Adaptive Social Connectedness in a Multimedia E-learning Environment

Adaptive hypermedia systems are beneficial to e-learners in tailoring content to individual characteristics such as prior knowledge, learning preferences, etc. However, unlike popular non-adaptive learning management systems such as Moodle and Blackboard they do not support social connectedness by allowing communication with other learners. This can lead to feelings of isolation amongst learners and ultimately learner demotivation. Enabling communication has been shown to improve cohesion within a learner group and allows a tutor to monitor learner participation and intervene before learners become disengaged. This paper outlines a stand-alone component connect! for the selection of multimedia communication tools in adaptive e-learning systems to support social connectedness. In addition to the already proven benefits of supporting social interaction, attaching such a module to an adaptive hypermedia system allows us to introduce the novel feature of tailoring the communication method to the individual needs of the learner. We draw on research in the area of media ecology to assist us in making our decisions.