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

这个CAREER项目提出了一个基本问题，即网络工具和网络环境如何更好地促进工程学科的学习。 这项工作的理论框架是一个综合的情境学习理论和语义网理论（一个新的和不断发展的研究领域，在计算，对未来的网络工具和网络环境的重大影响）。 情境学习理论侧重于学生体验，而语义网站设计理论则侧重于描述和创建网络环境的过程。 本研究的具体目标包括：（1）了解教育工作者对网络工具和网络环境作为工程教学工具的期望;（2）描述大学生学习者如何与当前一代的在线仿真工具进行交互;（3）调查学习风格对大学生使用仿真工具的影响;（4）了解大学生使用仿真工具的情况。以及（4）创建和验证以学习者为中心的语义模式（也称为本体），以形成创建未来仿真网络工具的基础。 研究和教育的整合将通过开发在线“本科工程课程中使用网络环境指南”来实现。 这项研究将导致创建高度适应性和可定制的学习经验时，使用网络工具和网络环境作为工程课程的一部分。

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.