On-line Learning and Ontological Engineering

Introduction Although the burst of the internet bubble resulted in a slow down of network structural expansion, the use of the Web for distance learning is steadily growing. Web-based learning (for example, Boysen, & Van Gorp; 1997 and Frasson, Gauthier, & Lesgold, 1996) is increasing its presence all over the world. Web-based material is also increasing for traditional classroom teaching. Web-based methods make learning material available anywhere and anytime. This is a tremendous advantage over other methods. The primary focus of our university is teaching. Hence, the effectiveness of teaching is of high importance. Our basic approach is classroom based lecturing. However, we have been experimenting with distance learning and Web-based presentation. We offer remote learning classes and Web-based materials for traditional classes. In this paper we present some research results for web-based distance learning. This paper is organized as follows: * This section serves as an introduction to the subject of the paper. It also outlines the contributions of the paper. * The second section gives an overview of the web site organization of our courses. * The third section shows the ontological database organization of the courses. * The fourth section discusses our ontology discovery approach to learning. This is the key component of our system. * The rest of the paper is about tests and learning reinforcement methods. The key feature that differentiates our approach from others is in the use of learning templates. Our approach aims at helping students to learn the ontology of the course contents. In addition to the qualitative relationship among the concepts, we also make students learn the quantitative relationships manifested as mathematical formulae. However, this is based on the assumption that the instructors are able to afford significant amount of time themselves. The focus of this paper is on ontological engineering in the delivery of on-line computer courses. In addition to using ontological engineering and multimedia presentation, we also find that the making and selection of exercise and test questions is an important factor in effective learning. We provide ample exercises to the students for reinforcement learning. Organizing Course Material for the Web Each course web site usually includes the lecture material such as syllabus, slides and lecture notes (reading), assignments and projects, discussion forum, course related software and links to other sites. Some courses also include video and multimedia presentations, learning templates and ontological learning aids such as guided learning tools and automatic question generators. Student information is stored in a database on the server. Course Site Organization A typical course web site starts with a top level page that includes the syllabus and links to other pages for the course. The structure of the site is shown in Figure 1. A sample of top level page is shown in Figure 2. [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] From the top level page, the user can navigate to slides-and-notes pages, the code sample pages, the calendar, the lab and assignment pages and the class material pages. A user may also take the link to a discussion forum for the course. Students can express their opinions and views in the forum. They may also discuss about difficult concepts and assignment questions. An assessment page is sometimes available and the user can take a test to assess his/her understanding of the materials. In the end of a course period, students take on-line exams through an examination page. The results are stored in the database. [FIGURE 2 OMITTED] Slides and Lecture Notes In this paper, we address the issue of presentation and lecture notes in a unique way. Each week, we provide PowerPoint slides for the week's topic and they are periodically updated on the server. …