Computing Reviews

E-learning systems :intelligent techniques for personalization
Klašnja-Milićević A., Vesin B., Ivanović M., Budimac Z., Jain L., Springer International Publishing,New York, NY,2016. 294 pp.Type:Book
Date Reviewed: 11/30/16

This is a collection of chapters that link together to form a comprehensive examination of how to personalize an e-learning experience. There are five parts; each part is self-contained and leads the reader onto the next logical topic. The introduction in Part 1 is brief and sets the stage by defining all the relevant aspects of the overall theme. Parts 2 and 3 cover the major aspects of the theme in considerable detail; these chapters introduce complex mathematics and may not be suitable for the layperson. However, a cursory perusal of these chapters can reveal a basic understanding of the personalization of learning content and supporting structures. The final two parts are the most interesting as they examine a case study based on the preceding information.

The case study provides credibility to the topic and supports the notion that “when learning content is personalized to suit a student’s learning style, the learning outcomes can be improved.” Personalization has several aspects: presenting the learner with appropriate content, recommending content to suit the learner, and offering the learner an opportunity to tag content. Students can tag content elements for future reference and sharing with fellow students. These ideas enabled the study to demonstrate the success of personalized learning by using a cohort of 440 students from a third-year undergraduate program. This total was split in two, with 340 students in the experimental group and the remaining 100 in the control group. An analysis of the data recorded by this case study provides a wealth of detail about how students respond to personalized content and how tagging content can improve learning outcomes.

This review cannot do justice to the depth of detail and the significance of the knowledge contained within the book’s pages. While not for the layperson or average educational practitioner, it should be important reading for those involved in advanced e-learning systems. The knowledge contained in these pages demonstrates the future of education and e-learning in particular.

Reviewer:  S. M. Godwin Review #: CR144951 (1702-0116)

Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.   Copyright 2024 ComputingReviews.com™
Terms of Use
| Privacy Policy