Thesis of Marie Lefevre


Subject:
Unified process for personalization of pedagocal activities : meta-model, models and tools

Defense date: 01/12/2009

Advisor: Alain Mille
Coadvisor: Nathalie Guin, Stéphanie Jean-Daubias

Summary:

This thesis in computer science belongs to the field of Interactive Learning Environments (ILE). In this context, we have addressed the issue of personalization of learning. Our research has consisted in identifying a process allowing one to personalize both paper working sessions and working sessions on educational software. Our goal was to design a process able to take into account the specificities of each learner, based on their profiles, but also to take into account the pedagogical goals and habits of teachers. Moreover, we had to design this process such as it could be easily implemented in a software external to the system being personalized. Our problem was therefore decomposed into three points: how to use learners’ profiles to take the individuality of learners into account? How to adapt a pedagogical activity to take the teaching needs and habits of a teacher into account? And finally, how to assign an activity to a learner? To answer the first point, we have proposed the cPMDL model. This complement of the profiles modelling language PMDL allows one to constrain the learners’ profiles to select those with the characteristics required by the constraints. cPMDL allows us to exploit the information contained in the profiles during the personalization process. To answer the second point, we have proposed the GEPPETO approach. This approach relies on generic models and processes to adapt activities according to the teachers' intentions, by defining constraints on activities. We have instantiated this approach to enable on the one hand the adaptation of paper activities (GEPPETOP) and on the other hand to enable the adaptation of software activities and the adaptation of configuration of environments that support them (GEPPETOS). To address the third point, we have proposed the PERSUA2 model which links cPMDL constraints on profiles with GEPPETO constraints on activities. Next, these links, called assignment rules, are organized into a hierarchy according to their priority degree in order to form a pedagogical strategy. This pedagogical strategy is then associated with one or more contexts of use. We have implemented these different theoretical contributions in Adapte, a module of the environment associated to the PERLEA project. The role of this environment is to assist teachers in the management of profiles created by themselves or coming from pedagogical software. Adapte is one of the possible uses of profiles: the module developed provides each learner with activities suited to their profiles, while respecting the teaching choices of the teacher. These activities may be paper activities proposed by the system or software activities personalized by Adapte but made within another ILE. This module, fully operational, has demonstrated the technical feasibility of our theoretical contributions and has allowed us to conduct experiment with teachers.


Jury:
Mme Grandbastien MoniqueProfesseur(e)Université Henri Poincaré Nancy 1, FranceRapporteur(e)
Mr Vidal PhilippeProfesseur(e)Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse, FranceRapporteur(e)
Mr Nodenot ThierryProfesseur(e)Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, FranceExaminateur​(trice)
Mr Marty Jean-CharlesMaître de conférenceUniversité de Savoie, FranceExaminateur​(trice)
Mr Mille AlainProfesseur(e)Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, FranceDirecteur(trice) de thèse
Mme Jean-Daubias StéphanieMaître de conférenceUniversité Claude Bernard Lyon 1, FranceEncadrant(e)
Mme Guin NathalieMaître de conférenceUniversité Claude Bernard Lyon 1, FranceCo-encadrant(e)