http://www.computer.org/tlt The IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies will publish archival research papers and critical survey papers. Topics within the scope include technology advances in online learning systems; intelligent tutors; educational software applications and games; simulation systems for education and training; collaborative learning tools, devices and interfaces for learning; interactive techniques for learning; tools for formative and summative assessment; ontologies for learning systems; standards and web services that support learning; authoring tools for learning materials; computer support for peer tutoring and learning via discovery or project work or field or lab work; and creation and management of learning objects. A paper must either describe original research or offer a critical review of the state of the art in a particular area. Papers concerned with evaluation of technology are only appropriate if the technology itself is novel or if significant technical insights are provided. In order to best serve the community, the TLT will be published online, using a delayed open-access policy under which paying subscribers and per-article purchasers have access to newly published content, and then 12 months after the publication of each issue, all readers will have access to the content, free of charge. en-us Wed, 4 Jan 2012 11:00:01 GMT http://csdl.computer.org/common/images/logos/tlt.gif List of recently published journal articles http://www.computer.org/tlt http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.35 In this paper, we first demonstrate that an instructional design process of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) systems based on a Model Driven Approach (MDA) addresses the limits of Learning Technology Standards (LTS), such as SCORM and IMS-LD. Although these standards ensure interoperability of TEL systems across different Learning Management Systems (LMS), they are generic and lack expressiveness. In addition, the use of LTS limits designers to using a compliant LMS. MDA addresses these limits by allowing pedagogic modeling based on specific languages and by ensuring interoperability across LMSs based on model transformations. In the context of MDA, we propose an approach, named ACoMoD, to help designers bridge the gap between pedagogic modeling and LMS, based on graphic and interactive model transformations. Our approach, implemented with a tool called Gen-COM, enables designers to choose more effective LMS tools, based on a contextual recommendation of best practice for LMS tool use. The main results show, first, the usefulness of tailoring pedagogy with LMS tools based on the proposed solution. Second, the results show different levels of usefulness of the proposed assistance according to different situations. Some improvements are in progress concerning the extension of Gen-COM to consider designers profiles when providing assistance. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.35 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.28 The robotics field represents the integration of multiple facets of computer science and engineering. Robotics-based activities has been shown to encourage K-12 students to consider careers in computing and has even been adopted as part of core computer-science curriculum at a number of universities. Unfortunately, for students with visual impairments, there are still inadequate opportunities made available for teaching basic computing concepts using robotics-based curriculum. This outcome is generally due to the scarcity of accessible interfaces to educational robots and the unfamiliarity of teachers with alternative (e.g. non-visual) teaching methods. As such, in this paper, we discuss the use of alternative interface modalities to engage students with visual impairments in robotics-based programming activities. We provide an overview of the interaction system and results on a pilot study that engaged nine middle school students with visual impairments during a two-week summer camp. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.28 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.39 A number of international initiatives, such as the Open Educational Resources initiative, have recognized the potential value of sharing and reusing digital resources among educational communities. As a result, organizing, offering and accessing these resources over the web have been key issues for both the research and the educational community. Within this framework, a popular way for describing digital educational resources is the IEEE Learning Object Metadata (LOM) Standard. On the other hand, it has been also recognized that it is not possible for a generic standard such as IEEE LOM to fully meet the specific requirements and accommodate the particular needs of different educational communities. Therefore, the practice of generating Application Profiles (APs) of the IEEE LOM has emerged and a number of different APs have been developed worldwide. However, despite the widespread development of APs it seems that only a limited number of software tools exist, to support the process of LOM Application Profiling. Within this context, in this paper we target addressing this problem by introducing a new web-based tool (ASK-LOM-AP) that aims to overcome the identified limitations of existing tools and facilitate its users to easily develop and manage LOM APs for different educational communities http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.39 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.38 This paper discusses the provision of flexible querying facilities over heterogeneous data arising from lifelong learners' educational and work experiences. A key aim of such querying facilities is to allow learners to identify possible choices for their future learning and professional development by seeing what others have done. We motivate and describe the development of a prototype system, called ApproxRelax, that provides users with a graphical facility for incrementally constructing their queries and that supports both query approximation and query relaxation, thus allowing for flexible matching of users' queries against the data provided by other learners. We show how the system is able to return results in ranked order of their `distance' from the user's query. Our approach is novel both in its aim of supporting lifelong learners in reflecting on their learning and career choices, and also in its technical foundations that combine for the first time query approximation and query relaxation techniques for querying semi-structured data. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.38 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.34 This paper explores the potential of Semantic Web technologies to support teaching and learning in a variety of higher education settings in which some form of case-based learning is the pedagogy of choice. It draws on the empirical work of a major three year research and development project in the UK: 'Ensemble: Semantic Technologies for the Enhancement of Case Based Learning' which has been oriented towards developing a better understanding of the nature of case based learning in different settings but also exploring the potential for Semantic Web technologies to support, enhance and transform existing practice. The experience of working in diverse educational settings has highlighted Semantic Web technologies that may be particularly valuable, as well as some of the enablers and barriers to wider adoption, and areas for further research and development. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.34 http://opac.ieeecomputersociety.org/opac?year=2011&volume=4&issue=04&acronym=tlt IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies http://www.computer.org/portal/site/tlt/ http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.25 IMS Learning Design (LD) is the only available interoperability specification in the area of technology enhanced learning that allows the definition and orchestration of complex activity flows and resource environments in a multi-role setting. IMS LD has been available since 2003, and yet it has not been widely adopted either by practitioners or by institutions. Much current IMS LD research seems to accept the assumption that a key barrier to adoption is the specification's conceptual complexity impeding the authoring process. This paper presents an empirical study to test this assumption. Study participants were asked to transform a given textual design description into an IMS LD unit of learning using (a) paper snippets representing IMS LD elements and (b) authoring software. The results show that teachers with little or no previous IMS LD knowledge were able to solve a design task that required the use of all IMS LD elements at levels A and B. An additional finding is that the authoring software did not facilitate people in producing better solutions than those who used paper snippets. This evidence suggests that conceptual complexity does not impede effective IMS LD authoring, so the barriers to adoption appear to lie elsewhere. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.25 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.23 This research explores a new model for facilitating trust in online e-learning activities. We begin by protecting the privacy of learners through identity management, where personal information can be protected through some degree of participant anonymity or pseudonymity. In order to expect learners to trust other pseudonymous participants, we realize that a reliable mechanism is needed for managing participants' reputations and assuring that such reputations are legitimately obtained. Further, because participants can hold multiple identities or can adopt new pseudonymous personas, a reliable and trustworthy mechanism for reputation transfer from one persona to another is required. Such a reputation transfer model must preserve privacy and at the same time prevent link-ability of learners' identities and personas. In this paper we present a privacy-preserving reputation management system which allows secure transfer of reputation. A prototypical implementation of our reputation transfer protocol and the successful experimental deployment of our reputation management solution in an e-learning discussion forum serve as a proof of concept. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.23 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.22 Comprehension assessment is an essential tool in classroom learning. However, the judgment often relies on experience of an instructor who makes observation of students' behavior during the lessons. We argue that students should report their own comprehension explicitly in a classroom. With students' comprehension made available at the slide level, we apply a machine learning technique to classify presentation slides according to comprehension levels. Our experimental result suggests that presentation-based features are as predictive as bag-of-words feature vector which is proved successful in text classification tasks. Our analysis on presentation-based features reveals possible causes of poor lecture comprehension. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.22 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.19 Roman Tutor is a tutoring system that uses sophisticated domain knowledge to monitor the progress of students and advise them while they are learning how to operate a space tele-robotic system. It is intended to help train operators of the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) including astronauts, operators involved in ground-based control of SSRMS and technical support staff. Once in orbit ISS astronauts currently have only simple web-based material for skill development and maintenance. For long duration space flights, astronauts will require sophisticated simulation tools to maintain skills. Roman Tutor addresses these challenges by providing a portable training tool that can be installed anywhere and anytime to provide "just in time" training. It incorporates a model of the system operations curriculum, a kinematic simulation of the robotics equipment and the ISS, a high performance path planner and an automatic task demonstration generator. For each element of the curriculum that the student is supposed to master, Roman Tutor generates example tasks for the student to accomplish within the simulation environment and then monitors its progression to provide relevant feedback when needed. Although motivated by the SSRMS application, Roman Tutor remains applicable to any tele-robotics system application. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.19 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.16 Numerous efforts seek to increase awareness, interest, and participation in scientific and technological fields at the precollege level. Studies have shown these students are at a critical age where exposure to engineering and other related fields such as science, mathematics and technology greatly impact their career goals. A variety of advanced learning technologies have emerged to enhance learning, promote hands-on experiences, and increase interest in engineering. However, creating and sustaining technology-infused learning environments at the precollege level is a challenging task, as many schools have limited resources and expertise. While several technology solutions are available to support ambitious engineering-learning goals, choosing the right technology to align to program goals and resources may be a daunting task. In this work, we fill the gap between the applicability of educational implements and suitable teaching methods for precollege engineering. We present an overview of hardware- and software-based technologies, and characterize these technologies based on criteria such as median price, the type of learning activities fostered, and the required users' expertise-levels. In addition, we outline how these technologies support deductive and inductive teaching methods that emphasize direct-instruction, inquiry-, problem-, and project-based instruction, as studies have shown these methods are effective for precollege engineering education. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.16 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.15 Today, there is a real challenge to enable personalized access to information. Several systems have been proposed to address this challenge including Adaptive Hypermedia Systems (AHSs). However, the specification of adaptation strategies remains a difficult task for creators of such systems. In this paper, we consider the problem of the definition of adaptation strategies at a high level. We present two main contributions: a typology of elementary adaptation patterns for the adaptation of navigation; and a process to generate adaptation strategies based on the use and the semi-automatic combination of patterns. We also describe how the generated adaptation strategies can be integrated into existing AHSs. A prototype has been implemented and an experiment in the e-learning domain has been conducted with a group of volunteers. This experiment shows that our pattern based approach for defining adaptation strategies is more suitable than those based on "traditional" AH languages. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.15 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.4 Computer-based assessment of exams provides teachers and students with two main benefits: fairness and effectiveness in the evaluation process. This paper proposes a fully automatic evaluation tool for the Graphic and Virtual Design curriculum at the First School of Architecture of the Politecnico di Torino, Italy. In particular, the tool is designed for the 3D modeling course, taught during the second year, where students have to prove their ability to model static scenes using the open source modeler Blender. During the final exam, students are required to create a 3D model as similar as possible to a reference object proposed by the teacher and shown through a set of 2D views; the similarity of the images is judged according to both model shape and materials. The traditional assessment process is particularly slow and strongly based on teacher's subjective evaluation; the proposed solution efficiently implements an objective assessment mechanism that exploits computer vision and image analysis algorithms to automatically extract similarity indices. These indices are related to partial evaluation grades, which are then combined to obtain the final mark. A comparison with the traditional assessment process shows robustness and trustworthiness of the designed approach. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.4