Christopher Brooks

Interests

I am doctoral student and research assistant in the Advanced Research in Intelligent Educational Systems laboratory (ARIES) the department of Computer Science at the University of Saskatchewan. I have a number of academic interests including learning object technologies, distributed computing, web service technologies, data mining, and the visualization of tracking data.  I'm passionate about putting research into practice, and have been involved both as an academic researcher as well as a software developer on various projects which had large scale deployments as their outputs, most notably the iHelp suite of tools, Recollect, and the more recent open-sourced Opencast project.  I'm supervised by Dr. Jim Greer and Dr. Carl Gutwin.

In my spare time I run a small fine art photography business, Christopher Brooks Photography. In this business I focus on generating high resolution images (typically around architecture), and fine art photography. Prints are limited and on request.  Exhibition information appears at the bottom of this page.

Publications (h-index of 12)

Journal & Book Chapters

  1. C. Brooks, S. Bateman, J. Greer, G. McCalla. (2009) Lessons Learned using Social and Semantic Web Technologies for E-Learning. Chapter 14 in Semantic Web Technologies for e-Learning, Vol. 4 (The Future of Learning), November 2009. ISBN: 978-1-60750-062-9, pp. 260 - 278. (paper)
  2. J. Jovanovic, D. Gasevic, C. A. Brooks, T. Eap, V. Devedvic, M. Hatala, G. Richards, (2007) LOCO-Analyst: Semantic Web Technologies to Analyze the Use of Learning Content. International Journal of Continuing Engineering and Lifelong Learning.
  3. J. Jovanovic, D. Gasevic, C. Brooks, V. Devedvic, M. Hatala, T. Eap, G. Richards, (2007) Using Semantic Web Technologies to Analyze Learning Content. IEEE Internet Computing, September/October 2007. Vol 11, No 5. Pages 45-53.
  4. C. Brooks, G. McCalla. (2006) Towards flexible learning object metadata International Journal of Continuing Engineering and Lifelong Learning, Vol. 16, Now. 1/2, pp50-63. (paper) (link)

Invited Talks

  1. M. Sharkey, C. Brooks, S. Shum. (2011). A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Building a Predictive Model Educause Learning Initiative Webinar. January 9, 2012. (link)
  2. C. Brooks, J. Greer. (2011). Lecture Capture - Does it work? Teach and Learning to the Power of Technology: The Great Debate. June 14 - 15, 2011.  Saskatoon, SK. (link).

Conference, Peer Reviewed Papers

  1. C. Brooks, J. Greer, C. Gutwin. (2012) Using an Instructional Expert to Mediate the Locus of Control in Adaptive E-Learning Systems. 2nd International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge 2012 (LAK'12). Apr 29 - May 2. Vancouver, BC. (link) to appear
  2. C. Brooks, M. Ketterl, A. Hochman, J. Holtzman, J. Stern, T. Wunden, K. Amundson, G. Logan, K. Lui, A. McKenzie, D. Meyer, M. Moormann, M. Rihtar, R. Rolf, N. Skofic, M. Sutton, R. Perez Vazquez, and B. Wulff. (2011) Opencast Matterhorn 1.1: Reaching New Heights. ACM Multimedia 2011 (ACM MM 2011), Open Source Software Competition. Nov 28 - Dec 1. Scottsdale AZ, USA. (link) Honorable mention.
  3. S. Junuzovic, K. Inkpen , R. Hegde, Z. Zhang, J. Tang, C. Brooks. (2011) What did I miss?  In-Meeting Review using Multimodal Accelerated Instance Replay (AIR) Conferencing.  Proceedings of the CHI 2011. May 7 - 12, 2011. Vancouver, BC. (link)
  4. C. Brooks, C. Demmans Epp, G. Logan, J. Greer. (2011) The Who, What, When, and Why of Lecture Capture.  1st International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge 2011 (LAK'11).  February 27th-March 1, 2011.  Banff, Alberta. (paper) (presentation) (link)
  5. K. Inkpen, R. Hegde, S. Junuzovic, C. Brooks, J. Tang, and Z. Zhang. (2010) AIR Conferencing: Accelerated Instant Replay for In-Meeting Multimodal Review.  ACM International Conference on Multimedia 2010 (ACMMM10).  October 25-29, 2010. Firenze, Italy.
  6. J. Barokas, M. Ketterl, C. Brooks. (2010) Lecture Capture: Student Perceptions, Expectations, and Behaviors.World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education (E-learn 2010).  Orlando, Florida, USA.  October 18-22.
  7. S. Bateman, R. Mandryk, C. Gutwin, A. Genest, D. McDine, C. Brooks. (2010) Useful Junk? The Effects of Visual Embellishment on the Comprehension and Memorability of Charts. Proceedings of the CHI 2010. April 10-15, 2010. Atlanta, GA, USA. 10 pages. Best paper award.
  8. C. Brooks, K. Amundson, J. Greer. (2009) Detecting Significant Events in Lecture Video using Supervised Machine Learning.  14th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED 2009), July 6 - 10, Brighton, UK. (paper) (link)
  9. C. Brooks, J. Greer, D. Trottier. (2008) Increasing the usability of online video lectures. First International Conference of the new Canadian Network for Innovation in Education (CNIE), Banff, Canada, May 2008. (abstract & presentation only)
  10. G. Parchoma, C. Brooks, B. Daniel. (2007) Tracking the development of a learning community: A study of pedagogical strategies for supporting students in engaging in content and forming a learning community CADE/AMTEC Conference 2007, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. (abstract & presentation only)
  11. J. Jovanovic, D. Gasevic, C. A. Brooks, T. Eap, V. Devedvic, M. Hatala, G. Richards. (2007) Leveraging the Semantic Web for Providing Educational Feedback. The 7th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT 2007) , Niigata Japan.
  12. M. Anwar, J. Greer, C. Brooks. (2006) Privacy Enhanced Personlization in E-learning. 2006 International Conference on Privacy, Security and Trust (PST06), Oct. 30 - Nov. 1, 2006. Toronto, Canada. (link)
  13. C. Brooks, R. Panesar, J. Greer. (2006) Awareness and Collaboration in the iHelp Courses Content Management System. 1st European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning (EC-TEL 2006), October 1-4, 2006. Crete, Greece. (paper) (link)
  14. J. Jovanovic, D. Gasevic, C. Brooks, C. Knight, G. Richards, G. McCalla. (2006) Ontologies to Support Learning Design Context . 1st European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning (EC-TEL 2006), October 1-4, 2006. Crete, Greece. (paper) (link)
  15. C. Brooks, J. Greer, E. Melis, C. Ullrich.  (2006)  Combining ITS and eLearning Technologies: Opportunities and Challeneges.  8th International Conference on Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS2006), June 26 - June 30, 2006.  Jhongli, Taiwan. (paper) (link)
  16. C. Brooks, L. Kettel, C. Hansen. (2005) Building a Learning Object Content Management System World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Healthcare, & Higher Education (E-Learn 2005), October 24 - 28, 2005. Vancouver, Canada. (presentation) (paper) Outstanding Paper Award, one of ten in 500 accepted papers.
  17. M. Winter, C. Brooks, J. Greer. (2005) Towards Best Practices for Semantic Web Student Modelling 12th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED 2005), July 18 - 22, 2005. Amsterdam, The Netherlands. (paper)
  18. L. Kettel, C. Brooks, J. Greer. (2004) Supporting Privacy in E-learning with Semantic Streams 2nd Annual Conference on Privacy, Security and Trust (PST04), Oct. 13 - 15, 2004. Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. (presentation) (paper)
  19. C. Brooks, M. Winter, J. Greer, G. McCalla.  (2004)  The Massive User Modelling System.  7th International Conference on Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS2004), Aug. 30 - Sep. 4, 2004.  Maceio, Brazil. (presentation) (paper)
  20. D. Zapata-Rivera, C. Brooks, L. Kettel, J. Greer.  (2003)  Integrating Legacy Educational Application in Modern E-Learning Environments.  World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Healthcare, & Higher Education (E-Learn 2003).  Nov. 7-11, 2003.  Phoenix, Arizona, USA. (paper)
  21. P. Mohan, and C. Brooks.  (2003)  Engineering a Future for Web-based Learning Objects.  Proceedings of International Conference on Web Engineering, Jul. 14-Jul. 18, 2003. Oviedo, Asturias, Spain. (presentation) (paper)
  22. C. Brooks, J. Cooke, J. Vassileva.  (2003)  Versioning of Learning Objects.  Proceedings of International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, Jul. 7-Jul. 14, 2003. Athens, Greece. (presentation) (paper)
  23. P. Mohan, and C. Brooks.  (2003)  Learning Objects on the Semantic Web.  Proceedings of International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, Jul. 7-Jul. 14, 2003. Athens, Greece. (presentation) (paper)
  24. W. Shen, C. Brooks, Y. Li, S. Y. Lang, L. Wang. (2001) XML-based message services for Internet-based intelligent shop floors.  Proceedings of International Society for Optical Engineering Conference on Internet-Based Enterprise Integration and Management, Oct. 28 - Nov. 2, 2001, Newton, MA, USA.

Conference, Presentations Only

  1. C. Brooks, K. Jeffery. (2011). Deploying the Opencast Matterhorn Lecture Capture Solution. Canadian Higher Education Information Technology 2011, June 5 - 8 2011. Hamilton, ON. (link)
  2. B. Sandhorst, J. Stern, C. Brooks (2011).  Academic Video Management: Done the Open Way with OpenCast Matterhorn.  Campus Technology 2011, the 18th Annual Education Technology Conference. July 25 - 28, 2011. Boston, MA. (link)
  3. C. Brooks, J. Greer, G. Logan (2010).  Scalable Online Learning with Lecture Capture.  Canadian eLearning Conference, June 22-25.  Edmonton, AB, Canada.  Presentation only
  4. C. Brooks, J. Greer (2009). Course-casting: Tunneling in to the traditional classroom. Future of Online and Blended Learning:Strategy, Policy, and Practice, October 23-26. Vancouver, BC, Canada. Presentation only.
  5. C. Brooks, K. Amundson, G. Logan, J. Greer (2010). Open Source Lecture capture with opencast. Conference Teaching and Learning to the Power of Technology. Saskatoon, SK, Canada. Presentation only.
  6. I. Tan, C. Brooks (2010). Recorded Lectures 5 years on., Ivy Tan, Media Access & Production. Conference Teaching and Learning to the Power of Technology. Saskatoon, SK, Canada. Presentation only.

Workshop

  1. C. Brooks, S. Bateman, J. Greer, C. Gutwin. (2010) Improving the Video Timeline for Educational Video Content.  CHI 2010 workshop on HCI and Education.  April 10-15, 2010. Atlanta, GA, USA. (paper)
  2. C. Thompson, C. Brooks, J. Greer. (2008) Distributed Image Processing for Automated Lecture Capture Post-Production. IEEE International Symposium on Multimedia (ISM2008), Third Workshop on Multimedia Technologies for E-Learning (MTEL) . Berkeley, USA, December 15 2008. (paper)
  3. S. Bateman, C. Brooks, G. McCalla, J. Greer. (2008) Learning Object Metadata: From the locally prescribed to the socially derived.  Workshop for Semantic-Web Resource Repository Design, Search, and Management.  Ninth International Conference on Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS2008).  June 23, 2008. Montreal, Canada.
  4. S. Bateman, C. Brooks, G. McCalla, P. Brusilovsky. (2007) Applying Collaborative Tagging to E-Learning In the Proceedings of the Workshop on Tagging and Metadata for Social Information Organization, held in conjuction with the 16th International World Wide Web Conference. Banff, Canada, May 7, 2007.
  5. C. Brooks, C. Hansen, J. Greer. (2006) Social Awareness in the iHelp Courses Learning Content Management System Workshop on Social Navigation and Community-Based Adaptation Technologies held in conjunction with the 2006 International Conference on Adaptive Hypermedia and Adaptive Web-Based Systems (AH2006), June 20-23, 2006. Dublin, Ireland. (paper) (link)
  6. S. Bateman, C. Brooks, G. McCalla. (2006) Collaborative Tagging Approaches for Ontological Metadata in Adaptive E-Learning Systems 4th International Workshop on Applications of Semantic Web Technologies for E-Learning (SW-EL 05) held in conjunction with the 2006 International Conference on Adaptive Hypermedia and Adaptive Web-Based Systems (AH2006), June 20-23 2006. Dublin, Ireland. (paper) (link)
  7. C. Brooks, G. McCalla, M. Winter. (2005) Flexible Learning Object Metadata 3rd International Workshop on Applications of Semantic Web Technologies for E-Learning (SW-EL 05) held in conjunction with the 12th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED 2005), July 18-22, 2005. Amsterdam, The Netherlands. (paper)
  8. M. Winter, C. Brooks, G. McCalla, J. Greer, P. O'Donovan. (2004) Using Semantic Web Methods for Distributed Learner Modelling 2nd International Workshop on Applications of Semantic Web Technologies for E-Learning (SW-EL 04) held in conjunction with the International Semantic Web Conference (ISWC 2004), Nov. 7 - Nov. 11, 2004. Hiroshima, Japan. (paper)

Posters

  1. C. Brooks, S. Bateman, G. McCalla, J. Greer.  (2006)  Applying the Agent Metaphor to Learning Content Management Systems and Learning Object Repositories.  Poster presented at the 8th International Conference on Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS2006), June 26-June 30, 2006.  Jhongli, Taiwan. (paper) (poster)

Patents

  1. K. Inkpen, R. Hegde, Z. Zhang, J. Tang, S. Junuzovic, and C. Brooks. (2010) Accelerate Instance Replay for Co-present and Distributed Meetings. In Submission.

Other

  1. P. Libbrecht, C. Brooks. (2006) Publication of Distributed Linked Content Doctoral Consortium, 1st European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning (EC-TEL 2006), October 1-4, 2006. Crete, Greece.
  2. C. Brooks, M. Winter. (2005) Personal experiences with the Semantic Web: Is it everything it's cracked up to be? Invited tutorial presented at the Second Annual Scientific Conference from the LORNET Research Network (I2LOR05). Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
  3. C. Brooks. (2005) Supporting Learning Object Versioning. Master's thesis, Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan.
  4. C. Brooks, J. Cooke, J. Vassileva.  (2003)  Versioning of Learning Objects.  Learning Technology Task Force Newsletter.
  5. C. Brooks.  (2002)  An Introduction to Web Services.  Unpublished work.

Academic Service Activities

I've also helped disseminate thoughts in the e-learning research community by reviewing papers in the area, including those submitted to the following national/international conferences/workshops or journals :

In addition to disseminating research to the international community, I believe in applying technology to the benefit of the local community. To this end, I have been an active participant in designing, implementation, and deploying e-learning systems at my local institution, as well as participating in a variety of local e-learning forums (e.g. HITECH 2004, You're IT 2004/2005, E-Learn 101, and the Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLt) Summit series (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)).

Teaching

I spend more time mentoring in smaller research and development situations where I oversee various summer student or short term projects, but I had done some more formal teaching in the past, including:

Artistic Exhibitions

Contact Information

Email: cab938@mail.usask.ca
Telephone: +1 (306) 966-1442

Christopher Brooks, B.Sc. (Hon.), M.Sc.
Department of Computer Science
University of Saskatchewan
176 Tchorvaldson Building
110 Science Place
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5C9
Canada