Learner Support in Online Learning Environments

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 ixAcknowledgments xiiiIntroduction xvPart 1. Definition of Assistance in the Digital Humanities Field 1Introduction to Part 1 3Chapter 1. Digital Humanities Context 51.1. Knowledge in humanities and social sciences should be structured through interaction 61.2. Lines of thought 91.3. Fields of actions 111.4. Digital resources at the heart of digital humanities 161.5. Conclusion: digital assistance in the fields of action 20Chapter 2. Digital Assistance Concept 232.1. Definition of assistance in a few major trends in educational psychology 252.2. Assistance as a cycle 292.3. Assistance as a response to a need 332.3.1. Theoretical framework: concept of support and request for assistance 332.3.2. Example of assistance for a reflective activity 352.3.3. Example of assistance for a repetitive activity 392.3.4. Example of assistance responding to security constraints 432.3.5. Example of assistance responding to innovation situations 472.3.6. Conclusion: support functions for digital assistance 512.4. Assistance in its processing 552.4.1. Theoretical framework: assistance activity and design theory 552.4.2. Example of assistance by deviation of use 572.4.3. Example of assistance developed from disciplinary knowledge 602.4.4. Example of assistance developed from resources from the world of research 632.4.5. Example of assistance developed from trace analysis 662.4.6. Conclusion: digital assistance between activity and operation 702.5. Assistance in terms of its usefulness 712.5.1. Theoretical framework: zone of proximal development and assistance evaluation 712.5.2. Example of assistance evaluated based on adjusted component models 742.5.3. Example of assistance evaluated based on reorganized component models 772.5.4. Example of assistance evaluated based on weighted component models 802.5.5. Conclusion: ZPD and digital assistance 832.6. Assistance in its future 842.6.1. Theoretical framework: proactive or reactive assistance 842.6.2. Example of orientations for assistance 862.6.3. Conclusion: different statuses of digital assistance 892.7. Conclusion: methodology of the digital assistance approach 90Part 2. Digital Assistance in the Researcher’s Activity 93Introduction to Part 2 95Chapter 3. Digital Assistance in the Researcher’s Activity 973.1. Context of the researcher’s work 983.1.1. The researcher’s thoughts in research situations 983.1.2. Between “environment” and “contract” 1003.1.3. The researcher's activity in official texts 1013.2. Researcher’s professional standards and digital resource contributions 1023.2.1. R111 activity: scientific monitoring conduct 1033.2.2. R211 activity: theoretical model development 1133.2.3. R741 activity: personnel management 1213.2.4. Conclusion: prospects for “scientific engineering” 1263.3. Digital resources to design for assistance 1273.3.1. Digital resources in curricular orientations assistance 1293.3.2. Digital resources in communicative orientations assistance 1323.3.3. Digital resources in reflective orientations assistance 1363.3.4. Conclusion: the beginning of changes 1403.4. Conclusion: three types of assistance 141Chapter 4. The Place of Digital Assistance in Professionalization 1454.1. The concept of professionalization 1454.2. Professional development and scientific scenario 1474.3. Development of the researcher’s activities and scientific scenario 1514.4. Contribution of assistance in the career path 1534.4.1. Individual nature 1544.4.2. Collective nature 1574.4.3. Conclusion: activities and expansion process 1594.5. Conclusion: from digital assistance to digitized assistance 160Chapter 5. Action Researcher Model for a Cognitively Increased Humanity 1635.1. Survey results: the researcher’s expectations 1645.2. Action researcher model 1675.2.1. Level 1: macro-concerns. 1685.2.2. Level 2: needs related to macro-concerns 1715.2.3. Level 3: soliciting the researcher with digital technology 1735.3. Conclusion: researcher’s position 174Conclusions and Prospects 177Appendix 1 185Appendix 2 193Glossary 197References 203Index 223