DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF E-LEARNING WEB PORTAL

By

Author

Presented To

Department of Computer Science

1. 1. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This project uses the combination of multimedia features, little artificial intelligence features, and human "computer interaction principles for the development of a web site for an online and implementation offline implementation of e-learning. Both of the e-learning are designed for the learning of computer science courses at its introductory level. These proposed e-learning avenues are deviations from the traditional teaching and learning procedure, and as a result have their main importance as follows:

1. Effective learning of the subject topic by the students- the traditional classroom methods have high tendencies of responding to the many factors affecting effecting learning (see table 1 in the appendix for more information). But with the adoption of e-learning, these factors may exist with little or no impact on the learner. Hence, this project is focused on developing e-learning application that will be captivating through the provision of different learning platforms and skillful use of multimedia which will lead to the enhancing of effective learning and reduction of teachers teaching work load.
2. Cost of learning materials-could be reduced significantly when compared to the cost of traditional learning materials or the cost of conventional instructional system. This is, however, accomplished in this project by providing free access with limited content value to the user.
3. Reduction in the duration of teaching and learning, and strengthening of teachers effort-according to some research, the training time could be reduced up to sixty percent (60%) as against the traditional classroom method using e-learning products. (khoo, 1994). These, in turn, increase the rate of knowledge assimilation and allow the teachers to direct more effort on other areas where the students are deficient. This is basically achieved in this project the use of certain technological features such as the multimedia features.

Apart from these main importance of the study, other reasons like protecting the students from assimilating wrong information passed on by the quack, the inadequate learning and teaching materials, difficulties to have access to information on time, and the general factors affecting effective learning could take care of.

1. SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The proposed e-learning products are targeted for the attainment of effective learning through the use of interactive presentations. Further, the products are expected to be used by computer science students. The product contents are structured to accommodate novice in computer courses and their usage  are not limited to computer science students alone but to students of other disciplines who wish to have basic fundamental knowledge.

In the development of the proposed products, certain security consciousness likes piracy where moderately considered while some security measures like password were implemented. Each of the proposed e-learning products have different security requirement. On the side of the e-learning application package, password usage was implemented for discriminating the premium users from the free users. The internet application is designed to have an open unrestricted accessibility; this is to boost products awareness and marketing. The e-book is created in portal document format (PDF) so as to ensure content authenticity. Nonetheless, the three e-learning products do not implement any strong piracy security due to the fact that day after day more sophisticated hardware and software are developed which, in the contrary reason for their development and usage, used for computer product piracy. Finally, the physiological and cognitive impact of the proposed e-learning products on their users have their scope for achieving them limited to the use of multimedia features and interface design. This is one of the most important tasks required to be embedded in the products. In this learning application package, this is accomplished through the use of help menu and help animations, the internet application accomplishes the same task through the use of hyperlinks, flash animations, and still images while the e-book made use of hyperlinks and still images.

1. LIMITATION AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Apart from the usual risk and limitation present in every project due to time, scope, quality and financing, a major limitation arises from the gathering of information or data from the concerned individuals with fair and un-bias judgment of the proposed e-learning products. Many of the individual, especially the expected users, were unwilling to give feedback on the impact of the proposed products on them while some other will prefer to give haphazard information which tantamount dirty data. In addition, the tendency of receiving unfair and bias information and materials (which ranges from reference materials to development support devices) required for actualizing the proposed e-learning products specifications posed a great impediment to the study. Nevertheless, in the attempt to overcome these impediments, the research work of other scholars and practitioners were used in conjunction with the result of my project research evacuation and analysis. This approach is adopted to ensure accurate and good developmental practices

Considering the multi-tasking nature of the project, much time and financial resources are required. Owing to this fact, specifications of the proposed e-learning products were adjusted to suit the available financial budget allocated to it and which is obtainable. However, efforts were made, towards retaining the e-learning products quality, accomplishing of the projects objectives and completion of the project within the specified period of time.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Software " a set of logical related program modules that are given to the computer for the accomplishment of a specific task or asset of task.

Program module " this is made up of one or more program procedure, routine, function, or events that handle a definite task or set of task.

Program procedure " a set of program codes that response to a particular action such as click or could be called for execution from another program procedure depending on its scope.

Program routine " see program procedure.

Program function " this is of ascribe to program procedure that is used for accomplishing a specific task, especially mathematical operations, whenever call for execution.

World Wide Web: World Wide Wed simply called www is the most

                                  important tool of the Internet. It was created ion the late

                               1980s in Europe and was used limitedly in academic

File Transfer:       Any kind of computer file can be sent via the Internet

                                from one Internet user to another. Table of accounts on

                              spreadsheets, design by a graphic artists, music sound

                              files etc, can all be exchanged in this way.

Web Brower:       This is a special kind of software that processes hypertext

                               make-up language (HTML) document. In other words, a

                              web browser is a computer program that interprets HTML

                            command to collect, arranged and display the parts of a

                  web page.

Web Site:  A website is a collection of many interconnected web pages

                 organized by a specific college, organization company etc,

                  containing web pages (good and commodities) on the Internet.

                  Web site are stored on web servers. There are many web site and

                 thousand of HTML pages on each web site. A web site is a

                 treasure of information and entertainment.

 Hyperlinks: Hyperlinks are highlighted words and phrase you find on web

                    documents that you can click on as to jump to some other

                   documents or Internet services.

Online:        Connected via a computer attached to or available via a central

                   computer network.

Offline:       Disconnected from computer network; describes a computer

                    terminal or peripheral device disconnected from a computer

                    network.

Program- a set of logical related instruction codes that is given to the computer which enables it to perform a specific task or events.

Application " this is synonymous to application software or application package. Application software is a class of software that runs on an operating system and its design to handle a specified task related to any human career.

Operating system " it is a set of logical related programs which enables the computer to manage its resources. The resources which it manages are hardware components.

System software " this is a class of software that are made up of other suit of software designed to enable the computer handle its resources and carry out some set of task. The system software comprises of operating system, program translators, editors and utility programs.

Translator " this is synonymous to program translator or language translator or programming language translator. This is software whose function is to translate or transform program codes written in one programming language level to another (from high level programming language code to low level programming language codes). A translator could be an assembler, an interpreter or a compiler.

Dirty information " this is also known as dirty data. It is information that does not conform to the directives for its supply. Example: supplying your date of birth as against date of employment using the title finger instead of ring finger in a finger print which requires ring finger.

High level programming language " this is a class of programming language that is much closer to human language. It requires program translator for its codes to make meaning and be executed by the computer. Examples of high level programming language are BASIC, JAVA, HTML, C++ and PASCAL.

BASIC " this is a high level programming language, is very simple and less difficult to learn and use. It can come in the form of command oriented programming language e.g. QBasic  or could come in the form of object oriented programming language e.g. visual basic.

HTML " this is one of the programming languages which could be used for developing web documents.HTML stands for hypertext markup language. Other languages that could be for web development are XML (extended markup language) and XHTML (extended hypertext markup language).

Programming language " this is a set of operation of grammatical rules (syntax or protocol) use for written and developing instructional codes given to the computer for task performance.

Programming language application software " this is application software designed to allow the user write and develop program and/or application using a particular programming language. For instance,  visual Basic programming language.

Interpreter " this is a kind language translator that translates high level programming codes equivalent and at the same time executes the program codes line after line, this is achieved if and only if the line of code is error free.

Compiler " this is a kind of language translator that translates high level programming language code into its low level programming language codes equivalent and makes it executable only if this entire program code is error free.

Low level programming language " this is a class of programming language that requires language translators for it to be understandable by the computer. This class of programming language has the characteristics of machine independency, easer to debug and comparatively show during program execution. Example, Basic, FORTAN, java, Pascal, C, C++ among others.

Debug " this refers to detecting and correcting or removing errors contained in a source program.

Source program " this is a set of program codes that contains the instructions and response to events. It is usually used in guiding the computer on the reaction to take place or the specific task to carryout for a given action. The source program codes are usually executed by the computer and are not to be seen by the user especially if the target program is application software.

User interface " the environment that is seen by the end-user of application software which allows the end-user to make use of it.

Event " An action that is made by the computer system though its input devices or software.

Object code " codes that are displayed as a result of executing the sources program or the source codes. Object codes are displayed on the user interface.

Media " these are those things, materials or tools used for storing and delivering of information or data. Media can also imply channels, links or materials that convey data or information.

Learning media " learning materials that convey information to a student or from which a student can extract knowledge from. Example, textbooks novels, among others.

Multimedia " as applied to this project, it is media and content that uses a combination of different content forms.

Contents " information and experiences that may provide value for end-user.

Content form " this refers to the way information or content is been presented. The different features of the multimedia forms its content forms. Example audio, video, text, among others.

Content value " this refers to the usefulness of information contained in media.

End-user " also known as user. this is an individual or an organization that make use of finished product or for whom a product is designed and developed.

Hardware " this is a physical component of a computer that could be touched or felt. Example visual display unit (VDU).

CAL " this stands for computer Assisted learning. It is an application package that is designed to enable the user learn a particular subject through the provision of tutorial that may or may not companied by questions. CAL is popularly called tutorial software. CAL is very close to CAI and could be used interchangeable, but in some cases, might not mean exactly the same.

CAI " this is an abbreviation of computer aided instruction. It is an application package that is designed  to enable the user learn and/or get acquainted with a specific subject or an aspect of life.CAI, in most cases, is a simulation of real life event or true appearance of the subject for which for the user is to be educated on. Most CAI comes in the form of examination preparatory tutorials like TOEFL (test of English as a foreign language) and safety training tutorials like military combat training. Computer game is not always regarded as a CAI application rather entertainment application software.

Project " this is finite endeavor having started and completion dates undertaken to create quantifiable product. It is made up of series of job to be completed individually within the time duration allocated such a project.

Project completion time " those resources or inputs that are required for accomplishing a project. The major project resources are human materials and financial resources.

Data collection " the act of gathering information or data from different sources within the problem defined set. Data collected are processed and the information used for validating the proposed product of the project.

Problem defined set " the population set for which an evaluation must be made to verify the impact of the proposed product. For instance,   the problem defined set for this project are the students (especially, the computer science students)