Recommender System and Web 2.0 Tools to Enhance a Blended Learning Model

Abstract

Blended learning models that combine face-to-face and online learning are of great importance in modern higher education. However, their development should be in line with the recent changes in e-learning that emphasize a student-centered approach and use tools available on the Web to support the learning process. This paper presents research on implementing a contemporary blended learning model within the e-course "Hypermedia Supported Education". The blended model developed combines a learning management system (LMS), a set of Web 2.0 tools and the E-Learning Activities Recommender System (ELARS) to enhance personalized online learning. As well as incorporating various technologies, the model combines a number of pedagogical approaches, focusing on collaborative and problem-based learning, to ensure the achievement of the course learning outcomes. The results of the comparative study show the effectiveness of the proposed model in that students who performed personalized collaborative e-learning activities achieved better course results. These findings encourage the further application of the model to other computer science courses. Index Terms-Blended learning model, collaborative learning, recommender systems, Web 2.0. Natasa Hoic-Bozic (M'05) received the B.S. degree in mathematics and information science from the University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia, in 1990, the M.S. degree in computer and information science from the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, in 1997, and the Ph.D. degree in computing from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb, Croatia, in 2002.She is currently an Associate Professor and Vice Head of the Department of Informatics, University of Rijeka. Her main research interests are in the fields of technology enhanced learning (e-learning), adaptive hypermedia, recommender systems, multimedia systems, blended learning approaches, and Web 2.0 tools for teaching and learning.

The Effects of Self-Efficacy on Learners’ Perceptions of Cognitive Presence in Online Collaborative Learning Activities

“…The study of Artino and Stephens (2009) mentioned that the design of teaching strategies should be based on learners' motivations and beliefs in such an environment. Learners' different online learning self-efficacy levels mean different needs, which requires the flexibility of learning design and personalized supports, which is in line with Hoic et al (2016). For example, according to the level of self-efficacy, learners could be assigned different roles in learning, and different learning activities should be recommended to different learners due to their self-efficacy.…”

“…Some researchers who have attempted to add Web2.0 tools such as Wiki pages, Google Docs and Facebook into learning (Wang, 2016;Abodoli et al, 2015;Hoic, Dlab, & Mornar, 2016)have found that these tools can assist teaching and improve learning outcomes (Alexander, 2006;Boulos, Maramba, & Wheeler, 2006). This study attempts to combine collaborative learning with Web2.0 tools to create a new learning approach called online collaborative learning.…”

Implementation of Group Formation Algorithms in the ELARS Recommender System

“…The system recommends optional e-tivities, possible collaborators, Web 2.0 tools, and provides advice regarding the level of participation [10], [11]. Using the ELARS web applica-tion [12] teachers define course learning design with all planned activities and criteria for determining recommendations while students enter their preferences, read recommendations and choose among the recommended items.…”

“…The following characteristics are represented as continuous variables with values ranging from -1 to 1 [10]: preferences of Web 2.0 tools and VARK learning styles (determined using questionnaires), knowledge level (calculated based on test results), and activity level (calculated based on activity data retrieved from Web 2.0 tools). The student model also contains two characteristics with nominal values: gender and program of study.…”

A General Model of E-learning for Supporting Blended Learning in Higher Education

“…Since the initial thought of blended learning is combination of classroom teaching and e-learning, but some research suggested to enlarge the definition by combination of not only the classroom and network environments, but also various technologies, various pedagogies and so on [3,8,9]. So, as the general model, we take the classroom and network as environment factors, and the emphasis of blended learning model is the combination of all kinds of teaching elements, teaching strategies, teaching activities and so on, and selection of environments between classroom and network in order to take good advantage of the merits of classroom teaching and network learning.…”