Using Project-based Learning in a Hybrid e-Learning System Model

Abstract

After conducting the historical review and establishing the state of the art, the authors of this paper focus on the incorporation of Project Based Learning (PBL), in an adaptive e-Learning environment, a novel and emerging perspective, which allows the application of what today constitutes one of the most effective strategies for the process of teaching learning. In PBL, each project is defined as a complex task or problem of reality, for which resolution, the student must develop research activities, planning, design, development, validation, testing, etc. For the proposal of the Hybrid Architecture of the e-Learning system model, the authors use artificial intelligence techniques, which make it possible to identify the Learning Styles (LS), with the purpose of automatically assigning the projects, according to the characteristics, interests, expectations and demands of the student, who will interact with an e-Learning environment, with a high capacity of adaptation to each individual. Finally, the conclusions and recommendations of the research work are established.

Identification of Learning Styles and Automatic Assignment of Projects in an Adaptive e-Learning Environment using Project Based Learning

“…In order to reduce the impact of the issues in the performance of the proposed model, the authors the authors decided to add a pre-processing phase of the input data to the NN by way of a fuzzy set (FS) which "represents a better categorization of the students preferences for a determined type of resources" [1], taking into consideration the percentage and relevance of the students interactions in each one of the resource categories. This change is justified on the premise that determining the student's specific LS can turn into a fuzzy-nature problem due to the fact that "important situations and characteristics must be considered with a certain level of imprecision" [1]. This means that students' categories are ultimately created with imprecise limits and cannot be well-defined, allowing one to treat the problem with only an approximation of reality, especially when cognitive and subjective aspects are considered.…”

“…For the analysis and classification of user interactions, the proposed model defines 20 resource categories, according to the resources available in the Moodle platform, in such a way that each and every student selection (click) could be could be taken into account in a log-file and, therefore, a register of his/her preferences stored. Each one of these categories was related to the Honey-Alonso model through the application of fuzzy logic techniques related to the "theoric and behavioral characteristics associated with each LS", as proposed by [1].…”

“…Project-based Collaborative Learning (PBCL) is an emerging approach within academia, and "one of the most effective strategies for the teaching/learning process" [1]. According to Lee [2], "the main reason is that it is in accordance with the learning concepts of constructionism, cognitive psychology, and integrated curriculum".…”

A Review of Intelligent Tutorial Systems in Computer and Web based Education

“…Adaptive Intelligent Web-Based Systems (AIWBES) or adaptive hypermedia, are an alternative to the traditional approach that only provides the development of web-based educational courses. These systems offer a high degree of adaptability in terms of objectives, preferences, learning styles [32] [33] [34], and individual student knowledge during interaction with the system [35] [36] [37].…”

Knowledge Construction by Immersion in Virtual Reality Environments

“…The conception and design of systems to support learning activities, mediated by resources offered by emerging technologies associated with computing, the Web and other sources which incorporate the possibility of adapting activities, learning objects and interaction to the individual profiles and needs of cognoscent subjects [1], [2], [3], is a research topic that has caught the attention of many research groups focusing on the problem, considering different educational philosophies such as: Instructional planning, social-cultural, social learning, the humanist perspective of education, constructivism and constructionism, which notably influenced the architecture and development of these systems during the different stages of development of this important area of research [4], [5].…”