Web-Based Learning Object Search Engine Solution Together with Data Visualization: The Case of MERLOT II

W. K.T.M. Gunarathne, Chalothon Chootong, Worapot Sommool, Ankhtuya Ochirbat, Yi Cheng Chen, Sorel Reisman, Timothy K. Shih

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Open Educational Resources deliver a strategic opportunity to improve the quality of education. Currently, OER users, students, instructors, and scholars can find OERs from general search engines through metadata enrichment and logic extrapolation. Yet, most users of Web search engines today face difficulties when searching for decent and appropriate learning materials. One of the explanations may be that users are unable to get a clear overview of the list of results produced by current learning object repositories (LORs) for a given single keyword search. The purpose of this study is to propose an enhanced learning object (LO) search engine solution together with a data visualization feature in order to navigate a hitlist of LOs using a hierarchical knowledge graph based on a single keyword search in LORs. In order to conduct experiments and validate our approach, in this study we selected MERLOT II, a well-known learning resource repository. We implemented a Web-based solution where users can execute a single keyword search, then visualize results on a hierarchical knowledge graph. In order to accomplish our objectives, the back-end of the system was involved in the functions of data extraction, data transformation, data clustering and data visualization. The outcome of the search and data visualization results indicate that the proposed approach can help users to get a clear overview of the LOs based on a single keyword search.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings - 2018 IEEE 42nd Annual Computer Software and Applications Conference, COMPSAC 2018
EditorsChung-Horng Lung, Thomas Conte, Ling Liu, Toyokazu Akiyama, Kamrul Hasan, Edmundo Tovar, Hiroki Takakura, William Claycomb, Stelvio Cimato, Ji-Jiang Yang, Zhiyong Zhang, Sheikh Iqbal Ahamed, Sorel Reisman, Claudio Demartini, Motonori Nakamura
PublisherIEEE Computer Society
Pages1026-1031
Number of pages6
ISBN (Electronic)9781538626665
DOIs
StatePublished - 8 Jun 2018
Event42nd IEEE Computer Software and Applications Conference, COMPSAC 2018 - Tokyo, Japan
Duration: 23 Jul 201827 Jul 2018

Publication series

NameProceedings - International Computer Software and Applications Conference
Volume1
ISSN (Print)0730-3157

Conference

Conference42nd IEEE Computer Software and Applications Conference, COMPSAC 2018
Country/TerritoryJapan
CityTokyo
Period23/07/1827/07/18

Keywords

  • Clustering
  • Data extraction
  • Data transformation
  • Data visualization
  • MERLOT II
  • Open Educational Resources
  • Search engine

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