[Apologies if you receive multiple times, please circulate this to your colleagues who might be interested, thank you so much.] [This email includes the table of contents of Vol. 13, No. 4 of International Journal of Distance Education Technologies (IJDET, an EI journal) and the general call for papers of IJDET] ------- Annoucement of the publication of -------------- ----- Vol. 13, No. 4 of IJDET (an EI journal) ----------- http://www.igi-global.com/journal/international-journal-distance-education-t... We are glad to announce the publication of Vol. 13, No. 4 of International Journal of Distance Education Technologies (IJDET, an EI journal). In this issue, SIX papers are included: A Context-Aware Self-Adaptive Fractal Based Generalized Pedagogical Agent Framework for Mobile Learning (pages 1-28) Soufiane Boulehouache, Ramdane Maamri, Zaidi Sahnoun The Pedagogical Agents (PAs) for Mobile Learning (m-learning) must be able not only to adapt the teaching to the learner knowledge level and profile but also to ensure the pedagogical efficiency within unpredictable changing runtime contexts. Therefore, to deal with this issue, this paper proposes a Context-aware Self-Adaptive Fractal Component based Generalized Pedagogical Agent (CASA FBGPA) framework for Mobile Learning. The proposed framework allows for the construction of PA that self-reconfigures its structure, the functional part, to conform to the unpredictable changing runtime context. To carry out the context-awareness, the PA embeds a distinct Search based Adapting Engine that dynamically monitors and assembles the appropriate linear combination of Fractal components. In addition, to avoid the rules associated conceptual holes, to deal with the conflicting objectives and to reduce the substantial overhead, the components selection is formulated as a multiobjective problem and it is tackled using a metaheuristic search method. Furthermore, to evaluate the design and the feasibility of the proposed framework, a use case and a discussion are provided. DOI: 10.4018/IJDET.2015100101 Plagiarism Detection Algorithm for Source Code in Computer Science Education (pages 29-39) Xin Liu, Chan Xu, Boyu Ouyang Nowadays, computer programming is getting more necessary in the course of program design in college education. However, the trick of plagiarizing plus a little modification exists among some students' home works. It's not easy for teachers to judge if there's plagiarizing in source code or not. Traditional detection algorithms cannot fit this condition. The author designed an effective and complete method to detect source code plagiarizing according to the popular way of students' plagiarizing. There are two basic concepts of the algorithm. One is to standardize the source code via filtration against to remove the majority noises intentionally blended by plagiarists. The other one is an improved Longest Common Subsequence algorithm for text matching, using statement as the unit for matching. The authors also designed an appropriate HASH function to increase the efficiency of matching. Based on the algorithm, a system was designed and proved to be practical and sufficient, which runs well and meet the practical requirement in application. DOI: 10.4018/ijdet.2015100102 An Innovative Approach for Assisting Teachers in Improving Instructional Strategies via Analyzing Historical Assessment Data of Students (pages 40-61) Li-Chen Cheng, Hui-Chun Chu, Bang-Min Shiue Identifying learning problems of students has been recognized as an important issue for assisting teachers in improving their instructional skills or learning design strategies. The accumulated assessment data provide an excellent resource for achieving this objective. However, most of conventional testing systems only record students' test results, which are not helpful to teachers in realizing students' learning problems without further assistance. To cope with this problem, in this study, an innovative approach that combines a student concept model and the change mining mechanism is proposed to analyze the learning problems of students from their historical assessment data. The teachers received the analysis results and then used those suggestions to improve their instructional strategies. To evaluate the performance of the proposed approach, a web-based learning assessment system has been developed and an experiment has been conducted on an “Introduction to Computers” course in a university. The experimental results showed that, those analysis results provided by the innovative approach were helpful to the teachers in providing appropriate instructional assistance and remedial learning materials for improving the learning achievements of the students. DOI: 10.4018/ijdet.2015100103 User Preferences for Web-Based Module Design Layout and Design Impact on Information Recall Considering Age (pages 62-79) Cristina Pomales-García, Mericia Rivera-Nivar Research in design of Web-based modules should incorporate aging as an important factor given the diversity of the current workforce. This work aims to understand how Web-Based Learning modules can be designed to accommodate young (25-35 years) as well as older (55-65 years) users by: (1) identifying how information sources (instructor video, banners, and PowerPoint slides) within a Web-based module impact user information recall; and (2) distinguishing if there are any module layout preferences based on module content, participant gender, and age group. The results from the study show that information recall significantly varied based on age group and Web-based module content, and provide empirical evidence to suggest a general preference for placing the video in the left-upper corner of a Web module screen. DOI: 10.4018/ijdet.2015100104 An Investigation of a Computer Training Company's Migration to a New Distance Learning Platform and the Implementation of an Online Professional Development Program (pages 80-97) Denis Rudd, Carianne Bernadowski The purpose of the study was to determine if the Training Partner Program was successful in preparing trainers to use a new distance learning platform. Results indicate the program was a success in improving self-efficacy, engagement, and collaboration among trainers. Additionally, characteristics of online trainers are identified. Online learning in higher education, business training, and elementary/secondary schools is increasing exponentially and developing effective professional development programs to prepare instructors is of paramount importance. The current study provides valuable insight for any training managers or educators developing activities and exercises to train their faculty on distance learning software and systems. DOI: 10.4018/ijdet.2015100105 Utilizing Simulation-Based Training of Video Clip Instruction for the Store Service Operations Practice Course (pages 98-107) Che-Hung Lin, Yu-Ren Yen, Pai-Lu Wu The aim of this study was to develop a store service operations practice course based on simulation-based training of video clip instruction. The action research of problem-solving strategies employed for teaching are by simulated store operations. The counter operations course unit used as an example, this study developed 4 weeks of subunits for the course, which includes digital learning-assisted instruction through a video clip of simulation-based training to enhance students' understanding of counter operations practice. Finally, solutions for the problems encountered during the 4 weeks of teaching are proposed, and suggestions based on reflection about teaching methods are provided. DOI: 10.4018/ijdet.2015100105 ------- General Call for Papers for IJDET (an EI journal)----------- The electronic version of this cfp can be seen at http://maiga.athabascau.ca/editors/IJDET-Call_for_Papers-General.pdf International Journal of Distance Education Technologies (IJDET) (http://www.igi-global.com/journal/international-journal-distance-education-t...) The International Journal of Distance Education Technologies (IJDET) is a forum for researchers and practitioners to disseminate practical solutions to the automation of open and distance learning. Targeted to academic researchers and engineers who work with distance learning programs and software systems, as well as general users of distance education technologies and methods, IJDET discusses computational methods, algorithms, implemented prototype systems, and applications of open and distance learning. All manuscripts submitted to the journal are peer-reviewed according to the procedure consisting of initial review, peer review, and recommendation Editor in Chief: Dr. Maiga Chang (maiga.chang@gmail.com) Indices: Compendex (Elsevier EI), DBLP, EBSCOhost, ERIC, Google Scholar, INSPEC, PsycINFOR, SCOPUS, and many others Suggested topics: IJDET is an EI journal and the scope of the journal includes, but is not limited to: - Assessment - Distance Learning for Culture and Arts - Intelligent and Adaptive Learning - Intelligent Agents and Multi-Agent Systems - Mobile Learning - Nurse Medical Healthcare - Pedagogical Issues - Social Learning - Serious Games for Distance Education - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education - Technology Enhanced Learning - Ubiquitous Learning - Virtual Worlds for Distance Education Interested in serving IJDET as a reviewer? Please note that as a reviewer of IJDET, you are expected to review FOUR manuscripts a year within FOUR weeks and you will be removed from the reviewer list if you couldn't finish assigned reviews in a timely manner or you can not review four manuscripts a year for IJDET. You can quit for being a reviewer at any time you want, just send an email to the editor in chief and he or she will help you remove your name from the reviewer list. You would be invited to become a reviewer of editorial board from international review board if you could maintain high quality reviews in a timely manner for at least two years. If you are interested in serving IJDET as a reviewer, You are welcome to apply to be the reviewer for IJDET with complete profile and research areas entered, via http://www.igi-global.com/journals/become-a-reviewer/?tid=1078 Manuscript guidelines: Please submit your manuscript at http://www.igi-global.com/calls-for-papers/international-journal-distance-ed... Please note that you need to follow the manuscript template and author guidelines to prepare your manuscript before submit it. All submissions have to follow IJDET manuscript guidelines at http://www.igi-global.com/publish/resources/journal-organization-and-formatt... http://www.igi-global.com/journals/guidelines-for-submission.aspx should be submitted online after registering an account. Special Issue proposals: We also encourage potential research in any fields related to the journal to form a high quality guest editorial team to submit special issue proposal online, for any emerging, important, and hot topics. Please send editor-in-chief Dr. Maiga Chang (maiga.chang@gmail.com) an email with a well-completed special issue proposal based on the sample which can be downloaded at http://maiga.athabascau.ca/editors/IJDET-Special_Issue_Proposal_Sample.doc For queries, please contact Dr. Maiga Chang (maiga.chang@gmail.com) ------------------------------------ Sincerely, Maiga Chang maiga.chang@gmail.com http://maiga.athabascau.ca 07, 18 '15 --------------------------------- Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Distance Education Technologies (EI) http://www.ijdet.com Associate Editor, IEEE Technology and Engineering Education Associate Editor, International Journal of Online Pedagogy and Course Design Smart Learning Environments, Springer http://www.springer.com/education+%26+language/learning+%26+instruction/book... ----------- Program Chair of IASLE International Conference on Smart Learning Systems, Sinaia, Romania, September 23-25, 2015 http://ask4research.info/icsle/2015/ ----------- Guest Editor, The Scientific World Journal Special Issue on "Recent Advances in Mobile Learning Technologies, Applications, and Evaluation. http://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/si/178386/cfp/ Guest Editor, Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning (free open access) Special Issue on Practical Applications of Mobile and Internet Educational Games (Vol. 8, No. 2) http://www.apsce.net/rptel_papers.php?id=1020 Guest Editor, International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning (SSCI) Special Issue on Technology Enhanced Information Retrieval and Processing for Online Learning (Vol. 13, No. 5) http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/issue/view/54 --------- School of Computing and Information Systems (http://scis.athabascau.ca/) Athabasca University 1200, 10011-109 Street Edmonton, T5J-3S8 AB, Canada --------------- Phone: +1-866-916-8646 Website: http://maiga.dnsalias.org and http://maiga.athabascau.ca CV: http://scis.athabascau.ca/scis/staff/faculty.jsp?id=maigac Leave me an Audio/Video message with JoinNet (required to install in Microsoft Windows OS first) http://meeting.athabascau.ca/gotomeeting.php?u=5&;c=visit JoinNet software: http://www.homemeeting.com/en_US/download_joinnet.html