Continuing and Emerging Research Trends in Technology-Enhanced Learning (Invited papers from ICWL-2022 and SETE-2022 Joint International Conferences)

A special issue of Electronics (ISSN 2079-9292). This special issue belongs to the section "Artificial Intelligence".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 20603

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Economics, Universitas Mercatorum, 00186 Rome, Italy
Interests: e-learning; MOOCs; machine learning; learning analytics; deep learning; artificial intelligence
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Guest Editor
Associate Professor, DIAG-Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: e-learning; MOOCs; machine learning; learning analytics; deep learning; artificial intelligence
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Computer Science, Université de Caen Normandie, Campus Côte de Nacre, CEDEX, 14032 Caen, France
Interests: web analytics; analysis of digital social networks; knowledge management and evolution; multimedia community information systems; cross-media analysis; technology-enhanced learning; digital libraries

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Engineering, Uninettuno University, 00186 Roma, Italy
Interests: graph algorithms; computational complexity; technology-enhanced learning
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Guest Editor
Department of Computer Science, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
Interests: computer graphics; geometric modelling and processing; collaborative virtual environments; visual aesthetics; educational techno
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

In the last decade, technology-enhanced learning has surged ahead as an intriguing application field for multidisciplinary research, from the more traditional areas of education, higher education, assessment, and e-learning to the relatively newer subjects of learning analytics and technologies supporting education, such as recommender systems, machine learning, deep learning, and artificial intelligence.

The Internet and TEL have led to the exponential growth of distance education’s use and demand, and the 21st century seems to be the century of lifelong learning: people geographically and culturally spread across the globe, including companies, practitioners, students, and communities of practice, are involved in learning programs based on the use of educational material available both on specific e-learning platforms and on the Internet.

This landscape provides scholars, teachers, students, and other stakeholders involved in education with significant and exciting challenges in theory, development of software network-based systems, and practice. Examples of such challenges include the design and development of systems facilitating: 1) the production of learning analytics data and their visualization; 2) support for searching, recommending, integrating, and delivering learning materials on the network; and 3) the adaptation of educational experiences and their delivery to the specific learning needs and personal traits of the end-user (be it the student, the teacher, the community of learners or teachers, or the administrative manager).

All these systems use different strategies and techniques designed and implemented based on educational theories and computer science theoretical practical resources. This Special Issue aims to gather novel research work reporting on the innovation of established technologies and techniques and the development of new approaches that can boost the efficiency, effectivity, applicability, and use of TEL in schools, universities, and industry.

  • Assessment in e-learning;
  • Learning analytics;
  • Machine learning and deep learning for education;
  • Cloud-based e-learning;
  • Computer-supported collaborative learning;
  • Design, modeling, and framework of e-learning systems;
  • Digital libraries and web corpora for e-learning;
  • E-learning platforms and tools;
  • Game-based learning and serious Games;
  • Web-based learning;
  • Educational data mining;
  • Massive open online courses (MOOC);
  • Mobile, situated, and blended learning;
  • Personal learning environments (PLEs);
  • Personalized and adaptive learning;
  • Security and privacy of web-based learning;
  • Semantic web and ontologies for e-learning;
  • Virtual environments and 3D graphics for e-learning;
  • Web 2.0 and social learning environments;
  • Web-based learning for oriental language learning;
  • Education technology (Edtech) and ICT for education;
  • ICT for inclusion in quality education.

Dr. Filippo Sciarrone
Dr. Marco Temperini
Prof. Dr. Marc Spaniol 
Dr. Luigi Laura
Dr. Frederick W. B. Li
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Electronics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • technology-enhanced learning
  • web-based learning
  • MOOCs
  • assessment in e-learning
  • deep learning
  • machine learning
  • educational data mining

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 4527 KiB  
Article
Self-Regulated Learning and Active Feedback of MOOC Learners Supported by the Intervention Strategy of a Learning Analytics System
by Ruth Cobos
Electronics 2023, 12(15), 3368; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12153368 - 7 Aug 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2725
Abstract
MOOCs offer great learning opportunities, but they also present several challenges for learners that hinder them from successfully completing MOOCs. To address these challenges, edX-LIMS (System for Learning Intervention and its Monitoring for edX MOOCs) was developed. It is a learning analytics system [...] Read more.
MOOCs offer great learning opportunities, but they also present several challenges for learners that hinder them from successfully completing MOOCs. To address these challenges, edX-LIMS (System for Learning Intervention and its Monitoring for edX MOOCs) was developed. It is a learning analytics system that supports an intervention strategy (based on learners’ interactions with the MOOC) to provide feedback to learners through web-based Learner Dashboards. Additionally, edX-LIMS provides a web-based Instructor Dashboard for instructors to monitor their learners. In this article, an enhanced version of the aforementioned system called edX-LIMS+ is presented. This upgrade introduces new services that enhance both the learners’ and instructors’ dashboards with a particular focus on self-regulated learning. Moreover, the system detects learners’ problems to guide them and assist instructors in better monitoring learners and providing necessary support. The results obtained from the use of this new version (through learners’ interactions and opinions about their dashboards) demonstrate that the feedback provided has been significantly improved, offering more valuable information to learners and enhancing their perception of both the dashboard and the intervention strategy supported by the system. Additionally, the majority of learners agreed with their detected problems, thereby enabling instructors to enhance interventions and support learners’ learning processes. Full article
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25 pages, 5098 KiB  
Article
Student Project-Based Space Vector Modulation Technique for Power Electronics Laboratory
by Lutfu Saribulut and Arman Ameen
Electronics 2023, 12(12), 2714; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12122714 - 17 Jun 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2501
Abstract
Two-level DC/AC inverter topologies are widely used for low voltage and high voltage applications in power systems and industrial areas. Space Vector Modulation (SVM) is a popular Pulse-Width Modulation technique used for controlling the inverters and providing the efficient energy conversion from DC [...] Read more.
Two-level DC/AC inverter topologies are widely used for low voltage and high voltage applications in power systems and industrial areas. Space Vector Modulation (SVM) is a popular Pulse-Width Modulation technique used for controlling the inverters and providing the efficient energy conversion from DC sources. However, applications of SVM-based studies are limited in the Power Electronics Laboratory (PEL) due to the vital risks associated with high voltage applications, and it is not easily learned through mathematical analysis and visual learning without implementation by undergraduate students. A simulation and experimental setup of an SVM-controlled two-level, three-phase inverter was presented in this study for undergraduate students to learn its basics in the PEL. Several programs were used to simulate the inverter in the classroom environment and to design a power circuit and microcontroller-based printed circuit board of the inverter for PEL experiments. The two case studies were given. In the case results, the output voltage waveforms of simulation and experimental inverters were compared to show the validation of simulation results. With this study, the students’ experience is enhanced in electronic circuit design, programming, coordination with hardware and software development activities, self-learning, and teamwork. Additionally, practical applications increase undergraduate students’ interest in Power Electronics Courses and reinforce their knowledge from lecture and laboratory studies. Full article
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17 pages, 1888 KiB  
Article
Bibliometric Analysis of Automated Assessment in Programming Education: A Deeper Insight into Feedback
by José Carlos Paiva, Álvaro Figueira and José Paulo Leal
Electronics 2023, 12(10), 2254; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12102254 - 15 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2559
Abstract
Learning to program requires diligent practice and creates room for discovery, trial and error, debugging, and concept mapping. Learners must walk this long road themselves, supported by appropriate and timely feedback. Providing such feedback in programming exercises is not a humanly feasible task. [...] Read more.
Learning to program requires diligent practice and creates room for discovery, trial and error, debugging, and concept mapping. Learners must walk this long road themselves, supported by appropriate and timely feedback. Providing such feedback in programming exercises is not a humanly feasible task. Therefore, the early and steadily growing interest of computer science educators in the automated assessment of programming exercises is not surprising. The automated assessment of programming assignments has been an active area of research for over a century, and interest in it continues to grow as it adapts to new developments in computer science and the resulting changes in educational requirements. It is therefore of paramount importance to understand the work that has been performed, who has performed it, its evolution over time, the relationships between publications, its hot topics, and open problems, among others. This paper presents a bibliometric study of the field, with a particular focus on the issue of automatic feedback generation, using literature data from the Web of Science Core Collection. It includes a descriptive analysis using various bibliometric measures and data visualizations on authors, affiliations, citations, and topics. In addition, we performed a complementary analysis focusing only on the subset of publications on the specific topic of automatic feedback generation. The results are highlighted and discussed. Full article
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13 pages, 2089 KiB  
Article
Serious Games and Soft Skills in Higher Education: A Case Study of the Design of Compete!
by Nadia McGowan, Aída López-Serrano and Daniel Burgos
Electronics 2023, 12(6), 1432; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12061432 - 17 Mar 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4684
Abstract
This article describes the serious game Compete!, developed within the European Erasmus+ framework, that aims to teach soft skills to higher education students in order to increase their employability. Despite the increasing relevance of soft skills for successful entry into the labour [...] Read more.
This article describes the serious game Compete!, developed within the European Erasmus+ framework, that aims to teach soft skills to higher education students in order to increase their employability. Despite the increasing relevance of soft skills for successful entry into the labour market, these are often overlooked in higher education. A participatory learning methodology based on a gamification tool has been used for this purpose. The game presents a series of scenarios describing social sustainability problems that require the application of soft skills identified as key competencies in a field study across different European countries. These competencies are creative problem-solving, effective communication, stress management, and teamwork. On completion of each game scenario and the game itself, students receive an evaluation of both their soft skills and the strategic and operational decisions they have made. In the evaluation of these decisions, both the economic and sustainability aspects of the decision are assessed. The teacher can then address the competencies and sustainability issues using the different game scenarios, thus creating higher motivation and deeper understanding amongst the students. This hybrid learning methodology incorporates digital tools for the cross-curricular teaching and learning of sustainability and soft skills. In conclusion, this article describes a possible method of incorporating soft skills in higher education; this complements students’ technical knowledge while helping to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. Full article
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Review

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15 pages, 833 KiB  
Review
Effects of Mobile Learning in English Language Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Research Synthesis
by Juan Garzón, Georgios Lampropoulos and Daniel Burgos
Electronics 2023, 12(7), 1595; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12071595 - 29 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 6963
Abstract
English has become the most important language for communication worldwide, but learning it as a second language presents multiple challenges. Given its multimedia nature, mobile learning is an ally in learning this language. However, although the use of mobile devices in English education [...] Read more.
English has become the most important language for communication worldwide, but learning it as a second language presents multiple challenges. Given its multimedia nature, mobile learning is an ally in learning this language. However, although the use of mobile devices in English education has been broadly documented, there is little evidence of its effect on students’ learning. This article presents a meta-analysis of 62 studies to assess the effects of mobile learning on students’ learning. Moreover, the study considered the moderating effect of education level, pedagogical approach, learning environment, mobile device, and control treatment. The results show that mobile learning has a large effect (g=0.89) on students’ learning. Regarding education level, the best results were found at the Bachelor’s level. Similarly, collaborative learning provided the best results among the pedagogical approaches. As for the learning environment, semi-formal settings, such as field trips and outdoor activities, performed better than formal settings within classrooms or laboratories. Furthermore, smartphones yielded better results than any other mobile device. Finally, the results indicated that mobile learning produces better results than traditional lectures, traditional pedagogical tools, or other multimedia resources. Therefore, it should be promoted as a pedagogical alternative to foster quality education for all. Full article
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