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:

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

with voiceovers, 3-D graphics, flashpendent of server platform, so our system is madeanimations, onscreen 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 Settings800 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

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 gradually locating 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:

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