DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN E-LEARNING PLATFORM

1.2     Statement of the Problem

Conventional learning (classroom learning) is normally fairly structured. It requires learners meeting on a regular basis, at scheduled times on the same days each week. This limits flexibility with work and other activities. Learners generally must be in class to get the learning experience and to keep up with requirements. Unless your instructors record lectures, in-class instruction is not available after the class session is over. Students who struggle to focus may also find classrooms and cohorts distracting to their learning experience.

Furthermore, it is very obvious that students tend to concentrate basically on the departmental compendium, as a result, this gives them little knowledge of what is expected of them, thereby impedes their performance when tested through mid-term assessments or examination.

Hence, the problem centres on effective teaching and learning processes for the impacting and the advancement of the students' theoretical and practical knowledge.

• Aim of the Study

The aim of this study is to design and implement an e-learning platform in which the course materials are presented using the advantages of multimedia and hypermedia.

• Objectives of the Study

The objective of this study is:

• To enable instructors to upload learning materials for the students to access.
• To provide the students with more learning materials (reference materials of the compendium).
• To facilitate the interaction between instructor and students, and students to students (group study).
• To enable learners to gain access to learning materials at their convenient time.
• To enable learners to learn anywhere and at any time.

• Scope of the Study

The design of an e-learning platform is a very broad field, but this research work focuses on the development of a platform where students of this great faculty; School of Computer Science, Mathematics and Information Technology (SOCSMAIT), can easily access reference materials of the departmental compendium, can read, copy or print these materials. Also students can download or watch videos of lectures uploaded by the instructor. It also makes a provision for the students to assess themselves after each studied course (objective-based).

• Significance of the Study

Mobile learning provides the following significance:

• The provision of course content to off-campus students.
• The provision of feedback to off-campus students.
• The provision of student support services to off-campus students.
• Links to the World Wide Web (www) and other resources.
• Student-to-student interactivity.
• Student to tutor and Institution interactivity.

• Limitations of the Study

To be candid, many problems were encountered while carrying out this research work. It wasn't easy to get information relevant for this research. The most important thing needed was reference materials of the compendium of all the levels and departments of this faculty, this required internet subscription which is very costly here in Benin, but we were able to bypass it due to our hard work.  Finally, due to the programming requirement of the software, we lacked the programming skills to get the work done, it cost us more time learning how to program the software.However, efforts were made, towards retaining the e-learning products quality, accomplishing of the projects objectives and completion of the project within the specified period of time.

• Definition of Terms

Mobile: With respect to technologies, 'mobile' generally means portable and personal, like a mobile phone.

Learning: This is the act of acquiring new or modifying and reinforcing existing knowledge, behaviour,skills, values, or references and may involve synthesizing different types of information.

E-Learning: This can be defined as any dissemination of educational knowledge over the internet. It can be defined as the delivery of a learning, training or education program by electronic means.

Conventional Learning: This means having education in the four walls of a school.

Mobile Learning: The definition of mobile learning is still evolving and so there are many definitions I existence. Techno-centric defines mobile learning as learning that takes place with the aid of mobile devices.

MYSQL: A relational database management (RDSMS) that runs as server providing multi-user access to a database.

PHP: (Hypertext pre-processor) is a general purpose server side scripting languages originally designed for web development to produce dynamic web page. It is one of the first developed server-side scripting language to be embedded into an HTML source document rather than calling an external file to process data.

CAL: This stands for computer Assisted learning. It is an application package that is designed to enable the user to learn a particular subject through the provision of tutorial that may or may not be accompanied by questions. CAL is popularly called tutorial software.

CAI: This is an abbreviation of computer aided instruction. It is an application package that is designed to enable the user to learn and/or get acquainted with a specific subject or an aspect of life.

WWW (World Wide Web): This is a format that we use to design website.

Website: It is information of a particular people, individual, state, country etc, made available to be seen or can download on the net.

Login: To connect to the scale and make use of available information provided by the designer within some range of specification