Title: An intelligent ontology-based e-learning tool for software risk management

Authors: C.R. Rene Robin; G.V. Uma

Addresses: Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Jerusalem College of Engineering, Chennai-100, Tamil Nadu, India. ' Department of Information Science and Technology, Anna University, Chennai-25, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract: In the past decade, ontologies have been widely used in the field of e-learning in order to create a semantic representation of knowledge and to provide a uniform structure to the course material. In order to provide a semantic representation of knowledge, this paper delineates a framework that uses an underlying ontology to structure the course material. In general, ontology-based e-learning tools are primarily static in nature, since they cannot learn new teaching materials and/or teaching strategies on their own. In order to overcome this limitation, an intelligent ontology-based e-learning system has been proposed. It possesses the ability to act in a genuinely intelligent manner by assessing the learners initially, and providing personalised suggestions to the learners indicating their strengths and weaknesses. This tool has been developed with the view of providing industry-oriented training to potential engineers and educating them on managing risks in software engineering. The constructed ontology as well as the developed system has been evaluated separately.

Keywords: ontology; software engineering; risk management; Bayesian models; network models; e-learning; electronic learning; online learning; internet; world wide web; Thomas Bayes; intelligent tools; semantic representations; knowledge representation; uniform structures; course materials; teaching materials; teaching strategies; learner assessment; personalised suggestions; learner strengths; learner weaknesses; industry-oriented training; potential engineers; engineering education; constructed ontologies; developed systems; Jerusalem College of Engineering; Tamil Nadu; India; education economics; educational development; curriculum design; pedagogical issues; pedagogy; computing education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEED.2011.043830

International Journal of Education Economics and Development, 2011 Vol.2 No.4, pp.320 - 346

Published online: 11 Oct 2014 *

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