning Platform 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 Use of multimedia services has become very important in learning process. This is due to the traditional approach of document based assignments not provide any feature which allows to evaluate some basic competences (oral communications skill, for example). In this paper, the UNED (Spanish University for Distance Education) solution will be presented focusing on user's interaction: lecturers and students. In the first case, the lecturer has to define a task and propose a solution (available only at the end of task availability). This solution is also video/audio based, so the student can learn about it and compare it with his/her solution. The student has several attempts, in order to try better responses and decides which of these attempts will be selected as final response. The whole interaction schema will be presented and how is integrated in the e-learning platform as a usual task (like document based tasks). This integration permits the use of all features of the platform evaluation tool, simplifying the evaluation process and tasks grading (no special procedures are required). 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800300 S Prados, Ferran; Soler, Josep; Boada, Imma; Poch, Jordi IEEE An Automatic Correction Tool That Can Learn 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 The majority of Computer Based Assessment (CBA) environments have been designed for fixed-response questions. This feature is not enough for the university context since not all the skills can be reduced to this typology of questions and free response exercises are required. In this paper, we present a web-based tool designed to automatically correct exercises that require a diagram or a graph to be solved. The main novelty of this tool is the strategy used for the correction. The tool starts without the knowledge about correct and incorrect solutions and then learns about the solutions provided by teachers and students. It automatically records the information of all entered solutions, the teacher correction and the corresponding feedback in a system database. When a new student solution is entered the information of the database is used for correction. The main components of the tool are the graph editor module, designed to support diagram drawing, and the correction module, which corrects the solutions entered by the students. These modules are integrated in a more general e-learning platform denoted ACME. ACME provides teachers all functionalities required for student work tracking, assessment, personalized attention, etc. The proposed tool has been evaluated on experimental group. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800071 S Pulido, Yehiry; Fernandez, Gloria; Baldiris, Silvia; Guevara, Juan IEEE Work in Progress - Item Retrieval System in Distributed Repositories to Generate Adaptive Assessments Supported in Items Response Theory (.IRTT) 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 The assessment process is one of the most important issues in the learning process and in many case it is the process that defines the instruction sequence because it measures the performance of the student in the educational process. During recent decades the inclusion of TICs in the teaching-learning process have facilitated addressing the diversity of student and teacher features. Technologies to enhance learning have allowed the different ways of learning and teaching that coexist in the educational context to be adapted through user modeling and adaptation processes. Our purpose in this paper is to introduce ".IRTT" (item response theory tool), an adaptive tool based on item response theory to generate assessment according to the student competence level, in the context of a learning management system (LMS), in particular. LRN [2]. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800173 S Reid, Kenneth J.; Gallagher, Debra; Verb, Robert IEEE Algae as a Biofuel: An Interdisciplinary High School Curriculum Incorporating Engineering, Biology and Education 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 The College of Engineering, the College of Arts & Sciences, and the Center for Teacher Education at Ohio Northern University developed and implemented two parts of a four-module curriculum titled "Biomass as an Alternative Energy Source" for use in a Wind/Energy Academy within a local school district. The curriculum introduces students to the current topic of biomass, specifically algae, as a potential energy source.The modules are designed to present the science behind this energy source within a variety of contexts. This alternative energy curriculum is designed to encompass four modules, each six to nine weeks in length. The modules are designed to ideally be used in grades 9-12, one module per year. The two completed modules consist of the following topics:1. Biology of Algae2. Culturing of AlgaeFurther modules to be developed for a complete curriculum include:3. Harvesting and Processing Algae4. Algae Capstone DesignThe first module introduces algae through discovery of naturally occurring algae, from the introduction of the use of microscopes through field collection and categorization of different algae. In the second module, students study design of experiments and the Taguchi method to optimize the number of tanks necessary to study the effect of variables on algal growth, and establish and study algal microcosms in the second module.The Ohio Academic Content Standards in Science are tied to each module. The curriculum is using the 5-E Learning Cycle which emphasizes an inquiry-based approach. Students work in collaborative groups and conduct research in each module. Each module is interdisciplinary (including content areas such as mathematics, language arts, and social studies) and is project-based or problem-based. The curriculum is designed to be engaging, challenging, motivating, and designed around real-world issues, and could be implemented within appropriate K-12 programs.This paper will detail the modules which have been developed, along with lessons learned and details necessary to implement this curriculum within a K-12 program. The modules remaining to be developed will be described. The relationship to state educational standards will be discussed. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800309 S Robles-Gomez, Antonio; Tobarra, Llanos; Ros, Salvador; Hernandez, Roberto; Caminero, Agustin C.; Pastor, Rafael IEEE Automatic Assessment for the e-Learning of the Network Services in the context of the EHEA 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 This work presents a new system for the automatic assessment of practical activities in the context of the EHEA. A subject focused on the configuration of network services has been chosen to implement the new automatic evaluation platform. Unlike traditional platforms based on theoretical contents to evaluate the students' knowledge, the proposed system is able to immediately evaluate students' practical skills and, additionally, provide them with feedback about the correctness of their activities. Therefore, faculty can dynamically follow the students' progress in order to adjust the learning process to their needs. Since the UNED University serves a large number of students via a distance-learning methodology, the use of scalable assessment platforms within the students' learning process is crucial to keep it working efficiently. Automatic assessment systems are also of particular interest when practical activities are performed within higher engineering courses. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800057 S Sancristobal, Elio; Oliva, Nuria; Aguado, Juan J.; Vicente Miguez, Juan; Martin, Sergio; Diaz, Gabriel; Carpio, Jose; Castro, Manuel IEEE Applying a Assessment Tool in Distance Learning Education 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 Spanish National University for Distance Education (UNED) has a great number of students located in different places from Spain, Europe and South America. By this reason, it is necessary to use e- learning tools that make easier learning process of our students. Nowadays, there are many e- learning tools in the World Wide Web, for instance: Learning management systems (LMS), courseware or online laboratories. In this paper we are going to describe the design, implementation and use of an assessment tool developed by Electrical and Computer Engineering Department that is able to work along with other learning systems (for instance a LMS, online laboratories, etc.) with the objective of improving learning processes. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800137 S Santos, Alvaro; Gomes, Anabela; Mendes, Antonio IEEE A Class Record and Reviewing System Designed to Promote Programming Learning 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 Many students feel difficulties in programming learning and, consequently, the failure rates in introductory programming courses are frequently high. Some students do not have the necessary commitment, while others do not show a natural ability for programming, which means they need more time to master the necessary knowledge and develop appropriate problem solving skills. Often, class pace is very intensive and many students are simply not able to follow all contents and activities. In order to help students with their studies it would be helpful if they could review classes so that they could clear doubts or take additional notes. Students that miss class for some reason could also take advantage of such possibility. In this paper we present a new system that we developed to record and replay lessons. The system is able to record the voice of the teacher, but also the main visual points of a class: the computer in focus in the class, the blackboard and the classroom environment. This system gives students the opportunity to review any part of a particular class, clear doubts that may have remained, review examples or exercises that may contribute to their programming learning. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800271 S Santoso, Harry B.; Lawanto, Oenardi; Hasibuan, Zainal A.; Aji, Rizal F. IEEE Work in Progress - Assessing Cognitive Skills in Asynchronous Online Discussion: A Case Study of Student Centered E-Learning Environment in Indonesia 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 Asynchronous online discussion is used to facilitate communication between instructor and student, and also among fellow students. Although this communication tool is a frequently-used feature of e-learning systems, there is still a limited number of studies evaluating the cognitive implications of this online discussion. This study aims to evaluate students' discourse in online discussion by using a cognitive framework analysis. The goal is to identify factors that influence the construction of discussion patterns from a cognitive perspective. The discussion topics are selected based on several criteria, including the content of discussion topics, the person who initiates the discussion, the number of discussion threads, and the type of selected courses. This paper provides preliminary results of the data collection process from four courses in a Computer Science program available in the Student Centered E-Learning Environment: Database I, Foundation of Programming, Linear Algebra, and Discrete Mathematics II. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800190 S Vicent, Lluis; Gumara, Xavier; Fitzgerald, Malinda E. C. IEEE Work in Progress - How to Provoke Creativity and Innovation Within the Classroom by Modifying the Role of Faculty 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 The normal role of teachers in a classroom is based on the didactic method of teaching involving lectures and writing on the board, or assisting students in their exercises in a consultant manner. This is a passive method of learning. This classical approach to teaching has been evolving in the last few years with more innovative practices being proposed and implemented. Particularly, the Socratic method of teaching, which is a more open, non-lecture style and has less teacher directed activities, in an effort to approximate the work place with teams and more real world scenarios. In the course entitled "Teaching Innovation", a new role for teachers was conceived and implemented. This innovative teaching philosophy provides a dual role for teachers. In this class the innovative, thought provoking teacher initiates the discussion and gives the appearance of providing disruptive ideas, while the insightful, facilitative teacher is steering the students into formulating those ideas into reality. At the end of this course there were 11 innovative educational programs that were proposed to potentially modify the study of technology in the secondary level of the Spanish System of Education. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800158 S Vicente, Alfonso; Motz, Regina; Llamas, Martin; Caeiro, Manuel IEEE Work in Progress-LOM4CE: LOM for the Content Ecosystem 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 E-Learning is as much or more related to learning than technologies, but technology specialists have been commissioned, often alone, to create specifications and standards for E-Learning, focusing much more on technologies than learning. Learning is an internal process that occurs in the minds of people, so it is always a personal process. As each student has their own cognitive style and learning preferences, a goal that began with the application of technology to education is the personalization of instruction. One of the main obstacles to automate personalization is the lack of specifications and standards for describing learning objects at different levels of granularity. This work extends the concept of Content Ecosystem, giving semantic definitions for each Educational Object in the hierarchy. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800208 S Zutin, Danilo Garbi; Auer, Michael E. IEEE Work in Progress - Integrating Educational Online Lab Platforms around the iLab Shared Architecture 2011 FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE) Frontiers in Education Conference 2011 2011 This work in progress focuses describing the work being carried out at the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences (CUAS) as a collaborative work around online electronics laboratories together with BHT, Sweden and MIT, USA to integrate two different and well known online lab architectures so that users are not limited to the availability of one or the other. These platforms are VISIR (Virtual Systems in Reality) and the iLab Shared Architecture (ISA). While VISIR delivers, among others, electronics experiments in a highly flexible online workbench where circuits can be built and tested in a similar way as in traditional hands on laboratories, ISA focuses in providing mechanisms for sharing online laboratories in a distributed Web services based architecture by managing lab session scheduling and maintenance while a experiment is executed. Opening VISIR based labs to use the standard online lab support services provided by the ISA brings several advantages to both sides. 41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) OCT 12-15, 2011 IEEE Educ Soc; IEEE Comp Soc; Amer Soc Engn Educ (ASEE), Educl Res Methods (ERM); Inst Elect & Elect Engineers (IEEE); S Dakota Sch Mines & Technol Rapid City, SD 0 0 0190-5848 978-1-61284-469-5 WOS:000300879800085 B Cechova, Ivana; Zerzanova, Dana; Berankova, Jana Greener, S; Rospigliosi, A eLearning: Roles in Distance Tertiary Education PROCEEDINGS OF THE 10TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON E-LEARNING, VOLS 1 AND 2 109 116 2011 2011 Information and communication technologies (ICT) have undergone a rapid development in accordance with advances in the society. This state has to be reflected in the teaching process, while teaching languages is no exception. Language training at the University of Defence (UoD) is carried out on both a full-time as well as a distance study basis. E-learning is an integral part of both forms of language study programmes. The possibilities of students' involvement into the process of creating study supports, especially for teaching and learning specific terminology were employed to determine the influence of technology-supported materials on the students' language learning. The co-operation with students enables their more active participation in study material preparation and during the lesson itself, the content of which responds to the needs of particular specialisations. This approach opens a different perspective to the teachers who prepare the study materials for teaching special terminology in co-operation with individual departments of the faculty. The students' involvement motivates both sides of the educational process and influences them qualitatively. The basis for the research were semi-structured interviews the aim of which was to find out how Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) help the distance students in their study, how distance students assess ICT in their language training and especially how the students assess LMS Barborka. The second part of the research was a questionnaire survey aimed at creating a distance learner profile dealing with technology usage for language learning. We also wanted to find out if our distance students prefer to: use up-to-date technologies, the Internet, an in-house Study Portal and on-line sessions in language lessons be taught in a classical way (without computer technology programs). The paper describes our research, the methods used and our respective findings and suggests implications of the research for a broad range of educational fields. It will be of interest to stakeholders in education and those who seek to be informed users and or promoters of computer technology for learning purposes. 10th European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL) NOV 10-11, 2011 Univ Brighton, Brighton Business Sch, Brighton, ENGLAND 0 0 978-1-908272-22-5 WOS:000300244000014 B Fernandez-Pampillon, Ana Ma; Dominguez, Elena; Lahoz, Jose Ma; Romero, Dolores; de Armas, Isabel; Palmaz, Susana; Arus, Jorge Greener, S; Rospigliosi, A A Strategy for the Inductive Generation of Learning Objects in Low-Tech Contexts PROCEEDINGS OF THE 10TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON E-LEARNING, VOLS 1 AND 2 235 245 2011 2011 This article proposes a strategy to create inductive and incremental LOs in tertiary education low-tech contexts such as the field of Humanities. We take a teaching context to be low-tech when the teachers are not computer specialists and also have poor IT support. This is the case with many university schools in Spain, such as the Faculty of Philology at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), where the work reported here has been carried out. In a low-tech context, the use of Educational ICT is considerably expensive, if not impossible. However, university faculty feels more and more compelled to use ICT tools in their teaching, e. g. e-learning platforms. In the process of adaptation and integration of ICT into teaching, a basic issue is the transformation of good teaching materials into digital format in the simplest and most cost-effective way. Good results can be obtained by applying the Learning Object (LO) model when creating digital teaching materials, but the models and tools to build LOs are not easy to understand or use without prior knowledge, and their application requires computer support beyond what is usually available in low-tech contexts. The results of the research carried out during the last decade thanks to a number of research grants show that, by using the appropriate models, tools and strategies, it is possible to bring ICT to IT-illiterate teachers and get excellent results regarding the educational use of ICT by these teachers. In the present work a solution has been designed and tested to disseminate teaching materials through the generation of LO collections in low-tech contexts. This solution is based on applying a novel strategy to inductively construct LOs from the original materials. This is done by applying a model and a repository of LOs, developed and tested in previous works, and a new quality model for LOs collaboratively developed with the beneficiaries of this strategy, i.e. IT-illiterate Humanities teachers. The authors of this paper are part of a mixed team of IT-specialist and IT-illiterate Humanities teachers who developed and applied this strategy. Our paper aims to provide a real and complete picture of the problem and the solution developed. 10th European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL) NOV 10-11, 2011 Univ Brighton, Brighton Business Sch, Brighton, ENGLAND 0 0 978-1-908272-22-5 WOS:000300244000029 B Glick, Danny; Aviram, Roni Greener, S; Rospigliosi, A The Relationship Between Mindful Learning Processes and Course Outcomes in Web-Based Learning PROCEEDINGS OF THE 10TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON E-LEARNING, VOLS 1 AND 2 295 302 2011 2011 Online education has been growing rapidly within all levels of education. Reports published in 20072009 by the Sloan Consortium based on responses from over 2,200 colleges and universities in the US reveal that institutions report record online enrollment growth on both a numeric and a percentage basis. Nearly 96% of the very largest institutions, schools with 15,000 enrollments, have some online offerings, and about two-thirds of the very largest institutions have fully online programs. The Association of International Educators predicts that by 2020, global higher education demand for seats will reach 200 million. Much of this growth will be in distance education. While online education is growing rapidly, the impact of online learning on course outcomes has been subject to considerable debate. In 1983, Richard E. Clark famously argued that media have no more effect on learning than a grocery truck has on the nutritional value of the produce it brings to market. Recent research findings support Clark's statement revealing that students taking online courses score lower than students in face-to-face or blended courses. The research hypothesis is that the main reason for the little impact online learning has on learning outcomes is lack of Mindful Learning Processes (MLP), a new term coined by the authors of this study. The authors define MLP as an online course that is based on four interconnected components: learning theory, learning environment, learning process, and assessment. The goal of this paper is to check whether the research hypothesis may be accepted. To achieve that, the authors have reviewed case studies describing online courses published in peer-reviewed journals in the area of educational technology and e-learning. They authors have identified three case studies that fulfilled the MLP requirements stated above, and analyzed them in terms of learning theory, learning processes, learning environment and assessment. To measure the impact of the MLP on course outcomes, the authors analyzed these case studies in terms of test scores and students' perception of the e-learning experience. Analysis of the three case studies reveals that the outcome of the three case studies was positive in terms of achievement outcomes and students' opinion about course. The authors conclude that a Mindful Learning Process may lead to a meaningful and pedagogically sound course where theory, design, learning and assessment harmonize with each other. These findings support earlier work on instructional technology that found that the reason for the learning benefits of computer media is not the medium of instruction, but the instructional strategies built into the learning materials. 10th European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL) NOV 10-11, 2011 Univ Brighton, Brighton Business Sch, Brighton, ENGLAND 0 0 978-1-908272-22-5 WOS:000300244000035 B Kanari, Paraskevi; Potamias, Georgios Greener, S; Rospigliosi, A Mutlimodal Teaching Through ICT Education: An e-Twinning Program as a Case Study of Intercultural Exchange PROCEEDINGS OF THE 10TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON E-LEARNING, VOLS 1 AND 2 340 344 2011 2011 Multimodality is a key factor in promoting knowledge through multidimensional aspects in an approach, determined by social environment. In the approach presented, school is a part of an accepted social context. This paper shows that development of critical visual literacy via ICT education and e-learning combined with conventional activities can be an innovative multidisciplinary approach for the development of pedagogical projects. The cultural program in particular presented, which was carried out in the island of Spetses in Greece, was integrated in this approach. The ultimate goal was to create a film transfer of a local legend by the students of Spetses' junior high an area culturally challenged. The program was integrated to an e-twinning project (e-learning European exchange program) concerning revitalizing local legends through e-learning, filmmaking, teaching local History through French language and intercultural exchange with the cooperation of two European schools, one in the Greek island of Spetses and one in Chorwovie in Poland. Through this e-learning project the students carried out a different multimodal approach of French Language and Local Culture achieving the development of their creativity and imagination through cultural e-interactivity and their cognitive and social awareness as well. 10th European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL) NOV 10-11, 2011 Univ Brighton, Brighton Business Sch, Brighton, ENGLAND 0 0 978-1-908272-22-5 WOS:000300244000041 B Kane-Iturrioz, Rosario Greener, S; Rospigliosi, A Effectiveness and Learners' Evaluation of Combining Audio and Written Online Formative Feedback for Language Learning PROCEEDINGS OF THE 10TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON E-LEARNING, VOLS 1 AND 2 345 354 2011 2011 Within the factors and drivers identified as leading assessment in higher education, feedback often emerges as 'the most powerful single influence' (Gibbs & Simpson, 2004) on students' engagement and achievement. Although research on feedback is relatively new, in particular, that relating to audio feedback technology, the results indicate that such has to be aligned with the assessment criteria and learning outcomes in addition to being timely in order to respond to students' expectations (Weaver, 2006). Furthermore, not all types of tutor comments are equally useful as Walker (2009) reports. Price et al (2010) argue that "the learner is in the best position to judge the effectiveness of feedback, but may not always recognise the benefits it provides" leading to the need for an improved student advice on how to understand and use feedback. This paper reports on the development of a multi-faceted approach to providing formative feedback on a blended e-learning module. The method combines immediate written feedback on web-based learning materials and formative online assignments with near-immediate written and audio feedback through audio eMail technology (Wimba voice eMail) regarding online oral tasks. The study was conducted over a period of four years using a multi-method approach to qualitative and quantitative data collection and analyses from a total of 100 students studying Spanish for Business at beginner's level. The use of both written and audio feedback is welcomed by students and seems to overcome some of the problems highlighted in previous research on formative assessment regarding quality, detail and timing of feedback. Nevertheless, a few students reported technical difficulties and/or misapprehension regarding the use on campus of audio eMail technology for oral assignments. The paper also presents the results on the correlation between students' grades and improvements on formative online assignments and quality of feedback and concludes with reflections and advice on the introduction of audio feedback in combination with other forms of formative feedback. 10th European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL) NOV 10-11, 2011 Univ Brighton, Brighton Business Sch, Brighton, ENGLAND 0 0 978-1-908272-22-5 WOS:000300244000042 B Kelz, Andrea Greener, S; Rospigliosi, A Bridging the Gap - From Teacher to eTeacher PROCEEDINGS OF THE 10TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON E-LEARNING, VOLS 1 AND 2 363 369 2011 2011 Virtual learning environments have become part of nearly every educational programme in higher and further education. Hence, competent teachers, tutors and trainers are a major key to success in higher education and need a thorough grounding in how to design, produce, use and evaluate e-learning and blended learning resources. But how do teachers actually gain the skills and insights you need to practice e-learning and blended learning effectively and efficiently and how do they develop a critical understanding of the pedagogical issues involved in the design, development and implementation of e-learning in their professional context? This paper focuses on the support offered to acquire and extend the skills needed to "teach online" from the institutional point of view of an Austrian university of applied sciences. It is shown in what way an institution tries to support teachers to gain the know-how to "transform" their teaching methods, to support them to make effective use of learning management systems and the web as an educational resource. Finally, the paper refers to what kind of nationwide training is offered to university teachers to develop the competencies needed to teach online effectively. 10th European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL) NOV 10-11, 2011 Univ Brighton, Brighton Business Sch, Brighton, ENGLAND 0 0 978-1-908272-22-5 WOS:000300244000044 B Louw, Arno Greener, S; Rospigliosi, A Learning Management Versus Classroom Management in Technology-Supported Blended Learning PROCEEDINGS OF THE 10TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON E-LEARNING, VOLS 1 AND 2 423 433 2011 2011 The comprehensive University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa, had to adapt to a fast growing student and academic community. Since 1998 a learning management system (LMS) has been introduced as to broaden the physical boundaries of classrooms over four campuses, student residences and residential areas (worldwide). The Centre for Technology Assisted Learning (CenTAL) was established to accommodate students, teaching and research staff and empower them to keep up with current and future trends in technology-assisted learning. Currently a blended learning approach, with direct face-to-face (F2F) contact with students, is followed and driven by the "learning to be" philosophy of teaching and learning. F2F contact is supplemented with a remote e-learning environment hosted in an LMS. Consequently, the implementation of technology in teaching and learning became an adopted phenomenon and promised increased success in higher education. However, changing curricula, staff turnover and increasing student numbers resulted in the efficacy of the LMS used, to be questioned. Moreover, the actual learning experiences of students are often dismissed as a new paradigm and statistical evidence leads to a contradiction about blended learning efficacy during annual course evaluations. This occurrence often causes confusion when effective use of an LMS is discussed. Subsequently, this inception forces the perception of key role players in two directions: managing virtual learning environments and managing learning within an electronic learning environment. Ultimately, learning management as viewed by the constructivist, and classroom management as viewed by the behaviourist, are aligned by presenting various examples from an LMS for operational e-learning. Therefore, this paper points out the different perceptions of lecturers towards the effective use of an LMS as remote component for blended learning at UJ. Emerging from the above rationale, this paper points out traditional perceptions of lecturers towards e-learning and further poses the question: Is learning management or classroom management the platform for effective blended learning design? Findings and conclusions further addresses the consolidated data substantiated over a period of three years in nine faculties during research in professional development of faculty members related to effective, blended learning. The data and examples are presented as qualitative and, where more clarity is required, substantiated by quantitative data. The actual examples presented, point out teaching practices where classroom management was used as point of departure and then contrasted with examples where learning management was used as a starting point. This paper further reveals e-learning environments where this dichotomy becomes distinguishable but inseparable. An in-depth discussion extrapolates instructivist and constructivist approaches to be extremes of a continuum whereby ideal balance becomes a superlative teaching application for both F2F and online learning environments. In this case study this pedagogical paradigm escalates to an imperative for implementing effective technology-supported blended learning at the University of Johannesburg. 10th European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL) NOV 10-11, 2011 Univ Brighton, Brighton Business Sch, Brighton, ENGLAND 0 0 978-1-908272-22-5 WOS:000300244000052 B Murnion, Phelim; Helfert, Markus Greener, S; Rospigliosi, A A Framework for Decision Support for Learning Management Systems PROCEEDINGS OF THE 10TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON E-LEARNING, VOLS 1 AND 2 526 534 2011 2011 Learning Management Systems (LMS) provide a valuable platform for e-learning that offer great flexibility. However, compared to traditional learning environments they are challenging and complex for decision-makers, both teachers and learners. At the same time, LMS environments offer opportunities for analysis by storing large quantities of data, such as web log files and data about students and content, which are not generally available in the traditional environment. Motivated by approaches in other domains, such as e-commerce and clinical management, in this article we propose to relatethe complex decision environment with the possibilities of using large quantities of data. In this paper we review relevant literature on educational data mining (EDM) and combining that with a standard data mining methodology we propose a conceptual framework that appropriately relates the methods of data mining to the settings of teaching and learning in a LMS environment. In contrast to other frameworks, our conceptual framework enables EDM research to be more integrated with the task domain. In our framework, teaching and learning activities and the decisions required to control those activities are addressed by relating the following three elements: pedagogy; learning activities; and decision-making. The significance of our work is that the framework enables us to compare between different research studies as well as provide practical guidelines for developing EDM solutions. The framework also provides a number of further directions for researchers which follow naturally from a decision-centric perspective and from the full implementation of the contextual phases of the data mining life cycle 10th European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL) NOV 10-11, 2011 Univ Brighton, Brighton Business Sch, Brighton, ENGLAND 0 0 978-1-908272-22-5 WOS:000300244000065 B Benn, Andrea Greener, S; Rospigliosi, A Designing A New Curriculum: Finding The Right Blend PROCEEDINGS OF THE 10TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON E-LEARNING, VOLS 1 AND 2 56 62 2011 2011 This paper discusses the development process for a new Undergraduate (UG) Business Programme to be introduced at the University of Brighton (UoB) for the academic year 2012/13. It is the research and preparation which forms the basis of this paper. The focus for this paper was about finding the right balance of e-learning to support learners during their UG experience, with a view to progressing them from passive to active and independent learners. The principal pedagogical strategy is to be collaborative enquiry-based learning and this research was to identify appropriate blended strategies and technologies which would enhance and complement this approach. The concept of collaborative learning indicates that consideration must be given to the formation and development of groups for working in both physical and virtual environments. Both will bring their own challenges but consideration is given to how these will be addressed throughout the lifetime of the programme. The plethora of research into E and blended learning advises that learning with technology needs to be driven by pedagogical principles, including the specific skills that these new learners will require in order to cope with and enjoy the new approach of enquiry-based learning, not normally associated with UG business students. The development required a review of the current technologies available at UoB, alternative technologies and how they are being utilised and incorporated by colleagues in other institutions, together with ways of introducing them to the learners. The research also explored whether or not there should be an overlapping of educational and recreational technologies and is it right to mix. Final attention was given to the assessment of the students, how frequently this should occur and how much should be formative or summative, what format it would take and how much of it would be the responsibility of the tutors. Some of the technologies and collaborative learning were already integrated into the current business programme at UoB and provided useful evaluation from observations of the students together with their feedback. This provided some useful understanding of what their expectations were as well as identifying specific requirements prior to starting any activities. 10th European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL) NOV 10-11, 2011 Univ Brighton, Brighton Business Sch, Brighton, ENGLAND 0 0 978-1-908272-22-5 WOS:000300244000008 B Shaikh, Zaffar Ahmed; Khoja, Shakeel Ahmed Greener, S; Rospigliosi, A Teachers' Skills set for Personal Learning Environments PROCEEDINGS OF THE 10TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON E-LEARNING, VOLS 1 AND 2 762 769 2011 2011 This study provides an in-depth investigation of the issues that may impact the critical role anticipated from today's teachers to perform while using their personalized learning approaches and hence, in guiding students develop their personal learning environments (PLEs). Using modified Delphi method (Kenis, 1995; Webler, 1991), the researchers worked with 34 experienced PLE stakeholders taken from the areas of research, teaching and practice from different geographic regions of the world to discover teachers' skills and competencies for PLEs. A questionnaire instrument was developed through analysis of the existing literature with the goal of providing a recognized foundation to the participants based on the previous work. An exhaustive list containing teachers' 60 personalized learning skills was developed. In the three-round process of this study, participants consented on teachers' five core PLE competencies, found earlier by Shaikh and Khoja (2011a), and formulated a skills set for each competency. Based on the findings, the researchers argue that teachers need to become involved with the relevant skill sets; they will then develop and become entrenched in these new fields of learning. 10th European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL) NOV 10-11, 2011 Univ Brighton, Brighton Business Sch, Brighton, ENGLAND 0 0 978-1-908272-22-5 WOS:000300244000091 B Aljojo, Nahla; Adams, Carl; Saifuddin, Huda; Alsehaimi, Zainab Greener, S; Rospigliosi, A Evaluating the Impact of an Arabic Version of an Adaptive Learning System Based on the Felder-Silverman's Learning Style Instrument PROCEEDINGS OF THE 10TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON E-LEARNING, VOLS 1 AND 2 897 908 2011 2011 This paper presents an approach to integrate learning styles into adaptive e-learning hypermedia system and an approach to evaluate the impact of such a learning system. The main objective was to develop an adaptive e-learning system based on individual student's learning style, then to try and assess the effectiveness of the system on the students' learning. From a technical perspective, the system development involved the combination of SQL server 2005, SQL database and Active Server Pages were used to implement the system based on learning styles to present the appropriate subject matter, including the content, Teaching strategies and Electronic Media. The system was organized into 3 models; domain model, learner model and adaptation model. The 3 models interact together to perform adaptively. From an experiment design perspective, experiments involved applying using the system on two cohorts of students and evaluating the impact on learning achievement. Inferential statistics were applied to make inferences from the sample data to more general conditions. Descriptive statistics were applied simply to describe what's going on in the sample data. Results showed that students taught using learning style adaptive system performed significantly better in academic achievement (p<0.05) than students taught the same material without adaptation to learning style. Measuring the effect of providing educational experiences individualized to the learning style of the students is an open research issue: There are many potential influences on any learning achieved other than the adaptive learning system. This paper hopes to make contribution by presenting a case study of a dedicated adaptive educational system and providing guidance and discussion on both development issues and how to evaluate the effectiveness of an adaptive learning system. First, the adaptation logic, methods and techniques employed in the system, the Teacher Assisting and Subject Adaptive Material (TASAM), are briefly presented. Next, the validity and effectiveness of the system are assessed by means of an empirical evaluation approach, involving experiment with 53 undergraduate students of The 'Arts and Humanities' faculty at the King Abdul-Aziz University in Saudi Arabia. The results obtained (in terms of discusses the Final of the system using two different Arabic speaking groups with different use profiles of the system, performance, efficiency and satisfaction) are analyzed and discussed. This paper covers Test-Retest Reliability of student`s first evaluation survey, Result of Student`s First evaluation Survey and the final evaluation and assessment of the adaptive learning system by students. The findings support the use of learning styles as guideline for adaptation into the adaptive e-learning hypermedia systems. This paper provides discussion and guidance on how to evaluate the impact of adaptive learning systems. The overall results of the experimental study indicate a positive effect of adaptation to learning styles on the learning process. 10th European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL) NOV 10-11, 2011 Univ Brighton, Brighton Business Sch, Brighton, ENGLAND 0 0 978-1-908272-22-5 WOS:000300244000108 B Tuncay, Nazime; Uzunboylu, Hueseyin Greener, S; Rospigliosi, A Designing a U-Learning Course Platform for the Identified Teacher Training Needs PROCEEDINGS OF THE 10TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON E-LEARNING, VOLS 1 AND 2 953 970 2011 2011 Teacher Training has undergone major changes in recent years, with the development of digital information transfer, virtual learning environments(VLE) and simulations integrated in learning management systems having a significant effect on it. Online resources like Edu 2.0 and Second Life (SL) encourage a sense of collaboration and community which now needs to be embraced through teaching and learning practice. Researchers, as a result of 4 years research study of global e-learning training needs in 25 countries analyzed the needs of the teachers' e-education requirements and their preferred e-learner environments. Although, there were some common needs like "knowledge and skill of preparing e-quizzes", they found that there was a divide among teachers' skills and knowledge's. Hence, the necessary steps to develop proper ICT infrastructure required for e-Learning are taken. As a result of all the findings in the literature, courses are decided to be delivered to bridge these. A global strategy is decided for moving towards and encouraging teachers towards deploying e-Learning for their courses. Syllabus is prepared, online evaluation is required and suggestions are taken from experts coming from different walks of life, from 25 countries. This process ended in 4 months. After having rewritten the syllabus, course material is prepared and carefully proof read by English teachers and e-education experts. The course environment is used by 51 experts and is redesigned by the researchers according to their suggestions. After 6 months of work, the last form of VirtualNeu (Virtual Near East University Portal) is published. Encouragement and proper incentive to English Teachers to participate in the e-training programs were provided by the ministry of education in North Cyprus. 80 Teachers have registered to the system and courses will start on 7 September 2011. Researchers mission for the next two years, 4 years and beyond is clear and unequivocal; like the last four years: Preparing a portal and making it universally accessible and useful for teachers; delivering e-courses for their specified training needs and, helping them to be more innovative and more creative individuals who change and improve the world education. 10th European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL) NOV 10-11, 2011 Univ Brighton, Brighton Business Sch, Brighton, ENGLAND 0 0 978-1-908272-22-5 WOS:000300244000114 B German, Dan-Adrian Greener, S; Rospigliosi, A Extreme Scaffolding in the Teaching and Learning of Programming Languages PROCEEDINGS OF THE 10TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON E-LEARNING, VOLS 1 AND 2 978 981 2011 2011 We report on the design and implementation of an e-learning framework that can be used to produce tutoring modules with an arbitrary degree of scaffolding. Each module teaches by problem-solving; instant feedback is built in the scaffolding and provides the learner with the reinforcement (negative or positive) that conditions learning. Although the tutoring system guides the learner's actions, it does not restrict them excessively and significant number of degrees of freedom remain. This encourages the learners (as they prioritize their problem-solving steps) to become active constructors of knowledge through direct experimentation. By analogy with the principles of extreme (or agile) programming, we call the adjustable scaffolding technique used in our system "extreme" because it too can be set up in micro-increments and tunes the learners into the same behavioral pattern as they analyze, design, test, integrate and deploy their problem-solving steps. 10th European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL) NOV 10-11, 2011 Univ Brighton, Brighton Business Sch, Brighton, ENGLAND 0 0 978-1-908272-22-5 WOS:000300244000116 B Billingham, Olivia Greener, S; Rospigliosi, A Investigating Student Engagement With an Electronically Delivered Simulation of Professional Practice PROCEEDINGS OF THE 10TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON E-LEARNING, VOLS 1 AND 2 989 992 2011 2011 Electronically delivered simulations of professional practise enable educators to place students in vocationally relevant situations or to experience events that would be impossible, or extremely difficult or costly to replicate without recent advances in technology. The Simulations in Higher Education (SHE) initiative (E-learning development unit) at the University of the West of England (UWE) is a focus for information and communication technology (ICT) supported simulations that are being developed across the university. The research presented here will focus on SIMulations in Transactional Activities (SIMITA), an online transactional learning environment (TLE) developed at UWE as part of the SHE initiative. It is widely acknowledged that an engaged student stands to attain more academically than their disengaged counterparts as student engagement has been positively related to academic outcomes in many studies. In addition to the academic benefits, an engaged student is more likely to enjoy a better quality learning experience overall. In order that students can benefit fully from the enhanced learning experience that an electronically delivered simulation can provide, they must engage with that simulation. A pilot evaluation of SIMITA revealed that students readily engaged with the simulation. The pilot considered system statistics of usage, student feedback and the willingness of students to participate in noncredit bearing activities. Following on from these preliminary findings, this poster will present the results of an investigation that utilised self-report questionnaires, a focus group and observations of participation in an attempt to explore student engagement with SIMITA. Further, the investigation considered other factors that might influence the students' engagement with the simulation. The findings presented will inform future iterations of this investigation with SIMITA and also other simulations that form part of the SHE initiative. This research will be of interest to educators who are considering or interested in blending online simulations into the curriculum or to educators who are interested in student engagement with electronic methods of teaching. 10th European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL) NOV 10-11, 2011 Univ Brighton, Brighton Business Sch, Brighton, ENGLAND 0 0 978-1-908272-22-5 WOS:000300244000118 S Nishino, Hiroaki; Murayama, Kouta; Kagawa, Tsuneo; Utsumiya, Kouichi IEEE Computer Soc A Japanese Calligraphy Trainer Based on Skill Acquisition Through Haptization 2010 24TH IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ADVANCED INFORMATION NETWORKING AND APPLICATIONS (AINA) International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications 1225 1232 10.1109/AINA.2010.112 2011 2011 We present an approach for implementing a virtual reality system targeted at learning handwritten characters. We especially aim at enabling learners to acquire important writing skills required to be a good writer in Japanese calligraphy. The proposed system provides a haptic channel allowing the learners to intuitively master an instructor's fine motor skills through the sense of touch. We utilize a commercially available haptic device called PHANTOMTM for simulating a writing brush in a virtual learning space. The system implements a function for recording and replaying the instructor's hand motions via the PAHNTOM device. The instructor's writing techniques such as brush-strokes and pen pressures he/she performs/adds when writing characters are effectively presented to the learners via the PHANTOM device. Then, they can master how to write the recorded characters with feeling the instructor's style of handwritings. We also invented a simple yet powerful 3D brush model for real-time visualization of handwritten characters without compromising the quality and reality of the characters. The users can start learning at any time and iterate training without worrying about resource consumptions such as papers and ink as much as they like. We conducted an experiment to validate the effectiveness of the proposed system for learning calligraphy in a virtual environment. 24th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications (AINA) APR 20-23, 2010 IEEE; IEEE Comp Soc; IEEE Tech Comm Distributed Proc (TCDP); IEEE Ind Elect Soc Tech Comm Ind Informat (IES TCII) Perth, AUSTRALIA 0 0 1550-445X 978-0-7695-4018-4 WOS:000299433200166 S Jing (James), Zhe; Chang, Elizabeth; Hussain, Omar; Chin, K. L. IEEE Computer Soc Improving Graduate Employability by Using Social Networking Systems 2010 24TH IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ADVANCED INFORMATION NETWORKING AND APPLICATIONS (AINA) International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications 1315 1322 10.1109/AINA.2010.82 2011 2011 In a recent decade many universities responded to challenges of the internet penetration into the society and economics by simply adding computerized facilities to their existing curriculum services as their e-learning strategy [3] so that the traditional teaching and learning model could be preserved. This e-learning strategy deployment is now being challenged by the emergence of Social Networking System/Site (SNS). In order to evaluate how SNS would have affected current Higher Education System (HES), one needs to look into the inner working of value exchange within a broader societal community to extract relational interactions among its participating components (entities), and substantiate what had been challenged internally of a community to prepare for the external intrusion of SNS in a foreseeable future. In this paper, a triple-entity learning community framework is proposed with its Core Value that glues the participating entities together (Figure 5). Prior to this framework, graduate's employability issues as part of the Core Value are brought to the surface to help educators revise their existing e-learning strategies, so that curriculum content providing educational resources to its clients will be serviced in a more timely and responsive manner. 24th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications (AINA) APR 20-23, 2010 IEEE; IEEE Comp Soc; IEEE Tech Comm Distributed Proc (TCDP); IEEE Ind Elect Soc Tech Comm Ind Informat (IES TCII) Perth, AUSTRALIA 0 0 1550-445X 978-0-7695-4018-4 WOS:000299433200178 S Bednarz, Tomasz P.; Caris, Con; Thompson, Jeremy; Wesner, Chris; Dunn, Mark IEEE Computer Soc Human-Computer Interaction Experiments - Immersive Virtual Reality Applications for the Mining Industry 2010 24TH IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ADVANCED INFORMATION NETWORKING AND APPLICATIONS (AINA) International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications 1323 1327 10.1109/AINA.2010.180 2011 2011 The present work concerns immersive virtual reality (IVR) experiments carried out for prospective applications in the mining industry. Demonstrated technologies are also suitable for use in generic training and e-learning fields. Visualisation is handled by the Unity3D 2.5 multiplatform game development tool, which communicates over. Net socket servers with data feeds from a 5DT Data Glove Ultra that measures finger flexures, and an iPhone based touchpad device. The iPhone also provides orientation data pertaining to acceleration and rotational attributes, such as, pitch, roll and yaw. The user is placed at the focal point of a 4-m dome and experiences the immersive virtual reality environment display. Navigation and object manipulation by the user is made possible through the combination of hardwired buttons, in-world selection techniques and gesture recognition. The techniques are directly applicable to the monitoring of mining environments, in which mining equipment is surrounded by various sensor networks. 24th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications (AINA) APR 20-23, 2010 IEEE; IEEE Comp Soc; IEEE Tech Comm Distributed Proc (TCDP); IEEE Ind Elect Soc Tech Comm Ind Informat (IES TCII) Perth, AUSTRALIA 0 0 1550-445X 978-0-7695-4018-4 WOS:000299433200179 J Sibbald, Debra Elective Self-Care Course Emphasizing Critical Reasoning Principles AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL EDUCATION 75 9 182 2011 2011 Objectives. To create, implement, and assess a self-directed online course based on 3 critical reasoning principles to develop pharmacy students' skills in literature appraisal, content, metacognition, and assessment.Design. Students completed 3 assignments for the course: compile a literature appraisal on a healthcare topic; plan learning objectives and meta-cognitive skills for a learning module; and create a case-based online lesson with multi-structured feedback.Assessment. An online exit survey evaluated students' perceptions regarding development of ACE (agency, collaboration, expertise) principles and preparation for competency. Students reported acquisition of ACE principles and noted improvements in their learning approaches, sense of responsibility for individual and community learning, skills, and confidence.Conclusions. An online elective course in self-care addressed practice standards for patient safety, maintenance of competency, and interprofessional education by emphasizing critical reasoning skills. 0 0 0002-9459 WOS:000297686700013 J Covell, Nancy H.; Margolies, Paul J.; Smith, Melinda F.; Merrens, Matthew R.; Essock, Susan M. Distance Training and Implementation Supports to Scale Up Integrated Treatment for People With Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders JOURNAL OF DUAL DIAGNOSIS 7 3 162 172 10.1080/15504263.2011.593157 2011 2011 Objective: Integrated, evidence-based treatment for co-occurring severe mental illness and substance use disorder (co-occurring disorders) reduces substance use, hospitalization, homelessness, incarceration, and treatment costs and promotes individuals' recovery, independent living, and employment. This report describes and characterizes early uptake of New York State's Web-based training and distance implementation supports to promote statewide dissemination of integrated, evidence-based co-occurring disorders services. Methods: Thirty-five half-hour online modules provide training on integrated evidence-based co-occurring disorders treatment. Distance supports for implementation include monthly webinars, phone calls, and virtual learning communities. The authors calculated the proportion of programs with one or more practitioners who accessed the Web-based resources and the cumulative number of modules completed as an indicator of the reach of the Web-based approach to scaling up an innovation. They also calculated the number and proportion of staff per program who accessed the Web-based resources as an indicator of critical mass that may be needed for sustainability. Results: Of 369 programs participating in the initiative, 232 (63%) had at least one staff member accessing the online modules; 30% of programs had one-third or more of their staff accessing the online modules, and total attendance at webinars was close to 700. Staff who started taking the training averaged a little more than 6 modules, with 8,862 modules completed across staff to date. Conclusions: Early uptake of the New York State initiative suggests that distance learning and supports may be a feasible vehicle to train practitioners in large treatment delivery systems. (Journal of Dual Diagnosis, 7: 162-172, 2011) 0 0 1550-4263 WOS:000300007500006 S Liu, Jin; Lui, Xiaoming; Feng, Xiguang; Liu, Jianxun Luo, XF; Cao, YW; Yang, B; Liu, JX; Ye, FY OCL-Based Testing for E-Learning Web Service NEW HORIZONS IN WEB-BASED LEARNING: ICWL 2010 WORKSHOPS Lecture Notes in Computer Science 6537 161 168 2011 2011 As testing has been playing an important role in guaranteeing quality of Web service in respect of E-learning, the traditional testing of Web services presents its inability such as time-consuming and flawed testing procedures as opposed to desired measures in quickly and thoroughly scanning Web services for detects. To reduce testing cost and enhance testing efficiency, our testing measure for E-learning Web services is to describe services with an annotation mixed with the Object Constrain Language (OCL) and Semantic Annotations for WSDL and XML Schema (SAWSDL), parse OCL pre-conditions and OCL post-conditions, and generate test cases with class division and boundary values. An experimental case indicates the feasibility of the proposed approach. International Workshop on WebGIS and Location Based Web Service DEC 07-11, 2010 Shanghai, PEOPLES R CHINA 0 0 0302-9743 978-3-642-20538-5 WOS:000297034300018 S Chen, Yihai; Miao, Huaikou Luo, XF; Cao, YW; Yang, B; Liu, JX; Ye, FY The Application of Moodle in Computer English Teaching NEW HORIZONS IN WEB-BASED LEARNING: ICWL 2010 WORKSHOPS Lecture Notes in Computer Science 6537 169 176 2011 2011 With the rapid development of China's software outsourcing industry, it is essential for IT industry to recruit IT professionals with adequate English proficiency, which undoubtedly brings English for computer a booming era. But the current computer English teaching method is teacher-centered and is criticized as deaf and dump English. In view of the problems of traditional English teaching and the advantages of E-learning, the new published College English Curriculum Requirements proposes suggestions on using the Web as a medium to improve English teaching and learning in higher education. Moodle is one of the fastest growing free, open-source virtual learning environments. This paper mainly focuses on how Moodie can be effectively used in a college computer English teaching classroom. First of all, the current computer English teaching situation will be introduced. Next the reasons for choosing Moodie at our school are presented. Then the design and implementation of Moodie based computer English teaching environment will be introduced. Finally, the author concludes the paper and proposes future work. International Workshop on WebGIS and Location Based Web Service DEC 07-11, 2010 Shanghai, PEOPLES R CHINA 0 0 0302-9743 978-3-642-20538-5 WOS:000297034300019 S Zheng, Yujun; Shi, Haihe; Xue, Jinyun Luo, XF; Cao, YW; Yang, B; Liu, JX; Ye, FY A Knowledge-Driven Approach to Web-Based Learning for Formal Algorithm Development NEW HORIZONS IN WEB-BASED LEARNING: ICWL 2010 WORKSHOPS Lecture Notes in Computer Science 6537 237 245 2011 2011 The paper reports an effort to construct a Web-based environment for teaching/learning algorithm design. The semantic web version of PAR, platform, a practical platform for formal algorithm development, consists of structural knowledge models for effectively organizing and managing learning concepts in the domains of problem specification, algorithm calculation, algorithm reuse, and program transformation, and provides effective learning paths for synthesize and transmit these concepts meeting the requirements of Web users. The e-learning PAR platform has been successfully applied in undergraduate and graduate courses, and demonstrated its effectiveness in improving algorithm learning. International Workshop on Knowledge and Data Engineering in Web-Based Learning DEC 07-11, 2010 Shanghai, PEOPLES R CHINA 0 0 0302-9743 978-3-642-20538-5 WOS:000297034300026 S Cole, M. T.; Garner, B. J. Luo, XF; Cao, YW; Yang, B; Liu, JX; Ye, FY Capacity-Building in Nonprofit Organizations: Is There a Blended Learning Paradigm for the Sector? NEW HORIZONS IN WEB-BASED LEARNING: ICWL 2010 WORKSHOPS Lecture Notes in Computer Science 6537 276 290 2011 2011 Blended learning models are widely-used, successful training vehicles for e-learning and workplace training, in corporate as well as higher education environments. Increasingly, Web 2.0 applications. imbedded within blended learning models, are being recognized for their utility in these settings. Concern for the sustainability and relevance of nonprofit organizations has sharpened the interest in building effective capacity-building models for the sector. Can Web 2.0 technologies enhance capacity-building models in the Third Sector? Because blended learning is a remarkably adaptable and fluid model, its potential for transforming capacity-building models in the nonprofit sector is thought to be significant. This paper introduces the concept of transformational approaches to capacity-building and asks if blended learning paradigms that incorporate interactive next-generation technologies might strike a responsive chord in the sector. The authors present research to date on blended learning and capacity-building to lay the foundation for the introduction of one blended learning model for training and education in the nonprofit sector. While the authors suggest that blended learning, as it is evolving, is the key to driving innovation in capacity-building models, they recognize that tailoring blended learning to the audience is critical in achieving success. It is suggested that for optimal results, capacity-building efforts should be built on holistic approaches to the integration of individual self-actualization goals with mechanisms for organizational and sector empowerment, using the technologies imbedded with blended learning. International Workshop on Knowledge and Data Engineering in Web-Based Learning DEC 07-11, 2010 Shanghai, PEOPLES R CHINA 0 0 0302-9743 978-3-642-20538-5 WOS:000297034300030 S Colazzo, Luigi; Molinari, Andrea; Villa, Nicola Luo, XF; Cao, YW; Yang, B; Liu, JX; Ye, FY Formal and Informal Lifelong Learning in a Virtual Communities Platform NEW HORIZONS IN WEB-BASED LEARNING: ICWL 2010 WORKSHOPS Lecture Notes in Computer Science 6537 291 300 2011 2011 The paper presents our experience as designers, developers and administrators of an e-learning system used by the Faculty of Economics of the University of Trento and from the Autonomous province of Trento (Italy). We recently managed the evolution of the system towards the provision of a new Personal Learning Space to the users. In this moment the platform is in a phase of complete redevelopment and the final objective will be the adaption of the typical approaches of the web 2.0 and social networks into an e-learning formal platform. In particular one of the objectives will be to integrate an informal learning metaphor into a classic formal one. The term informal learning has been used in education field, in particular in the adult education, for several reasons; one of them is providing to the learners a greater flexibility in the learning process. This approach highlights that the lessons from the others could have a great social significance, but implies that the education agencies (e.g. the universities or the training institutions) have the capability to increase the socialisation level into the learning environment. Following the informal learning approach is necessary to focus the attention to the learning that takes place in the spaces surrounding the activities that take place in a much wider variety of settings than the formal education and training. This approach is not a substitute of the formal learning but could be complementary, integrating the personal experiences and the learning exchanges with the other participants. We will introduce the problems related to the integration of these two different logics into a single e-learning platform (learning spaces and social networks), and how to connect these two worlds into one single architecture. The system that we have developed, named On Line Communities, provides the idea of virtual communities as pillars of the interaction mechanisms provided by the platform to the users. International Workshop on Knowledge and Data Engineering in Web-Based Learning DEC 07-11, 2010 Shanghai, PEOPLES R CHINA 0 0 0302-9743 978-3-642-20538-5 WOS:000297034300031 S Feng, Xiuzhen; Xie, Haoran; Peng, Yang; Chen, Wei; Sun, Huamei Luo, XF; Cao, YW; Yang, B; Liu, JX; Ye, FY Groupized Learning Path Discovery Based on Member Profile NEW HORIZONS IN WEB-BASED LEARNING: ICWL 2010 WORKSHOPS Lecture Notes in Computer Science 6537 301 310 2011 2011 With the explosion of knowledge nowadays, it is urgent for people to learn new things quickly and effectively. To meet such a requirement, how we can find a suitable path for learning has become a crucial issue. Meanwhile, in our daily life, it is important and necessary for people from various backgrounds to achieve a certain task (eg. survey, report, business plan, etc.) collaboratively in the form of the group. For these group-based task, it often requires members to learn new knowledge by using e-learning system. In this paper, we focus on addressing the problem on discovering an appropriate study path to facilitate a group of people rather than a single person for effective learning under e-learning environment. Furthermore, we propose a group model to capture the expertise of each member. Based on this model, a groupized(1) learning path discovering (GLPD) algorithm is proposed in order to help a group of learners to grasp new knowledge effectively and efficiently. Finally, we conduct a practical experiment whose result verifies the soundness of our approach. International Workshop on Knowledge and Data Engineering in Web-Based Learning DEC 07-11, 2010 Shanghai, PEOPLES R CHINA 0 0 0302-9743 978-3-642-20538-5 WOS:000297034300032 S Otero-Garcia, Estefania; Vidal, Juan C.; Lama, Manuel; Bugarin, Alberto; Domenech, Jose E. Luo, XF; Cao, YW; Yang, B; Liu, JX; Ye, FY Semantic Annotation of Educational Resources through Linked Data NEW HORIZONS IN WEB-BASED LEARNING: ICWL 2010 WORKSHOPS Lecture Notes in Computer Science 6537 311 320 2011 2011 In this paper a context-based algorithm to semantically annotate e-learning contents is presented. This algorithm explores the DB-pedia graph and uses both syntactic and semantic analysis techniques to identify the RDF triples which annotate the relevant terms that characterize the educational content. This algorithm has been applied to annotate learning fruits which are learning pills presented as web books that provide links to access to complementary and relevant information about the course. International Workshop on Knowledge and Data Engineering in Web-Based Learning DEC 07-11, 2010 Shanghai, PEOPLES R CHINA 0 0 0302-9743 978-3-642-20538-5 WOS:000297034300033 J Stefanovic, Darko; Drapsin, Miodrag; Nikolic, Jelena; Scepanovic, Danijela; Radjo, Izet; Drid, Patrik Empirical study of student satisfaction in e-learning system environment TECHNICS TECHNOLOGIES EDUCATION MANAGEMENT-TTEM 6 4 1152 1164 2011 2011 Information and communication technology (ICT) can improve the operational processes of any business and the education industry is no exception. Today, ICT plays a major role in many pedagogical activities, such as instructional delivery, material preparation, class communication and evaluation. Electronic learning (e-learning) environments offer the possibilities for communication, interaction and multimedia material delivery that enhance learner-directed learning, especially in higher education. Universities in Serbia have been successfully implemented a variety of open (distance) learning activities, but e-learning research and practices, in general, are relatively new and limited. Little is known about why many e-learners stop their learning after their initial experience.This study proposed an integrated model with four dimensions: instructor dimension, course dimension, technology dimension and environmental dimension. A survey was conducted to investigate the potential factors which are in the field of the university or faculty management and have impact on e-learner satisfaction. The questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection and the subjects of this study were the students who were enrolled in the online learning courses. The results revealed that instructor response timeliness, e-learning course flexibility, e-learning course quality, technology quality, Internet quality, diversity in assessment and interaction in e-learning environment are the critical factors affecting e-learners' satisfaction. The results presented in this paper can help universities or faculties to adopt e-learning technology, and to reduce the risk of fail during implementation process or system exploitation. Furthermore, researchers can use the findings of this study as a basis to initiate other related studies in the e-learning area. 0 0 1840-1503 WOS:000299361700034 J Blagojevic, Marija The application of clustering in the analysis of users' behavior patterns TECHNICS TECHNOLOGIES EDUCATION MANAGEMENT-TTEM 6 4 1327 1332 2011 2011 In this research, an application of clustering in the analysis of users' patterns of behavior is presented. The research was conducted at the Technical Faculty in Cacak. The goal of the research relates to the determination, of the appliance of cluster techniques in. the analysis and detection of students' patterns of behavior who are participants in the electronic courses. Apart from that, professors will have an insight in students' patterns of behavior according to that they will have a chance to organize their classes by using other concepts such as concept of e-learning. Results point towards the need of electronic courses adaptation regarding organization of activities concerning time. That is important because students of different clusters have different periods within which they are the most active. The importance of this research can be seen in the innovative approach towards evaluation and for obtaining recommendations for design of adaptive electronic courses. The following research relates to cluster application in the domain of interactive activities that appear in the electronic courses. 0 0 1840-1503 WOS:000299361700053 J Micic, Zivadin; Tufegdzic, Milica Knowledge management modeling to e-learning excellence TECHNICS TECHNOLOGIES EDUCATION MANAGEMENT-TTEM 6 4 1333 1344 2011 2011 This paper presents basic principles/elements of original, hybrid developed 3D model for knowledge management with IT for E-learning, concerning 12 key aspects/criteria on the level of quality management and with the aim of excellence modeling, supported by the examples of LMS - tool Moodle. The possibilities of E-tearning improvement and implementation are shown by quantitative and qualitative analysis, through basic influential model factors: 1) terminology and leadership, 2) organization, 3) personnel, 4) development, 5) standardization, 6) environment, 7) innovations, 8) processes management, 9).resources and technologies, 10) evaluation and interface, 11) knowledge preservation, as well as 12) application results.Survey research covers all relevant factors. Process approach is supported by the results of original hybrid model application for knowledge management towards E-learning excellence with LMS Moode. 0 0 1840-1503 WOS:000299361700054 J Vernadakis, Nikolaos; Antoniou, Panagiotis; Giannousi, Maria; Zetou, Eleni; Kioumourtzoglou, Efthimis The effect of information literacy on physical education students' perception of a course management system LEARNING MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY 36 4 SI 419 435 10.1080/17439884.2010.542160 2011 2011 The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of information literacy on students' perception toward the educational services offered by an asynchronous course management system (e-Class) for the support of the traditional instruction method in tertiary physical education (PE) institutions. Participants were 211 PE students between the ages of 19 and 24 years, who were sorted into three groups according to their information literacy level: high, medium, and low users of technology. Data was collected using an online survey during a one-week period. One-way analyses of variances (ANOVAs) revealed significant differences between the three user groups, in each factor of the perception questionnaire: 'interaction', 'participation', 'educational material', 'usefulness,' and 'user control'. In the above factors, the high and medium user groups reported better results than the low-technology user group. In conclusion, learner familiarity with computer and online technologies made positive contributions to their perception toward course management systems. Hence, it is essential that physical education students should have basic information technology skills to feel more satisfied with their online learning experiences. 0 0 1743-9884 WOS:000299489900006 J France, Derek; Wakefield, Kelly How to Produce a Digital Story JOURNAL OF GEOGRAPHY IN HIGHER EDUCATION 35 4 617 623 10.1080/03098265.2011.560658 2011 2011 Modern day students are said to hold a toolbox of technical knowledge, which can assist them with their undergraduate studies. The 'net generation' is more technologically capable than ever before and crave interactivity and image-rich environments, which has created a need for higher education institutions to diversify assessment practices. Digital stories ( this refers to a collection of still images, audio and video) as a means for assessing Geography undergraduates, lend themselves well to fieldwork activities, and this paper provides practical advice and guidance to students on how to create the best digital stories for assessment. 0 0 0309-8265 WOS:000299203300011 J Kriesen, Gretchen L. Print Still Matters in an e-Learning World, and Training Companies Need to Properly Manage It JOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT 31 3 179 195 10.1080/01608061.2011.589721 2011 2011 This report demonstrates how the application of Behavioral Systems Analysis (BSA) methods assisted in assessing a small training company's Print Production Management (PPM) system. PPM is the process by which printed materials are conceptualized, estimated, released to a commercial printer, proofed, and delivered to the client. The current PPM process had not been evaluated or updated to reflect shifts in both the training and printing industries. The assessment found that the unrevised process was becoming obsolete, hindering performance, and costing the organization time and money. Recommendations were made for staffing and work-flow, and implementation of tools were developed to support performance and contribute to successful execution of projects with printed elements. This report includes a follow-up evaluation made eight months after study completion. 0 0 0160-8061 WOS:000300013800003 S Aqda, Mahnaz Fatemi; Hamidi, Farideh; Ghorbandordinejad, Farhad Karahoca, A; Kanbul, S The impact of constructivist and cognitive distance instructional design on the learner's creativity WORLD CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (WCIT-2010) Procedia Computer Science 3 10.1016/j.procs.2010.12.044 2011 2011 Creativity is at the heart of the 21st century educational work. Learner' creativity or learner's creative thinking skills are among the most important skills they need to be prepared for the knowledge society. The rapid development of technology in the modern era sheds light on the place and importance of creativity in education. Technology also has brought change in the way the students learn (collaboration strategy) and recently the computer-based instruction associated with electrical technologies has been a popular way of instruction that learning is no longer confined to classrooms (distance learning). Also in the case of the students if they want to take effective advantage of technology, they have to use the constructivist and cognitive skills (psychological learning theory). Recently education experts have tried to show how a distance instructional can be designed. The main question of this paper is what effects the distance instructional design based on the views of constructivism and cognitivism have on the learners' creativity. The definition of distance education (e-learning), the instruction design based on constructivist view and its function in education and distance learning (e-learning), the instruction design based on cognitive view and its function in education and distance learning (e-learning), the factors affecting the creativity development and accommodation (comparison) the characteristics of the instructural context, and the impact of the appropriate learning on the creativity development according to these settings are among the other main points of this review. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Guest Editor. 1st World Conference on Information Technology (WCIT) OCT 06-10, 2010 Bahcesehir Univ, Istanbul, TURKEY 0 0 1877-0509 ***************** WOS:000299159800042 S Assareh, A.; Bidokht, M. Hosseini Karahoca, A; Kanbul, S Barriers to e-teaching and e-learning WORLD CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (WCIT-2010) Procedia Computer Science 3 10.1016/j.procs.2010.12.129 2011 2011 Considering rapid growth of Technology and Population seems inevitable that e-education is going to be main agent for education. There has been much research into method of enhancing the quality of learning outcomes of e -education and it has been considered from different perspectives, With a comprehensive literature review of research and survey data provided by concerning e-learning Institutes. This paper is trying to outline a classification of barriers to e-learning and suggesting appropriate solution. In general there are four kinds of barriers 1. The Learners; which has subdivision like financial problem, motivation, assessment of their progress, isolation from peers, inadequate skills and experience in distance learning, affection and social domain 2. Teacher; which has subdivision barriers like lack of adequate knowledge about e-teaching environment, difficulty for assessment of different domain progress 3.Curriculum; ambiguity, quality, resource, teaching process, evaluation 4.The school; organizational and structural factors. Overcoming these groups of barriers needs more cooperation of related factors like curriculum developers, teachers, parent's students, social authorities, technological specialist, and also preparing virtual and actual interaction among children and teachers and society. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Guest Editor. 1st World Conference on Information Technology (WCIT) OCT 06-10, 2010 Bahcesehir Univ, Istanbul, TURKEY 0 0 1877-0509 ***************** WOS:000299159800127 S Fatemeh, Hendijanifard; Ahmad, Kardan; Mohammad, Dibay Moghadam Karahoca, A; Kanbul, S ICMAP: An interactive tool for concept map generation to facilitate learning process WORLD CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (WCIT-2010) Procedia Computer Science 3 10.1016/j.procs.2010.12.087 2011 2011 Human-computer interaction could play an essential role in learning. In distance learning, interactive tools can facilitate the learning process for teachers and students. In this article, the design and implementation of software will be introduced which helps users to learn more with the help of interactive instructions and concept map (Cmap) generation. Cmaps are graphical visualisations of knowledge about a topic, in which the concepts of a subject are meaningfully related to each other. Cmaps are widely used in E-learning and proved to be helpful to learners and informative to teachers. The step-by-step process of making a Cmap by means of specific tools with specific interfaces will result in a better learning process. Therefore, with this tool, a learner can make Cmaps stage by stage with necessary textual or graphical instructions. Other interactive features such as colours and message boxes are utilised to instruct, assure or warn the user when making a Cmap. Some other attributes of the tool help teachers receive a report about students' frequent mistakes in order to understand which part of the course should be developed. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Guest Editor. 1st World Conference on Information Technology (WCIT) OCT 06-10, 2010 Bahcesehir Univ, Istanbul, TURKEY 0 0 1877-0509 ***************** WOS:000299159800085 S Glava, Catalin-Cosmin; Glava, Adina-Elena Karahoca, A; Kanbul, S On-line learning platforms as virtual classrooms. Case study of initial primary teachers training at Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania WORLD CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (WCIT-2010) Procedia Computer Science 3 10.1016/j.procs.2010.12.112 2011 2011 The paper presents the results of an experiment of using the learning platform BSCW (Basic Smart, Cooperate Worldwide) as a virtual classroom for preschool and primary school teacher training at Babes-Bolyai University, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. Three years of experimental program are presented in relation with the use of Internet as a fruitful learning environment. The defining features of BSCW will be presented, emphasizing on the platform's characteristics that make it a real virtual classroom. Being defined by a variety of didactic options of communication, cooperation, organization of learning space, the BSCW platform represents a virtual classroom. Its use offered the university future teacher students the possibility to exercise own learning management skills, to improve own cooperation and learning tasks design abilities. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Guest Editor. 1st World Conference on Information Technology (WCIT) OCT 06-10, 2010 Bahcesehir Univ, Istanbul, TURKEY 0 0 1877-0509 ***************** WOS:000299159800110 S Gorghiu, Laura Monica; Gorghiu, Gabriel; Bizoi, Mihai; Suduc, Ana Maria Karahoca, A; Kanbul, S The Electronic Book - a Modern Instrument Used in Teachers' Training Process WORLD CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (WCIT-2010) Procedia Computer Science 3 10.1016/j.procs.2010.12.093 2011 2011 Since Internet became in the last years the biggest source of information, the book concept has been dramatically redefined, especially in terms of separating of its content and the related support. Practically, when using the electronic media, a book could take a different look - the electronic book (e-book). Due to their widely spread in the last period, the e-books are one of the most effective ways to support distance learning (e-learning), as they can be read by thousands of readers.Due to the fact that the teachers have limited time for participating to the face-to-face training programmes, the e-books became an important tool for promoting different training courses organized in the frame of various projects. It was also the case of the three years Socrates-Comenius 2.1 European project "FISTE - A Future Way for In-Service Teacher Training across Europe" - code 118766-CP-1-2004-1-RO-COMENIUS-C21, when the partnership organized the on-line courses entitled "Integrated ICT in Traditional Training" and "ECSUT: Educational Challenges & Solutions in Using ICT" [1]. The best practices and experiences of the teachers who achieved the on-line courses were collected and help the partnership to design a web-guideline entitled "Best Practices Guideline for Educational Use of ICT Tools" as a final output of the project. The content of the European course and the web-guideline have been produced as an e-book format by using Desktop Author software application. In this sense, the paper aims to present the most important features proposed by Desktop Author software during the design process of the mentioned e-books, together with the main facets presented by the related e-volumes. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Guest Editor. 1st World Conference on Information Technology (WCIT) OCT 06-10, 2010 Bahcesehir Univ, Istanbul, TURKEY 0 0 1877-0509 ***************** WOS:000299159800091 S Hubackova, Sarka; Ruzickova, Marketa Karahoca, A; Kanbul, S Experience in foreign language teaching with ICT support WORLD CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (WCIT-2010) Procedia Computer Science 3 10.1016/j.procs.2010.12.041 2011 2011 The foreign language teaching using e-learning usually catches on more slowly than the teaching of sciences or technological subjects. We therefore consider the most suitable method of language teaching the blended learning; i.e. the combination of the traditional, face-to-face and on-line teaching.For the foreign language teaching we have prepared both the courses using the blended learning and the courses for a distance education. We also have some experience in the teaching of interuniversity studies, but only distance on-line teaching. At our faculty we have now prepared some on-line German and English courses for beginners and for advanced students. We also offer the courses of general, business and banking English and German. The foreign language on-line courses enable to practise individually, for example, some grammar phenomena with the use of a key as a feedback. Moreover, they help to enlarge the vocabulary, give the possibility of using the listening texts and working with a foreign language text. We consider the use of modern technologies very useful. The on-line courses are also useful in the foreign language teaching. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Guest Editor. 1st World Conference on Information Technology (WCIT) OCT 06-10, 2010 Bahcesehir Univ, Istanbul, TURKEY 0 0 1877-0509 ***************** WOS:000299159800039 S Klimova, Blanka Frydrychova; Poulova, Petra Karahoca, A; Kanbul, S Tutor as an important e-learning support WORLD CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (WCIT-2010) Procedia Computer Science 3 10.1016/j.procs.2011.01.036 2011 2011 Teachers are all the time looking for different ways of increasing the quality of their teaching. At present the use of computers and new technologies has become an important aspect of education. They have enabled the teaching community to redefine some of the strategies and concepts of teaching and learning. In this climate computer-based distance learning courses have emerged. One of the supports of the distance learning is e-learning, which is widely used at the University of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. The article attempts to examine how the traditional role of a teacher in the e-courses changes and what preconditions are pivotal for the tutoring of such courses. In addition to that, it describes a creation of e-learning courses from the pedagogical point of view. Finally, a few problems of practical e-tutoring run at a university level in the Czech Republic are depicted. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Guest Editor. 1st World Conference on Information Technology (WCIT) OCT 06-10, 2010 Bahcesehir Univ, Istanbul, TURKEY 2 2 1877-0509 ***************** WOS:000299159800232 S Mohammadi, Neda; Ghorbani, Vahid; Hamidi, Farideh Karahoca, A; Kanbul, S Effects of e-learning on Language Learning WORLD CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (WCIT-2010) Procedia Computer Science 3 10.1016/j.procs.2010.12.078 2011 2011 The aim of this study is to do a research on the effects of e-learning and sub-categories such as : internet; Web-based English learning and computer-assisted language learning(CALL) on language learning. Before growing prevalence of Word Wide Web (www); people use emails for language learning and teaching (LL/LT). In network-based language learning (NBLL); people use computer-based educational activities.The main advantage of e-learning is that it increases the engagement; attendance and motivation of students which are requisite for learning. By advent of Web and internet; English learning (EL) improved because internet had its own language and logic and was not limited to one culture. Indeed; learning English via internet challenges traditional from of learning. Internet is a virtual English environment. People become autonomous by using internet and they can independent from books and teacher such as chartrooms and mass media which increase the oral proficiencies of learners. the use of mass media such as books and manuscripts and internet media (like blogs; message boards; podcasts; and video sharing) are another faces of e-learning. Although using mass media and internet media are challenging and time consuming. They provide teacher and students with creative and practical ideas. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Guest Editor. 1st World Conference on Information Technology (WCIT) OCT 06-10, 2010 Bahcesehir Univ, Istanbul, TURKEY 0 0 1877-0509 ***************** WOS:000299159800076 S Mustapasa, Oguz; Karahoca, Adem; Karahoca, Dilek; Uzunboylu, Huweyin Karahoca, A; Kanbul, S "Hello World", Web Mining for E-Learning WORLD CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (WCIT-2010) Procedia Computer Science 3 10.1016/j.procs.2011.01.019 2011 2011 As the internet and mobile applications are getting an important role in our lives, usage of mobile services also took place in educational field since the internet is widespread, which is usually called by the terms "e-learning" or "distance learning". A known issue on e-learning is all the content's being online and less face-to-face communication than traditional learning; this brings the problem of chasing student's success, and advising and managing student's way of studying. Hence, a recent hot topic, data mining, can be applied on student's data left on e-learning portals to guide the instructor and advisors to help students' being more successful. Recent researches done on this topic showed that e-learning combined with data mining can decrease the gap between itself and traditional learning - referred as semantic web mining in general. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Guest Editor. 1st World Conference on Information Technology (WCIT) OCT 06-10, 2010 Bahcesehir Univ, Istanbul, TURKEY 0 0 1877-0509 ***************** WOS:000299159800217 S Sarencheh, Saeed; Bigham, Bahram Sadeghi Karahoca, A; Kanbul, S An applicable master plan to develop city's Information Technology Infrastructure WORLD CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (WCIT-2010) Procedia Computer Science 3 10.1016/j.procs.2010.12.138 2011 2011 Nowadays, communication devices are widespread exponentially. People use some of these devices in daily life like as using mobile to access for shopping from Internet and pay by credit cards or student email their homework to their teacher. In other words, Internet network plays significant roles in people's life. Therefore, some features such as access to Internet from everywhere, connection bandwidth and minimum necessary devices to connect and use network are important in make better satisfaction of people.In this article, a master plan of infrastructure is suggested that city which built base on this infrastructure, people in city can connect to Data center from anywhere with simple and usual tools like PDA, Notebook and also cell phones and also superior manager can use the information to make proper decisions and as a result they can offer a fast and appropriate sort of management. In this instruction, people can easily connect to Metropolitan Area Network ( MAN) then use IT subsystems like E-commerce, E-learning, E-health and others and enjoy from IT subsystem advantages in city. In this design, there are some important factors that we must attend to them because they affect the result, some of them such as speared of access point to MAN, independent from especial hardware requirement, Network Bandwidth and simple using structure for people. So, in the result, the useful information of people is saved in Data center and people or organization can reach these data easily and use people data in time. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Guest Editor. 1st World Conference on Information Technology (WCIT) OCT 06-10, 2010 Bahcesehir Univ, Istanbul, TURKEY 0 0 1877-0509 ***************** WOS:000299159800136 S Semradova, Ilona Karahoca, A; Kanbul, S Designing E-learning courses in humanities and their use in the interuniversity study programmes WORLD CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (WCIT-2010) Procedia Computer Science 3 10.1016/j.procs.2010.12.028 2011 2011 Since 2005 the Faculty of Informatics and Management, University of Hradec Kralove, has been running interuniversity study programmes within the framework of the selected Czech universities. In co-operation with the University of West Bohemia, Plzen, and Tomas Bata University, Zlin, several subjects are offered to students in the form of e-learning courses. The courses are run by teachers from the above-mentioned partner universities. In the project the author personally deals with e-courses "Ethics", and " Philosophical seminar". Both courses are organized every year in winter and summer terms, often at both universities, which is very time demanding.The courses are supported by the virtual learning environment WebCT which enables teacher-supervised self-study, and provides tools for multimedia presentations of the learning content. Contacts with teachers are supported by technical communication means, both asynchronous (mail, discussions) and synchronous (chat, whiteboard). WebCT is an environment which integrates various tools, and it is easily operated and accessible through the internet web browser.While designing courses in WebCT, one has to be aware of the danger of depersonalization and simplifying algorithmization of the educational process. Therefore, in all phases of didactic and technological processing of the appropriate contents, we take into account the necessity to form sets of questions, reflections, or even self-reflections.This dimension of the hermeneutic approach strengthens communicative competences and develops the ability to distribute and share information and knowledge. The contribution in detail deals with constitutive elements of designing e-learning courses in humanities in relation to the requirements of the interuniversity study programme. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Guest Editor. 1st World Conference on Information Technology (WCIT) OCT 06-10, 2010 Bahcesehir Univ, Istanbul, TURKEY 0 0 1877-0509 ***************** WOS:000299159800026 S Tas, Evin M. Karahoca, A; Kanbul, S ICT education for development - a case study WORLD CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (WCIT-2010) Procedia Computer Science 3 10.1016/j.procs.2010.12.085 2011 2011 "Information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D)" is a general term that is used to define the applications of ICTs for the socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. In other words, the ICT4D is applying information technologies for poverty reduction purposes. Today the concept is far more evolved from when it started just as the ICT industry. Especially along with the Internet now the possibilities for collaboration have significantly increased. Since information and communication technologies will be shaping the future, the jobs acquired in the ICT industry will be even more valid. On the other hand while the need for professionals is increasing, the number of well trained professionals is not accumulating with the same acceleration rate, due to the high costs and accessibility problems. This paper focuses on a unique and successful project called SPARK (Youth Movement in Informatics). SPARK is a partnership of UNDP, Cisco and Youth for Habitat Association. This project aims to improve the level of information technology expertise among youth using the Cisco NetAcad e-learning platform, while simultaneously encouraging volunteerism. Moreover, SPARK aims to support young people to develop their social capacities and helps them participate in the new information-based global economy through the peer education model on advanced information technology and networking skills. Through the case of SPARK, this paper also emphasizes the importance of the ICT education for development and poverty reduction and illustrates the impact it makes on people's lives. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Guest Editor. 1st World Conference on Information Technology (WCIT) OCT 06-10, 2010 Bahcesehir Univ, Istanbul, TURKEY 0 0 1877-0509 ***************** WOS:000299159800083 S Yengin, Ilker; Karahoca, Adem; Karahoca, Dilek Karahoca, A; Kanbul, S E-Learning success model for instructors' satisfactions in perspective of interaction and usability outcomes WORLD CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (WCIT-2010) Procedia Computer Science 3 10.1016/j.procs.2011.01.021 2011 2011 E-learning approaches could be handled in a system design view in which the system components and factors have critical roles in order to assure success of whole system. In such an e-learning design view, online instructors (or faculties) have the most critical role as the most important actor. Therefore there is an emerging need for investigating the factors affecting instructors' performance in e-learning systems. Satisfaction is one of these factors that affect usability of the system which also directly affect instructors' performance. In this study, factors related to instructors' satisfaction in e-learning systems have been investigated in order to develop a basic model called "E-Learning Success Model for Instructors' Satisfactions" which is related to social, intellectual and technical interactions of instructors in whole e-learning system. "E-Learning Success Model for Instructors' Satisfactions" could be a basic guide for e-learning designers, online instructors and policy makers to understand interaction and usability outcomes related to satisfaction of instructors. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Guest Editor. 1st World Conference on Information Technology (WCIT) OCT 06-10, 2010 Bahcesehir Univ, Istanbul, TURKEY 0 0 1877-0509 ***************** WOS:000299159800219 S Yuce, Baris; Karahoca, Adem; Karahoca, Dilek Karahoca, A; Kanbul, S The use of electronic curriculums in occupational education to evaluate and improve the cognitive capacity of candidate software engineers WORLD CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (WCIT-2010) Procedia Computer Science 3 10.1016/j.procs.2011.01.024 2011 2011 This research is aimed to go beyond the traditional techniques of design and to apply an educational system. This system was designed to allow students to apply the theoretical knowledge and jargon of the System Analysis and Design course in Bahcesehir University, Engineering Faculty usefully to other branches, in different situations. This course was taken by students in the fall term of 2008. The learning system which has been designed involves some electronic applications and tests to make the content more understandable and to improve student's knowledge. At the end of term it was measured to what extent students were able to use the skills which they had learned from the course. Every week repeated case studies and other tools were employed to exercise students' short-term memories. Their knowledge was gained through a combination of face-to-face sessions (information from the formal teaching methods and case studies) and online tools (jargon based word games and tests). (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Guest Editor. 1st World Conference on Information Technology (WCIT) OCT 06-10, 2010 Bahcesehir Univ, Istanbul, TURKEY 0 0 1877-0509 ***************** WOS:000299159800222 S Akhshabi, Mohammad; Khalatbari, Javad; Derakhshan, Alireza; Akhshabi, Mostafa Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F Educational standard content design system for virtual university WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.157 2011 2011 During recent years trying to prove electronic teaching methods, in front of traditional methods have more success. success factors in e-learning are Including platform communications, level of accessibility to the computer user, level of familiarity of user with computer, educational software and electronic content is the most important element. Therefore choose how education, easy, accessible, flexible and cheaper and ultimately measurable goals and assessment according to management that could be useful for optimization of human resources, will be inevitable. Electronic content must be considered to transfer knowledge to learner in addition simulated personality and behavior professor and education related. Electronic content virtual courses are a system that would treat to a teacher runs education behavior as possible. In electronic content production should attend to quality courses, increasing production volume, observance of standards and management of electronic content production. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300155 S Arasteh, Bahman; ZadahmadJafarlou, Manuchehr; Karimi, Mohammadbagher Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F A dependable and economic service for long-life e-learning applications in grid environments WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.143 2011 2011 Developing highly available, reliable, scalable and mobile educational systems are so difficult or impossible in the client-server and web service architectures. On the other hand, a grid environment is such a large distributed system that it supports large numbers of distributed resources sharing. The grid environment can be used as a good platform for the long-life, online and mobile educational applications which need high availability, reliability and scalability. The possibility of failure occurrence on the educational resources during a running educational application on the grid environment is not negligible. This paper proposes a dependable and economic learning service in grid systems. The other focus in this paper is to minimize educational resource consumption and consequently decrease the cost of requested learning services by the learners in the economic grid. A hybrid and dynamic resource management method is used to improve the availability, reliability, scalability and stability of learning service with low resource consumption. An analytical approach, Markov model, is used to show the availability, reliability, stability improvement in the proposed method. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300141 S Askar, Petek Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F Social network analysis for e-learning environments WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.183 2011 2011 World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300180 S Chlouba, Tomas; Simkova, Monika; Nemcova, Zuzana Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F Application for education of financial literacy WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.070 2011 2011 The paper follows a grant project at the University of Hradec Kralove-Applications for support of financial literacy, where the key problems are described by a methodology that is implemented in the proposed application. This application is based on the processed results and aims to improve the financial literacy of citizens, because financial literacy is the best way to prevent their over-indebtedness. This application supports e-learning approach to teaching at the University of Hradec Kralove. The application uses interactive graphical representation methods that are user friendly, is addressed to wide range of people and aims to teach consumers how to behave in specific situations that can occur. This educational environment interactively explains the basics of financial literacy; the user can browse through different topics. During the learning process he is tested by examples, which are practically oriented and review the level of his newly learned skills. This helps the user to outline the legalities and structure of the financial market and modifies the existing educational processes supported by ICT. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300068 S Das, Anirban; Panigrahi, Goutam; Banerjee, Dilip K.; Basu, Kajla Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F An approach to propose a model for e-learning content up-gradation for increasing ger of higher education in west bengal WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.063 2011 2011 Quality of content in e-learning is undoubtedly the key aspect to attract the students aspiring to go for higher education through e-learning. So, quality of e-learning content must be brief, precise, up to date and easily understandable so that it can be highly acceptable to the e-learning intended students. In this paper a model is anticipated with the objective to enhance the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) of West Bengal through establishment of e-learning in higher education. We provided an initial content of any subject matter and propose a scheme to upgrade the initially uploaded content up to a certain extent by using a graph theory based feedback method. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300061 S Drlik, Martin; Skalkaa, Jan Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F Virtual Faculty Development Using Top-down Implementation Strategy and Adapted EES Model WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.117 2011 2011 E-learning has become an increasingly popular learning approach in universities due to the rapid growth of web-based technologies. E-learning implementation at universities is a long-lasting and complicated process. This process has to overcome a wide range of internal and external factors influencing e-learning effectiveness and content quality resulting in stakeholders. satisfaction and acceptance of web-based learning. We describe the project aimed at creating a virtual faculty as an initial step to creating virtual university. A successful e-learning strategy relies on five main elements - people, tools, training, processes and support. For that reason we describe their importance in the paper. E-learning implementation may be dissatisfying and frustrating unless we design appropriate electronic educational model that can avoid potential problems. Therefore we adapt an electronic educational system model that allows to plan and implement specific learning requirements. We start with the characteristics of selected top-down approach to an e-learning implementation. We combine elements of this approach and the electronic educational system model with the aim to broaden the ideas of e-learning to the wider community of teachers and students of Faculty of Social Sciences and Health Care. In the case of successful implementation, the results and processes defined and approved in this project at the level of one faculty will be efficiently applied in the other faculties of the university. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300115 S Ercan, Tuncay Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F Benefits of semantic approach in the learning environment WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.177 2011 2011 Mobile devices are mainly lack of regular user interfaces that facilitate the human-computer interaction and the access to network resources. However, almost all commercial applications contain their mobile versions. If we consider the importance of business and learning environments, there are still many new opportunities to integrate mobile devices with web-based services. Development of Educational Semantic Web and the implications for Web-based teaching and learning attracts great attention. This study focuses on creating a web site with semantic features taken from a student survey conducted to learn their e-learning awareness and developing an efficient search mechanism among mobile users in the learning environment. The ontology working in mobile devices benefits from adapting context and content information from a centralized system into a significant data mining application. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300175 S Garavaglia, Andrea; Petti, Livia Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F From f2f to blended courses: An Italian university case study in a school of education WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.052 2011 2011 Although virtualization of the Italian university system was initiated almost ten years ago, third-level e-learning courses are still not widely available. To date only e-learning universities offer online courses, while traditional universities continue to deliver predominantly face-to-face courses. One of the critical issues is the fact that lecturing staff are more experienced at teaching face-to-face courses and lack confidence in creating e-learning didactic models. This paper discusses how face-to-face courses may be converted to blended courses. The key features of the conversion have been identified on the basis of courses implemented at an Italian School of Education. The analysis was conducted using a systematic observation method which focused on two aspects: the didactic features of the online courses and the technological tools used. As a result, the following course attributes were observed and discussed:-type of learning promoted by the didactic method implemented;-type of activity assigned to students;-use of assignment deadlines;-role of face-to-face lectures/tutorials in the blended model;-tasks effectively carried out by lecturing staff and tutors;-workload of lecturing and tutoring staff;-approach to managing online communication;-promotion of open-minded learning processes;-delivery of advanced multimedia learning objects versus standard files.The study identified four types of didactic model which may be implemented by teaching staff with basic technological skills:-delivery of learning objects and individual activities;-individual activities and peer-collaboration;-group activities;-knowledge management and self-regulation. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300050 S Ghavifekr, Simin; Hussin, Sufean Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F Managing Systemic Change in a Technology-based Education System: A Malaysian Case Study WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.088 2011 2011 The increasing use of advanced technologies in educational organizations constitutes fundamental transformation which is certainly required for systemic change of the whole education system. Due to the capability of e-learning in providing dynamic and proactive teaching-learning environment, e-learning has been considered as the most effective technological change that has happened to the field of education systemically. Managing systemic change from e-learning implementation has been also thought of as the integral part of the change process. This is in order to achieve the organizational desired goals and objectives as being an alternative solution to improve the quality of teaching and learning process especially in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) organizations. This paper aims to address the key question of "How do management strategies and policies are effective in dealing with the systemic change?" It also presents the results of an in-depth analysis which is the outcome of a PhD research. From the data analysis for this qualitative research, it was found that in a technology-based systemic change, planning, organizing, guiding and monitoring are the main strategic elements for the management in successful implementation of the new learning technologies. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300086 S Hin, Lee Chin; Brian Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F Effect of incentivized online activities on e-learning WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.040 2011 2011 When it comes to e-learning, the main concern is always the communication technology, instead of studying how the technology can work to enhance effective learning experience among learners (Stiles, 2000). This paper is an attempt to look beyond communication technology and examine the effect of online activities as an assessment incentive (motivation) on adult learners with particular reference to a specific e-course offered by the School of Arts and Social Sciences at SIM University (UniSIM), Singapore's only university for adult learners. In this case study, the overall continuous assessment was enhanced in the July 2008 semester by adding on online activity and the percentage of online activity (such as discussion board) was increased from 10% to 20% in the January 09 semester, while the qualitative feedback system was introduced in the July 09 semester. The researchers observe that these changes have resulted in an overall better performance by students in the continuous assessment component, while the deviation in students' performance has been further lessened. It is also found that the students' overall continuous assessment in online activities has improved after the instructors' qualitative feedback system was introduced. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300039 S Hubackova, Sarka Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F Listening texts in the teaching of German language WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.007 2011 2011 Blended learning in the field of foreign languages brings an extra offer. It incorporates also original texts and their simple actualization in the learning process, it uses audio and video records done by native speakers. We draw the listening texts and video records from German language web sites. In this way we get the students the forms of native speakers' speech and we replace the communication with native speakers by these texts. We often use the listening texts in on-line courses in students' home preparation. They have possibility ( and sometimes duty) to acquaint with the texts in advance, later we use the texts in contact exercises. For the first lesson we usually choose a text dealing with the importance of German language and how it is spread in the world. The source of our materials is the broadcast station Deutsche Welle. We use the texts read by native speakers or by the announcers of this station. We do not modify the texts of broadcasts and we do not alter the speeds of them. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300006 S Hubackova, Sarka Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F Possibilities of the use of ICT in interuniversity studies WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.006 2011 2011 Teaching supported by ICT is a common component part of education. On-line courses have reached even the foreign language teaching and the students book them up very frequently. The courses exploit the excellent technical background offered by the Faculty of Informatics and Management of the University Hradec Kralove and are accommodated to the needs both of students and study subjects. The Department of Applied Linguistics uses the on-line courses in full time and combined studies, first of all in the form of blended learning.The courses of German have been made and designed originally as a multi-media support of contact teaching, that is as supplementary courses, nevertheless they proved their worth - beyond all expectations - even as separate on-line courses. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300005 S Hubackova, Sarka; Semradova, Ilona; Klimova, Blanka Frydrychova Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F Blended learning in a foreign language teaching WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.054 2011 2011 Blended learning enables to use many different forms and methods in foreign language teaching. On-line courses leave room for any inclusion of many listening texts and video files. In order to facilitate the language study to our students we have prepared on-line courses of professional English, courses of area studies of English speaking countries, courses of professional German, a course for translators, written business English course and others. These courses are based on tutors' and students' needs, students' knowledge, on teachers' long term experience, and of course on the positive attitude of ICT students (and not only of them) to modern technologies. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300052 S Hubackova, Sarka; Safrankova, Hana Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F Use of ballot tools in the university learning WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.053 2011 2011 The paper describes the introduction of a new facility - InterWrite PRS RF ballot tools - into faculty technology and its use in the courses of Professional German and Art of Presentation. The authors also inform about selected experience with implementing the facility in teaching during the winter term of the academic year 2010/2011. Testing of the ballot tools proved that the facility might organically complete already used technologies in learning. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300051 S Iannucci, Alessandro; Parmeggiani, Antonella; Zaccarini, Matteo Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F E-learning in humanities in Italian universities: a preliminary report WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.135 2011 2011 The gradual growth of e-learning classes within the humanities raises a number of issues. E-learning is often perceived with distrust by teachers and students of the humanities disciplines: the percentage of e-learning classes is still very low compared to the total; attending students sometimes show a misunderstanding of the teaching methods associated with this approach; the familiarity of teachers and students with specific e-learning tools is limited, often at the expense of the effectiveness of the class. It is necessary to identify major issues related to communication and the use of learning contents belonging to e-learning classes in the humanities. The focus of key points is a prerequisite in order to develop solution strategies. A series of thematic questionnaires were distributed to teachers and tutors of e-learning classes within various Italian universities. Questions were developed following the experience of offering e-learning classes over the past two academic years at the Faculty of the Preservation of Cultural Heritage of the University of Bologna, located in Ravenna. Multiple choice questions aimed to create statistical data related to problems and generalized issues. Results from the analysis of the replies to the questionnaires allowed the authors to identify a number of recurring problems. Solutions adopted in a given year compared to the previous one have proved only partially effective. It is advisable to develop, on the basis of the identified problems, new programs and communication strategies for future e-learning classes. The test results will hopefully provide a basis for the preparation of a set of shared guidelines through which we can develop formal teaching and content standards able to help strengthen the provision of e-learning classes in the Classics. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300133 S Kazancoglu, Yigit; Aksoy, Murat Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F A fuzzy logic-based QFD to identify key factors of e-learning design WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.061 2011 2011 Because of increasing usage of Internet, online learning has become more important issue for sustainable distance education. In order to use the internet as an effective education tool, there are many important factors in e-learning design such as web interface, e-learning software etc. The purpose of this research is to identify key factors in the e-learning design process and evaluate these identified factors by using fuzzy logic-based Quality Function Deployment. Comparisons of the experts' opinions were used to identify and analyze the relationship between customer needs and technical requirements. Finally, key factors were identified and ranked for e-learning systems. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300059 S Nicoleta-Magdalena, Iacob (Ciobanu) Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F Distributed Queries in the E-learning Environment WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.047 2011 2011 This paper presents the advantages of e-Learning education and focus on query processing in distributed databases. For this, we present the factors that influence distributed query optimization and examine the optimization strategies of query execution. The goal of this paper is to present strategies of optimizing query execution in e-learning systems used mainly by universities with geographically distributed locations, in order to obtain a system response time as low as possible and to minimize the total cost of implementation. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300045 S Nicoleta-Magdalena, Iacob (Ciobanu) Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F The Replication Technology in E-learning Systems WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.045 2011 2011 The distributed systems are attractive for the users with various, interactive activities that require large processing capabilities, resource sharing and high availability. This paper presents the advantages of e-Learning education and focus on the importance of data replication in the design of a distributed database system that an e-learning portal uses. In addition, we analyze the available methods and strategies of data replication depending on needs, for improving performance and increasing data availability. The purpose of this paper is to present the advantages of using data replication technology in e-learning systems by universities with geographically distributed locations. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300043 S Oroja, Shola G.; Kotoua, Selira; Ilkan, Mustafa Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F Online Education in North Cyprus Universities: Case Study Eastern Mediterranean University WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.103 2011 2011 Online education, known as distance learning or e-learning is different from traditional education because students are not required to visit an actual classroom and listen to an instructor face to face. Universities have used the internet as a tool for teaching. Online education program in the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) is still in it's infancy and working gradually to catch up with other Universities in Turkey. Using questionnaires as the data source, this paper will examine the importance of online courses and gauge people's opinion about online courses in universities in Northern Cyprus with the Eastern Mediterranean University as a "case study" (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300101 S Sokolova, Marcela Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F Analysis of the effectiveness of teaching with the support of eLearning in the course of Principles of Management I - performance analysis WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.033 2011 2011 In the research project GACR 406/09/0669 "Evaluation of the benefits of modern technologies in the process of formation and development of competencies of students in higher education", a pedagogical experiment was conducted at the Faculty of Informatics and Management in the University of Hradec Kralove, the aim was to determine whether appropriate use of eLearning in higher education, leads to comparable student performance in the field of cognitive learning. The research subject is a comparison between student performance achieved in the experimental group in the cognitive area, with the student performance obtained in the traditional full-time form of teaching in the course of Principles of Management I. The aim of this paper is to describe the experiment carried out (methodology) and the results which are focused on the comparison of the student performance participating in the experiment. Therefore, the sub-hypothesis will be verified: "Students in the experimental group will achieve a comparable performance in cognitive learning by the end of the experimental teaching as the students taught by the traditional full-time form of teaching." (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300032 S Sokolova, Marcela Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F Comparison of the effectiveness of teaching with the support of eLearning to the effectiveness of traditional higher education in the course of Principles of Management I - Comparison of the growth dynamics in the performances WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.034 2011 2011 This document deals with the pedagogical experiment carried out, which was conducted at the Faculty of Informatics and Management at the University of Hradec Kralove, in the research project GACR 406/09/0669 "The evaluation of the benefits of modern technologies in the process of formation and the development of skills of university students." The aim of this paper is to present the methodology of the experiment (the experimental nature of change) and the results, which are focused on a comparison of the dynamics of growth in performance. Therefore the sub-hypothesis will be verified: "Students in the experimental group will by the end of the experimental learning reach a comparable dynamics of growth performances compared with students taught by the traditional full-time form of education." World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300033 S Tomaskova, H.; Nemcova, Z.; Simkova, M. Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F Usage of virtual communication in university environment WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.068 2011 2011 This paper inquires into virtual (impersonal) communication in Czech Republic at the University of Hradec Kralove. Virtual communication is impersonal communication through mobile devices and internet. That is for example e-mail, SMS, MMS, instant messaging services, social networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), computer games and also virtual environments. The Faculty of Informatics and Management of the University of Hradec Kralove uses many e-learning tools for education, for example WebCT. A virtual faculty is being built in the virtual environment of Second Life. Students have natural tendencies to gather together in groups or forums. That is the reason, why the Czech Science Foundation project #402/09/0662 Decision systems in autonomous systems emerged. This project aims to discover current needs and suggestions for virtual communication from students and pedagogues of the Faculty of Informatics and Management of the University of Hradec Kralove. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300066 S ZadahmadJafarlou, Manouchehr; Arasteh, Bahman; YousefzadehFard, Parisa Yalin, HI; Adiloglu, F; Boz, H; Karatas, S; Ozdamli, F A pattern-oriented and web-based architecture to support mobile learning software development WORLD CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES-2011 Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 28 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.037 2011 2011 With the rapid development Wireless/Handheld (W/H) technologies, mobile learning has become a new trend in education. In spite of abundant tools and literature about mobile educational software, the lake of a web-based mobile architecture is felt. This study uses design patterns to present platform independent architecture to support development of m-learning systems for greater flexibility, agile and accurate web based software development. The paper also includes an Ajax and Decorator pattern-based method to develop robust and more interactive presentation layer. Qualitative evaluations of proposed architecture illustrate the optimization on aesthetic, content, navigation and other presentation-related metrics. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR) JUL 05-09, 2011 Gazi Univ; Cyprus Educ Sci Assoc East Univ, Nicosia, CYPRUS 0 0 1877-0428 ***************** WOS:000299618300036 S Josceanu, Ana Maria; Dumitrescu, Anca Madalina; Isopescu, Raluca; Danciu, Tiberiu Dinu; Postelnicescu, Paula; Plesu, Valentin Klemes, JJ; Varbanov, PS; Lam, HL e -Teaching Today PRES 2011: 14TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PROCESS INTEGRATION, MODELLING AND OPTIMISATION FOR ENERGY SAVING AND POLLUTION REDUCTION, PTS 1 AND 2 Chemical Engineering Transactions 25 465 470 10.3303/CET1125078 2011 2011 Use of computer has enhanced meaningful chemistry learning and developed learning environment. Despite successful computer utilization in classroom, practices are still relatively rare. Few teachers use computer in classroom practice, software often does not fit textbook and the curriculum pattern is poor (Kargiban and Siraj, 2009). Research has shown that chemistry teaching is unpopular and irrelevant in the eyes of students, does not promote higher order cognitive skills, leads to gaps between students wishes and teachers teaching and, most important, is not changing, because teachers are afraid of change and need guidance.Given these realities, the Centre for Technology Transfer in the Process Industries from the University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest together with SIVECO S.A. and the University POLITEHNICA of Timisoara built a project intended to form and develop the competences of the chemistry teaching staff for using interactive teaching methods. The project aims to introduce ICT tools in the teaching staff professional development and enhance its knowledge in the domain of information and communication technologies through innovative training instruments (e-learning methods). It also creates a collaborative virtual network between the chemistry teachers involved in the project. 14th International Conference on Process Integration, Modelling and Optimisation for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction MAY 08-11, 2011 AIDIC, Italian Assoc Chem Engn Florence, ITALY 0 0 1974-9791 978-88-95608-16-7 WOS:000298027000078 J Johnson, Richard D. Gender Differences in E-Learning: Communication, Social Presence, and Learning Outcomes JOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL AND END USER COMPUTING 23 1 79 94 10.4018/joeuc.2011010105 JAN-MAR 2011 2011 Although previous research has suggested that women may be at a learning disadvantage in e-learning environments, this study examines communication differences between women and men, arguing that women's communication patterns may provide them with a learning advantage. Using data from 303 males and 252 females, this paper discusses gender differences in course communication processes and course outcomes in a web-based introductory information systems course. Results indicate that women communicated more, perceived the environment to have greater social presence, were more satisfied with the course, found the course to be of greater value, and had marginally better performance than men. Despite the challenges facing women in e-learning environments, the results of this study suggest that e-learning environments that allow for peer to peer communication and connectedness can help females overcome some of these disadvantages. Implications for research and practice are also discussed. 0 0 1546-2234 WOS:000299851700005 J Poce, Antonella; Corradi, Francesca Tempus Demed project and operational solutions for online distance education CADMO 19 2 21 + 2011 2011 Lps-Diped - Universita Roma Tre chaired the Tempus Demed - Development of Master Study Programmes in Education (2009-2011) - project. The project's main objective was the renovation of the Masters courses in Education in certain Balkan countries (Macedonia, Albania e Kosovo). The basic intention involved the adaptation of the higher education provided in the cultural reference area to the principles established within the European context. In particular, during the Dublin Conference in 2004, the so-called Bologna follow Up group drew a number of indicators. As already mentioned, at different times, EU policy has highlighted the need to carry out actions aimed at a renovation of higher education cycles, but not much was provided in terms of definition of the curricula, especially for the second cycle of studies. The Demed project also attempted to fill a gap in this regard, operating an in-depth revision of this level of studies in the Education sector in Albania, Kosovo e Macedonia. This intervention, moreover, was always carried out working in close cooperation with the partner countries, so that the support provided by Lps Diped, as leader, by Cdell - Centre for Developing and Evaluating Lifelong Learning - University of Nottingham (UK) and by DPU - Arhus University (DK) was realized with an actual collaboration programme, and never resulting as an imposition of certain Western models.The present contribution, therefore, is intended to give a general overview regarding the Tempus funding programme, a description of the Demed project itself, a synthetic report of the online seminar broadcasted to Seeu staff during the project period and of the data collected while evaluating the same experience. 0 0 1122-5165 WOS:000299666600003 J Donnelly, Roisin; Gardner, John Content analysis of computer conferencing transcripts INTERACTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS 19 4 303 315 10.1080/10494820903075722 2011 2011 Within the field of higher education, there are situations where the learner is not well served in a classroom setting. Problematic issues such as scheduling, critical mass, time, pace and location have the potential to be counterbalanced by e-learning. Within this, the asynchronous nature of today's online learning environments and computer conferencing tools have popularly been claimed to offer tremendous benefits for learners who are willing to take responsibility for their own learning, to progress at their own pace, and interact with their online teacher to get immediate feedback on their learning and progress. Indeed, increasingly, educators today are very keen to exploit some of these new technologies for the benefit of their learners. It is argued in this article that there is a need to address the practice and research of asynchronous computer mediated conferencing. As conferencing tools become an increasingly common feature in students' experience, teachers need to have an understanding of how these tools facilitate the formation and maintenance of collaborative learning communities. 0 0 1049-4820 WOS:000299289400001 J Rodriguez, Daniel; Angel Sicilia, Miguel; Sanchez-Alonso, Salvador; Lezcano, Leonardo; Garcia-Barriocanal, Elena Exploring affiliation network models as a collaborative filtering mechanism in e-learning INTERACTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS 19 4 317 331 10.1080/10494820903148610 2011 2011 The online interaction of learners and tutors in activities with concrete objectives provides a valuable source of data that can be analyzed for different purposes. One of these purposes is the use of the information extracted from that interaction to aid tutors and learners in decision making about either the configuration of further learning activities or the filtering of learning resources. This article explores the use of an affiliation network model for such kind of purposes. Concretely, the use of techniques such as blockmodeling - a technique used to derive meaningful patterns of relationships in the network - and the analysis of m-slices - a technique helpful to study cohesion in relationships - are explored as tools to decide on the configuration of topics and/or learner groups. In particular, the results of the case study show that such techniques can be used to (i) filter participants for rearranging groups; (ii) rearrange topics of interest; and (iii) dynamically change the structure of a course. The techniques presented can be considered a case of collaborative filtering based on social network structure. 0 0 1049-4820 WOS:000299289400002 J Hwang, Wu-Yuin; Huang, Yueh-Min; Wu, Sheng-Yi The effect of an MSN agent on learning community and achievement INTERACTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS 19 4 413 432 10.1080/10494820903356809 2011 2011 The use of instant messaging to support e-learning will continue to gain importance because of its speed, effectiveness, and low cost. This study developed an MSN agent to mediate and facilitate students' learning in a Web-based course. The students' acceptance of the MSN agent and its effect on learning community identification and learning achievement were investigated using the technology acceptance model. Results indicated that the MSN agent proved easy to use, and that students recognized its benefits with regard to their learning. In more detail, students perceived that the MSN agent would be beneficial to learning community identification, but this perceived usefulness had less effect on their learning achievement. However, it was found that perceived system usage of the MSN agent was significantly related to learning achievement, which differed from the result of analyzing students' perceived usefulness of the agent. Rather than using a systematic recording log, the perceived system usage of the MSN agent was measured through questionnaires. Interview feedback revealed that effective learning was related to the learners' engagement in the MSN agent and not just from their perceived usefulness of it. Therefore, the MSN agent could have more potential to facilitate students' learning in an online environment if learning activities related to study are designed to promote students' engagement. 0 0 1049-4820 WOS:000299289400008 J Liu, Han-Chin; Chuang, Hsueh-Hua Investigation of the impact of two verbal instruction formats and prior knowledge on student learning in a simulation-based learning environment INTERACTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS 19 4 433 446 10.1080/10494820903356940 2011 2011 This study investigated how the format of verbal instructions in computer simulations and prior knowledge (PK) affected 8th graders' cognitive load (CL) level and achievement in a multimedia learning environment. Although PK was not found to significantly affect student performance and CL level, instruction format was found to impact both. Students who used narrative simulations were found to have a greater CL but also to perform better than those using simulations with on-screen text instructions. However, no significant differences were found between the cognitive efficiency of the two groups. The difficulty of the subject matter and limitations in students' prior content-related knowledge may have increased the intrinsic CL, such that students had difficulty in interpreting the content even if their PK was relatively high. The narrative instructions were more likely than the on-screen text information to reduce the extraneous CL and promote understanding of content. A new measure of cognitive processing is needed to identify the types of CL involved in e-learning and determine the properties of adequate e-learning materials. Finally, the findings of the study are discussed and suggestions for future studies and instructional design are provided. 0 0 1049-4820 WOS:000299289400009 J Jenkins, Martin; Browne, Tom; Walker, Richard; Hewitt, Roger The development of technology enhanced learning: findings from a 2008 survey of UK higher education institutions INTERACTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS 19 5 447 465 10.1080/10494820903484429 2011 2011 This article summarises the key findings from a UK survey of higher education institutions, focusing on the development of technology enhanced learning (TEL). TEL is defined as any online facility or system that directly supports learning and teaching. The 2008 survey builds upon previous UCISA surveys conducted in 2001, 2003 and 2005 and for which at each stage after 2001, a longitudinal analysis was undertaken [see Browne, T., Jenkins, M., & Walker, R. (2006). A longitudinal perspective regarding the use of VLEs by higher education institutions in the United Kingdom. Interactive Learning Environments, 14(2), 177-192]. The findings, confirmed by other studies published since 2005, reveal that ensuring the quality of learning and teaching activities is consolidated as the primary driver for using TEL with a committed local champion representing the highest ranked factor in supporting TEL development within an institution. External strategies have been influential, contributing to the rise to prominence of institutional e-learning strategies. The delivery of course content continues to be the most common way in which TEL is used to support teaching and learning. The tools that have increased in prominence are those for podcasting, e-portfolios, e-assessment, blogs and wikis. Regarding new activities, streaming media, mobile computing, podcasting and Web 2.0 are discernibly the greatest. Upgrading staff skills were overwhelmingly noted as the greatest challenge that these new activities would create, with staff development and supportive strategies being seen as the primary remedies. However, the perception of lack of time was identified as the main barrier that needed to be surmounted. Though much of the data remain subtle, clear identifiable differences continue to be discernible between Pre-92 and Post-92 universities. 0 0 1049-4820 WOS:000299290000001 J Jin, Seung-A Annie Leveraging avatars in 3D virtual environments (Second Life) for interactive learning: the moderating role of the behavioral activation system vs. behavioral inhibition system and the mediating role of enjoyment INTERACTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS 19 5 467 486 10.1080/10494820903484692 2011 2011 Within the Entertainment-Education (E-E) framework, two experiments examined the effects of avatar-based e-health education targeting college students. Study 1 (between-subjects factorial design experiment: N = 94) tested the effects of message framing in e-learning and the moderating role of students' motivational systems on their enjoyment of the e-learning experience. The results indicated a significant interaction between message framing and students' motivational systems on their enjoyment of the e-learning experience, as well as the significant impact of avatar-based e-health education on the students' knowledge acquisition and condom use/safe sex self-efficacy improvements. Study 2 (within-subjects design: N = 88) examined the influence of students' parasocial interaction (PSI) with a pedagogical avatar on the cognitive (evaluation of educational value), affective (enjoyment), and behavioral (willingness to take part in Human Papillomavirus awareness campaigns) dimensions of the E-E process. The results of a structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis also indicated the mediating role of students' enjoyment in their PSI with the instructional avatar, thus confirming the basic premise of the E-E paradigm in interactive learning environments. 0 0 1049-4820 WOS:000299290000002