The Contribution Of Semantic The Contribution Of Semantic Web Technologies To Distance Web Technologies To Distance

Learning And EducationLearning And Education

ZOU International Conference16-17 June 2011

Dydimus Zengenene

Erasmus Mundus Scholar International Master in Digital Library Learning (DILL)

University College of Oslo, University of Tallinn, University of Parma

ContentsContents

Why we need the semantic web

Technologies of the semantic web

Distance education

Application of the semantic web

Conclusion

IntroductionIntroduction

Web increasingly becoming key info source

The google age

but the web is dump

The semantic webThe semantic web

Definition of the semantic web

• Current web relies on Syntax

• Need to base it on Semantics

• Machine understandability

Why do we need itWhy do we need it

Searching:

• Synonym• multiple words same meaning

• Homonym• same spelling different meanings

Why do we need itWhy do we need it

• Integration

• Data mining

Why do we need itWhy do we need it

To reduce time, costs and errors that are

incurred in the search, manipulation and

utilization of web based resources.

What is it?What is it?

An improved version of the current web,

which can provide better services at

lower costs by way of giving machines

the power to understand the meaning of

web documents.

Technologies of the semantic webTechnologies of the semantic web

What needs to be done:Extend the current markup with semantic

markup. ◦Add metadata annotations that describe

content / function of resources

Have a standard web ontology language

Use ontologies to provide vocabulary for the annotations (Bechhofer, 2008)

Technologies of the semantic webTechnologies of the semantic web

• Metadata• Data about data (a layer to make the

web of data)

• OWL• ontology language (RDF Schema +

new constructions of expressiveness)

Technologies of the semantic webTechnologies of the semantic web

• Ontology• No agreement on what is is

“a shared common vocabulary so that search engines, agents, authors and users can communicate” (Bechhofer, 2008)

• Has to be domain specific

Technologies of the semantic webTechnologies of the semantic web

Distance educationDistance education

Characteristics

• Student teacher seperation

• technical media to unite them

• Two way communication

• absence of permanent the learning groups

Distance educationDistance education

Current trends:College age (lifelong learning)

Information explosion

Learner centred education

Increasing higher edu collaboration

Smaller gap local and distance edu

Application of the semantic webApplication of the semantic web

Current challenges:Student-teacher communication

Collaborative learning environment

Personalized services

Precision in information retrieval

Make work easier for staff

Application of the semantic webApplication of the semantic web

Learning Environments

Systems that allow:

Setting online courses

Communication

Managing students’ activities

Eg. IVA, Moodle, Blackboad

The LOCO AnalystThe LOCO Analyst

Defined as:

“it is a framework for educational feedback based on semantic technologies which exploits the nature of ontologies to integrate various sources of information covering the same domain knowledge”

Some of the key people behind: Jelena Jovanovic´ university of BelgradeDragan Gasˇevic´Athabasca University.Christopher Brooks University of SaskatchewanVladan Devedzˇic´ university of Belgrade

Three tier architectureThree tier architecture

Digital Library SystemDigital Library System

Some digital library systems already utilising the Semantic technology

Semantic Interoperability of Metadata and Information in unLike Environments (SIMILE)

JeromeDL

Advantages of semantic DLsAdvantages of semantic DLs

No need for exact word in the search; (inference power)

based search and facet searchA mechanism of interoperability between

different library systems access is not limited to one library

Advantages of Semantic DLsAdvantages of Semantic DLs

Users get involved in collaborative projects with the help of these libraries

Possibility to share information and personal experiences

ChallengesChallenges

Existing metadata of the digital libraries has to be lifted to a semantic level.

The social semantic digital libraries might produce amateurish data by some users and they offer limited security

(Aloitaibi 2010)

Challenges of attaining the Challenges of attaining the semantic websemantic web

Web page markup problem

Common vocabulary problem

Query building problem:

Conclusion and recommendationsConclusion and recommendations

There are great benefits to gain from sematic technologies in Distance Education

Universities must invest in this area

Must start implementing the posibilities

Universities must keep track of the new developmets

Contacts.Contacts.

Email: dydimusz@yahoo.com

Mobile: +372 56202278