Semantic Web and End-User Programming Techniques for E-Learning

Introduction

Although web modelling tools are available, it still takes a lot of effort to adapt these tools for educational use. Research is needed on creating Semantic Web models that educators can use to create learning objects and models. This educational modelling research should focus on creating a web-based knowledge management system and the migration of simple models normally created in spreadsheets to a shared learning environment.

With the development of technologies under the broad terms of the Semantic Web and Web 2.0, there are opportunities to establish a highly interactive web-based learning environment. The constructive approach to understanding problems is to get to know them by modelling them. This approach can be used in conjunction with research into end-user programming techniques to provide an environment for non-programmers to model their problems. Visualization and interaction provide rapid feedback that enables a powerful representation of the environment to be modeled.

Many people would like to make more use of computer technology, but are hindered by the need to learn programming languages to fully interact with software. Instead, they are limited to using certain features that are provided for them. Another problem is the cost of software. It’s important to make free software and build a community of people who use it and make models.

The goal should be to create a software development environment where people can customise their own software solutions. This is an alternative to providing software as a finished item that cannot be changed. The e-learning software can be customised without programming knowledge.

Methodology

A Semantic Web modelling infrastructure could be created as a foundation for future research on learning systems. To achieve these goals, it is important to examine and critically assess applications that aid in model building. The system we could use to promote technology to a sceptical public that sees the profession as poorly paid and dirty, The House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology has issued two reports: science and society [1] and far from the public [2].The aim of this research is to try to bring together the areas of e-learning, end-user programming, and the semantic web.

Since Engelbart’s Augment [3], attempts have been made to create systems to facilitate learning. Papert [4] and Smith [5] built on the augment research to develop a method of human-computer interaction (HCI) that can be applied to e-learning. These systems were defined before the Semantic Web. It is now important to re-examine and apply this research using semantic web/Web 2.0 tools and techniques. Some examples are available [6]. More information on the history of end-user programming is available [7].

Web 2.0 [8] application mechanisms include Google Web Spreadsheets [9]. These applications are growing in popularity and can provide modelling capabilities over the web. [10] explores the use of Web 2.0 for public policy. The advantages of open source collaboration are that researchers can not only collaborate and share an interest; it also makes it possible to develop the untapped potential of those who do not have an official research position. Think students, people working outside academia, retirees, and amateurs with useful expertise. For example, astronomy has harnessed the skills of this very diverse group of people to make new discoveries. The expertise of all involved can be applied to feedback on usability or ease of use of software, as well as actual involvement in software development. This means that feedback from software users would be sought even if they were not software experts. Researchers would benefit the community by providing educational resources online and for libraries. This is different from other open source communities in that the goal is to make the software easier to use and develop, allowing people who couldn’t do this before to get involved.

An e-learning and modelling tool could bring together experts in science, engineering, systems modeling, computer science, web development, and human-computer interaction. In each location, there are likely to be multiple researchers investigating different parts of a related general topic, such as web-based systems. This means that there is a need to coordinate researchers in computer science and engineering in a project to link information management and visualisation work together for modelling and decision support.

Many people who are experts in their domain want to create software models. Scaffidi et al. [11] show that most people who develop software are end users and not professional programmers. End-user programming is particularly important in this research to enable people without a programming background to create their own learning resources. Semantic web tools and techniques can be used to create a web-based programming environment for end users. These goals are also described in [12]. People can then use this to create their own software. This software can enable interactive visual modelling of information. This is similar to the kind of work normally done with modelling spreadsheets and knowledge management web editors.

Web Tools for Semantic/Web 2.0

There is a need for an alternative way to represent these models that does not require the user to write code. The created tool should make it practical to deal with and change educational models and share information with others. Such a project may involve the use of editing tools such as wikis [13] [14] [15], blogs, and semantic web editors [16] [17] [18] to discuss and explain the models.

There is an urgent need for Semantic Web tools to illustrate the benefits this technology can bring to education. “EASE: The European Association for Semantic Web Education” [19] explains this need. Some Semantic Web tools are available, explained by EASE at the Jena User Conference [20] or in development, but they are still difficult for people to use because they require a lot of development expertise. REASE (EASE’s Learning Unit Repository) [21] provides a way to find and create learning materials for industrial applications of semantic web technologies.

The main problem is enabling a Semantic Web infrastructure that will form the basis for future research on learning systems. To achieve this, a modelling environment must be created so that people can modify their own models. This environment can be created using an open standard language such as XML (eXtensible Markup Language). As a high-level translation, this infrastructure would rely on tools designed to assist the user, provide an interface, and manage the user interface. Therefore, tools such as Protégé [13], Amaya [16], [17], [18] should be used. Until recently, XML was used to represent information and programming languages were used for actual code. Semantic languages such as XML can be applied to both software development and information representation as they provide a higher declarative view of the problem. Semantic web techniques should be used because they can facilitate computer-based communication. Berners-Lee defined the semantic web as “a web of data that can be directly or indirectly processed by machines” [22]. Flexibility is essential when different people don’t all use the same systems. To achieve this flexibility, ontology languages such as the open standard OWL (Web Ontology Language) [23] can be used. OWL is searchable with SPARQL [24] because it is based on RDF (Resource Description Framework)/XML and can be searched and opened with XQuery [25] and XForms [26]. a web of data that can be directly or indirectly processed by machines [22]. Flexibility is essential when different people don’t all use the same systems. To achieve this flexibility, ontology languages such as the open standard OWL (Web Ontology Language) [23] can be used. OWL is searchable with SPARQL [24] because it is based on RDF (Resource Description Framework)/XML and can be searched and opened with XQuery [25] and XForms [26]. a web of data that can be directly or indirectly processed by machines [22]. Flexibility is essential when different people don’t all use the same systems. To achieve this flexibility, ontology languages such as the open standard OWL (Web Ontology Language) [23] can be used. OWL is searchable with SPARQL [24] because it is based on Resource Description Framework (RDF)/XML and can be searched and opened with XQuery [25] and XForms [26].

End-user programming

An end-user programming project could involve collaboration with the Institute for End-User Computing (IEUC) [27]. Other end-user programming consortiums are End-Users Shaping Effective Software (EUSES) [28] and the Network of Excellence on End-User Development (EUD.Net) [29]. An end-user programming environment can use “Program Transformation.” Program transformation makes it possible to write in one representation or language and translate it into another. This is especially useful for language-independent programming or for high-level end-user programming that can then be translated into a language that computer systems can more easily understand. This research is influenced by the theory of constructivism explained in [30] and the use of Logo for education [31] and [32]. This research could focus in particular on the web environment and human-

computer interaction.

The use of the semantic web should be a means of open standard representation of learning materials, transformation to different representations as required, and provision of a high-level interface as a tool for modelling and translation into educational objects. To achieve this, it is necessary to create a translator that converts the schematic representation of a problem into e-learning objects. The visualisation of the created model can be displayed on the web in any programming or meta-programming language or open standard language for information display. A two-way translation is needed between humans and computers, and between different software environments. This definition used by Simons and Parmee [33] explains the target as “a type of action that occurs when two or more objects have an effect on each other. The idea of a two-way effect is essential to the concept of interaction, as opposed to a one-way causal effect.

This communication strategy improves end-user programming, information sharing, and educational capabilities for both users and computer software. The analogy of teaching computer software to do what the user intends to do is mentioned in the chapter “Watch What I Do: Programming by Demonstration” [34]. The user has the role of educator of the software, acting as a learner to learn what is needed. Thus, learners are able to instruct the software and thus programme solutions, using an adaptive modelling tool. Education is then a two-way process where the user learns from computer-based software and teaches the software to do what the user needs. In order to understand the models and e-learning objects, it is essential to visualise them and enable interaction. The visualisation can be displayed in different ways. Two examples are: as a tree (which can be color-coded to represent different types of information) and as an interactive SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) diagram of a component to be modeled. SVG is an XML-based syntax and thus can be searched and modelled as such. Examples show a tree-based representation of technical components [35] and how a tree-based representation is converted into an interactive schematic representation [36]. Transformations are performed between a taxonomy representation of information in many different visualisations and software representations. This process converts an abstract representation of a problem into a concrete model created using two-way communication between the user and the modelling tool. As a tree (which can be color-coded to represent different types of information) and as an interactive SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) diagram of a component to be modeled SVG is an XML-based syntax and thus can be searched and modelled as such. Examples show a tree-based representation of technical components [35] and how a tree-based representation is converted into an interactive schematic representation [36]. Transformations are performed between a taxonomy representation of information in many different visualisations and software representations. This process converts an abstract representation of a problem into a concrete model created using two-way communication between the user and the modelling tool. As a tree (which can be color-coded to represent different types of information) and as an interactive SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) diagram of a component to be modeled SVG is an XML-based syntax and thus can be searched and modelled as such. Examples show a tree-based representation of technical components [35] and how a tree-based representation is converted into an interactive schematic representation [36]. Transformations are performed between a taxonomy representation of information in many different visualisations and software representations. This process converts an abstract representation of a problem into a concrete model created using two-way communication between the user and the modelling tool.

Highly interactive web pages that behave like programmes to provide a user interface can be used to provide an interactive user-driven programming environment. These interactive web pages may be based on visual programming languages such as Alice [37]. Interactive web programmes can also be created using scripting languages and XML combinations such as AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML), which is a generic name for techniques for creating highly interactive web pages. Ajax techniques for creating interactive web models will assist computer-literate end users in programming tasks on the web [38].

Collaboration Modeling

Huhns [39] and Patern [40] both explain the need for alternatives to the current approach to software development. The need is to translate from a model-based visual representation that is understood by users to software. Johnson [41] explains that successful interaction requires mapping between levels of abstraction, and the translation between these levels of abstraction required by users and computers is difficult. He explains that this problem often means creating systems that help the user deal with the problems of mistranslation. The display of rules and information can be shown schematically. It is possible to describe algorithms through concrete examples instead of abstract ones. Models should be designed and visualised in such a way that they give users a picture of a problem that helps them understand it.

Conclusion

The benefits of this study are: creating

an open standard online e-learning environment usable by non-programmers; –

Enabling e-learning objects by non-programmers –

Enable widespread dissemination and sharing of models over the Internet. –

Providing an educational resource for students, scientists, engineers, software developers, the arts, and business. –

Greater involvement of users in the development of e-learning to save costs and time for this development, and to create and use more learning resources.

Availability of e-learning models and interactive visualisation of educational objects on a much larger scale using browser-based software. –

Enabling many more people to program. –

Opening up opportunities to people who are currently outside of formal education.

This research can bridge the gap between computer-literate people and the creation of e-learning software. This could be a practical illustration of the benefits that end-user programming and Semantic Web techniques can bring to e-learning.