METHODOLOGIES, TOOLS AND NEW DEVELOPMENTS FOR E-LEARNING Edited by Elvis Pontes, Anderson Silva, Adilson Guelfi and Sérgio Takeo Kofuji Methodologies, Tools and New Developments for E-Learning Edited by Elvis Pontes, Anderson Silva, Adilson Guelfi and Sérgio Takeo Kofuji Published by InTech Janeza Trdine 9, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia Copyright © 2012 InTech All chapters are Open Access distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license, which allows users to download, copy and build upon published articles even for commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly credited, which ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications. After this work has been published by InTech, authors have the right to republish it, in whole or part, in any publication of which they are the author, and to make other personal use of the work. Any republication, referencing or personal use of the work must explicitly identify the original source. As for readers, this license allows users to download, copy and build upon published chapters even for commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly credited, which ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications. Notice Statements and opinions expressed in the chapters are these of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of the editors or publisher. No responsibility is accepted for the accuracy of information contained in the published chapters. The publisher assumes no responsibility for any damage or injury to persons or property arising out of the use of any materials, instructions, methods or ideas contained in the book. Publishing Process Manager Ivona Lovric Technical Editor Teodora Smiljanic Cover Designer InTech Design Team First published January, 2012 Printed in Croatia A free online edition of this book is available at www.intechopen.com Additional hard copies can be obtained from orders@intechweb.org Methodologies, Tools and New Developments for E-Learning, Edited by Elvis Pontes, Anderson Silva, Adilson Guelfi and Sérgio Takeo Kofuji p. cm. ISBN 978-953-51-0029-4 Contents Preface IX Part 1 Methodologies and Tools 1 Chapter 1 Wikis and Blogs in E-Learning Context 3 Teodora Bakardjieva and Boyka Gradinarova Chapter 2 XML Data Access via MOODLE Platform 23 Aleksandra Werner and Katarzyna Harężlak Chapter 3 E-Learning Tools as Means for Improving the Teaching-Learning Relation 47 Augustin Prodan, Paulina Mitrea, Mădălina Rusu, Cornelia Revnic and Remus Câmpean Chapter 4 Methods and Tools for Increasing the Effectiveness of E-Learning 75 Donika Valcheva and Margarita Todorova Chapter 5 Technological Transparency in the Age of Web 2.0: A Case Study of Interactions in Internet-Based Forums 93 Kamran Shaikh, Vivek Venkatesh, Tieja Thomas, Kathryn Urbaniak, Timothy Gallant, David I. Waddington and Amna Zuberi Chapter 6 Exploring New Technological Tools for Education: Some Prototypes and Their Pragmatical Classification 107 Luigia Simona Sica, Alessandra Delli Veneri and Orazio Miglino Part 2 E-Learning Assessment 129 Chapter 7 E-Learning Evolution and Experiences at the University of Zaragoza 131 José Luis Alejandre, Ana Allueva, Rafael Tolosana and Raquel Trillo Chapter 8 Designing an Innovative Training Tool: A Formative E-Assessment System for Project Management 149 Constanta-Nicoleta Bodea and Maria-Iuliana Dascalu VI Contents Chapter 9 ICTs and Their Applications in Education 169 Guadalupe Martínez, Ángel Luis Pérez, Mª Isabel Suero and Pedro J. Pardo Chapter 10 A Comparative Study Between E-Learning Features 191 Ajlan S. Al-Ajlan Part 3 New Developments 215 Chapter 11 Collaborative E-Learning: Towards Designing an Innovative Architecture for an Educational Virtual Environment 217 Michael K. Badawy Chapter 12 Distributed Intelligent Tutoring System Architectures 241 Egons Lavendelis Chapter 13 Developing Distributed Repositories of Learning Objects 267 Salvador Otón, Antonio Ortiz, Luis de-Marcos, Sergio Mazo de Dios, Antonio García, Eva García, José R. Hilera and Roberto Barchino Chapter 14 Bio-Inspired E-Learning Systems – A Simulation Case: English Language Teaching 287 Moise Gabriela, Netedu Loredana and Toader Florentina Alina Chapter 15 Creation of E-Learning Systems by Applying Model-Based Instructional System Development Environment and Platform Independent Models 309 Habib M. Fardoun and Daniyal M. Alghazzawi Preface In the last few years, technological innovations for computer systems have supported real-time collaboration along the Internet. Social networks have become a new social phenomenon and illustrate the real time collaboration well. They make possible for communities to exchange assorted kinds of information; allowing users to keep in touch with other users with common interests; and, ultimately, learners and instructors can produce new knowledge. In this line of thought, a variety of other tools can be mentioned, such as forums and blogs that facilitate debate and solutions to several student’s problems and doubts, as cloud computing and virtual environments, which are used share lectures, classes and other resources among students, instructors and professors. Above and beyond collaboration, technological innovations provide real-time interactivity as well. Therefore, directly or indirectly, those emerging technologies are linked to E-learning, since electronic features are used as the basis of information exchange, to enhance teaching and/or learning. Basically, E-learning enables distance teaching or learning, not necessarily requiring face-to-face classes but, using data exchange instead, mainly through electronic resources such as communication networks - usually the Internet. With the resources provided by communication technologies, E-learning has been employed in multiple universities, as well as in wide range of training centers and schools. This book presents a structured collection of chapters, dealing with the subject and stressing the importance of E-learning. It shows the evolution of E-learning, with discussion about tools, methodologies, improvements and new possibilities for long- distance learning. The book is divided into three sections and their respective chapters refer to three macro areas. The first section of the book covers methodologies and tools applied for E-learning, considering collaborative methodologies and specific environments. The second section is about E-learning assessment, highlighting studies about E- learning features and evaluations for different methodologies. The last section deals with the new developments in E-learning, emphasizing subjects like knowledge X Preface building in virtual environments, new proposals for architectures in tutoring systems, and case studies. Professor Elvis Pontes, Professor Anderson Silva, Professor Adilson Guelfi and Professor Sérgio Takeo Kofuji Department of Electrical Engineering Polytechnic School University of São Paulo (USP) Brazil . METHODOLOGIES, TOOLS AND NEW DEVELOPMENTS FOR E-LEARNING Edited by Elvis Pontes, Anderson Silva, Adilson Guelfi and Sérgio Takeo Kofuji Methodologies, Tools and New. standalone version and can be seen as personal information managers. An example of a Methodologies, Tools and New Developments for E-Learning 8 personal wiki is Pimki (http://pimki.rubyforge.org),. obtained from orders@intechweb.org Methodologies, Tools and New Developments for E-Learning, Edited by Elvis Pontes, Anderson Silva, Adilson Guelfi and Sérgio Takeo Kofuji p. cm. ISBN