Interfaces for e-learning: cognitive styles and software agent sfor web-based learning support

The amount, range and quality of information available to students and other academic users have increased enormously in recent years. Consequently, it is possible for individuals to either suffer from information overload or to get lost in cyberspace while trying to locate relevant information. This paper looks at the relevance of cognitive styles and software agents to human computer interaction and interface design. Each student has a cognitive profile which can help the individual develop his or her learning skills and strategies in the light of useful self knowledge. The combination of prior knowledge of an individual’s cognitive style with the technical solutions offered by adaptive and intelligent interfaces suggest a possible way forward with respect to the problems of information overload experienced when using the Web. The application of a particular view of cognitive styles to information handling and interface design is considered. Adaptive interfaces and Internet agents are looked at in relation to moving towards more individual designs for interacting with the Net and Web.

[1]  E. Sadler‐Smith.  ‘Learning Styles’ and Instructional Design , 1996 .

[2]  R. Riding,et al.  Towards a Categorisation of Cognitive Styles and Learning Styles , 1997 .

[3]  David Benyon,et al.  Adaptive Systems : from intelligent tutoring to autonomous agents 1 , 1993 .

[4]  Kyung-Sun Kim,et al.  Cognitive style and on-line database search experience as predictors of Web search performance , 2000, J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci..

[5]  Pattie Maes,et al.  Agents that reduce work and information overload , 1994, CACM.

[6]  Michael Wooldridge,et al.  Agent technology: foundations, applications, and markets , 1998 .

[7]  R. Riding.  On the Nature of Cognitive Style , 1997 .

[8]  S. Messick.  The nature of cognitive styles: Problems and promise in educational practice , 1984 .

[9]  Fah-Chun Cheong.  Internet Agents: Spiders, Wanderers, Brokers, and 'Bots , 1996 .

[10]  Hyacinth S. Nwana,et al.  Software agents: an overview , 1996, The Knowledge Engineering Review.

[11]  L. Curry.  An Organization of Learning Styles Theory and Constructs. , 1983 .

[12]  Jennifer Bigus,et al.  Constructing Intelligent Agents with Java: A Programmer's Guide to Smarter Applications , 1997 .

[13]  E. Sadler‐Smith,et al.  Type of Instructional Material, Cognitive Style and Learning Performance , 1992 .

[14]  R. Riding,et al.  The Effect of Pupil Cognitive Style and Position of Prose Passage Title on Recall , 1993 .

[15]  Karen Valley,et al.  Learning styles and courseware design , 1997 .

[16]  Diana Laurillard,et al.  Rethinking University Teaching: A Framework for the Effective Use of Educational Technology , 1993 .

[17]  Nicholas R. Jennings,et al.  Intelligent Agents: Ecai-94 Workshop on Agent Theories, Architectures, and Languages Amsterdam, the Netherlands August 8-9, 1994 : Proceedings , 1995 .

[18]  R. Riding,et al.  Verbaliser‐Imager Learning Style and Children's Recall of Information Presented in Pictorial versus Written Form , 1980 .

[19]  Peter Edwards,et al.  Exploiting learning technologies for World Wide Web agents , 1997 .

[20]  Peter Ward,et al.  Creating interactive learning environments : delivering effective computer-based advice , 1995 .

[21]  M. Tennant.  Psychology and Adult Learning , 2019 .

[22]  Kristina Höök,et al.  Steps to take before intelligent user interfaces become real , 2000, Interact. Comput..

[23]  Richard Keeble,et al.  Assistant agents for the world wide web intelligent interface design challenges , 2000, Interact. Comput..

[24]  R. Riding,et al.  The Information Superhighway and Individualized Learning , 1995 .

[25]  R. Riding,et al.  Cognitive Styles and Learning Strategies , 2013 .

[26]  H. Pillay.  An investigation of the effect of individual cognitive preferences on learning through computer-based instruction , 1998 .

[27]  R. Riding,et al.  Cognitive Style and Pupil Learning Preferences , 1996 .

[28]  Nigel Ford,et al.  Cognitive styles and virtual environments , 2000, J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci..

[29]  Andrew J. Russell.  The Effect of Learner Variables Cognitive Style on Learning Performance in a Vocational Training Environment , 1997 .

[30]  Amy L. Baylor,et al.  Permutations of Control: Cognitive Considerations for Agent-Based Learning Environments , 2001 .