Title: Designing a user interface to manage recommendations in virtual learning communities

Authors: Olga C. Santos; Emanuela Mazzone; Maria Jose Aguilar; Jesus G. Boticario

Addresses: Artificial Intelligence Department, aDeNu Research Group, Computer Science School, UNED, c/Juan del Rosal, 16. 28040 Madrid, Spain. ' Artificial Intelligence Department, aDeNu Research Group, Computer Science School, UNED, c/Juan del Rosal, 16. 28040 Madrid, Spain. ' Tuenti Technologies, SL. Plaza de las Cortes Nº2, 4th floor, 28014, Madrid, Spain. ' Artificial Intelligence Department, aDeNu Research Group, Computer Science School, UNED, c/Juan del Rosal, 16. 28040 Madrid, Spain

Abstract: The article presents the user-centred design process followed to design a user interface for educators to support them in the understanding, generation and usage of recommendations for virtual learning communities. The aim of this tool is to facilitate the involvement of educators when personalising the learning experience for their students, in order to make the educative process as effective, efficient and satisfactory as possible. The user-centred design process described follows the five steps of the information architecture stage and proposes as a result an interaction mock-up for the user interface to support the educator in the management of recommendations.

Keywords: user-centred design; UCD; administration graphical interfaces; information architecture; recommendations management; interaction mock-ups; user interfaces; interface design; educators; recommendation understanding; recommendation generation; recommendation usage; personalisation; learning experience; educative processes; Spain; higher education; universities; student support; recommenders; recommender systems; e-communities; electronic communities; internet; world wide web; virtual communities; web based communities; online communities; virtual learning communities.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWBC.2012.048057

International Journal of Web Based Communities, 2012 Vol.8 No.3, pp.354 - 374

Published online: 20 Aug 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article