Supporting group learning and Supporting group learning and assessment through Internetassessment through Internet

Liane Tarouco Marlise GellerLiane Tarouco Marlise Geller

Antonio R. de Vit Luciano HackAntonio R. de Vit Luciano Hack

Graduate Program Informatic on EducationGraduate Program Informatic on Education

Universidade Federal do RS - BrazilUniversidade Federal do RS - Brazil

CMDLCMDL Computer Mediated Distance Learning (classroom is routinely a Computer Mediated Distance Learning (classroom is routinely a

far more scrutable educational environment than the physical far more scrutable educational environment than the physical classroom)classroom)

email & news groupsemail & news groups chatchat videoconferencevideoconference

CSCLCSCL

Computer Supported collaborative LearningComputer Supported collaborative Learning

group learning is more effective group learning is more effective

Learning through reflexive discussionLearning through reflexive discussion

CSCL based on Internet CSCL based on Internet servicesservices

Computer Supported collaborative Computer Supported collaborative LearningLearning

CSCL based on InternetCSCL based on Internet asynchronous asynchronous

email, news groups,email, news groups,

electronic boardelectronic board synchronoussynchronous

chat, videoconferencechat, videoconference

Collaborative learningCollaborative learning

ProblemsProblems heterogeneous contributions heterogeneous contributions lack of capability for monitoring alllack of capability for monitoring all

group workgroup work

Learning assessment became a challenge to those who work with distance education

Learning assessmentLearning assessment

Learning assessmentLearning assessment

Evaluation process should include a great variety of evidences that go beyond the traditional final examination based on paper and pencil.

Face-to-face contextFace-to-face context

Professors use more than just formal mechanisms to evaluate students. body language participation

Quality of questions proposed by students are good indicators of learning

Distance EducationDistance Education

What normally occurs it is the use of formal mechanisms only

Why ?Why ?

It occurs not only because of the lack It occurs not only because of the lack of accessible mechanisms that can of accessible mechanisms that can assist instructors on this task, but also, assist instructors on this task, but also, because many professors prefer to because many professors prefer to work with more traditional methods of work with more traditional methods of evaluation.evaluation.

AuthenticationAuthentication Legal aspectsLegal aspects

Internet evolutionInternet evolution

Evolution of networks and computers Evolution of networks and computers and especially the Internetand especially the Internet

New mechanisms and services started New mechanisms and services started to show upto show up

Keeping trackKeeping track

Tools to keep track of students Tools to keep track of students activities and interactions activities and interactions with learning environment with learning environment with the group of studentswith the group of students with the professorwith the professor

Internet for distance Internet for distance educationeducation

Reduction of the distribution costs; Reduction of the distribution costs; Internet facilitates collaborative writing;Internet facilitates collaborative writing; The corrections and updates are simpler The corrections and updates are simpler

to handle; to handle; Several techniques for evaluation are Several techniques for evaluation are

possible using multimedia for the possible using multimedia for the interaction between professor and interaction between professor and students and between students. students and between students.

Distance education Distance education assessmentassessment

Assessment based on contributions for group Assessment based on contributions for group discussions discussions

Tests (automatically handled by computer Tests (automatically handled by computer program) program)

Term papers (analyzed by professor or Term papers (analyzed by professor or assistants)assistants)

Oral or written tests conduced in the presence Oral or written tests conduced in the presence of the instructor (some times through of the instructor (some times through videoconference) or with a remote assistant.videoconference) or with a remote assistant.

Time spent with assessmentTime spent with assessment

Types of assessmentTypes of assessment

case studiescase studies examsexams paperspapers projectsprojects

All of them requires extensive time to All of them requires extensive time to grade and are very difficult to get grade and are very difficult to get automated help to do the evaluation.automated help to do the evaluation.

Distance education Distance education technologiestechnologies

Ancient formsAncient forms Internet basedInternet based

environmentenvironment

Printed text books HTML pagesPrinted text books HTML pages

ExercisesExercises Forms and CGI Forms and CGI

TV broadcast  MBONETV broadcast  MBONE

VHS tapes Real Video, MPEGVHS tapes Real Video, MPEG

Audio tapesAudio tapes Real audio Real audio

AssesmentAssesment Forms and CGI  Forms and CGI 

TopicsTopics Kirkpatrick's model for evaluation - Kirkpatrick's model for evaluation - set set

of tools to provide capability to asses of tools to provide capability to asses according this modelaccording this model

consensusconsensus trackingtracking voting voting self-evaluationself-evaluation

Kirkpatrick’s modelKirkpatrick’s model

Reaction

Learning

Behaviour

Results

Formative evaluationFormative evaluation

Formative evaluation is important to Formative evaluation is important to make easy for the students not only make easy for the students not only inform their opinions and feelings inform their opinions and feelings about how course is going on but see about how course is going on but see this contributions being handled and this contributions being handled and considered. considered.

Using quiz system Using quiz system

Teachers may built artifacts and link themTeachers may built artifacts and link them CGI allows dynamically building and editingCGI allows dynamically building and editing

Basic functions includedBasic functions included

Feedback for each alternative

Indication of correct answer

Nothing more, just counting incidence of selections on each alternative

Complementary toolsComplementary tools

ConsensusConsensus

TrackingTracking

VotingVoting

Self-evaluationSelf-evaluation

Tool of consensusTool of consensus

It allows on time creation of enquete proposing instigating questions, as well as the collection and tabulation of responses;

The tool has the capability to keep track of each student's level of contribution to the discussion as well as enquete responses.

Tracking toolTracking tool The register of learning activities

(accessed page with dates and time) is important because it allows the professor to know the progress of students trough the course;

The collected information will show that type of access the student has made (visited units, tools used, etc), as well as the time spent on it.

Voting toolVoting tool

Aimed to provide conditions for a fast feedback for the instructor on specific subjects.

Self-evaluation toolSelf-evaluation tool

Allows the dynamic building of enquetes for self-evaluation by professor and by students.

Group activity handlingGroup activity handling

Group activity may give opportunity Group activity may give opportunity for student to present contributions for student to present contributions that some times are relegated to that some times are relegated to forgetfulness.forgetfulness.

ConsolidationConsolidation

It is also needed a voting system to It is also needed a voting system to support group decision about the support group decision about the consolidated results from discussionconsolidated results from discussion

orderingordering reorderingreordering selectingselecting discarding discarding

What was neededWhat was needed

Development of applications to Development of applications to handle participants contributions handle participants contributions

Provide support for group decisionProvide support for group decision

Utilization of contributions that came Utilization of contributions that came up during group activityup during group activity

Handling group activity resultsHandling group activity results

A set of tools was designed A set of tools was designed and developed to support and developed to support distance education distance education collaborative work.collaborative work.

Group activity resultsGroup activity results

Group activity results on a log file Group activity results on a log file containing interchanged texts containing interchanged texts (synchronous or asynchronously) (synchronous or asynchronously) during a group debate.during a group debate.

Example: Using an environment like Palace for chat

Other services used for Other services used for group discussiongroup discussion

WWW based chat WWW based chat Videoconferencing complemented with chatVideoconferencing complemented with chat

Developed solutionDeveloped solution

Application for handle results of group Application for handle results of group discussion (brainstorming)discussion (brainstorming)

consolidation of contributionsconsolidation of contributions

summaries with more relevant ideassummaries with more relevant ideas

voting processvoting process

Previous efforts and resultsPrevious efforts and results

I ssue analyzerIssue analyzer

EurekhaEurekha

ESCOOPESCOOP

Issue AnalyzerIssue Analyzer Tool supporting brainstormingTool supporting brainstorming

Used natural language recognitionUsed natural language recognition

Grouping of similar ideas Grouping of similar ideas

Organize them according with definitions of Organize them according with definitions of the groupthe group

Client server applicationClient server application

Supported only synchronous communicationSupported only synchronous communication

EurekhaEurekha Tool initially developed for information retrievalTool initially developed for information retrieval Uses methods for grouping textual objectsUses methods for grouping textual objects Objects are organized automatically in similar Objects are organized automatically in similar

objects groupsobjects groups Directed to natural languageDirected to natural language Designed to work with files (each text object Designed to work with files (each text object

must be presented as a different file)must be presented as a different file)

ESCOOPESCOOP Handle log files derived from group activityHandle log files derived from group activity Clean and cutClean and cut

remove stop wordsremove stop words spell checkingspell checking remove names of sendersremove names of senders

Uses Eurekha for clusteringUses Eurekha for clustering Handle voting processHandle voting process

ConclusionsConclusions Formative evaluation plays an important

role to get distance students motivated because they feel a sense of not being lost in space

Just the opposite, they feel that being closely monitored and having their opinions being asked often is more like having a personal tutor that pay attention on way they do and what they say.

ConclusionsConclusions

This kind of attention provided by the system helps to minimize solitude that sometimes is referred as main desisting factor from students in distance education programs

Conclusions Conclusions Cognitive development improvedCognitive development improved

development of better self-expressiondevelopment of better self-expression

help student to learn about how to help student to learn about how to work collaboratively work collaboratively

stimulate problem solving critical stimulate problem solving critical thinking and collaborative analysis thinking and collaborative analysis

learning through reflexive discussionslearning through reflexive discussions

Results Results

colaboration valued/consideredcolaboration valued/considered better follow up from teacherbetter follow up from teacher contributions more homogeneous contributions more homogeneous secundary results secundary results

writing skills improvedwriting skills improved

more reflexive thinking about what is being more reflexive thinking about what is being presentedpresented

More details / ContactsMore details / Contacts

Marlise GellerMarlise Geller

marlise@ulbra.tche.brmarlise@ulbra.tche.br

Liane TaroucoLiane Tarouco

liane@penta.ufrgs.brliane@penta.ufrgs.br