In this work we investigate the importance of emotion awareness in e-learning environments, with emphasis to Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) activities. Our presented solution involves a new conceptual model of emotions of interest in e-learning context. In the basis of this model, a computational model has been implemented employing self-report of emotions, affective feedback and effective emotion visualizations. Both models have been tested in real education settings, contributing to the research agenda.
Many researchers argue that students must be meaningfully engaged in the learning resources for effective learning to occur. However, current online learners still report a problematic lack of attractive and challenging learning resources that engage them in the learning process. This endemic problem is even more evident in online collaborative learning approaches whose resources lack of authentic interactivity, user empowerment, social identity and challenge, thus having a negative effect on learners' self-motivation and engagement. To overcome these and other limitations and deficiencies, in this paper, a new type of learning resource named Collaborative Complex Learning Resources (CC-LR) is presented based on the virtualization of collaborative learning with the aim of leveraging knowledge elicited during live sessions. During the CC-LR execution, the collaborative sessions are animated so learners can observe how avatars discuss and collaborate, how discussion threads grow and how knowledge is been constructed, refined and consolidated. In addition, complex aspects of the learning process can be incorporated in the CC-LRs during their creation, such as cognitive assessment and emotional awareness. The system produced from this research is tested to evaluate the CC-LR enriched with complex information and analyze its effects in the discussion process. The research reported in this paper was undertaken within the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) European project called 'Adaptive Learning via Intuitive/Interactive, Collaborative and Emotional systems'.
Digital videos have an important (and increasing) presence in learning processes, especially within online universities and schools. However, creating videos is a time-consuming activity for teachers, who are usually not expert in video creation. Therefore, it is important to know which kind of video is perceived as more satisfactory and useful by students, among the videos that docents usually create. In this paper we show a structural model with the relation between satisfaction, the way in which a video has been created, the kind of video (with or without the hands of the teacher and with or without the body/head of the teacher), perceived usefulness, contents of the video (theory or problems) and the potential impact of videos on passing rates. The experiment has been performed in an introductory Physics of Engineering course with over 200 first year students in both: at 100% online university, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC); and at a face-to-face university, Salesian University School of Sarrià (EUSS). Tests have been performed with around 100 videos of two types: videos created with a digitizing tablet and screen capture and videos created by recording the hands of the teacher. Results have been quantitatively analysed. The research shows that results are independent of the environment and that students prefer videos with hands. On the other hand, little effect has been found regarding the content of the video in the perceived usefulness or satisfaction. The performance results show that videos can improve the chances of passing the subject. Thus, the paper shows that videos with hands are a useful complement to challenging subjects, like introductory physics in Engineering, to effectively assimilate scientific knowledge. The main contributions of this paper are: to analyse the perception that students have of video in a specific context, introductory course of Physics in Engineering, in different environments; and to analyse the perception of the video regarding the way in which it has been created, and the kind of content.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.