Adaptive learning resources selection and sequencing is recognized as among the most interesting research questions in adaptive educational hypermedia systems (AEHS). In order to adaptively select and sequence learning resources in AEHS, the definition of adaptation rules contained in the Adaptation Model, is required. Although, some efforts have been reported in literature aiming to support the Adaptation Model design by providing AEHS designers direct guidance or semi-automatic mechanisms for making the design process less demanding, still it requires significant effort to overcome the problems of inconsistency, confluence and insufficiency, introduced by the use of rules. Due to the problems of inconsistency and insufficiency of the defined rule sets in the Adaptation Model, conceptual “holes?can be generated in the produced learning resource sequences (or learning paths). In this paper, we address the design problem of the Adaptation Model in AEHS proposing an alternative sequencing method that, instead of generating the learning path by populating a concept sequence with available learning resources based on pre-defined adaptation rules, it first generates all possible learning paths that match the learning goal in hand, and then, adaptively selects the desired one, based on the use of a decision model that estimates the suitability of learning resources for a targeted learner. In our simulations we compare the learning paths generated by the proposed methodology with ideal ones produced by a simulated perfect rule-based AEHS. The simulation results provide evidence that the proposed methodology can generate almost accurate learning paths avoiding the need for defining complex rule sets in the Adaptation Model of AEHS.

Adaptive Educational Hypermedia, LO Sequencing, Personalization, Learning objects

Instructional designers are expected to be familiar with the epistemological underpinnings of several theories and their consequences on the process of instruction. Constructivism is the dominant theory of the last decade and supports construction of knowledge by the individual. This paper discusses the basic principles underlying constructivism, particularly active, collaborative and authentic learning. Application of these principles on the process - analysis, development, evaluation - of instructional design poses certain challenges with regards to issues such as pre-specification of knowledge, authentic evaluation and learner control. Most of the problems are attributed to the fact that constructivism is a learning theory and not an instructional-design theory. Therefore, instructional designers must attempt to translate constructivism into instructional design through a more pragmatic approach that focuses on the principles of moderate - rather than extreme - constructivism and makes use of emergent technology tools. This shift could facilitate the development of more situated, experiential, meaningful and cost-effective learning environments.

Instructional design, Constructivism, Authentic learning, Active learning, Multiple perspectives, Collaborative learning

Perceptions related to “educational technology?have been continuously changing throughout the century. At this point, educational technology seems to be a confusing or an incomprehensible concept for most people. Perceptions of professional educational technologists in the relevant field can provide individuals who build their career in the relevant area with various perspectives. Also practices related to educational technology and relevant opinions of professionals can provide a guiding outline for the research activities being conducted in the field. This research was conducted to reveal how educational technology is perceived as a discipline, and how opinions about applications of educational technology in various countries differ. A total of 71 professionals from 12 universities in six countries participated in this research, implemented through survey method. Results support the idea that functions of the educational technology in various areas are mostly related to learning-teaching processes, and learning resources. Professional opinions on current status of the discipline reflect that there are no considerable differences related to the problems being experienced among different countries.

Educational technology, Educational technologists, Perceptions, Opinions

Conceptual development in the field of Educational Technology provides crucial theoretical grounding for ongoing research and practice. This essay draws from theoretical developments both within and external to the field of Educational Technology to articulate a systems definition of Educational Technology in Society. A systems definition of Educational Technology in Society is characterized as a goal oriented problem-solving approach utilizing tools, techniques, theories, and methods from multiple knowledge domains to: (1) design, develop, and evaluate, human and mechanical resources efficiently and effectively in order to facilitate and leverage all aspects of learning, and (2) guide change agency and transformation of educational systems and practices in order to contribute to influencing change in society. This paper offers valuable theoretical grounding to help guide researchers and leaders in the field.

Definitions, Educational Technology, Systems theory, Society

Though it has been rightly said that what is wrong with education cannot be fixed with technology; there is no doubt that modern life is dominated by technology. There is universal recognition of the need to use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education as we enter the era of globalization where the free flow of information via satellite and the internet hold sway in global information dissemination of knowledge. Already, Nigeria is on he wrong side of the international digital divide, as it has not made significant effort to integrate ICT into secondary school curriculum. A great deal of instructional and administrative work in secondary school in Nigeria is still carried out manually. This paper, therefore, examines the major obstacles militating against the use of ICT in secondary education in Nigeria. It identifies he high cost of computer hardware and software; weak infrastructure; lack of human skills and knowledge in ICT, and lack of relevant software appropriate and culturally suitable to Nigeria as the major stumbling block o the adoption of ICT in secondary education in Nigeria. Also, secondary schools in Nigeria are not given adequate funds to provide furniture, relevant textbooks and adequate classroom let alone being given adequate fund for high-tech equipment. At present the cost of subscribing to the Internet is too high for many of the impoverished secondary schools in Nigeria. In modern society, Nigeria needs ICT to aid teaching and learning and educational management. ICT is an instrument for the economic and technological development in the 21st century; therefore, Nigeria cannot afford to be on the wrong side of the digital divide.

Information and Communication Technology, Cyber Education, Virtual Learning Environment, Internet Gateway, Nigeria’s Telecommunication

The big question for many researchers in the area of educational systems now is what is the next step in the evolution of e-learning? Are we finally moving from a scattered intelligence to a coherent space of collaborative intelligence? How close we are to the vision of the Educational Semantic Web and what do we need to do in order to realize it? Two main challenges can be seen in this direction: on the one hand, to achieve interoperability among various educational systems and on the other hand, to have automated, structured and unified authoring support for their creation. In the spirit of the Semantic Web a key to enabling the interoperability is to capitalize on the (1) semantic conceptualization and ontologies, (2) common standardized communication syntax, and (3) large-scale service-based integration of educational content and functionality provision and usage. A central role in achieving unified authoring support plays the process-awareness of authoring tools, which should reflect the semantic evolution of e-learning systems. The purpose of this paper is to outline the state-of-the-art research along those lines and to suggest a realistic way towards the Educational Semantic Web. With regard to the latter we first propose a modular semantic-driven and service-based interoperability framework, in order to open up, share and reuse educational systems?content and knowledge components. Then we focus on content creation by proposing ontology-driven authoring tools that reflect the modularization in the educational systems, maintain a consistent view on the entire authoring process, and provide wide (semi-) automation of the complex authoring tasks.

E-learning, interoperability, concept-based WBES, educational Semantic Web

The field of education is faced with various new challenges in meeting with the demands of teaching and learning for the 21st century. One of the new challenges is the call for the integration of ICT (Information and communication technologies) in teaching and learning as an alternative mode of instruction delivery. Multimedia technology for instance, has the potential in transforming traditional classrooms into a world of unlimited imaginary environment. This paper reports on a research project on development of an interactive multimedia courseware package for moral values education using traditional Malay oral narratives called CITRA. CITRA uses CD-ROM and the computer as a means of dissemination. It is a didactic tool created for the teaching and learning of good moral values in an interactive multimedia environment. It is made up of four learning modules: Storytelling World module, Enjoyable Reading World module, Word Enrichment Corner module, and Mind Test Land module. The tool’s most important feature is its user interaction capability. The principle objective of this project is to create a pedagogical tool that combines on-screen text, graphics, animation, audio and video in an enticing environment and thus enables the positive values and images of stories to be projected.

Interactive multimedia, Traditional Malay oral narratives, Storytelling, Moral values, Education

A ubiquitous learning environment provides an interoperable, pervasive, and seamless learning architecture to connect, integrate, and share three major dimensions of learning resources: learning collaborators, learning contents, and learning services. Ubiquitous learning is characterized by providing intuitive ways for identifying right learning collaborators, right learning contents and right learning services in the right place at the right time. Our context aware ubiquitous learning environment consists of three systems, namely peer-to-peer content access and adaptation system, personalized annotation management system, and multimedia real-time group discussion system. Since the effectiveness and efficiency of ubiquitous learning heavily relies on learners?surrounding context, in this paper, we will address a context model and context acquisition mechanism for collecting contextual information at run time. We have built a context aware ubiquitous learning environment and in this paper we will address how this newly designed environment can fully support the needs of peer-to-peer collaborative learning.

Ubiquitous learning, Context aware, Peer-to-peer, Collaborative learning