Abstract
The very particular characteristics of electricity markets, require deep studies of the interactions between the involved players. MASCEM is a market simulator developed to allow studying electricity market negotiations. This paper presents a new proposal for the definition of MASCEM players' strategies to negotiate in the market. The proposed methodology is implemented as a multiagent system, using reinforcement learning algorithms to provide players with the capabilities to perceive the changes in the environment, while adapting their bids formulation according to their needs, using a set of different techniques that are at their disposal. This paper also presents a methodology to define players' models based on the historic of their past actions, interpreting how their choices are affected by past experience, and competition. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.

Abstract
Electricity markets are complex environments with very particular characteristics. MASCEM is a market simulator developed to allow deep studies of the interactions between the players that take part in the electricity market negotiations. This paper presents a new proposal for the definition of MASCEM players' strategies to negotiate in the market. The proposed methodology is multi-agent based, using reinforcement learning algorithms to provide players with the capabilities to perceive the changes in the environment, while adapting their bids formulation according to their needs, using a set of different techniques that are at their disposal. Each agent has the knowledge about a different method for defining a strategy for playing in the market, the main agent chooses the best among all those, and provides it to the market player that requests, to be used in the market. This paper also presents a methodology to manage the efficiency/effectiveness balance of this method, to guarantee that the degradation of the simulator processing times takes the correct measure.

Abstract
This paper presents a new methodology for the creation and management of coalitions in Electricity Markets. This approach is tested using the multi-agent market simulator MASCEM, taking advantage of its ability to provide the means to model and simulate VPP (Virtual Power Producers). VPPs are represented as coalitions of agents, with the capability of negotiating both in the market, and internally, with their members, in order to combine and manage their individual specific characteristics and goals, with the strategy and objectives of the VPP itself. The new features include the development of particular individual facilitators to manage the communications amongst the members of each coalition independently from the rest of the simulation, and also the mechanisms for the classification of the agents that are candidates to join the coalition. In addition, a global study on the results of the Iberian Electricity Market is performed, to compare and analyze different approaches for defining consistent and adequate strategies to integrate into the agents of MASCEM. This, combined with the application of learning and prediction techniques provide the agents with the ability to learn and adapt themselves, by adjusting their actions to the continued evolving states of the world they are playing in.

Abstract
Professional training is nowadays an essential activity in any organization. This activity is particularly important in an onboarding/ organizational socialization stage in which new employees should familiarize themselves with organizational praxis, values and behaviors. © 2011 AISTI.

Abstract

Abstract
Como corolário do trabalho de investigação e desenvolvimento, iniciado em 1996, na área das tecnologias da comunicação e dos serviços multimédia em contexto de formação profissional, pretende-se, com este estudo, identificar os principais contributos das ciências e tecnologias da comunicação e da educação nos processos de especificação, concepção, desenvolvimento e utilização do sistema de gestão de aprendizagem Formare, em contexto de formação profissional. Tendo em conta a fundamentação teórica, a participação em projectos de investigação e de inovação e uma vivência prática de mais de 14 anos de actividade na área do ensino a distância, do eLearning e do bLearning em contexto empresarial, desenvolveu-se um modelo conceptual para a nova versão do LMS Formare baseada nos fundamentos da comunicação e da gestão da aprendizagem em ambiente real de utilização. Para além de estudar os fundamentos das Learning Organizations, do Ensino a Distância, da Comunicação Educacional Multimédia, do eLearning, do bLearning e dos seus principais componentes, esta tese focaliza-se na análise de dois estudos de caso, suportados pelo Formare – um, em contexto de Auto-aprendizagem no Campus PT, e outro, em contexto de Aprendizagem Colaborativa na Formação de eFormadores. Pela análise das conclusões de cada um dos estudos de caso realizados, foi possível validar as opções tecnológicas e pedagógicas utilizadas, conhecer a percepção, o grau de utilização e a avaliação pedagógica dos formandos, assim como identificar os principais indicadores de implementação do eLearning nas organizações que aderiram ao LMS Formare. A tese termina com a apresentação dos principais resultados, limitações e conclusões do estudo de investigação, e apresenta um conjunto de considerações futuras nesta área de actividade, esperando contribuir para o desenvolvimento do eLearning em contexto de uma Learning Organization.;This study has grown out of research and development work, begun in 1996, in the field of communication technologies and multimedia services in the context of professional training. It has been designed to identify and report on the factors that determine the way in which communication technologies influence the performance of learners in learning contexts and distributed learning communities and in eLearning and bLearning environments. It is based on the specification and validation experience that has been gained from solutions used in the “Formare” learning management system. A conceptual model for the new version of LMS Formare has been developed on the basis of a number of factors. These include a theoretical framework, research outcomes and the results of innovation projects allied with 14 years professional experience of delivering distance teaching, eLearning and bLearning in a business context, this delivery being based on the principles of communication and the management of learning in real learning environments. In addition to investigating the underlying principles and main components of learning organizations, distance teaching, communication, multimedia education, eLearning and bLearning, this thesis focuses on the analysis of two case studies supported by Formare. The first of these involves self-learning on Campus PT and the second collaborative learning in the context of training eTrainers. For each of the case studies, the technological and pedagogical options employed were analyzed and validated. Data was collected on trainee’s perceptions, degree of use and pedagogical assessments. The main conclusions and indicators involved in implementing eLearning in organizations using LMS Formare were also identified. The thesis draws these various threads together by presenting the main results, limitations and conclusions of the research. It also outlines a number of concerns bearing on future activity in this area, thus attempting to contribute to the development of eLearning in Learning Organizations.