Project: GraphIT

A dependency graph for learning contents.

Status: ongoing

Runtime: 2021 -

Participants: Raphael Wimmer, Alexander Weichart, Leonie Schrod

Keywords: graph, dependency_graph, education, learning

Background

A selection of learning topics of a course about computer graphics and image processing

University students' backgrounds and goals are becoming more and more heterogeneous. This requires educators to design courses and curricula that are more flexible and can be combined and re-configured depending on changing requirements. However, there is little tool support for designing such courses or degree programs.

GraphIT is a new prototypical platform that investigates how dependency graphs can be used to model courses, curricula, and personal learning progress. The dependency graph can then be used to highlight central topics, paths between topics, and clusters of related topics. The initial focus lies on courses in higher education.

We are currently developing a prototype on Wikibase, the knowledge-graph platform powering Wikidata. The development is a iterative process, as the prototype is simultaneously being used in teaching.

The resulting platform not only helps identify learning paths but also supports course planning, course organization, and learning analytics.

The platform

A course page displaying information from the graph

The graph consist of nodes and edges.

Nodes, or Items represent either small learning topics or more abstract concepts, such as students or resource types.

Edges, or Properties represent relationships between topic, such as dependencies, or links to resources. Additionally Wikibase allows for adding edges to edges, or simply annotating an edge with additional data. This is used to track information, such as creation of a node or importance.

The prototype currently contains three completed courses with about 400 topics.

Wikibase's built-in query service SPARQL allows for auto-generated visualizations and reports. This can be used to create course pages, to show organisational information as well as generate information from the graph itself, such as a course timeline, important topics and students interests and precursory knowledge.

Additionally students can use the graph and its properties to attach a personal item to different nodes of the graph. Which results in a more personalized subgraph, to track learning progress or interests in topics.

Several custom frontends are being developed. They adress issues with visualisation and editing to allow for a better interaction with the graph.

Additional Material

Publications

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