Authors:
Torrente, Javier and Ger, Pablo Moreno and Ortiz, Iván Martínez
Abstract:
It is our great pleasure to serve as guest editors for this special issue of the IEEE RITA journal, which holds a fine selection of the most relevant papers presented at symposium on information and communication technologies in education 2013, the fifteenth international symposium in educational technology held in Madrid in September 2013. The two papers included in this special issue are representative of the high quality observed during all the conference.
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Authors:
Kloos, Carlos Delgado and Muñoz-Merino, Pedro J. and Muñoz-Organero, Mario
Abstract:
The contribution of this paper is twofold. On the one hand, we present an experience of a Masters' level course based on real-world projects with interaction with real developers from industry. This reality check created a special motivation for students as well as provided a useful experience for their future work. On the other hand, we describe the technical details of the three projects carried out by the students. These were extensions to Google's massive open online course platform Course Builder. They were about an improvement in the management of quizzes, an extension with learning analytics tools, and an integration with Mozilla open badges.
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Authors:
Dodero, Juan Manuel and Palomo-Duarte, Manuel and Ruiz-Rube, Iván and Traverso, Ignacio and Mota, José Miguel and Balderas, Antonio
Abstract:
Nowadays, virtual learning environments are developed as digital ecosystems based on existing resources, applications, and web services. Even if they are not hosted in a centralized course management system, they are usually highly coupled. In this paper, we show how semantic technologies can help decoupling them. We build an e-learning web ecosystem enriched with an educational information according to an educational information model and a domain-specific model, so we provide teachers and students with a common user interface. We implemented our proposal in the ASCETA project, integrating well-known open-source systems, such as wikis, blogs, microblogging services, content management systems, and task management systems.
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Authors:
García-Peñalvo, Francisco José
Abstract:
Last November 2013, a new conference about technological ecosystems for enhancing multiculturality (TEEM) was held at the University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain, connected with a new Ph.D. program about education in the knowledge society. This Ph.D. program and the TEEM conference present an interdisciplinary and multicultural approach to the challenges and solutions of problems in the knowledge society. Engineering, more specifically, software and computer engineering, plays a very outstanding role in this conference and Ph.D. program. We want to thank the IEEE REVISTA IBEROAMERICANA DE TECNOLOGIAS DEL APRENDIZAJE with for its support to this project and the opportunity to select a couple of papers from the TEEM conference to be extended in this issue.
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Authors:
Sierra, Juan Felipe García and Lera, Francisco Javier Rodríguez and Llamas, Camino Fernández and Olivera, Vicente Matellán
Abstract:
This paper presents the use of robots to increase students' engagement in nonrobotic IT courses. It describes the experience of using robots in a course on computer architecture of the Computer Engineering program at the Universidad de León (Spain). It also states that including competitions contribute to students' engagement. Finally, we show how the use of natural and unpredictable elements (living animals) in the environment makes these competitions more challenging. Preliminary analysis of this experience is also discussed based on a group of 67 students. We assessed the students' attendance, their final marks, and also the subjective impression about lectures through ad hoc questionnaires.
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Authors:
Humanante-Ramos, Patricio Ricardo and García-Peñalvo, Francisco José and Conde-González, Miguel Ángel
Abstract:
This paper investigates the use of learning management systems as tools constituting student's personal learning environments in the degree of informatics applied to education in the National University of Chimborazo-Ecuador. The main result of this paper is that there is an increasing number of courses that rely on virtual classrooms, but learning occurs both in and out of these learning environments. This paper is the starting point for future research on the relevance, impact, and effectiveness of incorporating learning management systems in university teaching, as well as on relations and possibilities of integration between them, personal learning environments, and mobile learning trends.
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