Special Issue: MashUps for Learning

We are very happy that we can announce that the Special Issue on „MahsUps for Learning“ is now published (open access). Togehter with Sandra and Ralf the results of our Workshop at last year ICL Conference are online available:

The special track “Mashups for Learning” (MASHL 2009) took place within the “International Conference on Interactive Computer Aided Learning” (ICL 2009) in Villach, Austria. Personal Learning Environments (PLE) are the application type for mashing up learning services. We asked for contributions for an increasing research field. MASHL 2009 provided an excellent space for discussions in order to improve the learning and teaching routines of tomorrow. This special issue consists of the outcomes of this intensive process with international experts.

Enjoy the papers and we are looking forward to your feedback.

[publication] Microblogs in Higher Education – a chance to facilitate informal and process oriented learning?

We are happy to announce that our publication „Microblogs in Higher Education – a chance to facilitate informal and process oriented learning?“ published in Journal Computer & Education is now online available.
Abstract:

Microblogging is one of the latest Web 2.0 technologies. The key elements are online communication using 140 characters and the fact that it involves “following” anyone. There has been a great deal of excitement about this in recent months. This paper reports on a research study that was carried out on the use of a microblogging platform for process-oriented learning in Higher Education. Students of the University of Applied Sciences of Upper Austria used the tool throughout their course. All postings were carefully tracked, examined and analyzed in order to explore the possibilities offered by microblogging in education. It can be concluded that microblogging should be seen as a completely new form of communication that can support informal learning beyond classrooms.

Reference: Martin Ebner, Conrad Lienhardt, Matthias Rohs, Iris Meyer (2010), Microblogs in Higher Education – a chance to facilitate informal and process oriented learning?, Computers & Education, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 4 January 2010, ISSN 0360-1315, DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2009.12.006.
Online available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6VCJ-4Y34W8F-1/2/799ab0b1112d5696a251fca84be472c3

[publication] The Benefits of Geo-Tagging and Microblogging in m-Learning: a Use Case

Our publication „The Benefits of Geo-Tagging and Microblogging in m-Learning: a Use Case“ of this year MindTrek 2009 conference is online available.
Abstract:

The recent years have shown the remarkable potential use of Web 2.0 technologies in education, especially in the context of informal learning. The application of Wikis for collaborative work is one example for this theory applied. The support of learning in those fields of education, which are strongly based on visual location-based information, could also benefit from Geo-Tagging, a technique that has become popular lately. This paper presents first development results on the combination of these two concepts into a geospatial Wiki for higher education, TUGeoWiki. Our solution proposal supports mobile scenarios where textual data and images are managed and retrieved during m-Learning in- the-field as well as some desktop scenarios in the context of collaborative e-Learning. Within this scope, one critical issue arises while adding and updating textual information via the collaborative interface, which can be cumbersome in mobile scenarios. To solve this problem, we integrated another popular concept into our solution approach, Microblogging. Thus, the information pushed via short messages from mobile clients or microblogging tools to our m-Learning environment enables the creation of Wiki-Micropages as basis for subsequent collaborative learning scenarios.

Reference: Safran, C., Garcia-Barrios, V.M.; Ebner, M. (2009) The Benefits of Geo Tagging and Microblogging in m-Learning: a Use Case, in Proceedings of ACM Academic MindTrek 2009 – Everyday Life in the Ubiquitous Area, MindTrek 2009, Tampere, Finland, p. 135-141, 2009

[publication] Personal Learning Environments for Higher Education: A Mashup Based Widget Concept

Our paper about “Personal Learning Environment for Higher Education – A MashUp Based Widget Concept” within the MUPPLE 09 Workshop at this year ECTEL conference is now online available (presentation).
Abstract:

Due to the enormous growth of distributed applications, services, tools and resources, it is not easy for end users to come across existing services, manage and use them in a matter which is customized according to their personal needs. Mashups can be a very interesting approach to overcome challenges of distributed (unknown) services. Using mashups in a Personal Learning Environment (PLE) can help to connect resources and applications in one environment customized to the needs of individual users. In this paper a first approach and the concept of a PLE especially for higher education is described. The technological concept is introduced and design issues are pointed out as well as the first prototype is described.

Reference:Taraghi, B.; Ebner, M.; Schaffert, S. (2009) Personal Learning Environment for Higher Education – A MashUp Based Widget Concept, Proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Mashup Personal Learning Environments (MUPPLE09), Nice, France, 2009, ISSN 1613-0073, Vol-506, https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-506/

[publication] Social networking in scientific conferences – Twitter as tool for strengthen a scientific

Our publication about „Social networking in scientific conferences – Twitter as tool for strengthen a scientific“ for this Science 2.0 for TEL Workshop at ECTEL conference is now online available.
Abstract:

Twitter is the fastest growing member community of the last year. With a rate of 1382% it grows 6 times faster than for example the world biggest social networking application Facebook. In this paper we ask how Twitter can serve as resource at scientific conferences and support the scientific community. Furthermore we ask if Twitter ads any scientific value to conferences. We chose this year ED-MEDIA conference as example for the use of Twitter at a scientific conference and show how the micro-blogging tool got seamlessly integrated in the well-known communication infrastructure of conferences.

Reference: Ebner. M., Reinhard, W. (2009) Social networking in scientific conferences – Twitter as tool for strengthen a scientific, Workshop Science 2.0 for TEL, ECTEL 2009, [Link]

And the presented slides:

[publication] Personal Learning Environment – A Conceptual Study

Our publication about „Personal Learning Environment – A Conceptual Study“ at the Special Track on „MashUps for Learning (MASHL09)“ within the ICL 2009 conference is now online available.
Abstract:

The influence of digital technologies as well as the World Wide Web on education rises dramatically. In former years Learning Management Systems (LMS) were introduced on educational institutes to address the needs both their institutions and their lecturers. Nowadays a shift from an institution-centred approach to a learner- centred one becomes necessary to allow individuality through the learning process and to think about learning strategies in general. In this paper a first approach of a Personal Learning Environment (PLE) is described. The technological concept is pointed out as well as a study about the graphical user-interface done at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz). It can be concluded that PLEs are the next generation environments, which help to improve the learning and teaching behaviour.

Reference:Taraghi, B., Ebner, M., Till, G., Mühlburger, H. (2009) Personal Learning Environment – A Conceptual Study, International Conference on Interactive Computer Aided Learning (ICL 2009), Villach, AT