On improving the interaction and engagement with electronic course material on Data Structures and Algorithms

Korhonen A., Malmi L., Mard P., Salonen H., Silvasti P.

Electronic text books and other self-study course material built on
using available internet technology are becoming widely accepted.
From the student's point of view internet-based learning material can
be divided into two categories. The first category consists of passive
instructive material such as text, pictures and ready-made algorithm
animations. The second category covers constructive material which not
only allows the learner to interactively modify ready-made examples
but also to design and explore examples of his own.

Electronic text books, or hypertextbooks, are teaching and learning
resources that are intended to augment or supplant traditional
textbooks for an academic subject. They can be more illustrative than
traditional text books, because it is possible to embed animation,
sound and interactive applets.  Such applets can also make student's
learning process more active and constructive.

We present a simple classification for elements of an electronic
textbook, and briefly describe their role in the whole. After that we
represent a novel way to enhance the level of interaction and
engagement between the learner and the electronic text book he is
studying.  The current framework is capable of delivering algorithm
animations in standard or de facto standard formats. Thus, in the
future it is possible to exchange study material between web-based
learning enviroments more easily. Finally, by introducing exercises we
gain a natural way to gather information about learners activity. The
applets embedded into the electronic textbook provide means for
collecting data of students performance. The efficiency of the
material can be assessed not only by how far the learner proceeds in
the material but also by means of correct solutions for exercises.