Evaluation of Adaptive Hypermedia Authoring Patterns During a Socrates Programme Class

Abstract

In this paper we present the second experiment in combining teaching and research: the testing of MOT and its new adaptive patterns. MOT is an adaptive hypermedia authoring tool based on the LAOS adaptive hypermedia authoring framework. The patterns are implemented via an adaptive language that uses a low granularity domain model, LAOS, to extract the adaptation alternatives. The tests were performed in a class of over thirty students enrolled in the fourth year of the University "Politehnica" of Bucharest, taking a two week intensive course in Adaptive Hypermedia. The focus of this paper is on the experiment itself, and its parameters: the setting and initial planning, the implementation and the results. Finally, we will comment on the results and interpret them.

Towards more efficient generic semantic authoring for adaptive hypermedia

“…These general aims were concretized in the form of an extension and improvement to an existing authoring system for adaptive hypermedia, MOT [17], which was used in extensive testing [21,23,24]. An initial set of requirements for the new system is that it should be:…”

“…based on the extant MOT authoring system; -based on the many evaluations [21,23,24] performed with students and specialists of the MOT environment (in the roles of Authors as well as Learners) -based on the new theoretical developments: o based on theoretical papers about authoring models, such as LAOS [18,39], LAG [9], others [38], o research on patterns in AEH [379] o automatization in authoring [26,28,29], conversion research between A(E)H systems [22], o relation between Semantic Web and AEH [25], o collaborative models for AEH [35] o adaptation languages for AEH [19,38] o Visualization in AEH authoring [4] o Authoring research for AEH [12,13,14,16,17,20,3031] o general adaptive hypermedia research [32,33,34], -the output to a special XML intermediate format, called CAF [22] should be preserved; this format however can be extended on the longer run, when the needed representation changes; this format ensures the independence from both authoring systems, as well as delivery systems for adaptive (educational) hypermedia, as it could, in principle, be used by any authoring environment that is able to export materials in it, as well as it can be used by different adaptation delivery systems that can read it. Therefore, it represents a step towards interoperability and standardization; -output to another standard semantic web [54] format, beside XML, the RDF format [46], should be added, for extended compatibility; -the internal representation in MySQL [44] should be preserved; -compatibility with other delivery systems, such as WHURLE [40] and the SCORM compliant Blackboard [4], should be preserved; The exact working method and steps for fulfilling these goals was as follows:…”

“…The part of the system considered and extended here represents a second, updated version of three of the LAOS framework models: domain model, lesson model (GM) and adaptation model [23,24,27]. …”

Defining Adaptation in a Generic Multi Layer Model: CAM: The GRAPPLE Conceptual Adaptation Model

“…Finally, this research is based on evaluations of authoring processes for adaptive hypermedia, as performed with various groups of students, in various locations, and with different versions of constantly improving tools [9], [4], [6], [10], [17], [15], [3]. Such research shows that, whilst having a higher flexibility and multiple layers for authoring is advantageous [3], [5] it is difficult for authors to actually program the adaptive behaviour of adaptation strategies [6], and it's thus much easier to have them reuse strategies at a higher granularity level, in a graphical interface [3].…”

“…Such research shows that, whilst having a higher flexibility and multiple layers for authoring is advantageous [3], [5] it is difficult for authors to actually program the adaptive behaviour of adaptation strategies [6], and it's thus much easier to have them reuse strategies at a higher granularity level, in a graphical interface [3]. As the best paper of the 4 th International Workshop on Authoring of Adaptive and Adaptable Educational Hypermedia (A3H) shows [22], a template-based approach of a graphical nature is easier to handle by teachers, who in this way can better make use of the flexibility that the CAM GRAPPLE tool is offering.…”