[publication] Can Weblogs and Microblogs Change Traditional Scientific Writing?

Our article on „Can Weblogs and Microblogs Change Traditional Scientific Writing?“ was published in the Open Access Online Journal Future Internet.
Abstract:

This paper describes a follow-up Web 2.0 approach to a technology enhanced master course for students of Graz University of Technology. The lecture “Social Aspects of Information Technology” has a long tradition for using new didactical scenarios as well as modern e-Learning technologies. After using a blogosphere one year ago, this year microblog channels helped to expand the traditional lecture. Students choose (on a voluntary basis) whether they want to participate in a blogging/microblogging group instead of using conventional methods called Scientific Writer/Scientific Reviewer. This study addresses the question whether this method can change the learning outcome into a more reflective one. Furthermore, peer-reviewing groups judge the quality of essays and blog contributions. In this paper we examine if microblogging can be an appropriate technology for assisting the process. This publication comes to the conclusion that an amazing potential and a new way to work with information is opened when using microblogging. Students seem to be more engaged, reflective and critical in as much as they presented much more personal statements and opinions than years before.

Reference: Ebner, Martin; Maurer, Hermann. 2009. „Can Weblogs and Microblogs Change Traditional Scientific Writing?.“ Future Internet 1, no. 1: 47-58.

Gastvotrag: Digitale Lernumgebungen an Universitäten – wo ist das Ende?

Ich bin eingeladen worden vom Medienzentrum der TU Dresden am nächsten Montag (23.11.2009) einen Gastvortrag zum Thema „Digitale Lernumgebungen an Universitäten – wo ist das Ende?“ zu halten und dabei ein wenig unsere Erfahrungen im Einsatz von Web 2.0 Technologien in Zusammenhang mit traditionellen Lernmanagementsystemen zu schildern.
Abstract meines Votrages:

Der Lernende von heute besitzt einen PC, einen Laptop, ein Mobiltelefon, einen MP3-Player, Breitband- und einen mobilen Internetanschluss. Zumindest zeigen dies die aktuellen Untersuchungen an Erstsemestrigen an der TU Graz. Nun kann die berechtigte Frage gestellt werden, welche Auswirkungen diese zunehmende Digitalisierung auf eine Bildungsinstitution hat. In welcher Weise können die vorhandenen technischen Möglichkeiten genutzt werden um das Lehr- und Lernangebot zu optimieren.
Im Vortrag wird das Konzept der TU Graz näher vorgestellt bzw. das Zusammenspiel von vielen Systemen aufgezeigt und näher diskutiert. Warum der Ansatz einer heterogenen Landschaft durchaus Vorteile bietet, vor allem in Bezug auf die Umsetzung adäquater Lehr- und Lernszenarien, soll beantwortet werden, sowie auch die Frage nach einer zukünftigen Lösung.

Hier gibt es nähere Informationen – freue mich auf die Diskussion.

[presentation] Web 2.0, Kommunikation, Vernetzung

Im Rahmen der österreichweiten Demonstrationsbewegung #unsereuni bin ich gebeten worden an der TU Graz einem Plenumsvortrag rund um das Thema Web 2.0 und die Auswirkung auf die Gesellschaft zu halten. Ich habe dabei versucht aufzuzeigen, welche Auswirkungen das Web 2.0 bereits hat und mittels Beispielen auch greifbar zu machen. Hier einmal meine Folien:

Und hier der Livestream auf UStream:

Hier gibt es noch weitere Fotos des Events.

[publication] Seeing the System through the End Users’ Eyes: Shadow Expert Technique for Evaluating the Consistency of a Learning Management System

Our publication at this year USAB Conference “Usability & HCI Learning from the Extreme” about “Seeing the System through the End Users’ Eyes: Shadow Expert Technique for Evaluating the Conistency of a Learning Management System” is now online available.
Abstract:

Interface consistency is an important basic concept in web design and has an effect on performance and satisfaction of end users. Consistency also has significant effects on the learning performance of both expert and novice end users. Consequently, the evaluation of consistency within a e-learning system and the ensuing eradication of irritating discrepancies in the user interface redesign is a big issue. In this paper, we report of our experiences with the Shadow Expert Technique (SET) during the evaluation of the consistency of the user interface of a large university learning management system. The main objective of this new usability evaluation method is to understand the interaction processes of end users with a specific system interface. Two teams of usability experts worked independently from each other in order to maximize the objectivity of the results. The outcome of this SET method is a list of recommended changes to improve the user interaction processes, hence to facilitate high consistency.

Reference: Holzinger, A.; Stickel, C.; Fassold, M.; Ebner, M.: Seeing the System through the End Users’ Eyes: Shadow Expert Technique for Evaluating the Consistency of a Learning Management System. – in: HCI and Usability for eInclusion. 5th Symposium of of the Austrian Computer Society, USAB 2009, Lecture Notes in Computer Science LNCS 5889. (2009), S. 178 – 192

[presentation] Seeing the System through the End Users’ Eyes: Shadow Expert Technique for Evaluating the Conistency of a Learning Management System

Our presentation at this year USAB Conference „Usability & HCI Learning from the Extreme“ is now online available. The title is „Seeing the System through the End Users’ Eyes: Shadow Expert Technique for Evaluating the Conistency of a Learning Management System“ and we are showing our Usability investigations concerning consistency.

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[publication] Higher Education m-Learning and e-Learning Scenarios for a Geospatial Wiki

Our publication about „Higher Education m-Learning and e-Learning Scenarios for a Geospatial Wiki“ at this year E-Learn Conference is now online available. We are very proud to announce that we also won the Best Paper Award.
Abstract:

Several fields of higher education, like geology, architecture, or civil engineering, rely on visual information in the context of learning, a considerable part of it moreover location-based. Geotagging, a phenomenon recently spreading through he online and mobile world, offers innovative possibilities to support teachers and learners in such fields. One such approach is the composition of geotagged information with a collaborative environment – a so-called geowiki. A prototype for an educational geowiki, TUGeoWiki, has been developed at Graz University of Technology. This publications outlines possible application scenarios for TUGeoWiki in higher education, taking into account e-Learning as well as m-Learning scenarios.

Reference: Safran, C.; Ebner, M.; Garcia-Barrios, V. M.; Kappe, F. (2009) Higher Education M-Learning and E-Learning Scenarios for a Geospatial Wiki. – in: E-Learn – World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, & Higher Education ; 2009 (2009)