Title
Web-based
Science Learning System for Elementary students (for students of Sekolah
Kebangsaan Putra, Kangar, Perlis, Malaysia).
Introduction
E-learning;
being one of the technologies introduced
to enhance conducive learning environment and bridge the gap for distance
learners is seen to have tremendously achieved the said goals (Bogdan, 2005).
However, target audience and objectives varies and undoubtedly affect the
design of the learning system from time to time, place to place, and poses
challenges to the system analysts and designers especially of technical
difficulty when it affects children (age 8 to 12 yrs and beyond) which are
students of Elementary schools. This is because of some underlying factors that
must be considered to achieve a user-friendly and functional e-learning system
for them (Gary, 1995).
Werner,
(2003) describes e-learning as a subset of Information Technology in Education
and Training and defines it as any learning that is delivered or enabled via
electronic technologies which encompasses learning delivered via Internet,
television, video tapes and computer. However, the most functional and mostly
used is the Web-based e-learning (also referred to as Online learning) which is
done over the internet because it enhances distance learning, which means
students can access their lecture materials, upload their work done, access
their record sheets without physically present in lecture rooms and study
centres (Roger et al, 2003). Achieving a functional web-based learning system
have been challenging to professionals in the field of Information Systems due
to some peculiar factors ranging from the adaptive nature of the web, interactivity,
simplicity, and the functionality ( Cheou, 2003; Teresa & Melissa, 2010).
The
adaptive nature is of main interest when talking about feedback from the system
to the users, an instance is when the students using the system is interested
in getting a feedback as soon as possible, so as to aid the smooth flow of communication
(Vasilyeva, et al., 2009), a system expected to be used for learning purpose is
expected to be easy for use in terms of simplicity and also need to be
interactive and most especially with the category and level of the target
audience (Cheou, 2003).
Areas
which have utilized the application of Information Technology in Education and
Training to its fullest are Open and Distance Learning Systems. This is an
emerging trend which continues to attract not only the IT specialists (System
Analysts), but also other stakeholders in the education industry.
Derek,
(1992) citing Coffey defines Open learning system as the one in which the
restrictions placed on students are under constant review and removed wherever
possible, he explains Distance learning as the learning at a distance from
one’s teacher-usually with the help of pre-recorded, packaged learning
materials.
Irrespective
of the persons and tools involved, Learning has the main objective of passing
information from one person(s) to the other, when a side will be taken as the
teacher and the other as the student (learner).
Therefore, the introduction of electronic method of learning is to ease
this task and enables it to optimally achieve other goals especially with the
present alarming need of Open Universities and Distance learning centres by
prospective learners who are finding difficulty in making physical presence at
their centres of learning (Pena & Keith, 2007).
Added to this is the
implementation of e-learning tools and methodologies in conventional
universities, polytechnics, high schools and even elementary schools for
students who are old enough
to handle computers, so as to ease their learning, familiarize with the present
technological age, and also aids teaching on the part of the teachers.
Methodologies
in E-learning are numerous due to its possible multi-dimensional approaches,
also are the tools involved amongst are Semantic Web, Hypermedia modules, An
actor-network approach to mention just but a few. The particular methodology to
be employed will be determined by the nature of the e-learning system intended
to be designed by the system designer (Lawrence, 2008).
Problem Statement
Online
learning system as a system is well used in tertiary institutions to ease
learning on the part of the students and teaching difficulty on the part of the
tutors, but this has not been of frequent use among other category of students
due to some possible factors. Among these, students of elementary have not felt
the application of Information Technology in their learning life, if not the
recent introduction of interactive writing boards.
This
system becomes necessary to set a pace for the need to expose elementary
students especially in the learning of science to the use of information
technology, online learning specifically; this will undoubtedly make the
learning of science by elementary students to be an easy exercise.
Objectives
The
primary objective of this project is to create a science learning enabled
environment for elementary students and the teacher with provision for parental
monitoring since the students still need monitoring. Hence, in achieving these,
the project has the following sub-objectives:
1. To
bridge the communication gap between the teacher, students and the parents
through the incorporation of e-mail resource;
2. To
enable the parents to easily monitor the academic performance of their wards;
3. To
help the parents in getting informed about
the school’s activities through the news and advertisement sections; and
4. To
provide a collaborative learning platform of the science subject among the
students.
Project Methodology
In
order to achieve the stated objectives of this project, a detailed review of
the necessary steps and design considerations for web-based learning systems is
done (William, et al., 2002). The requirements of a functional web-based
learning system are fully taken into consideration in the design with an
adoption of reasoning in the design research cycle (Vaishnavi & Kuechler,
2004).
The
research design proposed by Vaishnavi & Kuechler, (2004) propose a five
major phases as a general Research methodology; these are:
a. Awareness
of problem;
b. Development;
c. Evaluation;
and
d. Conclusion.
The figure 1 below shows the phases, the link
between the steps and the cycle generally
 |
Figure
2: General Research Design; an
extended version of Vaishnavi & Kuechler, (2004), adapted from Vaishnavi
& Kuechler, (2008).
Explaining
each one of these five phases one after the other:
a. Awareness
of Problem: At this phase, the problem is known through visitation to the
elementary school in focus, it enables proper understanding of the problem,
thus getting closer to the solution. The requirement identification was made
being a significant step in Prototype development.
-
In identifying this
requirements, the following steps were taken:
-
The intending users
were asked about their requirements;
-
Study of some existing
web-based learning systems were done; and
-
Documentation of the
findings.
b. Suggestion:
The study aimed at suggesting a functional web-based learning system for the elementary
students of the school. In a way of achieving this, a prototype is developed
following the expected features of a functional web-based system (Cheou, 2003).
A tentative design was done through models using Unified Modeling Language
(UML); these models include general and detailed use case diagrams, activity
diagram for each use case, sequence with collaboration diagram for each use
case, and the class diagrams.
Development: In developing the prototype and operationalizing it, the three main steps were adopted (Laudon & Laudon, 2000) Figure 3 illustrates the steps in prototype development 
Figure 3: The Prototyping
Processes, Adopted from Laudon & Laudon, (2000).
Step 1: The prototype is developed;
Step 2: The prototype is used, if
Step 3a: satisfied, the prototype is
operationalized, if not satisfied,
Step 3b: the prototype is revised and
enhanced.
In the development of the prototype’s
interface, PHP and Hyper Text Markup Language were used for a befitting system
since it is expected to be web-based.
Result
The
output of the system is befitting and hopefully functional, the interfaces are
added to the documentation provided (and it explains further), but, the
usability test is yet to be done.
Suggestions and Future Research
The
need to have an all-encompassing web-based learning system should be the focus
of future Information System Researcher, since time and some other factors
limits the scope of this work to just the learning of science subject in the
elementary school, future work should work on a system that can cater for all
subjects of the elementary schools or at least more subjects to be added.
Conclusion
As
afore-illustrated and explained, incorporation of Information Technology in
Education and training is an emerging trend in this computer age, and children
must not be left out in its usage because of the unquantifiable advantages to
derive from it. Most especially, when teaching learning science which is the
bedrock of development.
This
learning system for science for the elementary will be a supportive system to
Classroom teaching and not a substitute, Campbell (2001) quoted Rosenberg to
have identified that classroom teaching will be of different role and no longer
the “default delivery system”.
From
the design given above, all stated aims and objectives of any potential
e-learning system is fully taken into consideration with special attention to
the peculiarities of the target audience (children) and the subject in
question.
References
Chein, C. (2003).
Interactivity and interactive functions in web-based learning systems: a
technical framework for designers, British
Journal of Educational Technology. 34(3), 265-279. http://studentweb.usq.edu.au/home/w0077937/interactive/docs/chou.pdf
Derek, R.(1992).
Exploring Open and Distance Learning, , Kogan Page Limited.
Gary, J. A. (1995).
Instructional Technology; Past, Present and Future (2nd Edition), ,
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Laudon, C & Laudon,
J.(2000). Contemporary Approaches to Information Systems. Prentice Hall, Inc.
New Jersey. akson.sgh.waw.pl/~alex/IG1/IG1.ppt
Lawrence T. (2008).
Online and Distance Learning Concepts; Methodologies, Tools and Applications
(vol.2), IGI Global.
Nona Campbell. (2001).
E- Education, E-learning and E-teacher,.
Rena M. & Keith P.(2007),
Building Online Learning Communities, John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Roger, B., Christy, A.
et al. (2003). Web-based Learning. Information Age Publishing Inc.
Teresa, M. &
Melissa L. (2010). Evaluating Web-based Learning Systems, Journal of Instructional Pedagogies. University of Tampa. http://www.aabri.com/manuscripts/10579.pdf
Vaishnavi, V. &
Kuechler, B.(2008). Theory Development in Design Science Research: Anatomy of a
Research Project. European Journal of
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Vasilyeva, E.,
Puuronem, S., Pechenizkiy, M. & Rasanen, P. (2009). Feedback adaptation in
web-based learning systems. International
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Werner, Putzhuber.(2003).
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William, W., Diana, L.,
Angela, D. (2002). Design Considerations for Web-based Learning Systems. Advances in Developing Human Resources,
Sage Publications. 4(4), 405-423 http://www.qou.edu/arabic/researchProgram/eLearningResearchs/designConsiderations.pdf |
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