Oleg Zaikin

Motivational and social aspects as interactions among teachers and students are essential for a successful educational process in an open distance learning (ODL) environment, and the goal of this book is to develop an interactive model to manage motivation between the participants of the learning process. The book deals with the important and topical problem of e-learning, closely connected with the use of modern information technologies in education. The focus is on developing an information management system for supporting the distance learning process in colleges and universities in the context of steadily expanding information technologies. On the basis of exiting standards (SCORM, etc.) as well as information systems and platforms (e.g., Moodle, etc.), the author proposes a coherent and original concept of modelling three ODL subprocesses: (1) an ontological model (how to represent the structure of didactic materials), (2) a motivation and collaboration model (how to motivate project process participants) and (3) a simulation model (how to realise the learning/project process). The proposed models constitute a theoretical formalization of a new situation in which a teacher and students are obligated to elaborate on didactic material repository content in accordance with the requirements of acquired competencies. A mathematical method based on game theory and simulation is suggested. The kind of educational system represented in the book can be used as a model of open distance learning aimed at active behaviour of students and teachers in not only the development of knowledge but also the acquiring of competencies.

In presented book the Intelligent Open Learning Systems (IOLS) are proposed, described, discussed, and evaluated. The IOLS is a system in which traditional methods of online teaching are enhanced through the use of artificial intelligence and cognitive science. This is the main topic of the book. It consists of ten chapters and is divided into three parts. The first part concentrates on the Open Learning System (OLS) analysis, in particular: the social and educational meanings of the OLS, the new role of the teacher and the new requirements regarding the structure of didactic material. Moreover, the cybernetic model of student, teacher and computer collaboration is presented, the teaching-learning process content and its main characteristics are discussed, and the system based approach to the OLS design is proposed. The second part is focused on the problem of knowledge modeling in the OLS based on the ontology and the competence approaches and leading to the learning object concept and competence management in open systems. The third part describes applications of the OLS in the virtual laboratory for competence transfer, the community-built system of distance learning network, and the AGH student city – the real-life application of the OLS concept. The authors’ research findings presented in the book should be useful in various applications related to knowledge management, e-learning systems and information systems.

In presented book the Intelligent Open Learning Systems (IOLS) are proposed, described, discussed, and evaluated. The IOLS is a system in which traditional methods of online teaching are enhanced through the use of artificial intelligence and cognitive science. This is the main topic of the book. It consists of ten chapters and is divided into three parts. The first part concentrates on the Open Learning System (OLS) analysis, in particular: the social and educational meanings of the OLS, the new role of the teacher and the new requirements regarding the structure of didactic material. Moreover, the cybernetic model of student, teacher and computer collaboration is presented, the teaching-learning process content and its main characteristics are discussed, and the system based approach to the OLS design is proposed. The second part is focused on the problem of knowledge modeling in the OLS based on the ontology and the competence approaches and leading to the learning object concept and competence management in open systems. The third part describes applications of the OLS in the virtual laboratory for competence transfer, the community-built system of distance learning network, and the AGH student city – the real-life application of the OLS concept. The authors’ research findings presented in the book should be useful in various applications related to knowledge management, e-learning systems and information systems.