Ateneo Laboratory for the Learning Sciences

The ALLS Lecture Series Thursday
28 September 2017, 3:00 to 4:30
Ateneo de Manila University, F-223
ADMISSION IS FREE

Leveraging an Existing Learning Management  System for Alternative Learning
Mikaela T. Malit

Abstract: Alternative learning is a practical option for interested learners that have not attended or finished formal basic education. In the Philippines, the Department of Education offers many alternative learning and non-formal programs for every kind of Filipino. While there have been initiatives to integrate information and communication technologies (ICT) in these programs, the use of modern ICT has not been fully realized. This study investigated the effectiveness of introducing an existing learning management system (LMS) as a supplement to the Accreditation and Equivalency Alternative Learning System (ALS) program of the Department of Education. The LMS was intended to aid learning and improve performance by enabling online access to learning materials, delivery of real-time feedback through self-checking interactive quizzes, and self-monitoring of learning progress. A dynamic quiz generation plugin was developed and integrated with Moodle to create interactive quizzes from existing static learning materials. LMS use was monitored in an eight-week implementation in two learning centers where learning gains, LMS usage, usability, access, response, and overall experience were assessed. Evaluation of the LMS yielded favorable ratings in usability, and access and response as an online learning environment. Overall, the student and teacher respondents viewed the LMS as a helpful learning tool and encouraged its use in other learning centers and in the future. Feedback and suggestions were also gathered from the respondents during evaluation which can be used to improve the LMS.

Mikaela T. Malit finished her BS in Management Information Systems at the Ateneo de Manila University in 2016. She has successfully defended her MS in Computer Science thesis recently and is expected to graduate by the end of the year. Her research interests are Applied Computing in Education, Learning Management Systems, and E-learning.

To register, please fill out this Google form.

The ALLS Lecture Series
Thursday, 31 August 2017, 3:00 to 4:30
Ateneo de Manila University, F-223

ADMISSION IS FREE

Advances in RGB-camera based hand tracking and gesture recognition
Antonio Rafael Umali

Abstract:
While hand tracking and gesture recognition is relatively easy to perform using specialized equipment and sensors, achieving it in a more human-like manner, that is from pure RGB vision, has proven to be a difficult task. This talk will discuss and focus on real-time methods for hand tracking and gesture recognition using fast feature detection and hand model construction. This talk will also discuss interpreting different hand gestures based on the model state and using them as inputs for various applications.

Antonio Rafael Umali finished his BS in Computer Science, majoring in Interactive Multimedia at the Ateneo de Manila University in 2013. He spent 1 year working at a game development startup, called Skillshot Labs, before moving to the Worcester, Massachusetts to pursue a graduate degree in Computer Science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2014. He graduated with his masters, specializing in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, in 2016. His graduate master’s thesis was accepted as a publication at ICRA 2017, and was presented last June 2017. Antonio Rafael Umali is currently working at the Ateneo de Manila University as a part time lecturer and project assistant, working on a hand-gesture recognition project.

To register, please fill out this Google form.

The 25th International Conference on Computers in Education (ICCE 2017) is organized by the Asia-Pacific Society for Computers in Education (APSCE). ICCE 2017 will be held in the Rydges Latimer hotel, Christchurch, New Zealand, from December 4th to 8th 2017 (Mon to Fri).

Below is the complete ALLS ICCE 2017 lineup.

Full papers

• Jenilyn Agapito and Ma. Mercedes Rodrigo. Designing an Intervention for Novice Programmers Based on Meaningful Gamification: An Expert Evaluation
• Cristina Dumdumaya, Michelle Banawan, Ma. Mercedes T. Rodrigo, Noburo Matsuda, Evelyn Yarzebinski and Amy Ogan.   Investigating the effects of Cognitive and Metacognitive Scaffolding on Learners using a Learning by Teaching Environment

Short papers

• Michelle Banawan, Ma. Mercedes Rodrigo and Juan Miguel Andres.  Predicting Student Carefulness within an Educational Game for Physics using Support Vector Machines
• Ma. Mercedes T. Rodrigo. Exploratory Analysis of Discourses between Students Engaged in a Debugging Task
• Maureen Villamor and Ma. Mercedes Rodrigo.  Impact of Both Prior Knowledge and Acquaintanceship on Collaboration and Performance: A Pair Program Tracing and Debugging Eye-Tracking Experiment

Posters

• Maureen Villamor and Ma. Mercedes Rodrigo.  Exploring Lag Times in a Pair Tracing and Debugging Eye-Tracking Experiment
• Mikaela Malit and Ma. Mercedes Rodrigo.  Leveraging An Existing Learning Management System For Alternative Learning