International Conference on Computer Systems and Technologies - CompSysTech’06
Variant of the WEB-based System for Electronic Distance Learning SEDL Raicho Ilarionov, Hristo Karailiev, Vladimir Karailiev Abstract: A WEB-based System for Electronic Distance Learning is suggested in the present report. The preconditions, purpose, basic requirements, principles, and features of the system have been analyzed. The architectural model has been developed, the functional features have been formulated, and the basic components have been chosen. Structural interconnections between the basic modules have been built up and the technical and technological basis of the system SEDL has been developed. Keywords: System for Electronic Distance Learning, Software learning platform, Architectural model, Functional features, Estimation criteria, Faculty multimedia center, Development technology.
1. INTRODUCTION - PRECONDITIONS AND BASIC REQUIREMENTS TO THE SYSTEM FOR ELECTRONIC DISTANCE LEARNING 1.1. PRECONDITIONS FOR THE E-LEARNING DEVELOPMENT IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION Objectives: 1. To improve the quality of the learning and studying; 2. Increasing the learning effectiveness by decreasing the duration of the learning and decreasing the cost of the learning; 3. Establishment of conditions for globalization of the learning, working in team various specialists; 4. Increasing the students and tutors motivation. Used means: 1. Distance access to the resources and services; 2. Multimedia technologies and multimedia learning laboratories; 3. Internet and Intranets; 4. Systems for Electronic Distance Learning – Software and hardware. 1.2. BASIC REQUIREMENTS TO THE SOFTWARE PLATFORMS FOR ELEARNING The software platforms for e-Learning are аn instrument for a quick and easy creation of WEB-based courses for the tutors, and for the students this is a virtual library. The basic requirements to the software platforms are the following [2, 3, 4, 5]: ¾ To allow creating WEB-based courses, in which the publication, adding, and correcting the basic learning units in the various learning courses are possible; ¾ To include statistics for the course; ¾ To give an opportunity for synchronous and asynchronous communication between the students and the tutors; ¾ To be developed by means of free software in order to be cheaper and not to require much system resources of the server; ¾ To have a protection against damages of the disk on which the system is installed, to be protected against unauthorized access, and to allow quick and easy updating; ¾ It must not require special knowledge in Internet programming and WEB design by the tutors and special learning from the learners;
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International Conference on Computer Systems and Technologies - CompSysTech’06
¾ To be compatible with the most spread operation systems and WEB browsers, and not to require installing of additional software; ¾ To be universal and to allow accommodation to the structure of the concrete university; ¾ To be compatible with other similar systems and to allow import/export of learning materials. ¾ It must provide various communication possibilities to the users of the system, including forming address locator, links, problems by the tutor, schedules, forming a creative characteristic for each of the students, etc. 2. ARCHITECTURE, FUNCTIONAL FEATURES, ASSESSMENT CRITERIA, COMPONENTS AND BASIC ACTIONS OF THE WEB-BASED SEDL The main objective of the present work is to present a variant of a System for Electronic Distance Learning developed in the Technical University of Gabrovo. 2.1. ARCHITECTURAL MODEL OF THE WEB-BASED SEDL The architectural model of the WEB-based System for Electronic Distance Learning is shown in Fig.1. It is based on the net technology Client/Server. The Webclient represents all the users of SEDL, who communicate with the WEB server by means of a standard browser using HTTP protocol. The basic components of the Fig.1. Architectural model of Web-based System for structural model of a Electronic Distance Learning Web based SEDL are the following: ¾ Web client – a computer with respective software, connected to the net and allowing of the user to communicate with the resources of SEDL; ¾ Web server – a computer or a set of computers with system software connected to the net, which controls the operation of the whole system; ¾ Internet – the transportation data media of the net using the 7-level standard model of OSI; ¾ File system – An hierarchy structure on a memory device, including data catalogue and information itself, used in the system; ¾ Programming languages – Web-based programming languages (interpreters and compilers); ¾ DBMS – Database Management System - manages the access levels for the data and implements user inquiries; ¾ DB – Database consisting of distinct templates including catalogue data for distribution of the records, lecture courses, tasks, knowledge control tests, files of the tutors and students, schedules for the learning process, etc. The operation principle of the architectural model of SEDL is the following: The client sends to the server an inquiry via the media, which is processed by the Web server and it is determined whether it is processable by the Web server or not. The inquiries, which are possible to be processed by the Web server are executed: the required file is taken from the file system; it is processed, and if it is
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International Conference on Computer Systems and Technologies - CompSysTech’06
necessary using the corresponding interpreter language and is sent back to the client in HTML format. Inquiries, which are not possible to be processed by the server, if it is not an inquiry to the DBMS, are taken from the file system and send to the client without change. If the inquiry is for the DBMS and will not be processed by the server, DBMS defines the access privileges of the corresponding client (to which databases and tables the access is possible) and if the client has the access privilege for the corresponding resource, their inquiry is processed and is sent back in a text form answer, if it is necessary. 2.2. BASIC FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OF THE SEDL From the studying of similar systems in Bulgaria and the world and from the analyses of the software and hardware tools used in their implementation, three groups of basic functional features of the WEB-based SEDL can be defined. 2.2.1. DEVELOPMENT, ADMINISTRATION, MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORTING OF SEDL 1. Concerning the development of the system 1.1. To be compatible with the most known OS and WEB browsers; 1.2. It must not require additional software on the user terminals except a standard browser. 1.3. To be developed using free software resources in order to be cheaper, and respectively more accessible. 1.4. To allow synchronous and asynchronous communication between students and tutors. 1.5. To allow creating, maintenance, and actualizing of Web-based courses and results control tests. 1.6. To supply resources for input and output data for analyses and statistics. 1.7. To be protected from unauthorized access and ensured against damages of the disk, where it is installed. 2. To have a system for management of tests, files, user profiles, communications, operation modes, etc. 3. To have an integrative portal, providing access to the resources, administrating courses, access to the various schedules, and integration of the communication resources of the various groups of users. 4. Supplying help on using the distinct resources, modules and operation modes, and output of suitable diagnostics messages in relation to using the resources, when a problem occur. 5. Support, prophylactics and removing damages in the system. Expanding the features of the system. 2.2.2. PREPARATION AND IMPLEMENTATION THE TUITION AND KNOWLEDGE CONTROL OF THE STUDENTS 6. Development, editing and modification of the learning courses. 7. Development, editing and modification of control tests of the results from the learning in the various courses. 8. Implementing current learning and consulting on group and individual topics and problems from a distinct learning course. 8.1. Allowing access of the students to a definite learning course and possibilities for using the published materials of the course. 8.2. Publishing by the tutor of individual problems and assignments, course assignments, and directions for their implementation.
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International Conference on Computer Systems and Technologies - CompSysTech’06
8.3. Sending individual questions by the students and receiving answers using E-mail. 8.4. Publishing common tasks to the students by E-mail and carrying out consultations in a group mode in a chat channel. 8.5. Receiving the results from the individual and common tasks via E-mail. Examining, assessment and filling in marks for each of the students. 8.6. Individual electronic notebooks of the students for questions, Internet addresses, additional knowledge issues, etc. 8.7. Adding by the tutor the creative characteristics for the knowledge, skills, practical realization, participating in competitions, conferences, etc. Carrying out knowledge control of the students by: 9.1.Tests on the contents of the distinct courses 9.2.Putting homework tasks to the students and receiving the results via E-mail, estimating the results and inputting the mark into the system. 9.3. Development and debugging of the necessary models for assessment the results of the students by carrying out test control. 9.4. Implementing a dialogue by the tutor by means of the chat in order to form the final mark for the course. 2.2.3. INPUT AND DISPLAYING INFORMATION, ANALYSES AND STATISTICS IN SEDL 10. Input of data for the distinct students, tutors and departments. 10.1. Personal data file, specialty, geographical data, social status, paid fees for the current semester, current state form the study. 10.2. Creative characteristics for the student and possibility to be printed by authorized tutor and administrative personnel. 11. Input of data for the distinct tutors. 11.1. Length of service, specialty, an academic rank, an academic degree, specializations, known languages. 11.2. Faculty, department, courses, academic interests, science results. 11.3. Schedules of the classes, terms to take problems which have to be solved and consulting, terms to carrying out tests in the distinct courses during the current semester. 12. Output of individual references for the students. 12.1.Output of an academic reference concerning the current state of the student. 12.2. Output of a creative characteristic concerning the achievements of the student. 13. Output of a group references for the students. 13.1. Output of a list of the students, who may receive social scholarship in the current semester. 13.2. Output of a list of the students, who may receive a scholarship for their excellent results in the current semester /year/. 14. Statistics concerning the results of the students from a course or specialty. 15. Statistics concerning the results from all the courses in a concrete specialty. 16. Statistics about moving the students from one university to another in the country and from a specialty to another in a university. 2.3. COMPONENTS OF WEB-BASED SEDL The basic components of the suggested Web-based System for Electronical Distance Learning are shown in Fig.2. They can be divided in six groups as follows: ¾ “System administrator” - Management and administrating the system;
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International Conference on Computer Systems and Technologies - CompSysTech’06
¾ “System communications” - Communications in the system between the users and with the administrator; ¾ “File Редактор system” File system SEDL; ¾ “Database Текст and DBMS” Графически Графика Database and файл HTML .html database файл Аудио/видео Видео management system файл of SEDL ; Звуков Звук файл ¾ “Statistics and information” Fig.4. Technology for development learning courses Statistics and references; ¾ “User control and service” Fig.2. Components of the Web-based System for Electronic Distance - Management and Learning servicing of the users; У1
У2
CC1
У3
У3
CC2
CC3
3. TECHNICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL RESOURCES OF THE SYSTEM SEDL 3.1. TECHNICAL RESOURCES FOR CREATING LEARNING COURSES The basic Legend: technical US – University server resources for FS – Faculty server creating ММC – Multimedia computer learning WD – Working desk courses are DVC – digital video camera usually IP – Internet phone installed in DC – Digital camera faculty CLP – color laser printer multimedia DD – Digital Dictaphone centers. The S – Scanner necessary MMP– Multimedia projector equipment and MVW - Multimedia video-wall the structure of Fig.3. Architecture and equipment of CМ – Copy machine the faculty a faculty media center S - Switch multimedia center are shown in Fig.3. 3.2. TECHNOLOGY FOR DEVELOPMENT LEARNING COURSES A possible technology for development learning courses, used in the system SEDL is shown in Fig.4. To create graphical files (pictures) special software CC1 is used for instance GIMP, Corel Draw, PhotoShop, etc. To create audio files special software CC2 is used for instance Sound Forge, Adobe Audition, Wave Pad, etc.
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International Conference on Computer Systems and Technologies - CompSysTech’06
To create audio and video files special software CC3 is used for instance Media Studio Pro, Adobe Premiere, Cinelerra, etc. Y1, Y2, Y3, and Y4 are the corresponding Plugin tools in the toolbar of the course editor. The basic features of the course editor are the following: it is easy to integrate; it has template themes, adjustable HTML output, block elements and attribute options, can be used with plenty of browsers. 3.3. FILE MANAGER OF THE LEARNING SYSTEM The tutor file system includes Files for the corresponding courses and Personal site of the tutor for announcements and news. It is included into the “Active courses” in the tutor menu. Here the tutor can manage the files in his courses – to rename, delete, add, create, copy and perform other file operations [1]. 4. CONCLUSION The contributions in the presented work can be summarized as follows: ¾ An architectural model of an Electronic Learning System has been developed. ¾ The functional features of the system SEDL have been developed. ¾ The basic components of the WEB-based system for Electronic Distant Learning have been formulated. ¾ Technical and technological basis of the system has been developed. ¾ The structural interconnections between the basic modules of the system have been built up. REFERENCES [1] Karailiev, H., R. Ilarionov, V. Karailiev. Test Control Module of the WEBbased system SEDL. CompSysTech Conference Proceedings, 2006. (forthcoming) [2] HTTP://ecet.ecs.ru.acad.bg/bvu/ - ARCADE – Software platform for eLearning, SU „St. Kliment Ohridski”, National Seminar, Sofia, May 2005. (in Bulgarian) [3] MSCS – Software platform for e-Learning, National Seminar, Sofia, May 2005. (in Bulgarian) [4] МУС – ПОРТАЛ – Virtual Uneversity of the Medical University. National Seminar, Sofia, May 2005. (in Bulgarian) [5] FLAME – Flexible System for managment of learning and control in MA „G.S.Rakovski”, National Seminar, Sofia, May 2005. (in Bulgarian) ABOUT THE AUTHORS Assoc. Prof. Raicho Ilarionov, PhD, Department of Computer systems and Technologies, Technical University - Gabrovo, tel: +359 66 223 597, E-mail:
[email protected]; Assoc. Prof. Hristo Karailiev, PhD, Department of Electronics, Technical University - Gabrovo, tel: +359 66 223 331, E-mail:
[email protected]; Vladimir Karailiev, eng. Department of Computer systems and Technologies, Technical University Gabrovo, GSM +359 898 349 388, E-mail:
[email protected].
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