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8/4/2019 Designing an Web Based Distance Learning
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Designing an Web Based Distance Learning System with Adaptive Testing Module
Ahmed Shamsul Arefin, Samiran Mahmud and Md. Ibrahim KhanDepartment of Computer Science and
Engineering, Bangladesh Institute of Technology, Chittagong - 4349
Abstract
: This study presented a Distance Learning System that can improve the performance of the distance
learners and also diminish the distance between distance learners virtually. We have proposed a
framework for designing an Web based distance learning system with Adaptive Testing Module which
can give more benefit over traditional systems and is far applicable for broadcasting knowledge. Present
system provides a virtual environment, where students can get much feedback than traditional distance
learning processes. Here in this study we have emphasized in collaborative teaching, mutual learning,
virtual sessional classes and adaptive evaluation system for Distance Learning. We have also considered
the implementation issues and its limitations.
Key words:
Virtual University(VU), distance learning, JSP, servlet, ER diagram, adaptive testing
INTRODUCTION TRADITIONAL DISTANCE LEARNING SYSTEM
Distance learning is not a very new idea. But its Traditional distance learning system consists of three
concept is changing with time, places and people. The phases and it's activities are much complex
compared to differences between traditional in-class courses and present WBDLS. distance learning
courses create several factors which need to be addressed in distance learning course design.
Phase 1. Student support services:
Student Support First, traditional courses are face-to-face synchronous Services is required to admit
students and provide courses. This means that learning occurs with the support to them. It distributes
books and cassettes among instructor in front of the learner and instruction and the students, arranges
tutorial centres, appoints learning occur simultaneously and in the same place. This coordinators and
tutors holds examinations, announces personal interaction between the two gives the instructor results
and distributes certificates. the opportunity to provide feedback, direction and toobserve learning
activities. It gives the learner the
Phase 2. Tutorial services:
Tutorial Centres should beopportunity to solicit feedback and receive responses andset up in different
parts of the country to extend tutorialdirections in real time. Second, traditional courses placeservices to
students. Twice a month tutorial classesthe learn-er with other learners. Learners are able to
drawshould be arranged for students of every programme. from each others experiences and interact in
groups.Third, the requirement to attend class creates a
Phase 3. Media services:
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The main function of the mediaresponsibility for the learner and provides a source ofdivision is to
produce audio-video educationalaccountability, possibly increasing his/her motivation toprogrammes.
Every distance learning student of a formalperform the required tasks. programme is provided with a set
of audio cassettesIn fact, a distance learning system can not providedcontaining course materials
together with a set ofall these facilities in a bundle. But present web basedtextbooks. Distance learning
programme should also bedistance learning system is capable of meeting the mostbroadcasted by radio
everyday and six days a week byof the above commitments. By using online coursetelevision at a fixed
time. The preparation of programmesmaterials, electronic libraries, bulletin boards, con-for educational
broadcast is a team work in whichferencing facilities and carefully designed securedteachers, script
writers, producers, camera-men, soundwebpage we can make a good system that is capable
oftechnicians and presenters take part. handling above criteria. Further on a web based systemour
proposed system lets the students submit
Phase 4. Library services:
Library facilities should beassignments online and receive an evaluators review ofavailable at the
regional resource centres and in the maintheir assignments. One of the key features of our
systemcampus. The regional resource centre libraries provideis that we can use automated evaluator or
examiner whichfacilities for listening and viewing of audio-videowe call adaptive testing module.
cassettes and reading and reference books for the
students of distance learning. It provides reference andhave to maintain all student informations,
notices, examreading materials to teachers, research students andschedules, questions, results, online
library, bulletinmembers of staff. boards and all other informations in the above data base.
FRAME WORK FOR A VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY
an well structured database for our VU we have drawn aWe have designed a distinctive frame-work for
webto faciliate database design by the specification of a realbased distance learning that can be
applicable to designtime university. a virtual campus for distance learning students. It's mostinteresting
feature is that it uses continuous assessments.
Implementing DB Technology on web
: We have chosenIt's Students don't need to attend evening classes as inJava Server Pages to be the
technology that can be takentraditional distance learning. Being distance education, it'sto do all
functionality instance tasks. still convenient. All application level logics implemented using Java
Designing an web based course curriculum:
First step tointeractive courses. JSPs are run in server side componentmake an Online Virtual University
is to make its courseknown as JSP container, which translate them in tocurriculum that is applicable in
WWW. Which should beequivalent java servlets. So the resulting servlet is ademonstrably compatible
with the objectives ofcombination of the HTML from the JSP file and embeddedcomparable courses
delivered by other means. Thedynamic content. Since JSP is secure, fast and inde-courses are designed
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with voiceovers, 3-D graphics, flashpendent of server platform, so our system is madeanimations, on-
screen text and 'visual' sentences turnconvenient. complex concepts into easy-to-understand images.
Web server:
For hosting present prescribed system wemachines to implement our VU. Here goes a breifneed a
server. Apache Web Server is one of the mostspecifications : Processor Pentium-class or Ultra
SPARCpopuler Web Server. It is an Open Source free HTTPII or higher, RAM -512MB, OS -Windows 2000
Sever,Server. It has platform independent versions. That is whyBrowser- Internet Explorer 6.0, Netscape
7.x or Mozilla 1.0we have preferred Apache as HTTP server. and high-er, Java Enabled, Cookies Enabled.
Plug-ins-
[1]
We have installed the Apache web server accordingMacromedia Flash 5.0 or greater, display Settings-
800 xto the informations from following address : 600 resolution, high color (1024 X 768 or
higherhttp://httpd.apache.org/docs-2.0/http://httpd.apache.org/docs/install.htm
CONTUCTINGEXAMINATIONS ON VU Designing front-end interface:
Consistency in the webExamining students perforrmance in webasedinterface allows it's students to
easily learn and recognizelearning is not a easy task. There remains many ways tothe course curriculum.
It also makes repeat-ed visits andcheat authority. Infact, to remove this difficuity we haveinformation
retrieval from the same site easier. Studentschosen Adaptive Testig Module (ATM) to find out thefeel
more comfort while taking their notes from a familiarreal genius. environment again and again. So,
present system is armedwith consistent/complimentary backgrounds, font type,
Adaptive testing module design issues:
An ATM worksfont size, icons, logos, banners, last update date and timelike a good oral exam. It first
presents a question ofof page, contact information, copyright information. Formoderate difficulty. After
the answer is given, thedesigning a good inter-face of our VU, we have used MSquestion is scored
immediately. If the answer is correct,Front Page XP with HTML and DHTML. the test statistically
estimates the person's ability as
[2]
Web database:
We use My-SQL Database Engine. It is thepresents a question that matches that higher ability. (Ifworlds
populer Databse System designed for speed,the first question is answered incorrectly, the
oppositepower and precision. It is also free, so we have preferedsequence occurs.) The test then
presents the secondthis one. For improving the performance of our system wequestion and waits for
the answer. After the answer ishave included, support for searching and locatinggiven, it scores the
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second question. If correct, it re-information by using advanced query techniques. We estimates the
person's ability as higher still; if incorrect, it
Towards designing a database : ER diagram :
To designEntity Relation(ER) diagram of our system. It is developed
[3]
Beans. We have used JSP Templates to implement
[4]
Technical requirements:
We need
Asian J. Inform. Tech., 4 (12): 1116-1119, 2005
1118
Fig . 1:Sample ER diagram for the admission process of aamount decreases. VU Fig .2: A typical pattern
for a Adaptive Testing Fig .3: An Web based Sessional Class Designed with JSPtask to implement a VU
here. re-estimates the ability as lower. It then searches for
CONCLUSIONS
a third question to match the new ability estimate. Thisprocess continues, with the test graduallylocating theThe objective of this research was to define a frameper-son's competence level. The score
that serves as anwork for Web-based distance learning or VU. We haveestimate of competence gets
more accurate with eachalso showed its implementation level activities and
question answered. The test ends when the accuracy ofthat estimate reaches a statistically acceptable
level (orwhen a maximum number of items has been presented).Figure 1 shows the estimation of a test
taker's competenceafter he or she answered each of 10 test questions. Noticehow the ability is
estimated lower after questions areanswered incorrectly (Questions 3, 6, 8 and 10). Thedotted vertical
lines indicate the amount of errorassociated with the ability estimates (andcorrespondingly, the degree
of confidence in the score).As more questions are presented and answered, this errorThe Adaptive
Test(AT) usually ends when the amount ofmeasurement error around the ability estimate reaches
anacceptable level. A pass/fail score is also determined bythis method .
[5,6]
Point and Drag Sessional classes:
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A major problem indistance learning is to conduct the sessional classes. Wehave tried to overcome this
important drawback ofdistance learning here. We have designed an web basedapplication with JSP
templetes to carry on the sessionalclasses for sever-al courses. Our interactive webpagecontains several
figures and uitilities though whichstudents can prove their practicle knowledges by usingpoint and drag
tools.
Security in examinations:
Our system proposes to usesecured testing centers for conducting examinationprocess. A secured
testing centers allows only theathurised people to to enter into the examinationlaboratoty or hall, which
is equiped with above specifiedmachinaries, PCs uninterruptable power supply andinternet connections.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
An Web based university is an increseasing populertopic in todays world. It is new concept in
Bangladesh. Inour country we have one Open University which isconducting the distance learning
activities. But we can expand this activity by making virtualcampuses for several universities
em is easily3.Annunaito, J., 2001. Java Server Pages in 24 hexpandable, separable, maintainable and
upgradable. ItTechmedia, New Delhi. provides a very strong user level security. It is highly4.Schildth, H.,
2001. The Complete reference of HTML,interactive and user frindly. We think it is far applicableTata
McGraw- Hill Publishing Company Limited, Newfor the students who wish to continue their studies but
doDelhi. not have enough time and opportinities. 5.Adaptive Testing, Microsoft Certified
ProfessionalBut one major problem that still exists in web basedProgram. http://www.microsoft.com
distance learning is the students frustrations. Working6.Reckase, M.D. 1989. Adaptive testing: The
evolution
[7]
alone over night/ evening, poor feedback andof a good idea. Educational Measurement: Issues
andtechnological problems can cause these frustrations. WePractice ., 8: 11-15 are trying to improve our
system so that it can compete7.Norico Hara and Rob kling, Students' Frustrationswith a real time
distance learning system which generallywith a Web-Based Distance Education Coursedo not face these
type of problems. http://firstmonday.dk/issues/issue4_12/hara/index.
REFERENCES
1.Ahmed, F., S.I. Ahsan, T.A. Shams, M.A. Sobhan,2002. To development a Medicine Web Portal
for E-Commerce, ICCIT 2002 EWU,Dhaka. 2.Hanna, P., 2001. The Complete Reference of JSP,Tata
McGraw- HillPublishing Company Limited, New