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Almost all studies on course recommenders in online platforms target closed online platforms that belong to a University or other provider. Recently, a demand has developed that targets open platforms. Such platforms lack rich user profiles with content metadata. Instead they log user interactions. We report on how user interactions and activities tracked in open online learning platforms may generate recommendations. We use data from the OpenU open online learning platform in use by the Open University of the Netherlands to investigate the application of several state-of-the-art recommender algorithms, including a graph-based recommender approach. It appears that user-based and memory-based methods perform better than model-based and factorization methods. Particularly, the graph-based recommender system outperforms the classical approaches on prediction accuracy of recommendations in terms of recall.

This short paper presents the experiences of several Dutch projects in their application of the xAPI standard and different design patterns including the deployment of Learning Record Stores. In this paper we share insights and argue for the formation of an international Special Interest Group on interoperability issues to contribute to the Open Analytics Framework as envisioned by SoLAR and enacted by the Apereo Learning Analytics Initiative. Therefore, we provide an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of implementing the current xAPI standard by presenting projects that applied xAPI in very different ways followed by the lessons learned.

The maturing research and development foci of SITE's International Committee have an ethical dimension. Comparative research and international collaboration are a healthy way, facilitated by communication technologies, to increase diversity within teacher education as well as to increase the quality of evidence to inform future practice. This symposium will tie the research of International Committee's members with the digital divide issue. Each participant will 1) briefly present (three-five minutes) his or her research work, 2) link it to the digital divide issue, and 3) engage in dialogue with other participants and the audience on the problem of research for better digital equity.

The maturing research and development foci of SITE's International Committee have an ethical dimension. Comparative research and international collaboration are a healthy way, facilitated by communication technologies, to increase diversity within teacher education as well as to increase the quality of evidence to inform future practice. This symposium will tie the research of International Committee's members with the digital divide issue. Each participant will 1) briefly present (three-five minutes) his or her research work, 2) link it to the digital divide issue, and 3) engage in dialogue with other participants and the audience on the problem of research for better digital equity.

Finnish national core curriculum (2014) highlights the important of ICT. A strong theoretical model and pedagogical understanding are needed for the innovative teaching use of technology. In this study we describe theoretical background of our ICT education and development of teacher trainees ICT-skills and pedagogical understanding. The students' study module is based on Mishra and Koehler’s TPACK-model (2006).The data was collected during two years from two student groups (N=52). Results indicated that, in general, the studies have made it possible to acquire the technological competence and to combine the pedagogical knowledge with the technology. The results of the study clearly state that the education supports understanding the use of ICT. The results show that understanding the pedagogical use of technology has emerged. Technical support given by the ICT and the possibility to adapt ICT that is offered in all the study modules have clearly been useful to the students. peerReviewed

In the present work we demonstrate that the current Child-Computer Interaction paradigm is not potentiating human development to its fullest – it is associated with several physical and mental health problems and appears not to be maximizing children’s cognitive performance and cognitive development. In order to potentiate children’s physical and mental health (including cognitive performance and cognitive development) we have developed a new approach to human development and evolution. This approach proposes a particular synergy between the developing human body, computing machines and natural environments. It emphasizes that children should be encouraged to interact with challenging physical environments offering multiple possibilities for sensory stimulation and increasing physical and mental stress to the organism. We created and tested a new set of computing devices in order to operationalize our approach – Biosymtic (Biosymbiotic Robotic) devices: “Albert” and “Cratus”. In two initial studies we were able to observe that the main goal of our approach is being achieved. We observed that, interaction with the Biosymtic device “Albert”, in a natural environment, managed to trigger a different neurophysiological response (increases in sustained attention levels) and tended to optimize episodic memory performance in children, compared to interaction with a sedentary screen-based computing device, in an artificially controlled environment (indoors) - thus a promising solution to promote cognitive performance/development; and that interaction with the Biosymtic device “Cratus”, in a natural environment, instilled vigorous physical activity levels in children - thus a promising solution to promote physical and mental health.

This case study research explored to what extent and in which ways teachers used Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) and related competencies to implement video activities in primary education. Three Dutch teachers implemented video activities to improve students’ content knowledge and literacy- and communication skills simultaneously. Lesson materials were provided but teachers chose the theme or subject (content) linked to the video activities themselves. Results show that applying TPCK in practice is not obvious for all teachers. Differences between teachers are mainly found in applying Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK). Two teachers used the lesson materials as a guideline while the third teacher used it more prescriptive in teaching the lessons. Teachers were excited about students’ performance and enthusiasm. All teachers thought the video activities fit their usual program and none of them experienced the lessons as additional or too much effort.