A Ubiquitous, Pen-based and Touch Classroom Response System Supported by Learning Styles

The Active Learning Model (ALM) is an educational model which proposes that students should participate, along with the teacher, as direct agents of their own learning process. Computer systems created to implement and support the ALM through activities are known as Classroom Response Systems (CRS). The CRS, usually supported by traditional pen-based Tablet PCs, allow the teacher to propose activities to students, receive back their answers, discuss the results and provide feedback. However, researches point several problems regarding the CRS use, like the inadequacy of the traditional pen-based Tablet PCs, which have disadvantages related to their size and weight, hard configuration and usability problems. Also, another problem is the pedagogical approach applied to build these systems, which don’t take into account individual student’s needs, learning characteristics and behaviors, like their learning styles. Still, we have the ascension of new pen-based and touch mobile devices (e.g iPad), light and thin enough to support novel educational approaches, like the Ubiquitous Learning. This approach proposes the use of context information to measure and customize the applications according to each student’s needs, thus supporting the creation of a Ubiquitous CRS (UCRS). Thus, in this work we describe a UCRS supported by the prediction of student’s learning styles. Initially focused in higher education, it supports the automatic identification of the students’ learning styles and the submission of activities that best fit each one of the students. We expect it will enhance the students learning experience, thus better supporting the ALM.