Manuel Palomo Duarte

This paper describes the types of MOOC considered by researchers, and highlights the latter’s focus on Connectivist MOOC. In addition, it analyses MOOC methodologies, and learners’ interest in MOOC based on the concepts of adaptability, connectivism, and socio-constructivism. This is to address the high dropout rate issue on MOOC platforms. The main objective of this work is to review the empirical results reported in these studies. To reach this goal, a Systematic Literature Review of 798 papers was carried out from 2013 until April 2021, where 446 papers were selected as primary studies. The results obtained from the classification and the analysis of the collected data confirmed the importance of continuing research in the field. Based on the concepts of socio-constructivism and adaptability, the objective is to provide an adaptive cMOOC for the profile and the needs of each learner; blending learning styles and pedagogical models with machine learning technologies.

Serious games are video games with educational purposes. Players interact in many points during a gameplay. These interactions can be registered, producing data sets with sequence of events which provide relevant information about player's skills. Unfortunately, traditional skill assessment methods present limitations to carry out a detailed analysis of large data sets. Sequence Analysis is a group of techniques which allow to analyze data sets consisting of sequence of events. These techniques have been successfully implemented in different fields, and we consider that they can help overcome these limitations. In this paper, we propose an architecture of skill assessment in learning experiences based on serious games using a set of Sequence Analysis techniques known as Process Mining. First, several in-game events are stored in a log. These events are produced by player's interactions with Key Performance Indicators included in the game. Second, event log is used as input for a Process Mining tool. Discovery process is executed and a behavioural model is provided. Third, an assessment metric must be carried out over the model. Finally, a synthetic experiment is conducted and promising results are obtained.

Here we intend to review the current state of the art of interactive data exploration techniques,and to discover the maturity of the existing solutions. We look for solutions that satisfy three requirements:access to raw data files, stored in a distributed environment, and with a reasonably low latency.Method This work follows the well-defined guidelines for Systematic Mapping Studies, which is well-suited for gathering and classifying available studies.

Histograms and results of k-means and Ward's clustering for Hidden Room game in University of Cadiz (Spain) by DeutschUCA<br><br>The fileset contains information from three sources:<br><br>1. Histograms files:<br>* Lexical_histogram.png (histogram of lexical error ratios)<br>* Grammatical_histogram.png (histogram of grammatical error ratios)<br><br>2. K-means clustering files:<br>* elbow-lex kmeans.png (clustering by lexical aspects: error curves obtained for applying elbow method to determinate the optimal number of clusters)<br>* cube-lex kmeans.png (clustering by lexical aspects: a three-dimensional representation of clusters obtained after applying k-means method)<br>* Lexical_clusters (table) kmeans.xls (clustering by lexical aspects: centroids, standard deviations and number of instances assigned to each cluster)<br>* elbow-gram kmeans.png (clustering by grammatical aspects: error curves obtained for a...

Published in IEEE Transactions on Emerging Topics in Computing  Copyright transferred Cross-matching data stored on separate files is an everyday activity in the scientific domain. However sometimes the relation between attributes may not be obvious. The discovery of foreign keys on relational databases is a similar problem. Thus techniques devised for this problem can be adapted. Nonetheless, given the different nature of the data, which can be subject to uncertainty, this adaptation is not trivial. This paper firstly introduces the concept of Equally-Distributed Dependencies, which is similar to the Inclusion Dependencies from the relational domain. We describe a correspondence in order to bridge existing ideas. We then propose PresQ: a new algorithm based on the search of maximal quasi-cliques on hyper-graphs to make it more robust to the nature of uncertain numerical data. This algorithm has been tested on three public datasets, showing promising results both in its capacity to ...

espanolLa creacion de actividades interactivas de calidad permiten proporcionar al alumnado una retroalimentacion efectiva y dirigida. Sin embargo, las herramientas para su creacion suelen tener algunos problemas para los docentes como: una escasa capacidad de personalizacion, un analisis poco detallado de la interaccion de los usuarios con la misma, una pronunciada curva de aprendizaje, restricciones en la licencia de los materiales o poca integracion con los distintos sistemas de gestion del aprendizaje (LMS) utilizados. En este articulo se expone una propuesta de actividad H5P modificada, de codigo abierto y con soporte del estandar HTML5, que permita una simulacion de laboratorios practicos sencilla de implementar, integrable en los LMS mas utilizados, personalizable y capaz de recopilar informacion de la interaccion con los usuarios usando una xAPI. Como caso de estudio, se utiliza esta herramienta para la creacion de un juego serio util para preparar una practica de la materia...

Survival horror video-games have acquired great acceptance in recent years. Immersion, ease of play, virtual reality gadgets and emotional intensity have helped to popularise them. Famous youtubers still perform their videos based on these games, counting millions of viewers even if the design of them is very similar in terms of atmosphere, limited actions and mapping. Usually conceived as suspense-evoking threatening environments to explore and escape, this similarity may lead to think about automatising the generation of products of this genre. In this paper, suspense definitions are reviewed from the view of emotional e↵ects. Further, we propose a formula relating suspense to dimensions valence, arousal and dominance. Finally, we present an experiment that supports its application for a horror game.

Histograms and results of k-means and Ward's clustering for Hidden Room game<br><br>The fileset contains information from three sources:<br><br>1. Histograms files:<br>* Lexical_histogram.png (histogram of lexical error ratios)<br>* Grammatical_histogram.png (histogram of grammatical error ratios)<br><br>2. K-means clustering files:<br>* elbow-lex kmeans.png (clustering by lexical aspects: error curves obtained for applying elbow method to determinate the optimal number of clusters)<br>* cube-lex kmeans.png (clustering by lexical aspects: a three-dimensional representation of clusters obtained after applying k-means method)<br>* Lexical_clusters (table) kmeans.xls (clustering by lexical aspects: centroids, standard deviations and number of instances assigned to each cluster)<br>* elbow-gram kmeans.png (clustering by grammatical aspects: error curves obtained for applying elbow method to determinate the optimal number of clusters)<br>* cube-gramm kmeans.png (clustering by grammatical aspects: a three-dimensional representation of clusters obtained after applying k-means method)<br>* Grammatical_clusters (table) kmeans.xls (clustering by grammatical aspects: centroids, standard deviations and number of instances assigned to each cluster)<br>* elbow-lexgram kmeans.png (clustering by lexical and grammatical aspects: error curves obtained for applying elbow method to determinate the optimal number of clusters)<br>* Lexical_Grammatical_clusters (table) kmeans.xls (clustering by lexical and grammatical aspects: centroids, standard deviations and number of instances assigned to each cluster)<br>* Grammatical_clusters_number_of_words (table) kmeans.xls : number of words (from column 2 to 4) and sizes (last column) obtained per each cluster by applying k-means clustering to grammatical error ratios.<br>* Lexical_clusters_number_of_words (table) kmeans.xls : number of words (from column 2 to 4) and sizes (last column) obtained per each cluster by applying k-means clustering to lexical error ratios.<br>* Lexical_Gramm [...]

Virtual Worlds (VWs) are popular tools for teaching/learning in the twenty-first century classroom. The challenge remains however, to provide the means by which teachers could sustainably analyse and assess the performance of large groups of students in such environments. Unfortunately, external game features such as game scores and play duration have turned out to be unfair in some assessments. In this context, a case study was carried out in a foreign language course, illustrating how teachers could easily retrieve a number of performance indicators from VW-interaction logs and harness them to conduct a fine-grained analysis of students’ performance, while facilitating at the same time valuable tools for their assessment. Objective performance indicators in a server database were made accessible using an end-user development programming language. This way, a range of data visualisation methods could be employed to contrast different assumptions regarding learner performance when p...

Suspense is a key narrative issue in terms of emotional gratifications. Reactions in response to this type of entertainment are positively related to enjoyment, having a significant impact on the audience's immersion and suspension of disbelief. Related to computational modeling of this feature, some automatic storytelling systems include limited implementations of suspense management system in their core. In this way, the interest of this subject in the area of creativity has resorted to different definitions from fields as narratology and the film industry, as much as several proposals of its constituent features. Among their characteristics, uncertainty is one of the most discussed in terms of impact and need: while many authors affirm that uncertainty is essential to evoke suspense, others limit or reject its influence. Furthermore, the paradox of suspense reflects the problem of including uncertainty as a component required in suspense creation systems. Due to this need to ...

The growing spread of mobile technologies provides educators and developers with new opportunities for creating a wider range of language learning and assessment tools. In this paper we present a multi-user mobile learning system---specifically designed for this study. The system delivers an app version of a paper-based collaborative learning task successfully used for several years with undergraduate students in an A1-level German language course (CEFR). The collaborative learning task, called Terminkalender, requires students to work together to plan different activities and record them in an appointment calendar. While the paper-based version of the Terminkalender already had a great potential for engaging students to communicate and negotiate in the target language, the app-based mobile learning system facilitates students' language learning process---while at the same time allowing teachers to easily trace back learners' interaction in the target language. To this end, specific software implementing several features was developed: a user-friendly web portal interface for teachers, computer-generated anonymous learner identities, an in-app text chat function, real-time task performance feedback to learners as well as a log function for storage and assessment purposes. The experiment provides us with some interesting insights into language learner behaviour and interaction patterns, allowing to draw a number of preliminary conclusions regarding how task design and using a collaborative mobile learning system impacts both student interaction and task performance.

With increasing globalization, foreign language skills have become one of the main requirements when applying for a job in leading ICT companies. Due to their ubiquity and multi-functionality, mobile devices allow teachers to provide technology-friendly students with highly dynamic learning contents in line with their lifestyle. Unfortunately, most of the available APPs still support a mainly one-way interaction (teacher to learner or computer-client interaction). The authors have designed an APP based on a highly interactive, ubiquitous and constructive learning approach. The current paper illustrates firstly how the APP has helped learners to get actively involved in their own learning process sharing and assessing their foreign language knowledge. And secondly, how students' logs can be used to automate the assessment of different skills such as the ability to explain terms in a foreign language or to assess definitions created by other game players.

La creciente importancia de la industria del videojuego ha provocado que algunas universidades estén incorporando materias afines en sus planes de estudios. Es el caso de la Universidad de Cádiz, con la asignatura "Diseño de Videojuegos" de la titulación de Ingeniería Técnica en Informática de Sistemas. La asignatura se articula principalmente mediante aprendizaje basado en proyectos, desarrollando un videojuego en grupos de tres alumnos durante el cuatrimestre. Sin embargo, durante dos semanas los alumnos deben conseguir parte de su nota compitiendo con sus compañeros de clase. En este documento presentamos una experiencia de evaluación competitiva utilizada en dicha asignatura junto con una propuesta de mejora que será aplicada en el curso en marcha. La evaluación competitiva se realiza usando un sistema disponible como software libre que simula un juego de tablero de dos jugadores. Dicho juego se desarrolla por turnos en un entorno discreto basado en casillas, en el que...

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 6th Metadata and Semantics Research Conference, MTSR 2012, held in Cdiz, Spain, in November 2012. The 33 revised papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 85 submissions. The papers are organized in a general, main track and several others: a track on metadata and semantics for open access repositories, research information systems and infrastructures, a second on metadata and semantics for cultural collections and applications, and finally one on metadata and semantics for agriculture, food and environment.

PurposeThe purpose of this Guest Editorial is to introduce the papers in this special issue.Design/methodology/approachA brief summary of the main contributions of the papers included in this issue is provided.FindingsThe idea of this special issue was an outcome of the organization of activities of the First Online Conference on Metadata and Semantics Research (MTSR'05).Originality/valueThe emphasis on “semantics” addresses the importance of the languages in which metadata records are created, their adequacy for the functions to be enabled and their modular design to adapt to present and future requirements.

Virtual Worlds (VWs) have been widely used to support learning processes. One main advantage is providing valuable data on student behaviour and interaction. Nonetheless, most platforms provide only limited access to student logs. Moreover, accessing logs usually requires technical skills most teachers do not have. In this context, the authors present a Domain Specific Language (DSL) designed to allow teachers to generate queries for retrieving valuable log information with a view to obtain evidence on learner behaviour and interaction; hence, to aid in the analysis of in-world behaviour and learning processes. Since this data is automatically retrieved, the teacher can easily run new queries to refine indicators or contrast hypotheses. The authors describe a case study carried out with undergraduate German language students using a VW-based video game. The results provide a set of indicators for analysing individual and group behaviour measuring student competence to communicate in...

En las últimas dos décadas, los juegos educativos han sido ampliamente utilizados para mejorar el aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras. Los estudiantes generalmente se divierten aprendiendo mediante desafíos intelectuales. No obstante, no todos los juegos logran mejorar la educación de cada alumno de la misma forma y al mismo ritmo. Diferentes características del juego repercuten en la experiencia del aprendizaje. En el presente artículo presentamos un estudio preliminar para el diseño de un videojuego en el que enfocar aspectos psicológicos como el suspense con objeto de mejorar la atención del estudiante mientras que juega. De esta forma pretendemos no sólo enganchara los estudiantes a jugar varias veces al mismo juego, sino también conseguir un mayor aprendizaje en cada partida. En nuestro artículo, describimos cómo diferentes componentes emocionales (valencia, intensidad y control) pueden afectar al jugador. Esto se implementa en un prototipo de juego de detectives basado en el su...

Resumen Hoy en día, las composiciones de servicios web y el estándar OASIS WS-BPEL 2.0 juegan un papel importante en los procesos de ne-gocio. Sin embargo, asegurar la validez funcional de este tipo de software representa un reto debido a la escasez de sistemas que automaticen el proceso. Por otro lado, se están utilizando pruebas metamórficas para ge-nerar automáticamente casos de prueba que permitan probar programas escritos en lenguajes imperativos tradicionales. Sin embargo, a pesar deí exito conseguido, no han sido aplicadas a composiciones de servicios en WS-BPEL. Este trabajo propone el uso de pruebas metamórficas para la prueba de composiciones WS-BPEL. Se incluye un esquema y des-cripción de la arquitectura propuesta para su implementación, además de un caso de estudio. Los resultados obtenidos muestran las ventajas que las pruebas metamórficas presentan a la hora de generar automáti-camente nuevos casos de pruebas que permitan detectar errores en una composición WS-BPEL.