CAREER: Advancing engineering education through learner-centric, adaptive cyber-tools and cyber-environments

这个职业项目提出了一个基本问题，即网络工具和网络环境如何能够更好地使工程学科的学习成为可能。这项工作的理论框架是情境学习理论和语义网理论的综合(语义网是计算中一个新的和不断发展的研究领域，对未来的网络工具和网络环境具有重大影响)。情境学习理论关注的是学生的体验，而语义网设计理论关注的是描述和创造网络环境的过程。该项目的具体目标包括：(1)了解教育者对网络工具和网络环境作为工程教学工具的期望；(2)描述本科生如何与当前一代的仿真工具在线交互；(3)调查学习风格对本科生使用仿真工具的影响；(4)创建并验证以学习者为中心的语义图式--也称为本体--为创建未来的仿真网络工具奠定基础。研究和教育的整合将通过开发一个在线的“在本科工程课程中使用网络环境指南”来实现。这项研究将导致在使用网络工具和网络环境作为工程课程的一部分时，创造高度适应性和可定制的学习体验。

This CAREER project poses the fundamental question of how can cyber-tools and cyber-environments better enable learning in the engineering disciplines. The theoretical framework for this work is a synthesis of situated learning theory and theories of semantic web (a new and evolving area of study in computing that has major implications for future cyber-tools and cyber-environments). While situated learning theory focuses on the student experience, theories of semantic web design focus on the process of characterizing and creating cyber-environments. The specific goals of this project include: (1) understand educators' expectations of cyber-tools and cyber-environments as engineering teaching tools; (2) characterize how undergraduate learners interact with the current generation of simulation tools online; (3) investigate the influence of learning styles on undergraduate students' use of simulation tools; and (4) create and validate a learner-centric semantic schema- also called ontology - to form the foundation for the creation of future simulation cyber-tools. Integration of research and education occur will through the development of an online "Guide to using cyber-environments in the undergraduate engineering curriculum". This research will lead to the creation of highly adaptive and customizable learning experiences when using cyber-tools and cyber-environments as part of the engineering curricula.