Design and Implementation of E-learning Platforms for an Introduction to C++ Programming Language (a Case Study of the Department of Computer Science)
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
owing to the difficulties experienced during teaching and learning processes, this project is aimed at implementing e-learning through the development of a web site expected to be published over the internet, a CAL application package that will be installed in a computer, and on e-book in portal document format (PDF); this is to provide different remedy platforms for the shortcoming found in the traditional teaching and learning procedures.
Focusing on the above, the objectives of the study are to develop e-learning applications that are capable of:
- providing coherent instruction for the selected subject topics
- Accommodating individual learning style.
- Encouraging learning and mastering of the individual topic contained therein.
- Enhancing the students practical knowledge and broaden their theoretical knowledge.
- Creating a more interacting learning process.
- Overcoming most factors affecting effecting learning such as noise.
- Promoting students concentration during learning.
- Accommodation learner’s unrestricted learning schedule.
- Promoting quick assimilation of information.
- Providing accurate and high quality content value.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
This chapter of this project presentation attempts to consider the various opinions of some scholars and practitioners as regards to the development and implementation of e-learning in the educational sector. It considers the challenges faced by the traditional teaching and learning procedure and how to use e-learning procedure as a supportive approach to traditional teaching and learning procedure in the acquisition of knowledge and skills. It also reviews the factors affecting effective implementation of e-learning especially in the under developed and the developing countries. Finally, it suggested various ways through which the intending factors to the efficient e-learning procedure could be overcome.
THE TRADITIONAL TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCEDURE AND SOME OF ITS WEAKNESS
The traditional teaching and learning procedure which is based upon “physical contact” and emphases face-to-face teaching and learning adoption, had been the predominant method of impacting knowledge and skills acquisition to the students especially in the under developed and developed countries. This kind of teaching and learning procedure demands the physical presence of the teacher and the students. it is conducted within a defined physical location such as classroom or lecture halls at a definite time duration. Its communication is carried out through the use of interactive white or chalkboard with markers or chalks respectively and in addition demands high communication skills such as constructive languages and simple statements accompanied by the cordial relationship between the students and the teachers. Though the traditional teaching and learning procedure had proven to be greatly indispensible, for the impacting of knowledge and skills of their tutor, the location, and environment where the teaching and learning activities are carried out. this in most cases increases the chance of the students to be narrowly developed and sometimes becomes capitally intensives for the students who tend to increase their knowledge and skills from another physical location. Most campus-based institutions have school libraries which helps them to solidity their traditional teaching and learning procedure, but often time the library infrastructures are deteriorated and the library books are far outdated, posing challenges to the acquisition and access to recent information. This is also present in the traditional libraries which are not owned by the campus-based institutions. Interaction among peers or students in the same field of study and among individuals of different levels of knowledge and skills can boost knowledge and skills acquisition, but this is principally affected by the physical location and the financial involvement for such an interaction especially when the interaction or forum is formally organized.
The efficiency of traditional teaching and learning is also affected by the time constraint. Farmer (2004) noted that traditional learning exists in real time in one location; this is not a problem for the campus-based students rather a problem to distant students and part-time working students. Then flexibility of time and the fixed location nature of the traditional teaching and learning procedure had, in many occasions, affected the education acquisition zeal of most students who carry other responsibilities together with their education. The traditional teaching and learning procedure does not encourage distance education (as in the case of cross country educational and is often affected by the economy, the political state and the natural condition (such as precipitation) of the location or region where the activity is conducted; thus, making the acquisition of knowledge and skills expensive in time and other resources.
In the view of these challenges, there is a great need for the adoption of a teaching and learning procedure which will compliment the shortcomings that is evident in the traditional teaching and learning procedure.
WHAT IS E-LEARNING? /THE E-LEARNING PROCEDURE
The term e-learning, due to the ever changing nature of its constituents, had been defined by many scholars in many diverse ways. For instance, Hedge and Hayward(2004) states that e-learning is an innovative approach for delivering electronically mediated, well-design, learner- centered and interactive learning environments to anyone, anyplace, anytime by utilizing the internet and digital technologies in concern with instructional design principles. In their definition they emphasized the use of the internet, which now predominate the e-learning society, as the principle medium for conducting e-learning activities. Another scholar explains that it involves the use of electronic technology in the delivering of education and training applications, monitoring of e-learners performance and reporting of learner’s progress (sale 2002; Ajadi et al, 2008). This definition is in accordance with the definition of Wikipedia online encyclopedia which that it is any learning activity which is carried out using digital technology. However, the predominant features of e-learning with respect to its explanation or definition are the involvement of electronic devices (such as computer) and digital technologies (such as ICT).
CHAPTER THREE
SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
Introduction
This chapter examines the existing system with the aim of identifying its short comings and designing a new system which will enhance its performance and efficiency. Each of the steps involved in the investigations and analysis stipulate the necessary requirements for actualizing this purpose.
Feasibility study
The existing system of teaching and learning had shown certain weakness which could be overcome through the use of ICT and e-learning procedure. For all the purpose of accomplishing this, there is the need for determining the feasibility of the proposed e-learning products in terms of the technical, operational, time and economic feasibilities.
The technical feasibility would be considered based on two perspectives the developer(s) and the user(s) technical feasibilities. This is the fact that both the developer(s) and the user(s) require certain basic technology or electronic devices. The developer(s) technical feasibility required for the accomplishment of this project is as follows: A set of high processing speed computer with enough memory space and DVD/CD ROM.
I.Computer peripherals (input devices) scanner, webcam or any other multimedia input device for the capturing of images.
ii.The necessary software such as visual basic, Microsoft front page or Dream weaver, macromedia flash and other required software for the development of the proposed products.
Iii.Access to the internet will require the following
a.)Subscription to any ISP that would render data card, wireless connection, or any other digital communication medium.
b.)Subscribe to any web host that is compatible with the proposed e-learning design and implementation requirements.
On the part of the user(s), the technical feasibility is relatively fewer and they are as follows:
- A computer set with DVD/CD ROM.
- Internet accessibility if the user will need to make use of the online e-learning products.
For the determination of the operational feasibility, I will undertake a study to know the extent to which the e-learning products will be acceptable by the lecturers and the students (who are the core users) of the department, the school and other educational institutions, and the general public. This is intended to be achieved through interviewing some class of persons and distributing evaluation forms to all the students and staff of the department. School officials, other educational institutions, and some selected organizations that are both computer and educational oriented. Their response, when evaluated, will aid in estimating the content to which the primary objectives of the proposed e-learning products will be actualized.
The time feasibility for the attainment of the primary objectives of the proposed e-learning products will not be considered based on the fact that this project is a virtual project. Nevertheless, if the project is to be implemented by the department of computer science, Federal polytechnic Nekede in the future, the time feasibility will be determined by the study team. As for the moment, the time feasibility will be considered based on the availability of the aforementioned technical feasibility especially, that of the developer(s), funding of the project and time it will take for the actual design of the proposed e-learning products. The availability of the basic technical requirement if not on time, will affect the completion time and the design of the proposed e-learning products. The funding of the project will also affect the completion time if it is adequately and consistently done. As noted earlier in the literature review that e-learning products varies, the kind of e-learning product and its specifications is directly proportional to the time required for its production. Therefore, in other to beat the time constraint for this project, the web-based tutorial and the book will fully developed while the computers assisted application will not be completely developed.
CHAPTER FOUR
SYSTEMS IMPLEMENTATION
Introduction
This chapter stipulates and discusses the necessary development and implementation requirement for actualizing the proposed e-learning products, it also describes and explains the necessary procedures to be followed for the development, testing, and implementation of the proposed products and other development and/or implementation related issues.
Justification of the programming language and the development application package
The proposed e-learning producers are to be developed using different programming languages and development application package that will be suitable for their individual accessing medium. The programming language that will be used for developing the web based tutorial will be HTML.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUTIONS
Summary
This project is aimed at this, design and implementation of an e-learning for an introduction to C++ using the Department of Computer Science as the case study. The objectives of the proposed selected e-learning products, generally, centered on using them to enhance and complement the traditional teaching and learning within the department. In addition, the implementation, the management, and updating of the e-learning products will be manned by the department through the product evaluation, development and management team. However, the funding of the project will be determined by the by department.
Recommendation
It is expected that this project, if properly effected and handled, will promote the image of the department and improve the quality of service they render with respect to the impacting of knowledge to the students and the students from other departments and tertiary institutions. This is based on the perspective that the project, if actualized, will serve as an outstanding example to the other departments of the institution and even to the indigenous tertiary institutions, students and lecturers (especially, those that are computer scientist) makes reference to the products ( especially, the web based tutorial) during their private studies respectively.
Conclusion
E-learning is becoming more popular day after day due to the rapid technological advancements made especially in ICT. Disappointedly, the under-developed countries like Nigeria are yet to implement e-learning effectively, for the acquisition of Education, knowledge, skills and training. This is partly because of the inadequacy of the required infrastructure and the improper attention given to its impact. Although most of the tertiary institution had already commenced the use of e-learning, it is mostly implemented for administrative purposes such as examination and learning purposes.
This project paper presentation, therefore, attempts to create three web based, CAL application software, and e-book on an introductory study to C++ programming language which will be both affordable by the users (the students and partly the lecturers) and the department. Though it may, apparently, be cost intensive, the cost at long term basis will be cost effective and to an extent, cost efficient.
REFERENCES
- Adewa-Ogubaen, S., E., & Iyamu, O., S., 2005. Using Information and communication Technology in secondary schools in Nigeria: problems and prospects. Education Technology and society, 8(1)104-112.Retriveved from www.ifets.infor/journals/8-1/13.pdf on 15th September, 2007.
- Ajadi, T., o., et al, 2008. E-learning and Distance Education in Nigeria. School of Education, National Open University of Nigeria. The Turkish Online Journal of Education Technology – TOSET October 2008 ISSN. 1303-6521 volume 7 Issue 4 Article 7. Retrieved from www.tozet.net/articles/747.pdf on 3rd May, 2010.
- Ani, C., O., 2003. Programming with Microsoft Basic. Immaculate Publications limited, 2 Aku Street, Oguii New Layout, Enugu.
- C++ Language Tutorial. Published by Juan Soulie. Retrieved from www.eplusplus.com/doc/tutorial on 25th February, 2008
- Curtain, R., 2001. The effectiveness of streaming video in web-based instruction published doctoral dissertation. The University of Alabama. In kahn, D., 2002. How effective is multimedia in Online Train? Retrieved from www.e-leraningguru.com/wpapers/multimedia.pdf
- Former, L., S., J., 2009. Meeting: 214 E-learning SIG, world Library and Information congress: 75th IFLA General Conference and Council, 23-27 August 2009, Milian, Italy. Retrieved from www.ifla.org/files/hq/oaoers/ifla75/214-farmer-en.pdf on 3rd May 2010
