UlabGrid2
From P2pgrid
Abstract
In this project, we introduce the concept of Peer-to-peer Learning and discuss learning scenario that we aim at giving solution. We present our contribution ULabGrid2, a Grid architecture framework and the current implementation.
ULabGrid2 supports several Peer-to-peer learning scenarios making use of P2P and Grid infrastructures:
- sharing application session
- sharing data files
- providing peer to peer direct communications
- an activity indicator for peer discovery
Finally, we describe an experimental study which has been used to demonstrate the framework ability to support peer-to-peer learning activities and to evaluate the learning experiences of the users.
Introduction
Educational institutions for all ages have been centered in the teacher.
Thus computer supported for learning has been built following such a model: supporting teacher activities with Course Management Systems (CMS) that provide students access to lecture materials, automate tests access, and assessment. However, new educational paradigms are emerging: the Peer-to-peer learning model claims that peers are students and teachers at the same time “learning from and with each other”. The usage of social networks to support learning has been term connectivism; this theory states that learning in networks has many advantages over learning in closed groups.
Peer-to-peer learning might be supported by computer systems in different ways. Since Peer-to-peer learning is a distributed activity, in this work we are focused on exploring distributed systems support, specifically by Peer-to-peer and Grid systems.
Our contributions in this work include a novel approximation for Peer-to-peer and Grid convergence in Peer-to-peer Learning area, where we allow distributed small group to benefit from the underlying Peer-to-peer and Grid mechanisms.
Peer-to-peer Learning Scenarios
The Peer-to-peer learning paradigm as defined above claims that peers are students and teachers at the same time “learning from and with each other”. This raises a number of Peer-to-peer leaning scenarios that can make use of computer systems to improve learning. We present the following four scenarios but other will be most surely possible.
- Peer communication directly to other peers
- Peer discovery and connection to other peers
- Sharing information
- Sharing application sessions
ULabGrid2 Framework for Peer-to-peer Learning
We aim at building a system that supports the scenarios explained in the previous section.
Several of those scenarios could be supported by different distributed technologies; however there was a scenario that was only provided by the ULabGrid framework , ULabGrid provides the following functionality for several of the previous scenarios:
- Sharing application sessions with an screen sharing system: the Virtual Network Computing system VNC permits remote desktop sharing between
several user. ULabGrid enables users to access different shared application session being executed on demand in a dynamic pool of Grid resources.
- Sharing information with a shared data file sytem, in ULabGrid applications data was available to any of the applications sessions being executed in the pool of
Grid resources. To support the other peer-to-peer learning scenarios we had extended the framework into a new version to be called ULabGrid2. The functionality that this new framework version incorporates is:
- Peer-to-peer direct communication, initially text-based messages.
- Peers discovery by means of a network-based mechanisms.
The resulting ULabGrid2 framework is depicted in the next figure. Peer learners form a network connecting peers with each other. Peers are connected directly for
communication or file sharing, and indirectly through a Grid resource for application session sharing. A social networking mechanism permits peers to discover each other through direct connections, who I communicate with, or through indirect connections, who I share an application session with.
ULabGrid2 Framework for Peer-to-peer learning
Experimental Study
To validate our framework and prototype we have performed an experiment with a number of students who have been doing two different learning activities using ULabGrid2.
This learning activities are usually performed as a teacher guided laboratory session. In contrast, at the experiment students have been provided with some initial data and instructions and the objectives of each learning activity, and they have had to perform each learning activity on their own and with the help of each other.
The main difference between these activities has been the number of students enrolled in each group. In the first learning activity, the groups have been formed with two or three students who have been able to share the application's control. While in the second activity, each group has been formed with one only student in order to obligate them to ask to partners of other groups for solving problems.
The results of the question paper are described below.
Question paper for the first learning activity
1) ¿Did you understand the exercise?
2) You consider that you had the necessary previous knowledge to solve the exercice
3) You have solved successfully the exercise
4) You think that your contribution to solve the exercise has been important
5) You have learned to solve this kind of exercise
6) You consider that your group strategy to solve the exercise has been correct
7) You think that watching the application session in a concurrent way has been useful
8) You consider that sharing the mouse control is useful
9) You think that the mechanism for sharing the session control is correct
Question paper for the second learning activity
1) You understood the exercise
2) You consider that you had the necessary previous knowledge to solve the exercice
3) You have solved successfully the exercise
4) You think that your contribution to solve the exercise has been important
5) You have learned to solve this kind of exercise
6) You consider that your group strategy to solve the exercise has been correct: who to contact, how...
7) How many people have you ask for help?
8) How many people have you helped to solve the exercise?
9) You consider that asking for help to the rest of partners using the "free-sharing" option is useful
10) You think that accessing to the activity of other partners only if you have shared your session is useful
11) You consider that knowing how many people was watching a session indicates how importat the session is
Conferences, Workshops...Learning Grid Interest Group: Check web for conferences.Workshop on Mash-Up Personal Learning Environments:Sept 2008 Holland, DL: NowCSCL2009June 2009, Rhodes, Greece, DL: Nov
SocialCom 2009 August 2009 Vancouver, Canadá
Interacción 2009 Sept 2009 Barcelona
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