Conference Title

The Sixth International Conference on E-Learning and E-

Technologies in Education (ICEEE2017)

Conference Dates
September 18-20, 2017

Conference Venue
Lodz University of Technology, Lodz, Poland

ISBN:
978-1-941968-44-4 2017 SDIWC

Published by
The Society of Digital Information and Wireless
Communications (SDIWC)
Wilmington, New Castle, DE 19801, USA
www.sdiwc.net
 Table of Contents

Flexible Teaching of Reconfigurable Logic Design Including a Remote Cloud Lab..... 1

Smart On-Line Technologies to Enhance Musical Knowledge: A Qualitative Case Study . 10

 Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on E-Learning and E-Technologies in Education (ICEEE2017), Lodz, Poland, 2017
Flexible Teaching of Reconfigurable Logic Design
Including a Remote Cloud Lab
Jim Torresen, Alexander Wold, Yngve Hafting, Tnnes Nygaard, Roar Skogstrm and Jrgen
Norendal
Department of Informatics, University of Oslo
Oslo, Norway
E-mail: jimtoer@ifi.uio.no
ABSTRACT
Reconfigurable logic systems often consist of a
mix of software and hardware requiring design
experience from both domains. To reduce the
challenge of learning reconfigurable hardware
design, we have developed a framework for
flexible learning through Internet. Learning takes
place using videos, lecture slides, quizzes and lab
assignments in addition to regular text books. Lab
assignments consist of a physical lab setup
accessible through a web browser using the Xilinx
Vivado design tool with Xilinx Zynq-7000. In
this paper, we outline the developed material and
student feedback after using it.
KEYWORDS
E-Learning Hardware, E-learning in Electrical and
Information Engineering, Remote Lab,
Reconfigurable Logic, Field Programmable Gate
Array technology (FPGA), Web-based Learning,
Flexible Learning
1 INTRODUCTION
The introduction of Massively Open Online
Courses (MOOCs) on the Internet has in recent
years resulted in flexible learning becoming
more widespread. Almost any topic can now be
learnt from anywhere and at any time.
However, receiving knowledge is not sufficient
to master a topic. This is particularly true in the
field of embedded system development. Thus,
it is necessary to work with practical lab
assignments to acquire knowledge and skills in
hardware design. Thus, we have in recent years
undertaken development of teaching resources
for hardware design. Our goal is to enable
students to both gain knowledge and to do
practical work on FPGA development boards
ISBN: 978-1-941968-44-4 2017 SDIWC
through a web browser. The system and our
experiences are reported in this paper.
Field Programmable Gate Array technology
(FPGA) is the technology used in
reconfigurable logic designs. Providing
students with such design knowledge and skills
are traditionally undertaken through lectures
and assignment work at a lab. Much work has
been published related to experiences being
made on such teaching. Mitsui et al. have
presented results from a JPEG application on
an Altera NIOS2 development kit [1]. Kumar
et al. have developed a platform allowing
students to explore both the hardware and
software issues associated with real-time and
embedded systems [2]. Other alternatives
include multi-core systems [3] [4]. However,
the concept of remote labs accessible through
Internet is a rather new concept [5]. Thus, we
are aware of only a few platforms that have
been developed for learning digital logic design
through a web browser. Drutarovsky et al.
provided a measurement equipment framework
for testing FPGA designs [6]. This system
featured logic analyzer, digital storage
oscilloscope and a programmable pattern
generator. The students interacted remotely to
configure the target FPGA board, and to
visualize the measured signals. A remote Altera
FPGA lab to introduce digital system design to
students is presented in [7]. It is reported as a
single user system with latency challenges.
Another platform targeted to teaching is the
VICILOGIC platform. It provides access to
learning resources and a remote FPGA lab
[8][9], applying a web-based RemoteFPGA lab
concept [10]. Our platform is distinguished
from this system by implementing the design
using HDL only (rather than also with
schematic capture) and by focusing on only
1
 Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on E-Learning and E-Technologies in Education (ICEEE2017), Lodz, Poland, 2017

Figure 2. The edX platform for our elementary course.

using the FPGA vendors design platform rather 2 TEACHING RESOURCES ACCESSED
than a custom tool. Another platform has been THROUGH THE WEB
developed in the eDiViDe project [11] where a Our work makes it possible for students in
number of different design labs were made addition to learning in traditional lectures in
available [12]. eDiViDe presents practical lab courses, to have alternative ways of learning
setups where one development board is the syllabus as well. Further, in addition to
connected to each physical setup, for example being present in the regular lab hours, the
controlling the traffic lights in an intersection. students can access a remote lab at any time,
These advanced setups are interesting for see Fig. 1.
remote teaching labs, as it is not something a
student can easily assemble at home. However,
eDiViDe had a narrower scope compared to our
work. For example, we have developed
teaching material available together with the
lab platform.
Further, our assignments build on each other
making a natural progression rather than being
a number of independent tasks. Lastly,
eDiViDe used the older ISE (Integrated
Synthesis Environment) design tool, while we
are now using Xilinx Vivado with the Xilinx
Zynq-7000 device.

This paper outlines the developed

comprehensive teaching resources and our
experience in having students using them. The
remainder of this paper is organized as follows;
the next section introduces the various teaching
resources and the infrastructure which we have
been implementing. In section 3, the student
experiences are presented. Finally, conclusions
are included in section 4.
Figure 1. The remote lab setup including a frame for
holding the video camera.
The developed material is included in an
elementary course (INF3430, see [13]) and in a
more advanced course (INF5430, see [14]), all
provided in English language. The elementary
course intended for undergraduate studies
includes introduction to digital design

ISBN: 978-1-941968-44-4 2017 SDIWC 2

 Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on E-Learning and E-Technologies in Education (ICEEE2017), Lodz, Poland, 2017
including VHDL, FPGA and system-on-chip
design. The advanced course targeting graduate
studies covers a range of digital hardware
system topics like digital arithmetic design,
dynamic partial reconfiguration of FPGA, high
level synthesis and functional verification. Our
intention is that not only students registered at
our own university would be taking the courses
but also remotely located students and
company employees. That is, study the full
course remotely including solving lab
assignments. There is a potential for applying
the framework for collecting input on
performances of each student. Thus, flexible
teaching material opens up for the Education
Based on Competencies (EBC) methodology
[15] where the student contribution and
achievements during the semester in lab work
are possible to be accounted for in the final
grade. However, we have not yet implemented
this, and the grade they get is given by a final
traditional exam.
Learning of anything, from anywhere and at
any time is a recent international trend which
also can have a positive impact on traditional
lectures. That is, regular lectures are still
relevant but can be improved by being
complemented with flexible teaching resources
both in addition to and by using them as a part
of the lectures. This is relevant for the flipped
classroom concept which is characterized by
increased interaction between students and the
lecturer [16]. The aim is to create an
environment where the students participate
more actively compared to the traditional role
as mostly passive receivers in regular lectures.
This requires creativity and novelty in how the
syllabus is being presented and taught.
Below, we describe the developed resources
consisting of videos, quizzes and the remote
lab.
2.1 MOOC Platform Selection
We have evaluated multiple available
MOOC platforms. The edX platform was
selected for the following reasons: It is widely
used internationally by leading universities1,
and there is no vendor lock in use. It is an open-
1
Created by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and
Harvard University in 2012.
ISBN: 978-1-941968-44-4 2017 SDIWC
source framework, and one may host it oneself.
However, a self-hosted installation of edX,
naturally does not give the same publicity as
making the course available at edx.com. In
contrast to using a regular course web page,
edX includes functionality for quizzes and
follow up of student assignments for the course
manager. We have used the platform to give
students in the elementary course access to
lecture slides, videos, quizzes and lab
assignments, see Fig. 2 for the layout and [13]
for having access.
2.2 Quizzes
We provide quizzes to most of the syllabus
in the elementary course to improve the
learning outcome when videos are watched or
slides are studied on your own. They provide a
helpful supplement to the syllabus in the given
text books, since they allow the students to
become aware of their level of understanding.
We have for a number of years used multiple
choice questions for the regular course exam.
Now we have assembled these into quizzes
provided by the edX platform. For each student
registered for the course, the course manager
can see what tasks each student has been
undertaking. Further, one may see details on
which of them that have been answered
correctly and wrongly, respectively.
2.3 Videos
We have made videos to some parts of the
syllabus and have prioritized parts where we
expected oral explanation of the lecture slides
would be most needed for an easier under-
standing. They have both been shown in
regular lectures and been made available on the
course website or in edX. Further, related
multiple choice tests for each video improve
the learning outcome when videos are watched
on your own. We focused on making the videos
according to what we found were the guidelines
many applied for making MOOC videos:
Keep the videos short and normally not
longer than 10 minutes.
3
 Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on E-Learning and E-Technologies in Education (ICEEE2017), Lodz, Poland, 2017

The speaker should keep a proper speed so through the central server. The design is
those somewhat familiar with the topic assigned to one of the three local servers where
dont find the progress too slow. Those it immediately is being compiled. The user can
finding the progress too fast can easily follow this process through the Xilinx Vivado
replay parts of the video. console window in the web interface, see Fig.
4. If the compilation ends without any errors, it
Picture of the speaker is not needed in the is uploaded to the assigned FPGA board, and
recording since that can often be distracting the student can observe the behaviour through
and take attention away from what is to be the video camera, see Fig. 5. The web interface
learnt. is implemented using Django which is a high-
The videos were made using the Camtasia level Python Web framework. Three local
Studio tool and a high quality microphone. servers (Dell OptiPlex 7020 MT desktop mini-
They consisted of screen capture of lecture towers with i7-4790 core) allow for up to three
slides that earlier had been used in lectures. The students observing their system running at the
tool allows for editing a recording and provides same time. However, up to 10 users are allowed
various useful ways of adding annotation after concurrently to be interacting with and
the recording is finished to make it easier for a compiling on each local server. Thus, the
student to know where to look at the screen. capacity would be 30 students in total working
The finished videos were made in mp4 format. on the system. The coordination of the users
and their tasks are undertaken with Celery
which allows for distributed task queues. When
2.4 Remote lab platform granted access to run a design on a board, the
The remote lab setup is implemented as behaviour is observed through a MicroSoft
shown in Fig. 3. A student connects through a LifeCam Studio camera (model 1425), see Fig.
web interface and is given access through a 1.
central server. A framework of design files are The interaction between the student and the
first downloaded from edX. The missing remote lab is as follows:
parts of the design are added to the design
1. The student selects a lab assignment and
locally on the students computer where also
gets files downloaded to own computer.
any simulation takes place.
2. The student implements the solution of the
assignment locally using the Xilinx
Local WebPack and verifies the design with
Servers
simulation using the Modelsim PE Student


Central Edition (or the Xilinx WebPack internal
Server
simulator).
FPGA 3. The student logs in to the remote lab and
files including the student solution are
Local WWW uploaded to the local server (tar.gz
Network format).
FPGA 4. The compilation is undertaken on the local
server, and an FPGA configuration file is
generated.
5. If the design compiles without errors, a time
FPGA
Student slot is allocated for testing the design on
the FPGA-board together with observing
the performance through the camera.
Figure 3. Remote lab architecture overview.

After the implementation is finished locally, As seen in the lower part of Fig. 4, the user
the design files are uploaded to the remote lab has access to hardware switches and

ISBN: 978-1-941968-44-4 2017 SDIWC 4

 Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on E-Learning and E-Technologies in Education (ICEEE2017), Lodz, Poland, 2017
Figure 4. Remote lab board (ZedBoard) with
accessory boards for 7-segment display and remote
switch controls connected as seen through the remote lab
web interface.
pushbuttons through the web interface. These
are used in various ways in the lab exercises to
control the realized systems. The live video
stream of the camera is shown to the student at
30 frames per second using HTML5 video. Low
latency is important as the user interacts with
the FPGA board through virtual switches and
pushbuttons while watching the board at the
same time through the video camera.
Our implementation has a latency of less than
250ms from the time when the student changes
an input to the student can see the change in the
live video stream. This means that the delay is
noticeable, but it is not an obstacle for the
student. For example, it takes the student more
time to move the mouse and to click a button
than it takes to display the change. The low
latency is achieved through the following
optimizations:
ISBN: 978-1-941968-44-4 2017 SDIWC
In the video compression settings, we make
every video frame a keyframe rather then
the default of only every 15 frame. Since
decoding is only undertaken for every key
frame, we obtain less delay due to more
frequent decoding.
Rather than buffering video (which is
normally beneficial when watching
multimedia content), we drop delayed
frames.
The development board used is an
AVNET/DIGILENT ZedBoard (Zynq
Evaluation and Development, see
www.zedboard.org). The board and access-
ories are mounted on a plate contained in a
frame also holding the video camera and
possible light, as seen in Fig. 1. Currently only
assignments for the elementary course have
been provided in the remote lab. Thus, future
work includes also providing assignments for
the advanced course in the remote lab.
2.4.1 Switch Controlling Card
One challenge with controlling equipment
in a lab is that there are no physical hands
available to turn possible switches on the
design board. Therefore, we have designed a
switch emulating board that makes a user
remotely able to turn switches on and off, see
Fig. 4 (plug-in board on the left) and Fig. 5.
It interfaces to a PC via USB and uses the
FTDI Chip USB to UART interface FT230XS.
This enables the PC to communicate with the
USB using a standard asynchronous serial
protocol using Python scripts.
The PC communicates with an onboard
ARM Microcontroller, STM32L152 from
STMicroelectronics. A program inside the
microcontroller converts the received serial
data into parallel format and sends it to the
three double PMOD connectors on the
ZedBoard. The status of each bit is also shown
on the 24 LEDs on the board. In this way we
can watch the input pattern from a remote
5
 Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on E-Learning and E-Technologies in Education (ICEEE2017), Lodz, Poland, 2017
USB Connection to PC
Figure 5. USB Switch controlling board.
location through the video camera. This
complements with the switch settings also
being shown graphically in the web interface
where switches can be in on or off position, see
Fig. 4.
To PMOC Connector on ZedBoard
Figure 6. The four 7-segment board.
2.4.2 Seven Segment Board
The Zedboard has an advanced OLED
display module available. However, we have
earlier had good experience in using the
traditional and much simpler 7-segment
display in design assignments. Since this is not
available on the ZedBoard, we made a plug-in
board with four 7-segments, see Fig. 4 and Fig.
6.
2
Algorithmic State Machine
ISBN: 978-1-941968-44-4 2017 SDIWC
2.5 Lab Assignments
The assignments start at a very basic level
and progress through more complex designs:
1. Learn the Xilinx Vivado design flow
through some simple design examples. A 2-4
decoder is designed, difference between signals
and variables in VHDL is exemplified, and the
creation of shift registers by the means of
component instantiation is to be undertaken.
2. The second assignment consists of the
following:
a. Learning about subprograms and
libraries in VHDL
b. Learning how to create hardware
descriptions in VHDL, and to create test
benches to simulate them.
3. This assignment is targeted at teaching
state machine design including with ASM2
flow diagram before VHDL code is written.
The task is to control a pointer on an actuator
output with the help of a shaft encoder for
position measurement, as seen in the lower part
of the video image in Fig. 4. This is relevant
since the course is a part of a robotics study
program at the university.
4. The final assignment consists of the
implementation of a system-on-chip system
using the Zynq processor on the board.
6
 Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on E-Learning and E-Technologies in Education (ICEEE2017), Lodz, Poland, 2017

3 EXPERIENCES FROM USING THE From where did you access the edX
TEACHING FRAMEWORK pla7orm?
60
Developing a flexible teaching framework 50

Percentage
including a remote lab is an extensive task 40
where priorities have to be made. We have had 30
regular meetings in the project with relevant 20
10
people where all aspects of the flexible 0
teaching material have been discussed, At At home On travel Other
including academic content, teaching platform, university
technical solution and remote lab tasks, etc.
Figure 8. Student survey about the edX access (24
The developed teaching resources have been replies, INF3430).
gradually introduced into the regular courses as
they have become ready to be applied. This has How much did you feel you learned from the
allowed us to assess them before they are being videos?
used at a larger scale including for remote 50
students not present at the university. This 40
section summarizes experiences we have made Percentage 30
including feedback from students.
INF5430
20
The conducted surveys have been important INF3430
to get feedback on how helpful and user 10

friendly the developed teaching material is and 0

how it can be improved. It was undertaken in None Some OK Quite A lot
much
2016 in the last lecture of the elementary course
Figure 9. Student survey about video learning
(INF3430) and the advanced course outcome (20 replies for INF3430 and 11 replies for
(INF5430), respectively. We have collected INF5430).
feedbacks on their experience in using the
different teaching resources (only videos for The main feedback on the use of videos was
INF5430). that the learning outcome has been at or above
average, see Fig. 9. The advantage of them is
that one can go back and see them again to
How easy was it to start using the content of
the edX-pla8orm?
better understand what is being presented.
80
Another positive thing being mentioned is that
70
they can be seen anywhere and at any time.
60 Moreover, their format of being more focused
Percentage

50 and concentrated than lectures are appreciated.

40 A large majority of the respondents appreciate
30 their relatively short length, see Fig. 10.
20
10
What do you think about the length of the
0 videos?
Very hard Average Quite easy Have not used
120
Figure 7. Student survey about the edX use (24 100
Percentage

replies, INF3430). 80
60
40
As seen in Fig. 7, the students find the edX 20 INF5430
0 INF3430
platform easy to use, confirming the user
t

te

ng

ng

friendliness of the platform.

or

ge

ria

lo
sh

on

t l
op

o
o

bi
t l

to
To

pr

A
an

The platform is accessed slightly more often

Ap

uc
w
d

M
ul

at the university compared to at home, see Fig.

Co

8. Figure 10. Student survey about length of videos (18

replies for INF3430 and 10 replies for INF5430).

ISBN: 978-1-941968-44-4 2017 SDIWC 7

 Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on E-Learning and E-Technologies in Education (ICEEE2017), Lodz, Poland, 2017

This confirms others experience which we Good access to the physical lab.
took into account when making the videos (as
mentioned in section 2.3). That is, try avoiding Lab assistants supervising in the physical
videos longer than 10 minutes. However, the lab (an active discussion forum or a chat
compactness of the videos was by a few function related to the remote lab could
mentioned as a challenge, who indicated that a compensate some for that).
slower progress would have been desirable. We have provided information about the lab to
Other challenges were the lack of opportunity other relevant teaching institutions in Norway
to ask questions. through e-mail and presentation at a national
Course lecturers have appreciated the use of FPGA conference. Thus, we expect the
videos in regular lectures in combination with platform would get more in use in the future
the ordinary instruction. Thus, the need then for both at our own institution and other
teaching preparation becomes reduced, but universities. The platform has shown to have a
they are still able to comment on the content of stable performance providing uninterrupted
the videos and answer questions students may service.
have. Many of the students have watched the
videos both in lectures and on the web page, see
Fig. 11. 4 CONCLUSION
The paper has been concerned with
I have watched the videos outlining the design of new flexible teaching
90 resources for learning reconfigurable logical
80
70 design from anywhere and at anytime. It
Percentage

60 consists of videos, lecture slides, quizzes and

50
40 INF5450
lab assignments with the latter undertaken
30
INF3430
through a physical lab setup accessible through
20
10 a web browser. The collected experience from
0 students applying the teaching resources
In lectures only On the web In both lectures
page only and on the web indicates that they are appreciated and lead to
page increased and more effective learning. Future
Figure 11. Student survey about video viewing (20 work includes having more students enrolled
replies for INF3430 and 11 replies for INF5430). in the courses and continue collecting feedback
regarding user experience. Further, extending
the teaching resources are also relevant.
Multiple choice questions are available both
after videos and related to available lecture
slides. Students appreciate the questions, since ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
they mention that they are helpful for learning
and to determine which parts of the curriculum This work is partially supported by the
they may have misunderstood. However, Norwegian Agency for Digital Learning in
evaluations show that quizzes are mostly used Higher Education as a part of the project
for preparation right before the exam (rather Course Provision for Programmable Logic
than during the semester). Development on Remote Lab under grant
The implemented remote lab was available agreement P70/2014.
in INF3430 autumn 2016, however, we saw a
limited interest in starting to use it. Students
REFERENCES
express the following reasons for why not using
[1] H. Mitsui, H. Kambe, and H. Koizumi, Use of
the remote lab: student experiments for teaching embedded
software development including HW/SW co-
Although positive attitude for using it, it design, IEEE Trans. Educ., vol. 52, no. 3, pp. 436
was regarded as additional work to get into 443, Aug. 2009.
[2] A. Kumar, S. Fernando and R. C. Panicker,
using it. "Project-Based Learning in Embedded Systems
Education Using an FPGA Platform," IEEE

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 Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on E-Learning and E-Technologies in Education (ICEEE2017), Lodz, Poland, 2017

Transactions on Education, vol. 56, no. 4, pp. 407-

415, Nov. 2013.
[3] C. Ttofis, T. Theocharides, and M. Michael,
FPGA-based laboratory assignments for NoC-
based many core systems, IEEE Trans. Educ., vol.
55, no. 2, pp. 180189, May 2012.
[4] A. Hansson, B. Akesson, and J. v. Meerbergen,
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[5] D. Lowe, S. Murray, E. Lindsay, and L. Dikai,
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[6] Drutarovsky, M., Saliga, J. and Hroncova, I. (2009),
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reconfigurable systems, Acta Electrotechnica et
Informatica, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 44-50.
[7] Soares, J. and Lobo, J. 2011. A remote FPGA
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Reconfigurable Systems. 9598.
[8] Morgan, F., Cawley, S., Coffey, A., Callaly, F.,
Lyons, D., viciLogic: Online learning and
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architecture, In eChallenges e-2014 Conference
Proceedings, pp. 1-9, 2014
[9] Morgan, F., Cawley, S. and Newell, D. (2012),
Remote FPGA Lab for Enhancing Learning of
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[10] F. Morgan and S. Cawley, "Enhancing learning of
digital systems using a remote FPGA lab," 6th
International Workshop on Reconfigurable
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(ReCoSoC), Montpellier, 2011, pp. 1-8. doi:
10.1109/ReCoSoC.2011.5981525
[11] J. Vandorpe, T. Bartkewitz, M. Drutarovsky, Y.
Hafting, D. Koch, K. Lemke-Rust, N. Mentens, P.
Plger, P. Samarin, R. Smeets, J. Torresen, M.
Varchola, J. Vliegen, eDiViDe: European Digital
Virtual Design Lab-A Remote Learning Platform
for Digital Design, Proceedings of the SEFI
Annual Conference, paper 129, 2013.
[12] Vandorpe, J., Bartkewitz, T., Drutarovsky, M.,
Hafting, Y., Koch, D., Lemke-Rust, K., Mentens,
N., Plger, P., Samarin, P., Smeets, R., Torresen, J.,
Varchola, M., Vliegen, J. (2013). Remote FPGA
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[13] Elementary course page (INF3430), University of
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[14] Advanced course page (INF5430), University of
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[15] K. Rezgui, H. Mhiri and K. Ghedira, Competency
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23.1200.18, 2013

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Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on E-Learning and E-Technologies in Education (ICEEE2017), Lodz, Poland, 2017
Smart On-Line Technologies to Enhance Musical Knowledge: A Qualitative
Case Study
Michele Della Ventura
Music Academy Studio Musica Department of Music Technology
Via Andrea Gritti, 25 31100 Treviso Italy
dellaventura.michele@tin.it
ABSTRACT
This article provides an overview of the role that
the on-line platform OPEN SoundS can play in
promoting musical education in a classroom with
dyslexic students. The platform is a musical
environment designed and developed as a virtual
studio where students and teachers can create
collaborative musical projects. In this on-line
environments, the users deal with technologies for
music processing, research, and communication
that can help to develop personal skills and to
enhance learning and teaching. The purpose of
this study is to identify implications for future
studies in the use of digital technology for
learning. Results show that appropriate learning
strategies can help the teacher to create an
inclusive course that take into consideration the
needs of the students with and without dyslexia.
KEYWORDS
Dyslexia, learning motivation, music education,
student performance, technology enhanced
learning
1 INTRODUCTION
Pondering on the current state of the
relationship between the internet and the
educational disciplines calls for a statement of
fact: the diffusion of internet usage is an
already acknowledged fact which can no
longer be understood as a marginal
phenomenon and which appears to be
susceptible of important growth and
developments [1][2]. We may, in other words,
interpret it as a relevant aspect of a new
normality [1] which is progressively
establishing itself and tends to position those
who think it possible to stay offline in a
marginal area [3], imposing on them serious
ISBN: 978-1-941968-44-4 2017 SDIWC
penalties at the level of information,
communication and updating [4].
Internet represents an important tool for the
didactic, enhancing the learning process: with
Internet it is possibile to speak of e-learning.
E-learning is a platform with flexible learning
using Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) resources, tools and
applications, and focusing on interactions
among teachers, learners and online
environment [5]. The learning environment
must be a smart learning environment:
technology-supported learning environment
that can make adaptations and provide
appropriate support in the right places and at
the right time based on individual learners
needs, which might be determined via
analyzing their learning behaviours,
performance and the online and real-world
contexts in which they are situated [6][7].
Nowadays, there are a lot of learning platform
for different subjects, but there is little
attention for the musical field.
This paper presents a case study conducted in
a Music High School using the learning-
environment OPEN Sounds (OS) in order to
improve the performance of students in the
area of theory, analysis and composition. The
main aim of this project was to analyze the
impact of the use of OS in the students'
learning process: increase the student's
motivation in order to see if it corresponds to
an improvement of his/her academic results.
Moreover, this project toke the students'
learning styles into consideration, in order to
meet the needs of all students: non dyslexic
and dyslexic students.
This paper is organized as follows. Section 2
describes the motivation to learning. Section 3
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Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on E-Learning and E-Technologies in Education (ICEEE2017), Lodz, Poland, 2017
describes the computer environment OPEN
SoundS. Section 4 shows an experimental test
that illustrate the effectiveness of the
proposed method and finally, conclusions are
drawn in Section 5.
2 MOTIVATION TO LEARN
Motivation is defined by psychologists as an
internal process that activates, guides, and
maintains behavior over time [8]. In other
words motivation gets you going, keeps you
going, and determines where youre trying to
go [9]. Motivation influences learners to
choose a task, get energized about it, and
persist until they accomplish it successfully,
regardless of whether it brings an immediate
reward. Motivation is present when learners
actively seek out and participate in activities
without having to be rewarded by materials or
activities outside the learning task.
Emotions have an effect on learning and
achievement, mediated by attention, self-
regulation and motivation [10]. Therefore,
emotion represents an indicator of the
motivation: emotion is related to motivation
in such a way that human beings tend to
execute things that we hope would lead to
happiness, satisfaction and any other positive
emotion at some degree [11].
Motivation to learn is important for the
students success. It is personal and comes
from within an individual, but it can be
influenced by external factors. The teacher
must consider the principles of motivation to
develop a learning project. In this regard it is
important to analyze the learning style of the
students to meet their needs and to permit the
inclusion of the student with dyslexia [12].
Dyslexia is defined as a Specific Learning
Disorder (SLD): it is characterized by
difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word
recognition and by poor spelling and
decoding abilities [13][14]. Dyslexia causes
difficulty with reading, spelling, writing and
even speaking. Dyslexic students have to use
all their capacities and energies to read or
write and for these reasons they grow tired
quickly, they make errors, fall behind, do not
ISBN: 978-1-941968-44-4 2017 SDIWC
learn [15]. One of the major issues of the
individuals affected by SLD is the lack of
autonomy in the learning process, which
leads the individuals to disesteem (emotion)
and educational failure [13] (weaknesses),
therefore to a lack of motivation.
3 OPEN SOUNDS
OPEN SoundS is a virtual learning
environment designed for creative expression
mediated by the use of dedicated technology
and by the peer communities set up to
develop more proficient learning processes
through music production teamwork.
In other words: a virtual environment and
strategic model to teach how to approach and
access the digital world, its tools, practices,
codes, alongside a conscious use of them
when learning.
With OS students can collaborate in groups,
talking freely to one another. Discussion
helps with the understanding of what they are
doing and why [16] (i.e. the use of a stylistic
feature instead of one another, the use of a
cadence). More able learners develop their
communication skills by clarifying their ideas
as they explain them to others. Less able
students are usually supported by other group
members, and feel more confident (emotion)
to contribute ideas [17].
OS is a learning environment where students
and teachers can create collaborative musical
projects (in a formal and informal way). They
can create a project, describing it in every
aspect, uploading music files, reading the
contribution of each student and
writing/reading comments about the creative
productions.
The creation of a music project through a
teamwork permits the acquisition and
development of musical skills and a
progressive awareness of the musical
grammar rules.
In this new learning context the teacher must
bear in mind the learning targets, that means
the declarations of what a student knows,
understands and is able to do at the
conclusion of a learning process. This implies
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Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on E-Learning and E-Technologies in Education (ICEEE2017), Lodz, Poland, 2017

the definition of a set of learning indicators Imitate others in using stylistic feature
useful to oversee the learning process and to Observe and imitate how other people
correct the strategies if it is necessary [18]. solve problems; ask for a solution and uses
it
Suggest solutions to a problem
Table 1. Learning indicators. Resolve problems through negotiation and
compromise
Indicators referred to the internal process
Follow detailed, instructional, multistep
Use of informal language to seek dialogue directions
Comforts self by seeking out special Describe the use of many muscial
object or person (emotion) grammar rule
Seek a preferred friend Incorporate new, less familiar stylistic
Acceptance of redirection/advices from feature in everyday conversations
other users (emotion) Application of musical grammar rules in
Indication of needs and wants new but similar situations
Recognition that others thinking in a Engage in simple back-and-forth
different way exchanges with others
Ability to cooperate with the group Ask questions based on the problem
members Quality of the formulated hypotheses (to
Ability to encourage the group members solve the problem)
to participate in the dialogue Increase of the capacity to use again
Use acceptable language and musical resources and knowledge
grammar rule rules during communication Flexibility to accept others advices
with others
Use successful strategies to solve a Indicators referred to the user's
problem perspective
Sustain interest in working on a task, User satisfaction degree
especially when people offer suggestions, Increase of the awareness of the group
questions, and comments work
Cooperate and shares ideas and materials Increase of the awareness of the own skills
Seek help to resolve problems Activity sharing approach
Suggest solutions to a problem Increase of the amount of activity
Show interest in the speech of others Increase of the self-worth
Respond appropriately to specific
statements or question
Make simple statements about an idea
4 APPLICATION AND ANALYSIS
Intensity of the cooperation among the
members
The method proposed in this article consists
Ability to use resources optimally
in the use of the computer environment OPEN
Increase of the empathy among the group
SoundS in order to improve the performance
members
of students in the area of theory, analysis and
Capacity to retain the group members
composition.
Indicators referred to the learning and In this regard, the main aims of the project
growth process were:
Number of messages to promote the development of key
React to a problem: seeks to achieve a competences;
specificc goal (emotion) to encourage the ability to share the
Cooperate and shares ideas and materials common construction of knowledge and
Reply appropriately to others needs project-making processes;

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Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on E-Learning and E-Technologies in Education (ICEEE2017), Lodz, Poland, 2017

to use a new method to teach and learn
through the formal and informal system of
knowledge access and construction;
to foster the meaning fullness and value of
the emotional aspects that are the key to
active participation in virtual workgroup;
to encourage student engagement in study,
enhancing self-awareness and motivation.
musical grammar rules related to mistakes of
table 2.
At the end of the project (on May 2017)
another examination was passed in the
classroom and the result were very
satisfactory (see table 3 and figure 1).
Table 3. List of the students mistakes (second
period).

The research was conducted for a time period Mistake Number

of eight months (from October 2016 to May of
2017) and it involved the fourth grade of the students
Music High School, with a total of 18 Fifth relation 3
students: 14 girls and 4 boys of which 2 Eighth relation 3
affected by dyslexia. Progression of fifths 4
In the first three months of work the students Progression of eighths 2
participated in the lessons in the classroom Augmented interval 3
listening to the explanations of the teacher, Incorrect use of stylistic features 2
taking notes and studying on the book Incorrect realization of a cadence 1
adopted by the teacher. At the end of every Incorrect realization of a 1
month, an examination was passed in the progression of chords
classroom (identical for non-dyslexic and Incorrect realization of a 4
dyslexic students) taking note of the students Musical Pedal
mistakes.
Table 2 shows the list of the recurring
mistakes and the number of students who
made them in the first period (from October
to December 2016).

Table 2. List of the students mistakes (first period).

Mistake Number
of
students
Fifth relation 8
Eighth relation 7
Progression of fifths 8
Progression of eighths 6
Augmented interval 9
Incorrect use of stylistic features 11 Figure 1. Results of the examinations.
Incorrect realization of a cadence 7
Incorrect realization of a 10 The results indicate that the learning
progression of chords environment OS contributed to the
Incorrect realization of a 11 development of knowledge and cognitive and
Musical Pedal functional competences, for both students
with and without dyslexia.
In the following months, students were OS excited the students who worked together
allowed to use OS to study all together, on the exercises, cooperating with one
making different exercises proposed by the another. They felt that they were not alone
teacher where it was possible to apply the during the learning process but every one of

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Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on E-Learning and E-Technologies in Education (ICEEE2017), Lodz, Poland, 2017
them could rely on the support of the other
classmate or the teacher.
Despite the students enthusiasm to engage
with OS, what transpired is the evidenced
positive attitude that the majority of the
participants demonstrated towards their own
personal, critical, assessment of their
development of knowledge and skills.
5 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
Whit the increased availability of on-line
technologies and computers software,
teachers and students may be able to change
the manner to teach and to learn. Emotions
play a critical role in the teaching and
learning process because learners feelings
affect motivation, self-regulation and
academic achievement.
The introduction of OPEN SoundS was truly
satisfying. It put great emphasis on the social
aspects of learning, by incorporating a higly
adaptive, social media focused, layer in the
developed technology and user interface. The
participants were very highly motivated to
learn using OPEN SoundS. Therefore, the
principle affordance of OPEN SoundS was
that it provided an arena for active, critical
learning about non dyslexic and dyslexic
students. The students approach to learning
was profoundly social and collaborative.
These perspectives may be drivers for
developing didactics responsive to complex
and technology-rich learning environments,
and where the learning object is not just given
but jointly constructed.
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