The scarcity of the planet's water resources is a concern of several international entities and g... more The scarcity of the planet's water resources is a concern of several international entities and governments. Smart solutions for water quality monitoring are gaining prominence with advances in communication technology. This work's primary goal is to develop a new online system to monitor and manage water resources, called Internet of Water Things (IoWT). The proposed system's objective would be to control and manage raw water resources. Thus, it has developed a platform based on the server-less architecture and Internet of Things Architectural Reference Model, in which it is applied in a simulation environment, considering several electronic devices to validate its performance. For this research, there is a system for capturing raw water from tubular wells. Each well has a level sensor, a temperature sensor and a rain gauge. The data is collected every minute by an electronic device and sent every hour to the IoWT system. From data analysis, the amount of memory allocated to functions minimally interferes with efficiency. The IoWT system, applied in a real case, consists of connecting a device installed in a water well to the platform, where the data is transmitted through a 3G network and then processed. Thus, the proposed approach has great potential to be considered a complementary tool in monitoring raw water and assisting in decision-making for the management of water resources.
Learning Analytics is the intelligent use of data generated from students with the objective of u... more Learning Analytics is the intelligent use of data generated from students with the objective of understanding and improving the teaching and learning process. Currently, there is a lack of tools to measure the development of complex skills in real classroom environments that are flexible enough to add and process data from different sensors and oriented towards a massive public. Based on this finding, we developed a free software system that permits to capture and to visualize a set of 10 body postures using the Microsoft Kinect sensor, along with the ability to track custom body postures and data from other sensors. The developed tool was validated by means of precision and usability tests. Furthermore, with the goal of demonstrating the potential of incorporating this type of software into the classroom, the software was used as a tool to give feedback to the teacher and to the students at the moment of giving and evaluating oral presentations. Also, a clustering analysis of data gathered from 45 student presentations indicate that presentations on similar topics with also similar complexity levels can be successfully discriminated.
Computational Thinking represents a terminology that embraces the complex set of reasoning proces... more Computational Thinking represents a terminology that embraces the complex set of reasoning processes that are held for problem stating and solving through a computational tool. The ability of systematizing problems and solve them by these means is currently being considered a skill to be developed by all students, together with Language, Mathematics and Sciences. Considering that Computer Science has many of its roots on Mathematics, it is reasonable to ponder if and how Mathematics learning can be influenced by offering activities related to Computational Thinking to students. In this sense, this article presents a Systematic Literature Review on reported evidences of Mathematics learning in activities aimed at developing Computational Thinking skills. Forty-two articles which presented didactic activities together with an experimental design to evaluate learning outcomes published from 2006 to 2017 were analyzed. The majority of identified activities used a software tool or hardware device for their development. In these papers, a wide variety of mathematical topics has been being developed, with some emphasis on Planar Geometry and Algebra. Conversion of models and solutions between different semiotic representations is a high level cognitive skill that is most frequently associated to educational outcomes. This review indicated that more recent articles present a higher level of rigor in methodological procedures to assess learning effects. However, joint analysis of evidences from more than one data source is still not frequently used as a validation procedure.
Los cursos de pregrado relacionados con fundamentos de programacion de computadores tienen frecue... more Los cursos de pregrado relacionados con fundamentos de programacion de computadores tienen frecuentemente altas tasas de reprobacion. Por otro lado, el uso de material didactico tal como Scratch y Robots Lego, tienen un alto potencial para desarrollar una aplicacion mas tangible y concreta de las habilidades requeridas para la programacion. En este articulo presentamos la experiencia del curso de estos elementos en el curso de Fundamentos de Programacion, el cual esta dirigido a estudiantes de Ingenieria en Informatica de una universidad chilena. Los resultados muestran un incremento considerable en la tasa de aprobacion de los estudiantes que cursan la asignatura por primera oportunidad.
2018 13th Annual Conference on System of Systems Engineering (SoSE), 2018
Advances in health technologies have been proposed in studies aimed at improving the quality of l... more Advances in health technologies have been proposed in studies aimed at improving the quality of life of older people. Ambient assisted living supports elderly adults and people with special needs during their daily activities. This concept aims to maintain the independence of users, giving them autonomy in daily life activities in addition to increasing their quality of life, well-being, and safety. In this work, two tools that are part of a ADL SoS-based Platform are presented: one low-cost sensor to detect nocturia and a complete module for identifying fall potential. Experimental results show that our work can be implemented in ambient assisted living as smart-home devices, in laboratories, or any other place, and that it is competitive compared to other developed tools.
Following an approach that has been pursued by many engineering programs that are outcomes based ... more Following an approach that has been pursued by many engineering programs that are outcomes based accredited, this paper describes the process of designing and implementing the curricula in the College of Engineering of the Universidad de Valparaíso in Chile, using a backwards design approach and also focusing on addressing stakeholders’ needs through students’ outcomes. Driven by the Chilean government through funding from MINEDUC (its educational development branch), this University has undertaken the task to completely revamp its engineering curricula by engaging faculty, students and industry, together with international collaborators from Argentina, Puerto Rico and Spain. A specific challenge for this redesign is the low performance of Chilean secondary students in international science and mathematics tests, that is tackled by putting an S.T.E.M. emphasis in the overall process. Using the mentioned backwards design approach, the multi-disciplinary, multi-national, multi-stakeho...
Anais dos Workshops do VI Congresso Brasileiro de Informática na Educação (CBIE 2017), Oct 27, 2017
Techniques related to Multimodal Learning Analytics may be useful to evaluate the previous level ... more Techniques related to Multimodal Learning Analytics may be useful to evaluate the previous level of expertise of students engaged in learning activities related to programming. In this article we present the preliminary results of an experiment with students who describe the strategies they applied to develop two algorithms. Five emotional states were detected through an analysis of speech recordings. The results were clustered using Self-Organizing Maps and indicated that speech excerpts associated to sadness and fear were related to participants with less experience in programming or with a lower self-evaluation.
International Journal on Computational Thinking (IJCThink), Oct 9, 2017
Most of us think that the world exists pretty much as it looks and sounds and feels to us. It see... more Most of us think that the world exists pretty much as it looks and sounds and feels to us. It seems to you that you are presently seated in a chair, reading this book, so you probably also believe it; you hold it to be true that you are sitting there, in the chair, reading. That it rarely occurs to you to articulate this sort of thought is irrelevant. All that matters is that, once pointed out, it seems obviously, perhaps trivially, true. Who would ever dare to question it? But Thomas Anderson, likewise, believes himself to be a tax-paying, landlady-helping program writer for a respectable software company. (Of course, he also believes in his "other life" of criminal activity conducted under the hacker alias 'Neo,' but this life is kept hidden only from the authorities, and not from Anderson himself.) In this sense, Anderson's beliefs about reality are like yours and mine, and as such they explain why it is so painful for him to learn that the world he thinks he lives in, the world as it appears to him every day, is not at all real. Instead, the comfortable realm in which Anderson seems to go about his ordinary life is in fact a vast, deliberate deception produced in his brain by a system of intelligent computers that grows, cultivates, and harvests humans as a renewable energy source.
Learning analytics consists of gathering and analyzing data from students in order to understand ... more Learning analytics consists of gathering and analyzing data from students in order to understand complex aspects of the learning process and promote its improvement. Currently, to the best of our knowledge, there is a lack of tools aimed at displaying multimodal data in an integrated way for general purpose analysis. In this paper, we present a free software tool based on the Microsoft Kinect sensor for automatic capture, identification, and visualization of ten body postures for posterior analysis. It is also possible to incorporate the identification of new postures if necessary. Learning and recognition is based on the AdaBoost algorithm. Posture recognition reached accuracy rates as high as 80% for 8 of the 10 identified postures. Concerning the software usability, a heuristic evaluation with three specialists was performed, as well as a usability test with five volunteer students. Results indicated that the software interface, based on the metaphor of a video editor, may allow its effective use by end users, though some adjustments are still necessary, such as the terminology used in some commands and the help system.
Information technologies have been widely used for entertainment and learning purposes by childre... more Information technologies have been widely used for entertainment and learning purposes by children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Nonetheless, learning objects aiming at specific skills development in children with ASD require both a well bounded learning domain and a user-centered design process, considering skill levels of the users and the local geographical context and language. “Proyect@ Matemáticas” is a multi-touch based app designed for developing pre-calculus and functional mathematical skills in children with ASD, according to the Chilean regulations of learning goals for children with special educational necessities. This paper presents the User-centered design process conducted in order to develop the learning object, which included the evaluation by 15 experts in special educational needs, testing by 10 ASD-diagnosed children with different functional levels, and a multidisciplinary development team that also included a graphic designer diagnosed with ASD of high...
INTRODUCTION: A better understanding of the relationships between Computational Thinking and disc... more INTRODUCTION: A better understanding of the relationships between Computational Thinking and disciplines already present in the school curriculum may help the identification of possible educational benefits. This is particularly relevant in the case of Mathematics, which is a subject that constitutes itself as a hurdle to students in many Latin-American countries. OBJECTIVE: Identify and analyze didactic activities related to Computational Thinking and Mathematics reported in the literature regarding the target public, developed skills and contents, as well as research methods used to identify learning outcomes. METHODS: A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted, including studies published between 2006 and 2015 that included a description of didactic activities that developed Computational Thinking together with skills or contents related to Mathematics as well as an evaluation of learning outcomes. RESULTS: 59 studies were included in the revision. A wide variety of mathematical topics is being developed, with some emphasis on Algebra, Calculus and also higher-order thinking skills. Still 32.2% of included studies only present informal or anecdotal evidences of learning. CONCLUSION: In the last two years of the revision there was an increase in the number of activities focused on basic educational levels. Even though recently more rigorous methodological procedures were used to evaluate learning effects, still half of the studies with formal evaluation of learning outcomes use a single data source. Also, there are few studies focused on Math modelling and teacher training. RESUMO INTRODUÇÃO: Uma melhor compreensão das relações entre o Pensamento Computacional e disciplinas já presentes no currículo da educação básica pode contribuir para a identificação de possíveis benefícios educacionais. Isso é particularmente relevante no caso da Matemática, que é uma disciplina que se constitui como um obstáculo para muitos estudantes em países latino-americanos. OBJETIVO: Identificar e analisar atividades didáticas relacionadas ao Pensamento Computacional e à Matemática, reportadas na literatura, em relação ao seu públicoalvo, competências e conteúdos desenvolvidos, e métodos de pesquisa utilizados para identificar resultados de aprendizagem. MÉTODO: Uma Revisão Sistemática da Literatura (RSL) foi realizada, incluindo estudos publicados entre 2006 e 2015 que incluíram uma descrição de atividades didáticas que desenvolveram o Pensamento Computacional conjuntamente com habilidades ou conteúdos matemáticos, bem como uma avaliação da aprendizagem. RESULTADOS: 59 estudos foram incluídos na revisão. Vários tópicos matemáticos são desenvolvidos, com predominância da Álgebra, Cálculo e habilidades cognitivas de alto nível. Ainda, 32,2% dos estudos apresentam apenas evidências informais ou episódicas da aprendizagem. CONCLUSÃO: Nos últimos dois anos da revisão verifica-se um aumento do desenvolvimento de experiências na educação básica e um maior rigor metodológico na avaliação dos efeitos de aprendizagem. Por outro lado, cerca de metade dos estudos com avaliação formal da aprendizagem ainda utilizam uma única fonte de dados para análise. Ainda, se apresenta uma carência de estudos relacionados à Modelagem Matemática e à formação de professores.
In the last years, many didactic activities have been proposed to develop Computational Thinking ... more In the last years, many didactic activities have been proposed to develop Computational Thinking (CT) skills in children and adolescents. Among these activities, the digital game programming stands out as a promising alternative considering that it is related to a familiar and motivating context for students. These initiatives are not specifically aimed at individuals with special needs such as the autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children and adolescents with ASD usually have some limitations related to communication, cognitive flexibility, and interpersonal relationships. However, it seems natural that the skills potentially developed through game programming activities are especially beneficial for the public with ASD. In this paper, we describe the offering and evaluation of a Game Building Workshop adapted to adolescents with this condition. The guidelines used to define the workshop activities are described. An assessment based on the classroom observation and analysis of produced artifacts indicate that the participants acquired CT skills related to programming at a high level. In addition, the collaborative nature of the activities offered a stimulating and welcoming environment for individuals with ASD. INDEX TERMS Game design workshop, autism spectrum disorder, neurodiversity.
Anais dos Workshops do VII Congresso Brasileiro de Informática na Educação (CBIE 2018), 2018
In this paper we perform a visual and exploratory analysis on the data generated by the Dr. Scrat... more In this paper we perform a visual and exploratory analysis on the data generated by the Dr. Scratch tool from codes produced by students in digital game workshops using Scratch environment. Our findings point to a weak linear relationship between Dr. Scratch's rubric and cyclomatic complexity, since codes with low cyclomatic complexity were developed by students who had better scores in the CT-Test. This may indicate that the use of more advanced Scratch features could be related to the advance of the student's acquisition of Computational Thinking skills. Scratch. Nossas descobertas apontam uma fraca relação linear entre a rubrica do Dr. Scratch e a complexidade ciclomática, visto que códigos com complexidade ciclomática baixa foram desenvolvidos por alunos que obtiveram melhor pontuação no CT-Test, o que pode indicar que o uso dos recursos mais avançados do ambiente Scratch pode estar relacionado com o progresso do aluno na aquisição de competências do Pensamento Computacional.
Emotions are a critical aspect of human behavior. One widely used technique for research in emoti... more Emotions are a critical aspect of human behavior. One widely used technique for research in emotion measurement is based on the use of EEG signals. In general terms, the first step of signal processing is the elimination of noise, which can be done in manual or automatic terms. The next step is determining the feature vector using, for example, entropy calculation and its variations to generate a classification model. It is possible to use this approach to classify theoretical models such as the Circumplex model. This model proposes that emotions are distributed in a two-dimensional circular space. However, methods to determine the feature vector are highly susceptible to noise that may exist in the signal. In this article, a new method to adjust the classifier is proposed using metaheuristics based on the black hole algorithm. The method is aimed at obtaining results similar to those obtained with manual noise elimination methods. In order to evaluate the proposed method, the MAHNO...
2016 35th International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society (SCCC), 2016
The course “Software Analysis Methodologies” of Computer Science career at the University of Valp... more The course “Software Analysis Methodologies” of Computer Science career at the University of Valparaiso has among its objectives to contribute to the development of competencies related to software requirements analysis. Traditionally, through the course the students applied methods and techniques for software requirements analysis in a project with real stakeholders. Nonetheless, this activities were performed outside the classroom, not allowing the teacher to assess the performance of critical competencies, not only related to the application of software engineering knowledge, but also related to the articulation of skills such as obtaining requirements through interviews, information organization and modeling, peer communication, analysis and validation using technical language, conflict management with stakeholders, and requirements validation with stakeholders using nontechnical language. This paper presents the approach of project-based learning with work activities with real stakeholders in classes. As result it has managed to continuously assess the development of skills, a pass rate of 96%, and the achievement of learning outcomes validated by a real counterpart (stakeholder), and also by the teacher and teammates. Also, this initiative shows the articulation of two Institutional Improvement Projects funded by the Ministry of Education, for STEM teaching methodologies, and for the application of Information Technology in the classroom.
2016 XI Latin American Conference on Learning Objects and Technology (LACLO), 2016
Currently there is a large amount of material for support educational processes in different area... more Currently there is a large amount of material for support educational processes in different areas, specifically in the area of programming fundamentals, it is useful to give the students tutorials, videos, solved exercises and source code as support for their learning process. The problem associated with this is that often the given objects don't match with the student's learning style. In this article is presented the development of a platform for learning objects recommendation based on learning styles. The platform was developed specifically for programming fundamentals. The main result is the development of a platform that allows assesst student's learning style, recommend learning objects according to their preferred style and gives the teacher the options to manage resources and view the behavior of their course (distribution of learning styles and progress in the subject content).
Anais dos Workshops do IV Congresso Brasileiro de Informática na Educação (CBIE 2015), 2015
Skills related to the fundamentals of programming should be developed by all students in the firs... more Skills related to the fundamentals of programming should be developed by all students in the first semesters of undergraduate courses related to Computing. However, high attrition rates are also identified in this period. Didactic activities in which students develop their own digital artifacts, such as digital games, may increase the students' motivation to learn and apply programming skills in a more tangible way. In this article we describe the development and application of a game design workshop to support a Programming Fundamentals course aimed at students of the Informatics Engineering career in a chilean university. The results indicate a considerable increase in the approval rates of students that were enrolled in the course for the first time. Resumen. Habilidades relacionadas con los fundamentos de la programación deben ser desarrollados por todos los estudiantes de los primeros semestres de cursos relacionados con la informática. Sin embargo, las altas tasas de deserción también se identifican en este periodo. Actividades didácticas en las que los estudiantes desarrollen sus propios artefactos digitales, tales como los juegos digitales, pueden aumentar la motivación de los estudiantes para aprender y aplicar conocimientos de programación de una manera más tangible. En este artículo se describe el desarrollo y aplicación de un taller de diseño de juego para apoyar un curso de Fundamentos de programación dirigida a los estudiantes de la carrera de Ingeniería Informática en una universidad chilena. Los resultados indican un aumento considerable en las tasas de aprobación de los estudiantes que se inscribieron en el curso por primera vez.
Anais dos Workshops do IV Congresso Brasileiro de Informática na Educação (CBIE 2015), 2015
A better understanding of the relationships between Computational Thinking and disciplines alread... more A better understanding of the relationships between Computational Thinking and disciplines already present in the school curriculum may help the identification of possible educational benefits. In this sense, this article presents a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) that includes studies published between 2006 and 2014. The 48 included studies describe and evaluate didactic activities that develop Computational Thinking together with skills or contents related to Math. A wide variety of mathematical topics is being developed, with some emphasis on Algebra, Calculus and also higher-order thinking skills. In the last two years there was an increase in the number of activities focused on basic educational levels. Also, more rigorous methodological procedures have been used to evaluate learning effects. On the other hand, there are few studies focused on Math modelling and teacher training. Resumo. Uma melhor compreensão das relações entre o Pensamento Computacional e disciplinas já presentes no currículo da educação básica pode contribuir para a identificação de possíveis benefícios educacionais. Dessa forma, este artigo apresenta uma Revisão Sistemática da Literatura (RSL), incluindo 48 estudos publicados em língua inglesa entre 2006 e 2014 que apresentam atividades didáticas desenvolvendo o Pensamento Computacional e competências, habilidades ou conteúdos da Matemática. Vários tópicos matemáticos são desenvolvidos, com predominância da Álgebra, Cálculo e habilidades cognitivas de alto nível. Verifica-se ainda, nos últimos dois anos, um aumento do desenvolvimento de experiências na educação básica e um maior rigor metodológico na avaliação dos efeitos de aprendizagem. Por outro lado, há uma carência de estudos relacionados à Modelagem Matemática e à formação de professores.
Anais do XXI Workshop de Informática na Escola (WIE 2015), 2015
Los cursos de pregrado relacionados con fundamentos de programación de computadores tienen, frecu... more Los cursos de pregrado relacionados con fundamentos de programación de computadores tienen, frecuentemente, altas tasas de reprobación. Por otro lado, el uso de robots tiene un alto potencial de permitir la aplicación más tangible y concreta de las habilidades de programación. En este artículo presentamos el diseño y evaluación de un taller de robótica, dirigido a estudiantes de Ingeniería de una Universidad chilena, que simultáneamente cursan la asignatura de Fundamentos de Programación. Los resultados de la primera ejecución del taller, indican que los alumnos con mayor asistencia al taller obtuvieron también mejores calificaciones finales en el curso de Fundamentos de Programación.
2011 30th International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, 2011
Abstract—Virtual Worlds (VWs) are computer simulated environments, in two-or three-dimensions (3D... more Abstract—Virtual Worlds (VWs) are computer simulated environments, in two-or three-dimensions (3D), where hundreds of people can interact with each other in real time. Current heuristic evaluation can potentially identify issues related to the usability of VWs, but it may miss domain specific problems. For this reason, the development and use of appropriate heuristics is highly significant. This paper describes the development and validation process of a novel set of usability heuristics for VWs applications and an ...
The scarcity of the planet's water resources is a concern of several international entities and g... more The scarcity of the planet's water resources is a concern of several international entities and governments. Smart solutions for water quality monitoring are gaining prominence with advances in communication technology. This work's primary goal is to develop a new online system to monitor and manage water resources, called Internet of Water Things (IoWT). The proposed system's objective would be to control and manage raw water resources. Thus, it has developed a platform based on the server-less architecture and Internet of Things Architectural Reference Model, in which it is applied in a simulation environment, considering several electronic devices to validate its performance. For this research, there is a system for capturing raw water from tubular wells. Each well has a level sensor, a temperature sensor and a rain gauge. The data is collected every minute by an electronic device and sent every hour to the IoWT system. From data analysis, the amount of memory allocated to functions minimally interferes with efficiency. The IoWT system, applied in a real case, consists of connecting a device installed in a water well to the platform, where the data is transmitted through a 3G network and then processed. Thus, the proposed approach has great potential to be considered a complementary tool in monitoring raw water and assisting in decision-making for the management of water resources.
Learning Analytics is the intelligent use of data generated from students with the objective of u... more Learning Analytics is the intelligent use of data generated from students with the objective of understanding and improving the teaching and learning process. Currently, there is a lack of tools to measure the development of complex skills in real classroom environments that are flexible enough to add and process data from different sensors and oriented towards a massive public. Based on this finding, we developed a free software system that permits to capture and to visualize a set of 10 body postures using the Microsoft Kinect sensor, along with the ability to track custom body postures and data from other sensors. The developed tool was validated by means of precision and usability tests. Furthermore, with the goal of demonstrating the potential of incorporating this type of software into the classroom, the software was used as a tool to give feedback to the teacher and to the students at the moment of giving and evaluating oral presentations. Also, a clustering analysis of data gathered from 45 student presentations indicate that presentations on similar topics with also similar complexity levels can be successfully discriminated.
Computational Thinking represents a terminology that embraces the complex set of reasoning proces... more Computational Thinking represents a terminology that embraces the complex set of reasoning processes that are held for problem stating and solving through a computational tool. The ability of systematizing problems and solve them by these means is currently being considered a skill to be developed by all students, together with Language, Mathematics and Sciences. Considering that Computer Science has many of its roots on Mathematics, it is reasonable to ponder if and how Mathematics learning can be influenced by offering activities related to Computational Thinking to students. In this sense, this article presents a Systematic Literature Review on reported evidences of Mathematics learning in activities aimed at developing Computational Thinking skills. Forty-two articles which presented didactic activities together with an experimental design to evaluate learning outcomes published from 2006 to 2017 were analyzed. The majority of identified activities used a software tool or hardware device for their development. In these papers, a wide variety of mathematical topics has been being developed, with some emphasis on Planar Geometry and Algebra. Conversion of models and solutions between different semiotic representations is a high level cognitive skill that is most frequently associated to educational outcomes. This review indicated that more recent articles present a higher level of rigor in methodological procedures to assess learning effects. However, joint analysis of evidences from more than one data source is still not frequently used as a validation procedure.
Los cursos de pregrado relacionados con fundamentos de programacion de computadores tienen frecue... more Los cursos de pregrado relacionados con fundamentos de programacion de computadores tienen frecuentemente altas tasas de reprobacion. Por otro lado, el uso de material didactico tal como Scratch y Robots Lego, tienen un alto potencial para desarrollar una aplicacion mas tangible y concreta de las habilidades requeridas para la programacion. En este articulo presentamos la experiencia del curso de estos elementos en el curso de Fundamentos de Programacion, el cual esta dirigido a estudiantes de Ingenieria en Informatica de una universidad chilena. Los resultados muestran un incremento considerable en la tasa de aprobacion de los estudiantes que cursan la asignatura por primera oportunidad.
2018 13th Annual Conference on System of Systems Engineering (SoSE), 2018
Advances in health technologies have been proposed in studies aimed at improving the quality of l... more Advances in health technologies have been proposed in studies aimed at improving the quality of life of older people. Ambient assisted living supports elderly adults and people with special needs during their daily activities. This concept aims to maintain the independence of users, giving them autonomy in daily life activities in addition to increasing their quality of life, well-being, and safety. In this work, two tools that are part of a ADL SoS-based Platform are presented: one low-cost sensor to detect nocturia and a complete module for identifying fall potential. Experimental results show that our work can be implemented in ambient assisted living as smart-home devices, in laboratories, or any other place, and that it is competitive compared to other developed tools.
Following an approach that has been pursued by many engineering programs that are outcomes based ... more Following an approach that has been pursued by many engineering programs that are outcomes based accredited, this paper describes the process of designing and implementing the curricula in the College of Engineering of the Universidad de Valparaíso in Chile, using a backwards design approach and also focusing on addressing stakeholders’ needs through students’ outcomes. Driven by the Chilean government through funding from MINEDUC (its educational development branch), this University has undertaken the task to completely revamp its engineering curricula by engaging faculty, students and industry, together with international collaborators from Argentina, Puerto Rico and Spain. A specific challenge for this redesign is the low performance of Chilean secondary students in international science and mathematics tests, that is tackled by putting an S.T.E.M. emphasis in the overall process. Using the mentioned backwards design approach, the multi-disciplinary, multi-national, multi-stakeho...
Anais dos Workshops do VI Congresso Brasileiro de Informática na Educação (CBIE 2017), Oct 27, 2017
Techniques related to Multimodal Learning Analytics may be useful to evaluate the previous level ... more Techniques related to Multimodal Learning Analytics may be useful to evaluate the previous level of expertise of students engaged in learning activities related to programming. In this article we present the preliminary results of an experiment with students who describe the strategies they applied to develop two algorithms. Five emotional states were detected through an analysis of speech recordings. The results were clustered using Self-Organizing Maps and indicated that speech excerpts associated to sadness and fear were related to participants with less experience in programming or with a lower self-evaluation.
International Journal on Computational Thinking (IJCThink), Oct 9, 2017
Most of us think that the world exists pretty much as it looks and sounds and feels to us. It see... more Most of us think that the world exists pretty much as it looks and sounds and feels to us. It seems to you that you are presently seated in a chair, reading this book, so you probably also believe it; you hold it to be true that you are sitting there, in the chair, reading. That it rarely occurs to you to articulate this sort of thought is irrelevant. All that matters is that, once pointed out, it seems obviously, perhaps trivially, true. Who would ever dare to question it? But Thomas Anderson, likewise, believes himself to be a tax-paying, landlady-helping program writer for a respectable software company. (Of course, he also believes in his "other life" of criminal activity conducted under the hacker alias 'Neo,' but this life is kept hidden only from the authorities, and not from Anderson himself.) In this sense, Anderson's beliefs about reality are like yours and mine, and as such they explain why it is so painful for him to learn that the world he thinks he lives in, the world as it appears to him every day, is not at all real. Instead, the comfortable realm in which Anderson seems to go about his ordinary life is in fact a vast, deliberate deception produced in his brain by a system of intelligent computers that grows, cultivates, and harvests humans as a renewable energy source.
Learning analytics consists of gathering and analyzing data from students in order to understand ... more Learning analytics consists of gathering and analyzing data from students in order to understand complex aspects of the learning process and promote its improvement. Currently, to the best of our knowledge, there is a lack of tools aimed at displaying multimodal data in an integrated way for general purpose analysis. In this paper, we present a free software tool based on the Microsoft Kinect sensor for automatic capture, identification, and visualization of ten body postures for posterior analysis. It is also possible to incorporate the identification of new postures if necessary. Learning and recognition is based on the AdaBoost algorithm. Posture recognition reached accuracy rates as high as 80% for 8 of the 10 identified postures. Concerning the software usability, a heuristic evaluation with three specialists was performed, as well as a usability test with five volunteer students. Results indicated that the software interface, based on the metaphor of a video editor, may allow its effective use by end users, though some adjustments are still necessary, such as the terminology used in some commands and the help system.
Information technologies have been widely used for entertainment and learning purposes by childre... more Information technologies have been widely used for entertainment and learning purposes by children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Nonetheless, learning objects aiming at specific skills development in children with ASD require both a well bounded learning domain and a user-centered design process, considering skill levels of the users and the local geographical context and language. “Proyect@ Matemáticas” is a multi-touch based app designed for developing pre-calculus and functional mathematical skills in children with ASD, according to the Chilean regulations of learning goals for children with special educational necessities. This paper presents the User-centered design process conducted in order to develop the learning object, which included the evaluation by 15 experts in special educational needs, testing by 10 ASD-diagnosed children with different functional levels, and a multidisciplinary development team that also included a graphic designer diagnosed with ASD of high...
INTRODUCTION: A better understanding of the relationships between Computational Thinking and disc... more INTRODUCTION: A better understanding of the relationships between Computational Thinking and disciplines already present in the school curriculum may help the identification of possible educational benefits. This is particularly relevant in the case of Mathematics, which is a subject that constitutes itself as a hurdle to students in many Latin-American countries. OBJECTIVE: Identify and analyze didactic activities related to Computational Thinking and Mathematics reported in the literature regarding the target public, developed skills and contents, as well as research methods used to identify learning outcomes. METHODS: A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted, including studies published between 2006 and 2015 that included a description of didactic activities that developed Computational Thinking together with skills or contents related to Mathematics as well as an evaluation of learning outcomes. RESULTS: 59 studies were included in the revision. A wide variety of mathematical topics is being developed, with some emphasis on Algebra, Calculus and also higher-order thinking skills. Still 32.2% of included studies only present informal or anecdotal evidences of learning. CONCLUSION: In the last two years of the revision there was an increase in the number of activities focused on basic educational levels. Even though recently more rigorous methodological procedures were used to evaluate learning effects, still half of the studies with formal evaluation of learning outcomes use a single data source. Also, there are few studies focused on Math modelling and teacher training. RESUMO INTRODUÇÃO: Uma melhor compreensão das relações entre o Pensamento Computacional e disciplinas já presentes no currículo da educação básica pode contribuir para a identificação de possíveis benefícios educacionais. Isso é particularmente relevante no caso da Matemática, que é uma disciplina que se constitui como um obstáculo para muitos estudantes em países latino-americanos. OBJETIVO: Identificar e analisar atividades didáticas relacionadas ao Pensamento Computacional e à Matemática, reportadas na literatura, em relação ao seu públicoalvo, competências e conteúdos desenvolvidos, e métodos de pesquisa utilizados para identificar resultados de aprendizagem. MÉTODO: Uma Revisão Sistemática da Literatura (RSL) foi realizada, incluindo estudos publicados entre 2006 e 2015 que incluíram uma descrição de atividades didáticas que desenvolveram o Pensamento Computacional conjuntamente com habilidades ou conteúdos matemáticos, bem como uma avaliação da aprendizagem. RESULTADOS: 59 estudos foram incluídos na revisão. Vários tópicos matemáticos são desenvolvidos, com predominância da Álgebra, Cálculo e habilidades cognitivas de alto nível. Ainda, 32,2% dos estudos apresentam apenas evidências informais ou episódicas da aprendizagem. CONCLUSÃO: Nos últimos dois anos da revisão verifica-se um aumento do desenvolvimento de experiências na educação básica e um maior rigor metodológico na avaliação dos efeitos de aprendizagem. Por outro lado, cerca de metade dos estudos com avaliação formal da aprendizagem ainda utilizam uma única fonte de dados para análise. Ainda, se apresenta uma carência de estudos relacionados à Modelagem Matemática e à formação de professores.
In the last years, many didactic activities have been proposed to develop Computational Thinking ... more In the last years, many didactic activities have been proposed to develop Computational Thinking (CT) skills in children and adolescents. Among these activities, the digital game programming stands out as a promising alternative considering that it is related to a familiar and motivating context for students. These initiatives are not specifically aimed at individuals with special needs such as the autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children and adolescents with ASD usually have some limitations related to communication, cognitive flexibility, and interpersonal relationships. However, it seems natural that the skills potentially developed through game programming activities are especially beneficial for the public with ASD. In this paper, we describe the offering and evaluation of a Game Building Workshop adapted to adolescents with this condition. The guidelines used to define the workshop activities are described. An assessment based on the classroom observation and analysis of produced artifacts indicate that the participants acquired CT skills related to programming at a high level. In addition, the collaborative nature of the activities offered a stimulating and welcoming environment for individuals with ASD. INDEX TERMS Game design workshop, autism spectrum disorder, neurodiversity.
Anais dos Workshops do VII Congresso Brasileiro de Informática na Educação (CBIE 2018), 2018
In this paper we perform a visual and exploratory analysis on the data generated by the Dr. Scrat... more In this paper we perform a visual and exploratory analysis on the data generated by the Dr. Scratch tool from codes produced by students in digital game workshops using Scratch environment. Our findings point to a weak linear relationship between Dr. Scratch's rubric and cyclomatic complexity, since codes with low cyclomatic complexity were developed by students who had better scores in the CT-Test. This may indicate that the use of more advanced Scratch features could be related to the advance of the student's acquisition of Computational Thinking skills. Scratch. Nossas descobertas apontam uma fraca relação linear entre a rubrica do Dr. Scratch e a complexidade ciclomática, visto que códigos com complexidade ciclomática baixa foram desenvolvidos por alunos que obtiveram melhor pontuação no CT-Test, o que pode indicar que o uso dos recursos mais avançados do ambiente Scratch pode estar relacionado com o progresso do aluno na aquisição de competências do Pensamento Computacional.
Emotions are a critical aspect of human behavior. One widely used technique for research in emoti... more Emotions are a critical aspect of human behavior. One widely used technique for research in emotion measurement is based on the use of EEG signals. In general terms, the first step of signal processing is the elimination of noise, which can be done in manual or automatic terms. The next step is determining the feature vector using, for example, entropy calculation and its variations to generate a classification model. It is possible to use this approach to classify theoretical models such as the Circumplex model. This model proposes that emotions are distributed in a two-dimensional circular space. However, methods to determine the feature vector are highly susceptible to noise that may exist in the signal. In this article, a new method to adjust the classifier is proposed using metaheuristics based on the black hole algorithm. The method is aimed at obtaining results similar to those obtained with manual noise elimination methods. In order to evaluate the proposed method, the MAHNO...
2016 35th International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society (SCCC), 2016
The course “Software Analysis Methodologies” of Computer Science career at the University of Valp... more The course “Software Analysis Methodologies” of Computer Science career at the University of Valparaiso has among its objectives to contribute to the development of competencies related to software requirements analysis. Traditionally, through the course the students applied methods and techniques for software requirements analysis in a project with real stakeholders. Nonetheless, this activities were performed outside the classroom, not allowing the teacher to assess the performance of critical competencies, not only related to the application of software engineering knowledge, but also related to the articulation of skills such as obtaining requirements through interviews, information organization and modeling, peer communication, analysis and validation using technical language, conflict management with stakeholders, and requirements validation with stakeholders using nontechnical language. This paper presents the approach of project-based learning with work activities with real stakeholders in classes. As result it has managed to continuously assess the development of skills, a pass rate of 96%, and the achievement of learning outcomes validated by a real counterpart (stakeholder), and also by the teacher and teammates. Also, this initiative shows the articulation of two Institutional Improvement Projects funded by the Ministry of Education, for STEM teaching methodologies, and for the application of Information Technology in the classroom.
2016 XI Latin American Conference on Learning Objects and Technology (LACLO), 2016
Currently there is a large amount of material for support educational processes in different area... more Currently there is a large amount of material for support educational processes in different areas, specifically in the area of programming fundamentals, it is useful to give the students tutorials, videos, solved exercises and source code as support for their learning process. The problem associated with this is that often the given objects don't match with the student's learning style. In this article is presented the development of a platform for learning objects recommendation based on learning styles. The platform was developed specifically for programming fundamentals. The main result is the development of a platform that allows assesst student's learning style, recommend learning objects according to their preferred style and gives the teacher the options to manage resources and view the behavior of their course (distribution of learning styles and progress in the subject content).
Anais dos Workshops do IV Congresso Brasileiro de Informática na Educação (CBIE 2015), 2015
Skills related to the fundamentals of programming should be developed by all students in the firs... more Skills related to the fundamentals of programming should be developed by all students in the first semesters of undergraduate courses related to Computing. However, high attrition rates are also identified in this period. Didactic activities in which students develop their own digital artifacts, such as digital games, may increase the students' motivation to learn and apply programming skills in a more tangible way. In this article we describe the development and application of a game design workshop to support a Programming Fundamentals course aimed at students of the Informatics Engineering career in a chilean university. The results indicate a considerable increase in the approval rates of students that were enrolled in the course for the first time. Resumen. Habilidades relacionadas con los fundamentos de la programación deben ser desarrollados por todos los estudiantes de los primeros semestres de cursos relacionados con la informática. Sin embargo, las altas tasas de deserción también se identifican en este periodo. Actividades didácticas en las que los estudiantes desarrollen sus propios artefactos digitales, tales como los juegos digitales, pueden aumentar la motivación de los estudiantes para aprender y aplicar conocimientos de programación de una manera más tangible. En este artículo se describe el desarrollo y aplicación de un taller de diseño de juego para apoyar un curso de Fundamentos de programación dirigida a los estudiantes de la carrera de Ingeniería Informática en una universidad chilena. Los resultados indican un aumento considerable en las tasas de aprobación de los estudiantes que se inscribieron en el curso por primera vez.
Anais dos Workshops do IV Congresso Brasileiro de Informática na Educação (CBIE 2015), 2015
A better understanding of the relationships between Computational Thinking and disciplines alread... more A better understanding of the relationships between Computational Thinking and disciplines already present in the school curriculum may help the identification of possible educational benefits. In this sense, this article presents a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) that includes studies published between 2006 and 2014. The 48 included studies describe and evaluate didactic activities that develop Computational Thinking together with skills or contents related to Math. A wide variety of mathematical topics is being developed, with some emphasis on Algebra, Calculus and also higher-order thinking skills. In the last two years there was an increase in the number of activities focused on basic educational levels. Also, more rigorous methodological procedures have been used to evaluate learning effects. On the other hand, there are few studies focused on Math modelling and teacher training. Resumo. Uma melhor compreensão das relações entre o Pensamento Computacional e disciplinas já presentes no currículo da educação básica pode contribuir para a identificação de possíveis benefícios educacionais. Dessa forma, este artigo apresenta uma Revisão Sistemática da Literatura (RSL), incluindo 48 estudos publicados em língua inglesa entre 2006 e 2014 que apresentam atividades didáticas desenvolvendo o Pensamento Computacional e competências, habilidades ou conteúdos da Matemática. Vários tópicos matemáticos são desenvolvidos, com predominância da Álgebra, Cálculo e habilidades cognitivas de alto nível. Verifica-se ainda, nos últimos dois anos, um aumento do desenvolvimento de experiências na educação básica e um maior rigor metodológico na avaliação dos efeitos de aprendizagem. Por outro lado, há uma carência de estudos relacionados à Modelagem Matemática e à formação de professores.
Anais do XXI Workshop de Informática na Escola (WIE 2015), 2015
Los cursos de pregrado relacionados con fundamentos de programación de computadores tienen, frecu... more Los cursos de pregrado relacionados con fundamentos de programación de computadores tienen, frecuentemente, altas tasas de reprobación. Por otro lado, el uso de robots tiene un alto potencial de permitir la aplicación más tangible y concreta de las habilidades de programación. En este artículo presentamos el diseño y evaluación de un taller de robótica, dirigido a estudiantes de Ingeniería de una Universidad chilena, que simultáneamente cursan la asignatura de Fundamentos de Programación. Los resultados de la primera ejecución del taller, indican que los alumnos con mayor asistencia al taller obtuvieron también mejores calificaciones finales en el curso de Fundamentos de Programación.
2011 30th International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, 2011
Abstract—Virtual Worlds (VWs) are computer simulated environments, in two-or three-dimensions (3D... more Abstract—Virtual Worlds (VWs) are computer simulated environments, in two-or three-dimensions (3D), where hundreds of people can interact with each other in real time. Current heuristic evaluation can potentially identify issues related to the usability of VWs, but it may miss domain specific problems. For this reason, the development and use of appropriate heuristics is highly significant. This paper describes the development and validation process of a novel set of usability heuristics for VWs applications and an ...
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Papers by Roberto Munoz