Workshop Proceedings  May 19, 2001 San Antonio, TX St. Mary's University

Objective

As the number of web based learning environments such as adaptive hypermedia systems increases, the need for appropriate assessment methods increases as well.  However, evaluation is lacking in methodology and experimentation for many existing systems. The objective of this workshop is to address the validity of assessment methods used in web based learning environments and adaptive hypermedia.  This workshop hopes to discuss the current practices in assessment of these systems and recommend good techniques that can be used on current and future implementations. The workshop will take the first steps towards defining a set of methodologies that are agreed upon by researchers in the field.  This process will continue outside of the workshop through the creation of a discussion thread for Web based instruction and adaptive hypermedia system assessment.

Intended Audience

This workshop intends to bring together researchers and practitioners with expertise in diverse fields such as computer science, cognitive science, education and psychology. Students are encouraged to submit and participate in the workshop.

Topics of Interest

Web based learning environments and adaptive hypermedia systems that have been implemented and undergone some form of assessment, assessment of student learning and learning outcomes using web-based or adaptive systems, assessment methods and models, the theory of assessment with respect to other disciplines, dynamic assessment applied to web based learning environments and adaptive hypermedia, assessment methods such as using navigation paths, pathfinder analyses, analysis of paths to learn about student strategies. We are interested in both quantitative methods such as mentioned above and also qualitative methods such as students interviews and surveys.

Workshop Format

The workshop will begin with presentations from accepted papers.

The workshop participants will break out into groups that will address a set of questions that have been raised from the accepted papers.  The groups may look at working examples that use a specific assessment method.

The break out groups will give a report on their discussions.

The workshop members will discuss the assessment methods that were presented.

Submissions

We invite papers in which authors raise 2-3 important questions/issues that this community should address.  Authors will address these questions in their papers and discuss how their methods of evaluation address the issues raised.  Persons interested in participating should submit an original paper (no more than 6 pages) or a position paper (no more than 4 pages). Submit electronically to gilbert@eng.auburn.edu . Postscript, PDF and word are acceptable formats. In all submissions, please use fonts that are 10 points or larger and margins that are 1 inch or wider. Please include contact information for the first author and hardware/software requirements. All paper submissions will be reviewed by members of the organizing committee.

Researchers or practictioners that have implemented an adaptive learning system, we invite demo submissions. A demo submission requires the primary author/developer to give a demonstration of their system. Demo submission should include an extended abstract (no more than 4 pages) that describes your adaptive system, assessment technique(s) used on that system, hardware/software requirements for your demonstration and contact information for the primary author/developer.

Important Dates

15 March, 2001: Extended Abstracts and Demo Proposals submission

5 April, 2001: Notification of acceptance

25 April, 2001: Camera Ready Full Paper due

Organizing Committee

Juan E. Gilbert, Auburn University, gilbert@eng.auburn.edu
Roland Hübscher, Auburn University, roland@eng.auburn.edu
Sadhana Puntambekar, University of Connecticut, sadhana@uconnvm.uconn.edu