http:adenu'ia'uned'es

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alfanet.ia.uned.es
Issues in developing adaptive learning
management systems for higher education
institutions Jesus G. Boticario, Olga C.
Santos aDeNu Research Group jgb,
ocsantos_at_dia.uned.es

• http//adenu.ia.uned.es/

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Overview

• EHEA
• Challenges
• Requirements
• aLFaNET (IST-2001-33288)
• Approach
• Features
• Components
• Evaluation Lessons Learned
• Conclusions

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EHEA Challenges
Reports and European Programmes gt (Dearing,
Bricall, E-Learning, eLearning Programme)
Student-centred learning DFEE-UK 1998 We
recommend that, HE give high priority to
implementing learning and teaching strategies
which focus on the promotion of students
learning eLearning (EU) (2001-04 2004-06) help
the learner to match his or her own needs for
personal development provide facilities for
LLL to upgrade the skills of people with
disabilities User-centred learning eLearning ?
eLearning Programme 2004-06 e-learning takes
into account individual needs and
learning-styles, not based on a "one size fits
all" philosophy
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EHEA Requirements
Question How to construct LMS that support HE
user-centered scenarios?
Students ? Courses concrete scenarios where each
user satisfies a particular set of learning
goals Focus on learners their needs,
backgrounds, learning styles and observed
behavior when facing alternative learning
situations become relevant ? learning situations
have to be explicitly managed throughout
different courses
Adaptation is about creating a learner
experience that purposely adjusts to various
conditions (personal characteristics, pedagogical
knowledge, the learner interactions, the outcome
of the actual learning processes) over a period
of time with the intention to increase
pre-defined success criteria (effectiveness of
e-learning score, time, economical costs, user
satisfaction) aLFanet, 2004
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European RD
alfanet.ia.uned.es
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• aLFaNET (IST-2001-33288)
• ContributionsCombination of design-time and
  run-time adaptation
• Covering the full life-cycle of eLearning
• Adaptive course delivery standard-based
• IMS-LD, IMS-CP, IEEE-LOM, IMS-LIP, IMS-QTI
• Providing open source components (GPL)
• LD and QTI Authoring Tools, LD engine Coppercore,
  Adaptive and interaction packages

• ParticipantsSAGE, UNED, OUNL, KLETT, EDP,
  ACE-BNET

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Full life cycle in LMS
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Full life cycle in aLFaNET
User Manager Course Manager Config UI and Recom
LD QTI
PresentationInstructional Design Interactive
ServicesQTI Interpreter Adaptation Module
Use
Audit
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Authoring focused on LD
IMS-LD

• Pedagogical models
• templates
• Concept learning
• ..

Inductive presentation (guidelines)     Inductive
presentation requires presenting first a number
of possible examples and then giving a
definition of the concept.       - The examples
should be as diverse as possible to allow learner
to generalize. They should represent the full
range of cases that the learner will encounter
after the instruction.        - Begin with easy
examples so learners can master the activity and
build confidence. - End with ..
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Design
Publication
aLFanet a full life cycle
Course and material design
Publication

• Examples of adaptation
• - Presentation layer
• Personalised interface
• - Dynamic adaptive assessment
• Rule based selection from the relevant item
  banks
• - Pedagogical model inductive deductive
• if "KnowledgeLevel" Beginner
• "StudentLearningStyle" Inductive
• Then Show .
• - Adaptation module advice for remediation
• John, taking into account your profile and
• your past interactions ..

LD (pre-designed adaptations and provides the
hooks and the information upon which the runtime
adaptation bases) IM (interactive adaptations
based on analysis of the actual user interactions
lead to the recommendations and adaptive dynamic
tests)

• Alfanet LMS
• Presentation Layer
• LD-engine (CopperCore)
• Adaptation agents
• Dynamic adaptive
• assessments (QTI)

Auditing feedback
Auditing feedback
Use
Auditing
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aLFanet LMS
Guided and Personalized Learning
Recommendations
Learning Tasks and Activities
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Evaluation Results ? aLFaNET
4 different pilot sites Spanish course for
German Learners (KLETT), Environment and
Electrical Distribution (EDP), How to teach
through the Internet (UNED) and Communication
technology (OUNL) 111 users 22 at KLETT, 28
at EDP, 40 at UNED and 21 at OUNL Strengths
(users) ? dynamic adaptation and
recommendations supplied ? flexibility of task
order ? residing on the internet (i.e. all
information is available) ? variety of
different exercises and assessments ? good
guidance and feedback by the use of tests ?
course material is adapted to each personal
learning profile Weak points (authors)
improvement and integration of the authoring
tools more documentation on how to implement
different adaptive scenarios
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Lessons Learned ? aLFaNET

• Evaluation outcomes
• effectiveness of the LMS is rated positive
• efficiency is rated less positive (performance
  problems)
• usability and navigation using the current
  interfaces was low rated
• Lessons learned
• the design phase is experienced as a complex
  task (templates)
• defining adaptations within a course still needs
  technical knowledge
• experiencing adaptation ? diversity in
  learning materials and open learning paths
• user characteristics considered (cognitive
  modality, learning style, interest, knowledge
  level, level of activity and similarity between
  learners) ? useful to provide an adapted
  responses

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Conclusions

• EHEA is challenging HE institutions to provide
  personalized ICT services ? management of
  individual and group profiles, contents,
  devices, interaction modes, and their
  relationships with each ICT service aLFanet
  (eLearning RD)
• aLFanet is aLMS based on a pervasive use of
  educational standards (IMS-LD, IMS-CP,
  IEEE-LOM/IMS-MD, IMS-LIP, IMS-QTI), which
  combines predefined rules with dynamic responses
  on runtime
• From aLFanet experience follows
• inter-service user models based on standards are
  needed (ALL)
• users needs and preferences evolve over time
  (dynamic adaptation)
• developing extensive specifications present
  serious difficulties ? templates and interactive
  assistance tools
• monitoring and tracking facilities should focus
  on providing qualitative features
• personalized feedback to users? users needs and
  preferences, service and environment features

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aLFanet architecture

• IMS-LIP

• IEEE-LOM

• IMS-CP

• IMS-QTI

• IMS-LD