[publication] Evaluation of Augmented Reality Frameworks for Android Development

Our publication about „Evaluation of Augmented Reality Frameworks for Android Development“ has been published in the International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies.

Abstract:

Augmented Reality (AR) is the evolution of the concept of Virtual Reality (VR). Its goal is to enhance a person’s perception of the surrounding world. AR is a fast growing state of the art technology and a variety of implementation tools thereof exist today. Due to the heterogeneity of available technologies, the choice of the appropriate framework for a mobile application is difficult to make. These frameworks implement different tracking techniques and have to provide support to various constraints. This publication aims to point out that the choice of the appropriate framework depends on the context of the app to be developed. As expected, it is accurate that no framework is entirely the best, but rather that each exhibits strong and weak points. Our results demonstrate that given a set of constraints, one framework can outperform others. We anticipate our research to be the starting point for testing of other frameworks, given various constraints. The frameworks evaluated here are open- source or have been purchased under Academic License.

Reference: Marneanu, I., Ebner, M., Rössler, T. (2014) Evaluation of Augmented Reality Frameworks for Android Development. In: International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies. Vol. 8 (4), pp. 37-44 [Link to the Article]

[publication] Do You Mind NSA Affair? Does the Global Surveillance Disclosure Impact Our Students?

Our contribution at this year ED-MEDIA conference in Tampere, Finnland about „Do You Mind NSA Affair? Does the Global Surveillance Disclosure Impact Our Students?“ is now online available. The slides have alreday been published here.
Abstract:

In summer 2013 the discussion about security and Internet peaked when the ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden uncovered secret details about his former employer NSA. Since then bad news and stories about government surveillance have come along daily worldwide. But did they change anything according to our way of working and living with the Internet? We wanted to know, whether there is a change of Internet behavior to be determined among freshmen coming to Graz University of Technology. On base of an annual questionnaire that is carried out by the Department of Social Learning at TU Graz since 2007 we found out that although a quarter of polled students are influenced by those disclosures there is no decrease in Internet usage to be realized compared to former years results; quite the reverse: applications working on cloud-principle like Dropbox are strongly upcoming. Apart from that, the long term survey generally mirrors new media competences and Internet usage of TU Graz freshmen. This paper discusses this year´s results and progressions of the survey.

Do You Mind NSA Affair? Does the Global Surveillance Disclosure Impact Our Students? by Martin

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Reference: Ebner, M., Nagler, W. & Schön, M. (2014). Do You Mind NSA Affair?Does the Global Surveillance Disclosure Impact Our Students?. In Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2014 (pp. 2307-2312). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

[publication] Adaptive Learner Profiling Provides the Optimal Sequence of Posed Basic Mathematical Problems

Our publication about „Adaptive Learner Profiling Provides the Optimal Sequence of Posed Basic Mathematical Problems“ at this year EC-TEL conference is now available.
Abstract:

Applications that try to enhance learners’ knowledge can profit by the creation and analysis of learner profiles. This work deals with the derivation of an optimal sequence of questions by comparing similar learning behaviour of users of a mathematics training application. The adaptation of the learners’ clusters to the answers of the revised optimal question sequence improves learning

Reference: Taraghi, B., Saranti, A., Ebner, M., Großmann, A., Müller, V. (2014) Adaptive Learner Profiling Provides the Optimal Sequence of Posed Basic Mathematical Problems. In: Open Learning and Teaching in Educational Communities. Rensing, C., de Freitas, S., Ley, T., Muñoz-Merino, P. J. (Ed.). Lecture Notes in Computer Science Volume 8719, Springer 2014, pp. 592-59

[Link to .pdf at Springer]

[publication] The Maker Movement. Implications of new digital gadgets, fabrication tools and spaces for creative learning and teaching

Our article about „The Maker Movement. Implications of new digital gadgets, fabrication tools and spaces for creative learning and teaching“ got republished in the Special Issue „Transforming Education through Innovation and Technology“ of the elearning papers.
Abstract:

The “Maker Movement” deals with innovative forms of production and do-it-yourself work. It is not only a way for new business models and developments, e.g. using 3D print or other new digital tools and gizmos, but also influencing education. This paper introduces several diverse terms (from FabLabs to Hackerspaces) and gives insights into background, practice and existing experiences from Maker Movement in educational settings amongst all age groups. As a conclusion, the authors present reasons why practitioners and researcher should consider its educational potential. Besides its creative and technological impacts, learning by making is an important component of problem- solving and relating educational content to the real world. Besides this, digital tools for making are not expensive, for example apps for mobile devices or rents for 3D printer (compared with desktops in 1:1 settings). The Maker Movement is seen as an inspiring and creative way to deal with our world, it is aware of ecological challenges and of course, and it is able to develop technological interest and competences casually. Finally, the authors give recommendation for reading for all who got interested in making.

Reference: Schön, Sandra; Ebner, Martin & Kurma, Swapna (2014). The Maker Movement. Implications of new digital gadgets, fabrication tools and spaces for creative learning and teaching [Republished in special issue] . In: eLearning Papers, eLearning Papers Special edition 2014 “Transforming Education through Innovation and Technology, September 2014, pp. 86-100. [.pdf]

[publication] Cloud-based service for eBooks using EPUB under the Aspect of Learning Analytics

Our contribution to 8th International Symposium on Embedded Multicore/Manycore SoCs on „Cloud-based service for eBooks using EPUB under the Aspect of Learning Analytics“ is now online available.
Abstract:

Building a cloud-based e-learning platform using the approach of the research field of learning analytics is the overall goal of this research study. With the strengths of a cloud service it is possible to add value to the learning process for all stakeholders. With such a solution, the process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting data becomes rather easily.
This research study aims to introduce a novel platform to generate interactive e-books. In order to create digitalized forms of exercise books for primary school children, additional features have to be added to gain acceptance by such an idea. The evolution of new e-book standards as EPUB in its version 3.0 makes it possible to generate those additional features. The developments of the platform as well as each interactive exercise, which can be done are described in detail. Finally the weakness and the strength of the approach is discussed. The study concluded that the approach offers huge potential for tomorrow’s learning behaviors

Cloud-based service for eBooks using EPUB under the Aspect of Learning Analytics by Martin

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Reference: Ebner, M., Prettenthaler, C., Hamada, M. (2014) Cloud-based service for eBooks using EPUB under the Aspect of Learning Analytics, Proceedings of IEEE 8th International Symposium on Embedded Multicore/Manycore SoCs, pp. 116-122

[publication] Polling with Mobile Devices on University Campus

Our contribution about „Polling with Mobile Devices on University Campus“ is now published in the new book „Advances in Communications and Media Research„.
Abstract:

Mobile devices have become ubiquitous in our daily lives, and they can be used in novel ways to improve or enhance existing use cases and offer new solutions for unsolved problems. One such use case is performing studies, questionnaires and polls. With their unique capabilities and sensors, mobile devices nowadays can contribute to those fields and even offer new ways of data analysis and methodologies.
The combination of technologies in just one device, namely the touchscreen, sensors, web-connectivity and build in GPS tracking, make them a perfect tool for different scenarios and contexts. Some of those, in particular touch-screen technology, can be found in the literature about computer assisted questionnaires and interviews, where the technology was found feasible and in a large number of cases even better accepted as classical methodologies like paper-and-pen questionnaires.
Drawing from those experiences, and with current trends in mobile development in mind, a prototype application for conducting interviews and questionnaires is developed. The main research question is, how the conjunction of automatically tracked geolocation data and questionnaires can be used in a scenario that examines quality of life on campuses across the university. By creating a heat map of location and questionnaire answers, dependencies can be visualized, making them easily detectable. It can be concluded that with the help of mobile devices questionnaires can be enhanced in an implicit way to give a deeper insight in dependencies according to the local places the questionnaires are happening (in our special case on university campus).

Polling with Mobile Devices on University Campus by Martin

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Reference: Andrasec, D., Ebner, M., Ebner, T. (2014) Polling with Mobile Devices on University Campus. Stavros, A.V. (ed.). Advances in Communications and Media Research. Nova Publisher, pp. 99-118

[publication] Potential of EPUB3 for Digital Textbooks in Higher Education

Our publication about „Potential of EPUB3 for Digital Textbooks in Higher Education“ at this year EC-TEL conference is now available.
Abstract:

The e-book market is currently in a strong upswing. This research study deals with the question which practical uses the e-book format EPUB3 offers for (higher) education. By means of a didactic content analysis, a range of interactive exercise types were developed as a result of conversations with teachers. For this purpose, a didactic and technical concept has been developed. Different kinds of exercises were prototypically implemented in an e-book. In summary, it can be remarked that EPUB3 is suitable for a variety of different exercises and that it is able to serve as a basic format for forthcoming digital textbooks. Furthermore the openness of EPUB3 will assist Open Learning and Teaching in a meaningful way.

Reference: Gailer, C., Ebner, M., Kopp, M., Lackner, E., Raunig, M., Scerbakov, A. (2014) Potential of EPUB3 for Digital Textbooks in Higher Education. In: Open Learning and Teaching in Educational Communities. Rensing, C., de Freitas, S., Ley, T., Muñoz-Merino, P. J. (Ed.). Lecture Notes in Computer Science Volume 8719, Springer 2014, pp. 564-565

[Link to .pdf at Springer]

[publication] Introducing MOOCs to Middle European Universities – is it worth it to accept the challenge?

Our contribution to the Special Issue on MOOCs for the International Journal for Innovation and Quality in Learning is titled „Introducing MOOCs to Middle European Universities – is it worth it to accept the challenge?„.
Abstract:

The paper deals with necessary requirements to implement MOOCs at European universities, by the example of Austria. As the respective general conditions and business environments are obviously different from the university system in the United States the analysis of advantages and obstacles of offering MOOCs is done from a local point of view including lecturers’ and students’ perspectives as well as necessary preconditions that have to be established by the universities and the government. Thereby, challenges in the fields of content creation, the supply of MOOCs, the assessment of knowledge and the development of business models are pointed out and discussed.

Reference: Kopp, M., Ebner, M., Dorfer-Novak, A. (2014) Introducing MOOCs to Middle European Universities – is it worth it to accept the challenge?, International Journal for Innovation and Quality in Learning, Vol. 2/3, pp. 46-52
[Link to full article (open access)]

[publication] Detection of Pilates Exercises Based on Movement Sensors Data in Modern Smartphones: For children aged 11 to 13

Our publication about „Detection of Pilates Exercises Based on Movement Sensors Data in Modern Smartphones: For children aged 11 to 13“ in the International Journal of Computer and Information Technology (IJCIT) is published:
Abstract:

Nowadays more and more children are suffering from back pain and postural defects. Different studies dedicate to this issue and various workouts are specially designed for prevention. Generally a therapeutic success remains low, because the patients do not accomplish the required exercises at home or perform them wrong and the therapist has no possibility to monitor their activities. This publication aims to answer the research question, if it is possible to monitor the activities of children, just with the data provided by sensors included in their personal smartphones.

Reference: Parfant, M., Ebner, M. & Deutschmann, D. (2014) Detection of Pilates Exercises Based on Movement Sensors Data in Modern Smartphones: For children aged 11 to 13. International Journal of Computer and Information Technology (IJCIT), Volume 3/4, pp. 755-782

[Link to Article]