Open Learner Models in Smart Learning Environments

Smart learning environments (SLEs), like all adaptive learning systems, are built around the learner model and use it to support a variety of interventions such as mastery learning, scaffolding, adaptive sequencing, and adaptive navigation support. Open learner models (OLMs) “expose” the learner data to users through easily perceivable visual representations aiming to improve student self-reflection and self-regulated learning and also increase user motivation and even foster collaboration. This chapter presents the evolution and current state of OLMs, summarizes related research in the field emphasizing on OLM types, locus of control between the system and the user and visualizations categorized on the basis of quantized/continuous and structured/unstructured representations. OLM cases implementing typical SLEs features are described, along with representative real-life scenarios of incorporating OLMs in SLEs. Moreover, the chapter provides guidelines for designing effective OLMs and discusses current research trends in this active scientific field.

Cabot Science Library

Cabot Science Library has transformed from a traditional collections-based science library into an innovative hub for collaborative learning support. This chapter examines how a well-designed space and technology promotes effective learning and documents how Cabot functions as a smart learning environment. The interplay between a physical and digital environment at Cabot Science Library emphasizes learner mobility and engagement, collaboration, and discovery, enabling knowledge creation and sharing.

Educational Robotics in Smart Learning

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are the key courses for the students in the 21st century. There are several teaching approaches to improve the average scores in STEM education. Involvement of robots in the teaching-learning process plays an important role to transform and enhance the learning process. The technological advancement helps the students to translate the typical mathematics and science concept into real-word applications. In this chapter, some concepts of STEM have been implemented with the help of Bioloid educational robots. The educational robotics enhance the academic achievement of the students. The programming of the BioLoid robots is carried out using RoboPlus software, and the outcomes of the concrete mathematics concepts are shown physically.

Wamda

Teachers' professional development programs need to be reconsidered to meet their expectations in the new digital era. Thus, there is need to consider the importance of offering mobile, informal, and social learning in the workplace through smart utilization of the emerging mobile technologies. This chapter introduces the features of an innovative mobile and social learning platform, which aims at improving teachers' performance in the UAE and the Arab world by promoting knowledge and skill through better integration of ICT in the teaching and learning process and better adoption of learner-centric learning. A smart mobile learning platform called “Wamda” is providing micro-courses that are relevant to the curriculum, experiential, and immersive. It is designed to utilize the power of mobile learning technologies, artificial intelligence techniques, and social networking approach. Through this chapter, the critical pedagogical and technical aspects of creating a smart mobile learning environment were elaborated and checked against a list of attributes of smart systems.

Smart Lesson Planning Environments for Deeper Learning

This chapter is related to pre-service teachers preparing to teach in Kuwait public schools. Pre-service teachers were enrolled in an instructional technology course related to how to integrate emerging technologies, especially Web 2.0 tools, in their teaching. This course emphasized the connection between theory and practice reinforcing the process of how pre-service teachers smartly think about using web tools as means to enable them to experience deeper thinking when creating their lesson plans. This deeper thinking process will prepare them to transfer their gained experience into their actual teaching field. A conceptual model combining 7P-ILD with ASSURE model aided the design of the smart lesson planning environment. This design enables pre-service teachers to create innovative lesson ideas in the cloud environment. The lesson ideas and tools that were used to engage deeper learning enabled pre-service teachers to share their ideas with a wider audience and at the same time allowed the wider audience to assimilate these ideas into their own lesson structures.

Disrupting Learning of Statistics

Saudi Arabia, with its deeply conservative yet rapidly changing society, has adopted an ambitious blueprint for the future in Vision 2030. One of its goals is to increase women's participation in the workforce from 22% to 30%. This case study focused on Saudi female undergraduates undertaking an introductory statistics course. With an emphasis on disruption and smart learning, the author created interventions and tracked changes in attitudes and perceptions of students towards statistics from the beginning to the end of the course. Reusable online resources in the form of a series of content and problem-solving videos were introduced as the semester progressed. At the same time, an appreciative inquiry approach was used to foster a positive change environment. An online forum was created to encourage student discussion and feedback throughout the semester, and anonymous course evaluations were conducted at the end of course. Qualitative and quantitative results are presented here.

The Story of Ice

Increasing enrollment and costs in introductory geoscience classes are making the logistics of organizing on-location field trips challenging; but with modern technology, virtual field trips (VFTs) can provide a proxy. Students entering college today are digital natives with short attention spans, suggesting they would find a VFT appealing and easy to navigate. While not a replacement for an actual field trip, VTFs offer interactive alternatives to traditional lectures, and several have been successful in engaging and educating students. This proposed VFT utilizes the iconic geology of Yosemite National Park to teach the effects of climate change at geologic and anthropogenic timescales. The story is told along Yosemite's four roads and is designed for use as a roadside geology accompaniment in the park, or as a standalone interactive tool in the classroom. VFT stops narrate the geologic history of the area and use photos with illustrated overlays to further describe concepts.

Sa'i Smart Library Learning Lab

Nationally, schools are unable to cope with the increasing demands imposed upon the teachers and students as the learning systems have not changed. On the other hand, there is an increasing need for librarians to assist curriculum needs in schools and the national education agenda of UAE, of having human talents who are knowledge creators, have sufficient 21st century skills, lifelong learning habits, positive beliefs and behaviors, and knowledge and skills related to STREAM as well as a holistic personality. The role of public libraries could be extended further to work closely with schools in a systemic way that enables both entities to reach another milestone. Schools can establish another supportive educational after-school system to empower teachers and students. A more extensive and rigorous as well as controlled system that all stakeholders, teachers, and parents could share to provide the opportunity for students to be effective knowledge-contributors is planned and shared in this chapter.

Building Futures

As momentum builds around the fourth industrial revolution, it is imperative that schools equip the youth of today to succeed in the workforce of tomorrow. The use of smart learning environments (SLE) is an optimal way to prepare students for the future because the use of innovative technologies and elements allow for greater flexibility, effectiveness and adaption, engagement, motivation, and feedback for the learner. It is envisioned that the “smart” learners of the future will operate in SLE that are contextual, personalized, and seamless. The learning process in the SLE will facilitate their problem solving and promote their intellectual growth as lifelong learners. This study, then, demonstrates how educational robotics can be used by educators to equip students in the UAE for futures in STEM fields of study and work. It is claimed that students who build robots build futures for themselves and their communities: a worthy goal for Emirati students in 2018, The Year of Zayed.

The Smart Learning Potential of Turkey's Education System in the Context of FATIH Project

This chapter explores the FATIH project and examines and analyzes the views of school administrators on the contribution. Literature review and qualitative method are conducted so as to accomplish these goals. The project has a very high potential to contribute to the smart learning environment of Turkey. However, in practice, it needs to be implemented fully.