1. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 1 Empirical Evaluation of Learning Styles Adaptation Language Natalia Stash Alexandra Cristea Paul De Bra A3H June 20, 2006

2. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 2 Contents Motivation Application of learning styles adaptation language (LAG-XLS) in AHA! (Adaptive Hypermedia Architecture) Experimental Assignment Conclusions

3. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 3 “Authoring problem” Defining: - content alternatives & multiple paths through the content - adaptation techniques - whole user-interaction mechanism design Alleviating “Authoring problem” Improving reuse capabilities: (reuse of previously created material & other components) reuse of static & dynamic parts of the courseware Our solution Reuse of dynamics based on LS example: Adaptation language LAG-XLS (read as “LAG-excels”) Motivation 1

4. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 4 Evaluation of LAG-XLS: - understanding strategies creation and application - satisfaction with the presentation - ability to express variety of strategies Motivation 2

5. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 5 Contents Motivation Application of learning styles adaptation language (LAG-XLS) in AHA! (Adaptive Hypermedia Architecture) Experimental Assignment Conclusions

6. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 6 Types of Adaptive Strategies in LAG-XLS Instructional strategies - selection of media items - sorting information items - providing different navigation paths (breadth-first vs. depth-first) Instructional meta-strategies – inference or monitoring strategies. Preferences for: - certain types of information (eg. text vs. image) - reading order (eg. breadth-first vs. depth-first)

7. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 7 AHA! Adaptive Hypermedia Architecture

8. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 8 Graph Author tool

9. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 9 Presentation for Visual+Global Learner

10. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 10 Presentation for Verbal+Analytic Learner

11. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 11 Presentation for Active vs. Reflective Learner

12. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 12 Contents Motivation Application of learning styles adaptation language (LAG-XLS) in AHA! (Adaptive Hypermedia Architecture) Experimental Assignment Conclusions

13. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 13 Experimental Assignment AHA! installation Involvement as: - authors (using Graph Author tool, working with given applications & predefined strategies) - end-users (strategies visualization in given applications) Comparison of stated preferences and preferences induced by the system with Felder-Soloman ILS questionnaire results Modifying the existing strategies or creating new strategies Comments

14. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 14 Comparison: own stated preferences and ILS questionnaire results (in %)

15. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 15 Student’s LS & XML pre-knowledge (in number of students)

16. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 16 System induced preference the same as questionnaire result? (%)

17. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 17 Overall impression (in %)

18. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 18 Understanding the system (in %)

19. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 19 Satisfaction with (meta-)strategies (in %)

20. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 20 Contents Motivation Application of learning styles adaptation language (LAG-XLS) in AHA! (Adaptive Hypermedia Architecture) Experimental Assignment Conclusions

21. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 21 Conclusion 1 Students considered application of LS in AH a useful endeavor Theory and praxis do not always match in LS identification Students understood strategies application in AHA! quite well and were satisfied with the presentations However the students did not create any new strategies

22. TU e technische universiteit eindhoven / department of mathematics and computer science 22 Conclusion 2 Creation of a course that supports LS requires a lot of psychological knowledge Creation of ready to use strategies can be useful Experiments with LS specialists are necessary