Learner Support in Online Learning Environments

We are at a crucial time for the production and dissemination of knowledge – one in which the scientific community is questioning the nature of the digital humanities. Within this context, Learner Support in Online Learning Environments proposes, by taking into consideration the notion of assistance in a learning context, an original method of positioning digital resources for teachers, students and researchers in the humanities and social sciences.

Questioning existing theoretical frameworks and prototypes, learner support in digital environments is presented as both a process and a result integrating a variety of resources. Some of these resources already exist, some may be adapted from existing objects and still others have yet to be imagined. The end goal is to facilitate both independent and group-based learning activities.

Chrysta Pélissier is Maître de Conferences in Language Sciences at the University of Montpellier, France. Her research focuses on the design of assistance technologies for digital learning environments.

Foreword ix

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction xv

Part 1. Definition of Assistance in the Digital Humanities Field 1

Introduction to Part 1 3

Chapter 1. Digital Humanities Context 5

1.1. Knowledge in humanities and social sciences should be structured through interaction 6

1.2. Lines of thought 9

1.3. Fields of actions 11

1.4. Digital resources at the heart of digital humanities 16

1.5. Conclusion: digital assistance in the fields of action 20

Chapter 2. Digital Assistance Concept 23

2.1. Definition of assistance in a few major trends in educational psychology 25

2.2. Assistance as a cycle 29

2.3. Assistance as a response to a need 33

2.3.1. Theoretical framework: concept of support and request for assistance 33

2.3.2. Example of assistance for a reflective activity 35

2.3.3. Example of assistance for a repetitive activity 39

2.3.4. Example of assistance responding to security constraints 43

2.3.5. Example of assistance responding to innovation situations 47

2.3.6. Conclusion: support functions for digital assistance 51

2.4. Assistance in its processing 55

2.4.1. Theoretical framework: assistance activity and design theory 55

2.4.2. Example of assistance by deviation of use 57

2.4.3. Example of assistance developed from disciplinary knowledge 60

2.4.4. Example of assistance developed from resources from the world of research 63

2.4.5. Example of assistance developed from trace analysis 66

2.4.6. Conclusion: digital assistance between activity and operation 70

2.5. Assistance in terms of its usefulness 71

2.5.1. Theoretical framework: zone of proximal development and assistance evaluation 71

2.5.2. Example of assistance evaluated based on adjusted component models 74

2.5.3. Example of assistance evaluated based on reorganized component models 77

2.5.4. Example of assistance evaluated based on weighted component models 80

2.5.5. Conclusion: ZPD and digital assistance 83

2.6. Assistance in its future 84

2.6.1. Theoretical framework: proactive or reactive assistance 84

2.6.2. Example of orientations for assistance 86

2.6.3. Conclusion: different statuses of digital assistance 89

2.7. Conclusion: methodology of the digital assistance approach 90

Part 2. Digital Assistance in the Researcher’s Activity 93

Introduction to Part 2 95

Chapter 3. Digital Assistance in the Researcher’s Activity 97

3.1. Context of the researcher’s work 98

3.1.1. The researcher’s thoughts in research situations 98

3.1.2. Between “environment” and “contract” 100

3.1.3. The researcher's activity in official texts 101

3.2. Researcher’s professional standards and digital resource contributions 102

3.2.1. R111 activity: scientific monitoring conduct 103

3.2.2. R211 activity: theoretical model development 113

3.2.3. R741 activity: personnel management 121

3.2.4. Conclusion: prospects for “scientific engineering” 126

3.3. Digital resources to design for assistance 127

3.3.1. Digital resources in curricular orientations assistance 129

3.3.2. Digital resources in communicative orientations assistance 132

3.3.3. Digital resources in reflective orientations assistance 136

3.3.4. Conclusion: the beginning of changes 140

3.4. Conclusion: three types of assistance 141

Chapter 4. The Place of Digital Assistance in Professionalization 145

4.1. The concept of professionalization 145

4.2. Professional development and scientific scenario 147

4.3. Development of the researcher’s activities and scientific scenario 151

4.4. Contribution of assistance in the career path 153

4.4.1. Individual nature 154

4.4.2. Collective nature 157

4.4.3. Conclusion: activities and expansion process 159

4.5. Conclusion: from digital assistance to digitized assistance 160

Chapter 5. Action Researcher Model for a Cognitively Increased Humanity 163

5.1. Survey results: the researcher’s expectations 164

5.2. Action researcher model 167

5.2.1. Level 1: macro-concerns. 168

5.2.2. Level 2: needs related to macro-concerns 171

5.2.3. Level 3: soliciting the researcher with digital technology 173

5.3. Conclusion: researcher’s position 174

Conclusions and Prospects 177

Appendix 1 185

Appendix 2 193

Glossary 197

References 203

Index 223