Keynote Talks

Human Learning as a side effect 

of Learning GRID services

Abstract

Even if the telescope of Galileo enabled the emergence of a new  
natural, experimental science (Astronomy) we cannot say that Astronomy  
is the Science of the telescope. Similarly, Informatics is not the  
Science of the computer. Technologies and Science are distinct and  
synergic. Often, scientific discovery has been a "serendipitous" side  
effect of technological advances.

In the same way, according to the CELDA manifesto, we are interested to  
report about advances in Cognition as well as advances in Digital  
Technologies. Most of Technology Enhanced Learning efforts are  
currently centered on the development of content and the identification  
of Web technologies enabling collaboration. However, Web technologies  
are not really suited for supporting collaboration, as they rely on a  
client-server, system centered, stateless service model, not a  
peer-to-peer, interactive, stateful, service centered one. Therefore,  
any advancement in the management of human  interactions on the Web is  
ad hoc and difficult if not impossible.

Recent advances on Grid Technologies, in particular the Semantic Grid,  
and the WSRF (Web Service Resource Framework) support persistent  
stateful services. We are studying, conceiving and developing some  
basic, but powerful Grid services for Human Learning (eg: the Virtual  
Desktop), within the EU IST Integrated Project ELeGI (www.elegi.org).  
Far from being "applications" of existing Grid concepts or Pedagogical  
guidelines, these services emerge from a deep comprehension of the  
foundations of the Grid research trends and simple intuitions on  
potential needs and priorities for human collaboration in general and  
collaborative learning in particular. Only retrospectively, the side  
effect of these services as a support to human learning has to be  
exploited and evaluated by educational psychologists in concrete  
scenarios where they will be used. The value added in simplicity for  
collaboration at a distance, however, does not need any demostration,  
is a fact.

Finally, our Agent Communication model, the STROBE model, seems to fit  
nicely within the WSRF Infrastructure (and viceversa), so that not only  
we may construct Grid services for Human learning, but also envison /  
model Grid services (Artificial Agents) learning from interactions with  
humans, solving at the same time the difficult problem of adaptation /  
personalization of systems to user's behavior.

References:
Pierluigi Ritrovato, Colin Allison, Stefano A. Cerri, Theo Dimitrakos,  
Matteo Gaeta, and Saverio Salerno (eds) Towards the Learning GRID:  
advances in Human Learning Services. To appear in the series: Frontiers  
in Artificial Intelligence and Applications, IOS Press (2005).

Stefano A. Cerri, Guy Gouardères and Roger Nkambou (eds) Learning GRID  
Services. Special Issue of the Applied Artificial Intelligence Journal  
(expected: 2005)

Technology-Enhanced Learning: 

The European Research Agenda

Abstract

Advances in technology, especially in intelligent systems, and in cognition and neuroscience are providing a new baseline from which to re-examine past models of ICT enabled learning, going beyond a purely technology-based approach. Research in this area is increasingly interdisciplinary.

EU-funded research in the field technology enhanced-learning aims at improving our knowledge of how we learn when using information and communication technologies for learning. It focuses on the development of the next generation of user-centred learning solutions, on the improvement of the learning process and the efficiency of learning for individuals and organisations.

The speech will illustrate activities, results and expected impact of European RTD projects in the field of technology-enhanced learning, and intends to stimulate a discussion on future challenges in this domain.

Bio

Marco Marsella is project officer at the European Commission, Directorate-General Information Society and Media - "Learning and Cultural Heritage" Unit.

He contributes to strategy development in technology enhanced learning  as well as to the implementation of the IST Programme of the 5th and 6th European Union Research Framework Programmes.