Table Of ContentMETHODOLOGIES, TOOLS
AND NEW DEVELOPMENTS
FOR E-LEARNING
Edited by Elvis Pontes, Anderson Silva,
Adilson Guelfi and Sérgio Takeo Kofuji
Methodologies, Tools and New Developments for E-Learning
Edited by Elvis Pontes, Anderson Silva, Adilson Guelfi and Sérgio Takeo Kofuji
Published by InTech
Janeza Trdine 9, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Copyright © 2012 InTech
All chapters are Open Access distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
license, which allows users to download, copy and build upon published articles even for
commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly credited, which
ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications. After this work
has been published by InTech, authors have the right to republish it, in whole or part, in
any publication of which they are the author, and to make other personal use of the
work. Any republication, referencing or personal use of the work must explicitly identify
the original source.
As for readers, this license allows users to download, copy and build upon published
chapters even for commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly
credited, which ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications.
Notice
Statements and opinions expressed in the chapters are these of the individual contributors
and not necessarily those of the editors or publisher. No responsibility is accepted for the
accuracy of information contained in the published chapters. The publisher assumes no
responsibility for any damage or injury to persons or property arising out of the use of any
materials, instructions, methods or ideas contained in the book.
Publishing Process Manager Ivona Lovric
Technical Editor Teodora Smiljanic
Cover Designer InTech Design Team
First published January, 2012
Printed in Croatia
A free online edition of this book is available at www.intechopen.com
Additional hard copies can be obtained from
Contents
Preface IX
Part 1 Methodologies and Tools 1
Chapter 1 Wikis and Blogs in E-Learning Context 3
Teodora Bakardjieva and Boyka Gradinarova
Chapter 2 XML Data Access via MOODLE Platform 23
Aleksandra Werner and Katarzyna Harężlak
Chapter 3 E-Learning Tools as Means for Improving
the Teaching-Learning Relation 47
Augustin Prodan, Paulina Mitrea, Mădălina Rusu,
Cornelia Revnic and Remus Câmpean
Chapter 4 Methods and Tools for Increasing
the Effectiveness of E-Learning 75
Donika Valcheva and Margarita Todorova
Chapter 5 Technological Transparency in the Age of Web 2.0:
A Case Study of Interactions in Internet-Based Forums 93
Kamran Shaikh, Vivek Venkatesh, Tieja Thomas, Kathryn Urbaniak,
Timothy Gallant, David I. Waddington and Amna Zuberi
Chapter 6 Exploring New Technological Tools for Education:
Some Prototypes and Their Pragmatical Classification 107
Luigia Simona Sica, Alessandra Delli Veneri and Orazio Miglino
Part 2 E-Learning Assessment 129
Chapter 7 E-Learning Evolution and Experiences
at the University of Zaragoza 131
José Luis Alejandre, Ana Allueva, Rafael Tolosana and Raquel Trillo
Chapter 8 Designing an Innovative Training Tool: A Formative
E-Assessment System for Project Management 149
Constanta-Nicoleta Bodea and Maria-Iuliana Dascalu
VI Contents
Chapter 9 ICTs and Their Applications in Education 169
Guadalupe Martínez, Ángel Luis Pérez,
Mª Isabel Suero and Pedro J. Pardo
Chapter 10 A Comparative Study Between E-Learning Features 191
Ajlan S. Al-Ajlan
Part 3 New Developments 215
Chapter 11 Collaborative E-Learning: Towards Designing an Innovative
Architecture for an Educational Virtual Environment 217
Michael K. Badawy
Chapter 12 Distributed Intelligent Tutoring System Architectures 241
Egons Lavendelis
Chapter 13 Developing Distributed Repositories
of Learning Objects 267
Salvador Otón, Antonio Ortiz, Luis de-Marcos,
Sergio Mazo de Dios, Antonio García,
Eva García, José R. Hilera and Roberto Barchino
Chapter 14 Bio-Inspired E-Learning Systems – A Simulation Case:
English Language Teaching 287
Moise Gabriela, Netedu Loredana and Toader Florentina Alina
Chapter 15 Creation of E-Learning Systems by Applying
Model-Based Instructional System Development
Environment and Platform Independent Models 309
Habib M. Fardoun and Daniyal M. Alghazzawi
Preface
In the last few years, technological innovations for computer systems have supported
real-time collaboration along the Internet. Social networks have become a new social
phenomenon and illustrate the real time collaboration well. They make possible for
communities to exchange assorted kinds of information; allowing users to keep in
touch with other users with common interests; and, ultimately, learners and
instructors can produce new knowledge.
In this line of thought, a variety of other tools can be mentioned, such as forums and
blogs that facilitate debate and solutions to several student’s problems and doubts, as
cloud computing and virtual environments, which are used share lectures, classes and
other resources among students, instructors and professors. Above and beyond
collaboration, technological innovations provide real-time interactivity as well.
Therefore, directly or indirectly, those emerging technologies are linked to E-learning,
since electronic features are used as the basis of information exchange, to enhance
teaching and/or learning. Basically, E-learning enables distance teaching or learning,
not necessarily requiring face-to-face classes but, using data exchange instead, mainly
through electronic resources such as communication networks - usually the Internet.
With the resources provided by communication technologies, E-learning has been
employed in multiple universities, as well as in wide range of training centers and
schools. This book presents a structured collection of chapters, dealing with the subject
and stressing the importance of E-learning. It shows the evolution of E-learning, with
discussion about tools, methodologies, improvements and new possibilities for long-
distance learning.
The book is divided into three sections and their respective chapters refer to three
macro areas. The first section of the book covers methodologies and tools applied for
E-learning, considering collaborative methodologies and specific environments.
The second section is about E-learning assessment, highlighting studies about E-
learning features and evaluations for different methodologies. The last section deals
with the new developments in E-learning, emphasizing subjects like knowledge
X Preface
building in virtual environments, new proposals for architectures in tutoring systems,
and case studies.
Professor Elvis Pontes,
Professor Anderson Silva,
Professor Adilson Guelfi and
Professor Sérgio Takeo Kofuji
Department of Electrical Engineering
Polytechnic School
University of São Paulo (USP)
Brazil
