An Effective System For Virtual Learning Environment

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Chapter 1- Introduction

E-tutor Malaysian Education Network is web based e-learning portal for secondary students who aged 13 to 15. It is created by a member of Solution Enterprise. The aim of website is to enhance teaching and learning experience to the students. There has 5 school clients are associates in this website to provide studies activities, exam tips and tutorials. This e-learning portal is require the student to pay RM 98 per year to access the website. The teacher has some privilege to access the website which they can create virtual classroom to teach and interact with the student. Teachers are qualified with lot of experience in Malaysia spanning difference different schools and specialties. It therefore ensures that it bridges a better teaching skills and learning experience.

There has 4 subjects are primarily focus to the students which are Geography, Mathematics, History, and Science. Each subject are contains 15,000 questions now and keep on increasing everyday. It’s provides others school past year exam papers downloads for the students. The purpose of providing other school exam papers downloads is gives opportunity to students to answer other school’s exam paper and will increase students accuracy in prediction for real exam.

Besides that, there are also has some facilities are provided such as forum and chat room where the students can have discussion about studies.

Current situation

The portal is currently staffed by administrator who responsible for maintains the portal system and respond to students. The portal is run for 24/7. Sample exams are offers in 3 categories which are exam by chapter, exam by random and question stored. The results by each category can be seen in exam result section. The new student should register and the account activation will be send into their email.

A real time function is implemented to the registered teachers. They can create a virtual classroom by accessing computer login lab and only selected students may allow to study at that portion of time. Most sample exams are checked by teacher and send to admin to upload it to the portal.

There are 4 teachers are appointed to this portal and responsible to collects past year exams papers from other states and provide to the portal. The past year exam paper will be update immediately once the exam finish. The teachers also responsible to reply student if there has any doubt in exam.

Any technical difficulties or error problem regarding about the portal may need contact the admin through contact number or email.

The problem

At the moment, the portal operates with web hosting server by assist of admin. The information is stored in database at desktop admin and also connected web database server. The information is store format in Microsoft word, excels and also in paper format stored in file cabinets in a stack of folder. There is the problem of data link being shown in blank page and also sometimes show broken link. The usability of design is poorly created and users may find contrary to understand the function of the portal. This makes it hard to keep the students to learn studies at portal.

At look of security issues, the information is stored and recorded leading to data inconsistency and unauthorized access to the computers. The student account activation process is slow and there are no proper activation message sends to their email. There are no privileges are provides for student to update their personal information such as address, email, parents and etc. There has improper guidelines and links are provided to make payment for renew student membership.

Other than that, chat and blog design functions are implemented in ambiguous manner. The novice may found difficulties to use the function. Regarding about chat function, there are no secured connection to access chat lead to privacy exposure.

Solutions

I aim to examine and analyses critically about the design interaction of e-learning environment based website and show how to implement an effective website as what a student expect from it.

Aim

The aim of project is to investigate into human computer interaction to produce an effective system for virtual learning environment based website and help it to the student encourage to study better in e-learning portal.

Objective

Research human computer interaction studies and redesign the website

Methodology

What is Methodology? The methodology is series of steps, procedures and rules by those who develop system. Its enables the developer to follows the right appropriate approach to analysis and design the system development that proposed. There have many methodologies that been taught to us and show the flows of each methodology to achieve successful project. Each methodology in the project development will lead us through different approaches and procedure in the analysis and design of the system. "Project Management Methodology is a strictly defined combination of logically related practices, methods and processes that determine how best to plan, develop, control and deliver a project throughout the continuous implementation process until successful completion and termination. It is a scientifically-proven, systematic and disciplined approach to project design, execution and completion". [1]

The methodology that used this project is PRINCE2 which is an acronym for PRojects IN Controlled Environments. The PRINCE 2 methodology approach will ensures that the developer able to meet the project goals in a logical, systematic, and organized manner. The steps of methodology would be follows for this project are:

Initiate: Identify the e-learning project requirements specification and main HCI objectives in the project

Plan : Prepare the time frame to finish the project

Analyzing: determine the problems in the project, gather information data requirements and find solution of the problem

Designing : design the new website based on the analysis

Checking and testing: make sure all function of project meet the requirement and also the function should working probably without any issues and rectify all errors.

Release: finalize the project objectives/aims and demonstrate to the audience

Maintenance: Determine the advantage and disadvantages of project and keep it as the future project development.

Methodology justification

The reason to choose PRINCE 2 as methodology because the project proposed can be complete in fast and effective. The approach system and analysis should not be adapt and claimed until it is clear that the methodology had been justify to the person who supervise the project,. Therefore it is important here to determine the advantages of the methodology and explained each benefit that to be justifies to project. The proper justification as well as the method for explaining the benefits of methodology must be stated within the benefits review project plan, and the project agreement will form the current baseline measures of benefits to project. The benefit categorized with few different aspects:

1 Scope-This aspect of benefits shows the development progress and state the improvement will be executes to this project. The project scope make the developer identify the problem earlier before the implement the system. Therefore the developer able focuses the studies area that need solve the problems instead thinking overall part of system. The problems of the e –learning project related to HCI area studies. Therefore the developers have to research the HCI and find the solution. Determine scope of project will reduce the project development time frame and may completed with the short period.

2. Accountability –This aspect of benefits shows the expected tool requirements that need to develop such as software and platform. The selection of software and platform can be done by planning stage in the methodology. The planning stages will enables to analyze of software selection and determine the software as final conclusion to be used in the implementation of the project. This will prevent the developer to switch software in middle part of implement. The aspect benefits also determine the target group of this project. The target group user of the project is students. Therefore developer will be acknowledge that research will student based as the implementation

3. Measurements –This aspect of benefits clarifies exactly how each improvement will be measured and when the developer can be measured. The project system cannot delivers immediately once implemented. It’s have should analyze and test the system. The test stage will enables to check pros and cons on the system function. This will help the developer to enhance the quality of the system.

4. Baseline- This aspect of benefits shows the recommendation and modification of the project lt’s is important that if a project is to bring about change and hence realized new improvement, that measurements should be made of the ‘before state’. Therefore the developer enables to research critically and acknowledgements of improvement can be made. The project more focuses about interaction and interface design. Therefore improvement will more on that instead analyzing the core function of system

Performance- This aspect of benefits shows the performance of the e-learning system will be reviewed.

Summary

This chapter looks at the background of the projects to gain understanding of what its problems is and the aims and objectives of the project. Prince2 has also been chooses as the methodology to process in carrying out the project to ensure manage the time and activity while focusing on system functionality. The methodology will encourage the active involvement of the students and developer throughout the project development life cycle to make ensure the system works perfects match the requirement analysis of the project. In the next section of this report there shall be a detailed review of HCI studies in e-learning that recommend to concern about the project and their important to this project, interference with to the system and its functional requirements. It’s about talk about the design and building of the system, System Implementation and design issues that are necessary.

Chapter 2-Literature review

1. What is e-learning?

What is e-learning? "e-learning is essentially the network-enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. e-learning refers to using electronic applications and processes to learn."[2]. The E-learning represents a wide range of methods for the electronic delivery of subject studies in order to provide education for the student. The approach of e-learning has been divided in to types. The types are.

1. Synchronous – This e-learning type is means real times studies which is involves interaction between students and teacher via the Web in real time. For example, VCRs or Virtual class rooms is known as real classrooms online where the teacher teach student face to face by using internet networks as medium. The student interacts with each other and teacher through instant messaging, chat, audio and video conferencing etc and what’s more all the teaching sessions can be recorded as and able playback whenever the student wants to reversed their studies. The benefits of synchronous e-learning are:

Able to monitor or track student learning activities.

Assist student education progress on the time and correct their mistakes

Enhance the social interactivity; connect globally with other student and able to have collaboration opportunities among learners.

The teacher can provide exam tips to student and coach them how answer it.

2. Asynchronous – This e-learning types means self-studies, which allows the student to complete the lesson and subject at their own pace, without real time interaction with the teacher. However, the information will be accessible on a self-help basis, 24/7. The advantage is that this types of e-Learning provides the student the information they require whenever they need it. The Asynchronous may the interaction amongst student through message boards, bulletin boards and discussion forums. These also include standalone application learning which mean learning with application software by using desktop computer. The modules may provide CD-Rom and sometimes provides at web based where the student need access internet to learn subject. The benefits of synchronous e-learning are:

Lesson and subject availability on the time for instant learning and reference.

Student have flexibility to access website from anywhere at anytime.

Easy to maintain the student especially big population students who using the website.

Less cost to implement to the website.

2.Cognitive psychology of E-learning

The cognitive psychology of E-learning is one of important to cover when implementing the e-learning website. There two classic theories are mentioned about psychology of E-learning. First is the dual-coding cognitive theory, a cognition activity that involves of two distinct subsystems which is a verbal system specialized for dealing directly with language and a non-verbal (imagery) system specialized for dealing with nonlinguistic object and events. Second is cognitive learning, a brain activity that how the student focus object or event and load their working memory during learning. The two theories will divided as subtopic to explain in more detail to show how the cognitive psychology will help for my e-learning website.

2.1 Dual coding theory and e-learning education

Dual coding theory is a cognition theory taught by Allan Paivio . The idea of this theory is about using mental images aids in our learning styles. According to Paivio, he said that there are two ways a person could expand on learned material by verbal system: communicating verbally and non-verbal system: demonstrate pictures or multimedia presentation [3]. These ways are assumed to be composed of internal representational units, called logogens and imagens, that are activated when one recognize speech and perceived about words or things. The representations are modality specific, so that there have different logogen and imagens corresponding to the visual, auditory and sensory and properties of language and objects. The representations are situated with to sensory input and response output systems. Each other can function independently or cooperatively to mediate nonverbal and verbal behavior. The representational activity may or not may be experienced consciously as imagery and inner speech.

The both two of system in this theory are generally involved even in language phenomena. The verbal system plays important role for language communication but it’s only capable for some people. In the most, interesting and meaningful ones, the verbal system draws on the rich knowledge base in informal way. Conversely, the nonverbal system cannot use as direct communication but its can show in formal way. For instance, draw picture by describe with words. The verbal system dominates in some tasks (e.g jigsaw puzzles and clue games) and the nonverbal imagery system in other (e.g jigsaw puzzles). This cognition theory of both system should interplay when developing e-learning application.

The quality nature of Dual Coding Theory distinguishes it from more abstract, common coding theories of cognition. This theory can emphasize the dominance of language and peaked in modern behaviorist interpretations of though as inner speech. So how DCT can apply to E-learning :

1.Reading skills. At first the readers will observe, learn and read concrete words that accompanied by referent pictures and they pronounce the words. Concrete verbal material like picture and graphic will enhances reading comprehension and recall in children and adults memories. It’s also improved comprehension and recall of instructional text (e.g., brief written texts read prior to other texts).Conversely the concreteness-evoked imagery and dual coding to the meaningfulness, memorability, and retrievability of information in text. When reading, the Instructing learners prefer visualize image further enhances reading comprehension and vocabulary learning. Combining pictures, mental imagery, and verbal elaboration is even more effective in promoting understanding and learning from text by students ranging from grade school to university level. For example, consistent with DCT, Purnell and Solman (1991) reported additive effects of text and illustrations on the comprehension of technical material by high school students . On the basis of the such results, Mayer (1999, 2001) made the following recommendations about multimedia learning:

(a) Use words with pictures rather than put words alone,

b) Put pictures and simple which easily can understand,

(c) minimize extra details and jargon words

(d) present words as speech rather than on-screen text in animations (presumably to minimize modality-specific interference). These recommendations accord with the practical implications of DCT.

2. Written Composition. The student writing will enhance more readable and memorable by collaboration of concreteness, imagery and dual coding. Therefore the verbal associative techniques as listing relevant words that could be used in writing about a topic and practice combining sentence enhance such features as syntactic fluency of writing.

3. Remedial literacy education. The implication of methods dual coding principles can be use remedial education for learning difficulties. This methods may classed as augmentative aids in that they supplement e-learning teaching methods. The use of nonverbal stimuli an imagery can focus on decoding because readers must be able to recognize printed words before they can get their meaning. Decoding ability is measured by tests that require reading words or naming letters aloud. Comprehension tests require understanding what words and text mean. It is relevant that decoding and comprehension are not highly correlated. Statistically, the respective tests cluster under two different factors (with subcategories within each).

2.3 Cognitive learning and memory process

The students psychology are concerned to observe their behavior change as evidence of learning and analyze in studying learning as an internal mental phenomenon. According Eggen and Kauchak (2003) state that "from a cognitive perspective, learning is a change in ‘mental structures’." [4]

Cognitive learning theories provide how the student memories process and store information to gain an understanding of themselves and how their thinking and reasoning influence their actions and reactions (Henson & Eller, 1999)[4]. Cognitive psychology explores many factors human learning of process, such as perception, attention, memory, language and motivation. One of popular method currently used in cognitive theory is constructivist approach. This approach sees the learners as active participants in the process of learning, seeking to interpret and make meaning from multiple sources of information by linking them with what is already known.

The implementation of e-learning not only considers design of about website but also analyzes how level the student understands and perceive from the website. Therefore it’s crucial to learn about the student memory process. The information process begins at sensory register which is part of activity in human brain. The human brain is constantly captures information by stimuli in the environment (sounds, colors textures, aromas) and these are either attended to or ignored. However not all information will remembered. Therefore, the student can only store limited amounts of information at one time. This shows the developer need to be considers add only necessary information when implementing the educational website. A high amount of information will lose track to student mind.

The excess amount of pictures and auditory information may enhance of the website design however it’s do make learning difficulty for student. That information does not give a solid attention to them unless they focus it. The information that perceived will by student lasts very shortly in less than a second for visual stimuli; perhaps two or three seconds for auditory information (Ormrod, 2003). The Information that captures will perceive then moves into short-term or working memory for processing. If the information is important to the learner at that moment, and particularly if it links with what the learner already knows, it will pass in some encoded form (for example, visual images, words) into longer-term memory. The Cognitive psychologists usually refer to the information ‘stores’ involved at various stages in processing information as sensory register, short-term memory ,working memory, and long-term memory. Attention and memory are intimately involved in all deliberate acts of learning; and weaknesses in attention and memory are implicated in many cases of learning failure.

Attention is vital part for student learning process in e-learning education. The material or object in website will give attention to the student and process memory for long term. This memory process will call as long term memory. The representation of long term memory usually categorized as declarative knowledge (facts meaning, principle, procedure,) or procedural knowledge (knowing how to perform a cognitive task or action). The declarative knowledge processes and encoded the memory in verbal form and can be retrieved when necessary. Its can also store as images and information patterns ( such as numbers lists; figures ; graphic, etc.), or as schemata. Therefore the long term memory process will enable mental schemata to the student brain. For example the shapes are should shows as picture in mathematics subject. Therefore the students will remembered the shapes name easily since they already seen how the shape look alike. The mental schemata (or schemas) are managed set of knowledge that we build up about particular objects, situations or phenomena (Ormrod 2003). This shows that visual representation such the pictures and graphics will should use as delivery of knowledge or schema for student learning on the website. Icon and symbols were used in website are also considers as learning schema because it is gives sense of learning how to operate the website.

Santrock (2001) defines a "schema is consists of linked concepts, knowledge and information and information that already present on person mind. When making sense of learning, the learners are used to thinking, reasoning and imagining from raw material to understand the information."[4] Well-developed schemata contain knowledge that can be used to interpret new experiences (Eggen & Kauchak, 2003; McInerney & McInerney, 2002)[4].

3. Knowledge dimension and Cognitive Knowledge dimension

One of objective in e-learning project is to enhance student learning process. The psychology of e-learning shows the understanding of student memory process information in learning material. One of the basic questions facing educators is how e-learning will be improve student thinking?. The Bloom's Taxonomy provides the guidelines to improve student thinking capabilities by using e-learning. The Bloom’s Taxonomy is can be related HCI field, since it has part studies of mental model process. The student thinking capabilities is always based on understanding. The knowledge material can easily once know their comprehension level. "student functioning at the 'application' level has also mastered the material at the 'knowledge' and 'comprehension' levels.". One can easily see how this arrangement led to natural divisions of lower and higher level thinking (Bloom taxonomy)[5].

The framework of taxonomy has three domain which is cognitive, affective and psychomotor. The domain of cognitive has more influence in e-learning research than other domain. The cognitive domain shows 4 types of knowledge which determine the level of student thinking or comprehension. The types of comprehension are:

Factual Knowledge – a knowledge that emphasize student thinking with reliable source information. The student aquatinted with information in order to solve problem. For example, a new student enters e-learning website. He doesn’t know how to study in e-learning website. Therefore he see information that provides in website and understands how the learning process works. This analogy can apply to lesson subject that provides in e-learning website. The syllables should provide accurate and classified according to the lesson subject. Information is the key for factual knowledge. Therefore information need to concern when developing e-learning website.

Conceptual Knowledge – a knowledge that emphasize student thinking with the interrelationships among the information within design structure that enable them to function together. The students see information with design concept in order to understand the knowledge material. The conceptual knowledge may describe as visual spatial because the student understands information by observing the pictures, multimedia and etc. For example, a student may sometimes don’t like information a lot but they still can learn something observing the symbol and pictures. Providing multimedia elements are the key for conceptual knowledge. Therefore multimedia elements are key for conceptual knowledge when developing e-learning website

Procedural knowledge – a knowledge that emphasize student thinking with inquiring method and procedure. The student comprehends the knowledge material by method of function. For an example, a student views the information with the picture that provided. However, he still not comprehends until he navigates information and understands how it works. Functions are the key for procedural knowledge when developing e-learning website.

Metacognitive knowledge - a knowledge that emphasize student thinking with the knowledge of own cognition. The students captures the knowledge material which already known. For an example, a student comprehends the knowledge material in e-learning which is familiar to them. Therefore, they have no doubt and reluctance to learn the material. This knowledge will show awareness to the developer that they should not the subject syllables which not related to the student knowledge. Furthermore the design of website should familiar to them. The student should understand immediately about the new website with their self-knowledge. The student knowledge experience is the key for metacognitive knowledge. The developer should design the e-learning website according the student experience.

The students thinking are different and they perceive e-learning materials according the knowledge dimension. The knowledge dimension is required to develop the effective e-learning system. The cognitive process will provide the evidence how the knowledge dimension will be effective in e-learning. The knowledge dimension define how the student understand and the cognitive process define how the student thinking based on their understand.The cognitive process shows the depth how the student will thinks in e-learning. The term of cognitive process define six categories. The categories define as:

Remembering – retrieving and memory recalling related the knowledge learns.

Understanding – perceive the meaning of graphical messages through interpreting, classifying, summarizing, inferring, and explaining.

Applying- Determine the lesson studies and apply the methods that they learn.

Analyzing - determining how the fact relate to one another and understand the knowledge structure through differentiating, organizing, and attributing.

Evaluating: judging the studies that learn based on criteria and standards through checking and critiquing.

Creating: understands the elements together to form a coherent or functional and give feedback from their thinking.

The cognitive process corresponds with the knowledge dimension in different identical ways. The table shows how the cognitive process corresponds with the knowledge dimensions during studies at e-learning.

The Cognitive Process

The Knowledge Dimension

Remember

Understand

Apply

Analyze

Evaluation

Factual

List-identify name and context

Summarize– summarize the studies with their own words

Classify – understand the consequence of studies

Order – student took essential point when studying

Rank – they identify which point are important

Concept

Describe-show meaning of context with the picture

Interpret– understand the connection between the symbol and meaning

Experiment – relating the studies with visualize thinking manner

Explain – understand the reason in the information to need in e-learning website

Asses – knows what the functions like about.

Procedural

Tabulate-the student able explain about their studies

Predict– knows the process works before apply the action

Feedback – understand the process and give feedback

Differentiate – differentiate the relation between the function and information

Conclude – make conclusion how the system works

Metacognitive

Appropriate user- relation with their favorite discussion.

Execute – able the demonstrate the studies which their familiar with

Construct –learn fully the depth of studies

Achieve – understanding completely regarding their personal lifestyles

Apply – apply the concept what they learn in the class

4. The role visual Perception in e-learning

Visual perception is a process between brain and eye that show how capable human can obtain information from display varying considerably in size and other features but not uniformly across the spectrum nor all speed. Visual perception plays a vital role in makes sense of e-learning experience. The focus of visual perception in e-learning is about perceiving active information from the object or reading contents. According to Kellerman and Arterberry (2006:114),"the function of visual perception is to provide the perceiver with information about the objects, events and spatial layout in which the individual is required to think and act."[6]

The designer may spend time and effort on visual and expect the learner to perceive the information from visual as they intended. However the visual perception may not be obvious from the learner’s view. The reason is because the designer view and learner view are different. The designer uses text with combination images and animation to share information of the purpose of visuals in e-learning lessons. The designer may think that every combination visual and words will beneficial to e-learning. In some situation, the text decoration and visual may distract learner to understand learning material. There are some specific conditions are required to support visual in e-learning. The function of visual in this project should be attentive, affective, cognitive and satisfaction from the user, Levie and Lentz (1982) .Clark and Lyons (2004) classification will show evidents that how visuals support to the e-learning project. He describe function of visual perception will bring :

Support attention

Provide visuals attraction to important parts of e-learning lessons

The visual attraction may sustained student attention to those materials

Build Mental Model

The visual inclusion such images, symbol and graphic will help learners to process information in long-term memory

Support motivation

Visuals will provide e-learning materials interesting and makes the student desire to study

4. Georgry theory consideration in e-learning issues

The Images are one of material uses for visual perception. Some images will distract student learning. This happen the eyes perceived information and process information wrongly.[7]R.L. Gregory (1966) tells that the task of the eye and brain is quite different from either a photographic or a television camera converting objects merely into images. Therefore the design should not put ambiguous images that student understand wrong. Sometimes the images provide illusion. The example of images provide below

Simple form can disturb line ( an example for physical cause illusion )

5. Learning environment and tool

The usability of e-learning design is one of research area that needs to consider. The interface and interaction is the two tools to analyze and produce an effective usability e-learning design. The learning dimensions approaches require modification simply due to a change in the learning environment. (Bevan, 1998; Nielsen 1994, 1997; Mehlenbacher, 2002, 2003), provides the outline a set of heuristics for the designers of e-learning:

heuristics for usable design:

Learning background tools

Accessibility

Has the e-learning design can be viewed in different browser?

Customizability and maintainability

Is manipulation of the presentation possible and easy to achieve?

Are individual preferences/sections clearly distinguishable from one another?

Error support and feedback

Is the menu instructions, prompts, and error messages appear in the same place on each screen?

Navigability and user environment

Does the site clearly separate navigation from content

Do the locations of navigational elements remain every time?

User control, error tolerance and flexibility

Do the student able to cancel an operation in progress without receiving an error message?

Social Dynamic

Mutual goals and

outcome

Are the website allow synchronous and asynchronous interaction?

Communication

protocols

Are the lesson provides in e-learning?

Does the student answers are marked and give them to see?

Interaction Display

Aesthetic appeal

Are graphics or colors employed aesthetically?

Consistency and layout

Is there a consistent icon design and graphic display across screens?

Does every screen display begin with a title/subject heading that describes contents?

Typographic cues and and structuring

Are the font and color are clearly seen with information

Visibility features and self-description

Does the user have to remember information from one part of a dialogue to another?

Summary

This section was discussion about the studies HCI in e-learning website. In this discussion was we learn about the definition of e-learning and the type of e-learning that delivers to student. We also discuss about the studies of HCI in e-learning. The studies we discuss about are Cognitive psychology of E-learning, Dual coding theory and e-learning education, Cognitive learning and memory process, Knowledge dimension and Cognitive Knowledge dimension, The role visual Perception in e-learning, Georgry theory consideration in e-learning issues and

Learning environment and tool. The immerse research of HCI is believed to bring a good successful website implementation. The next section we will discuss about the research and criticall analysis of website.

Chapter 3-Research and critical analysis

Introduction

The aim of this section was to achieve the understanding of other e-learning websites that exist on the internet. This part concentrated and compared on three different Malaysian e-learning websites with similar functionality of e-tutor.com.

The research of this section will focus:

Design and content

navigation

functionality and usability

Security

Coding

Design of the websites is vital role of web application and there has consideration that should follow for achieving this purpose, those considerations are:

The interface of e-learning website able explains the functionality of the websites. For

example, the student login e-learning and what will happen?

The present of technologies that can able implement a websites and understands limitation of technology. For example HTML is does not have the capability to produce good layout design as CSS layout.

Explain usability of site by providing the property details of website.

Each e-learning website contain of the three main parts of designing:

The header and navigation menu for whole system

The login panel in home page

The footer of website for showing the copyright of the website

The design review of E-tutor

The image above shows the homepage of e-tutor.com. The website has three navigation menus. The horizontal navigation menu may call as master menu because the menu provide the function whether the student enter the website or not. The student identifies the login function easily as the login navigation highlight in green color. The left vertical menu show sample exam questions whereas right vertical menu shows essential navigation links for the new student who want the join e-learning system. The color combination with the font text is well proportion and the information is clearly seen by the combination. However the left horizontal navigation menu information is not clear seen. The combination of blue background with white color text in navigation menu gives constraint to comprehend the information.

The information contents in the website are looks cluttered. There has unnecessary picture are provided in the website. For example, the picture of ultramen can replace with new picture yet meaningful. The new student may feel constraint to observe since the layout information place is not proportion.

Navigation

Navigation is a bridge to link from a page to another webpage. The navigation is one of part website structure and make user explores the website easier. There has threes type of navigation that commonly used in website. The navigation are :

Site Map: this navigation is used to add for breadcrumb functionality on the websites. the site maps provides the user to comprehend the current page location in website anytime.

Menu: the most popular navigation is used on website. The menu navigation provides essential link direction of website. The navigation menu commonly implement in bar or rectangle shape. The navigation bars delivers a convenient and visually interesting way for user to website to navigate between the site's main sections.

Tree view: this navigation is similar the menu navigation. However the difference the tree view shows the data property of links. The tree view navigation well suits to design windows explorer for users on website.

The e-tutor website used Menu navigation to access other part of page. There has no other part of function in the website.

Functionality and usability

The usability of e-tutor is complicated. The logout function has added ambiguously although there has no user logged on the website. This makes confusion for the new student. The ‘community page link’ has added with no purpose and the link locate empty page.

Security

The security of website has divided in three main types:

a) System security: A security that hackers unable to attack the website and manipulate the pages.

b) Information security: A security that secured date Information on the website like personal information and credit card details.

c) Encryption: "encryption, which makes it difficult for other people to intercept

Information, can be important aid to security." [8].

The security of website is poor implemented. The user can retrieve other user password by clicking forgot pass button. The coding structure easily can manipulate by hacker. There also no verification code send to user email once user the newly registered. There has no secured in database. The hacker able steals information by using sql injection technique.

Coding

Coding is important part of designing e-learning website. Most of e-learning are design with two kind of coding which is server and client server site. Client side coding is known for programming languages that executed by the client side like JavaScript, Html, CSS and these programming language are visible to view all source of coding on the browser. Server side coding is known for programming language that executed by the server and sends back all response to clients. These programming languages are commonly used for server side coding are PHP, ASP, JSP and unlike client side code, the server side source code is not visible on the internet browser, so has more security and safety.

The e-tutor website is implement with JSP in server side whereas HTML and CSS in client. There has no additional scripts added in the website. The coding implementation is most popular browser such Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Internet Explorer.

The comparison of three website

1. Skor A

Desrciption :

Skor A is one of most popular e-learning website. The website endorsed by ministry of education. This online learning program assists the parents to track children study progress. There has different login ID and Password given for parent and student. The purpose to given differently is shows details of the exams, result in charts. For example, in math exam, the parents has authorize to check student and comprehend the student weakness in subtraction or multiplication specifically with the detail report. The website unique features called Output Learningâ„¢. The purpose of function is to the train the brain to retrieve what they have store all the while, it exercise and refreshes the brain.

Review:

Design and content: Attractive design layout, well color and text combination. The information well versed.

Navigation: The navigation design with picture. This may attract the user

Functionality and usability: easy to understand the function. The novice may found easy to use.

Security: No errors and flaws are found.

Coding: Cold Fusion Markup language is used as server side language whereas HTML and CSS used client side language

2. Mount Kiara International School

Description :

Mont'Kiara International School (M'KIS) is a K-12 school based on North American education system. The school is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The e-learning school website is implements with an open source application called moodle.org. The website provides various knowledge materials for student such as e-books, lectures, podcasts and videos. The aim of website is that knowledge and information want to be free, these resources offer incredible content and value.

Review :

Design and content: simple layout. the design may look dull but content information are well provided.

Navigation: The website two navigation type which is menu and site. The navigation links are well structured. The student may found convenient to locate information or data link with the well-structured of navigation menu.

Functionality and usability: Simple function. The calendar plugin in website is one of best function in the website.

Security: The website implemented with open source application. The open source application will reduce technical difficulties of the website. "Online education has continuous technical challenges, nevertheless it still contains great promise because open source software allows an approach to addressing the technical difficulties in providing optimal delivery of online learning" (Steven Svoboda)[9].

Coding: The language of server side is PHP whereas the language of client side is HTML and CSS.

3. Schoobox

Description:

SchoolBox is a private online learning community portal. The Schoolbox website provides numerous functions for the student. The deliverance of knowledge materials are followed Malaysia Curriculums System. The student who aged from 10 to 17 is the target of this website. The learning portal provides students with additional options and activities. The purpose of the website is coach and provides needs of the students for additional learning materials.

Review :

Design and Content: Attractive layout. The picture added according to the function. The background color and text color combination are well proportioned.

Navigation: Attractive navigation link. Nice color background.

Function and usability: simple and easy to understand. The student able addressed the purpose function by looking picture.

Security: well secured, error found in the website. The database implementation is organized well.

Coding: The language of server side is PHP whereas the language of client side is HTML and CSS.

Summary:

This section was discuss about the current design environment e-tutor. The website has found research pros and cons. The website has analyzed and compare with other website. The analysis of this section has been found that most e-learning websites are focusing more in interaction than interface. The next section will discuss about the requirement analysis of new website.

Chapter 4: Requirements Analysis

4.1 Introduction

"Requirements analysis consists of identifying, gathering, and understanding system requirements and their characteristics, and developing thresholds for performance to distinguish services (low-, high-performance, specified services etc.)[10]"

Requirement analysis is important phase to need concern and achieve for successful project. The project requirement analysis is focus in certain important aspect such as: functionality of project, project measurement, e-learning design principles, and HCI consideration in website . The requirement project analysis has divided in three main aspects:

Eliciting requirement: this requirement refers to make good interaction between user and website

Analyzing requirement: this requirement refers to gathering information about the problems in e-learning environments.

Recording requirement: this requirement refers to plan project design before implement the website. The project plan will document in various form such as use case, entity diagram, state chart and class diagram.

This section will discuss about the designing e-learning website and analyzing the important issues of the website.

Objective audiences

The target of this project was to redesign website form existing website and show the better interaction website for e-tutor.com. The website design is specifically target to student group who age 13 to 15. The implementation of new website is meant to be enhance interaction and any students able to use the website including the student who illiterate in computer knowledge.

Functional Requirement

"A requirement specifies a function that a system or component must be able to perform."[11] (lessons-from-history.com). Functional requirement are the tool and a prerequisite of the website project. The general functional requirement of a website is concern with certain aspect. The aspect should concern for each website implementation are:

Hardware and software: An aspect to understand the minimum hardware and software requirement to run a website.

Authentication: An aspect to understand the protection of the website. The security website able to identify the correct user who want access the system resources.

Code: An aspect to understand the programing language to implement website. Each programming language has specific purpose to implement that particular website.

Hosting requirement: An aspect to understand the server to host the website. The speed of website could determine by web server. It’s necessary to identify the best server to host a website.

The e-tutor website has some functional requirement that should implement so the project truly works

Hardware and software :

Minimum the hardware and software requirement

Processor

Pentium 200 Mhz or above

Ram

512 MB or above

Hard disk

5 GB disk space or above

Browser support

Internet Explorer 6 or equivalent

Authentication: The login security should be strong .The user data should store in database securely. An activation code should send to email of new registered user. The reason to send activation code is to identify correct user to access the website resources.

Code: PHP, HTML and CSS will be used programming language for website implantation. The coding validate with W3C to comprehend situational of website. These coding languages that mentioned will explain more detail in implementation part.

Hosting requirement: 1freehosting is choosing as webserver for website. Its free and reliable website. The hosting specification can be found here ( http://www.1freehosting.com/free-website-and-hosting.html).

Non functional requirements

Non Function requirement define the behavioral of system that expected to run website. It’s covered the research areas that are not found in functional requirement. "Non-functional requirements are qualities or standards that the system under development must have or comply with, but which are not tasks that will be automated by the system." (wiki answers)[12] . The general non-requirements are divided into certain part. Those parts are:

a) Scalability of system

b) Performance of system

c) Capacity of system: this refers to limitation of each system

d) Usability in the system

e) Manageability of system

f) Availability of system.

The e-tutor website has some non-functional requirement that not covered in functional requirement. Those are:

Accessibility and usability: the e-tutor website is accessible by target group student and usable for everyone to use the website. The student does not have difficult to find the knowledge material. There will be have error prevention in the e-learning website. The student able shows what to do when get error in the website.

Function and appearance: The relation between appearance and appearance is one important aspect in the website implementation. The appearance of the website should be match with the functionality. Some website focuses appearance part and doesn’t have good functionality. Some website provide good functionality and the functionality to attract visitor due lack of good appearance website. Therefore appearance and function part should give more concern to achieve success website.

Assumption in designing website

1. Function removal of blog and chat

The e-tutor website has additional function such as blog and chat. The implementation of additional function may enhance social interactivity among the student. Learning with group is not always better idea especially the student who prefers private learning experience. Some student may not reveal their lack of understanding of a topic. They may embarrassed to show their lack of understanding. It’s a reason that chat and blog function does reach well to all students. Enhancing self-paced learning style in e-learning website instead focusing social interaction may give benefits as the student learn their mistakes, find solution and understand by own experience . " E-learning affords a private experience, enabling learners to explore mistakes and learn from them, without any fear of what others think. More willingness to explore, make mistakes and learn from them means a better and more applicable learning experience". (kineo).[14]

2. Function removal in virtual classroom.

The implementation of virtual classroom may not effective to student. The student has little control when studying classroom. They have to attend based on schedule which may not be in tune with when they actually need study The system will locked when the student attend in virtual classroom and the student does not allow to use other function in the e-learning website. Either they struggled or bored, the student have listen the teaching from instruction. This may lead to losses in e-learning website. The e-tutor learning approach is more likely concept asynchronous e-learning which the student learns the knowledge materials, do the exercise or quiz and get remarks from teacher. "Asynchronous e-learning, commonly facilitated by media such as e-mail and discussion boards, supports work relations among learners and with teachers, even when participants cannot be online at the same time"[13]. (2008 Stefan Hrastinski). Therefore the function of classroom should need remove.

3. The consideration of subject content

The knowledge materials are directly material transferred into the new implementation of the website. The new website implementation will provides answer checking function as the original website. However, the function does not check the answer correctly. The project is more approach to interaction, not the education.

Summary

This section discussed about the essential requirement and non-essential requirement in e-learning website and assumption in e-learning design. The main point for essential requirement is about authentication and hardware whereas the main point of non-essential requirement refers to equality between functionality of website and appearance of website. Next chapter discuss about the detail design specification.

Chapter 5 – Design specification of the website

Introduction

This section discussed about different aspects of design in e-tutor e-learning website and research more about the technology used for designing the e-learning website.

The different aspects following:

a) The content

b) The layout

c) Navigation part

d) The Design of the website.

After analyzing the aspect of e-learning website the implementation of new website will discussed. The discussion shows the process of redesign website with different aspect of diagrams.

The different aspect of following:

a) The design consideration

c) Wireframes

e) Use Case Diagram

This discussion about different aspects of design in e-tutor e-learning website is related to studies interface design. The interface design can related with gestalt law .

The gestalt law are :

Proximity - The law concept of proximity is grouping. This law means that when we have a group of element such as abstracts and pictures, we tend to see them as forming a group.

Similarity – The law concept of similarity is when the user tends to view groups which have the same element or characteristics.

Common Fate- The law concept of continuity is state the object groups for continuous figures.

Closure – The law concept of closure is related the concept of closure. The difference is the user tends to view to the close simple figures, independent of continuity or similarity.

Area and Symmetry - The law concept of area and symmetry states that when the smaller of two overlapping object is perceived as the larger objects by axis of symmetry.

law of similarity and closure

law of proximity

The content

Technology aspect :

Content page in e-tutor website used the Master/child (content) pages technology in JSP. The technology is like "father" link to all coding that define to all page. The pages are also inherited to other pages. However the technology failed in the blog and chat function. That function produces error message during the analysis of the website.

Design aspect:

The design content can defined with gestalt law which is proximity. The guidelines words in the content may type with some gap space. How the words are grouped and form in one information. The law is more proven when the designers add a box and shown that the groups of words are considering telling about same information. The arrangement of content also defined as law of proximity which tells us that each content box shows the different group function.

The layout

Technology aspect:

The layout is arranged by CSS coding languages. The layout arrangement of each pages are consider same style. The background and text color are decorate by HTML. All the pages background and text color has been used same style of color.

Design aspect:

The design layout can define with gestalt law which is closure and similarity. The law of closure shows the box arrangements in the layout are designed in rectangular with different length and height. The purpose made difference is to enable the user view user tends to view to the close simple figures, independent of continuity or similarity. The law of similarity shows the content properties arrangement in left vertical box. The content properties shows different meaning of functions but it’s all grouped into one horizontal box.

The navigation

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Technology aspect:

The navigation is arranged by CSS coding languages. The navigation arrangement of each pages are consider same style. The background and text color are decorate by HTML. All the pages background and text color has been used same style of color.

Design Aspect:

The color are used in navigations design are not attractive. The color combination in figure 2 is not appropriate. The color combinations distract information content. The students unable see the content in navigation due of color constraints. In the figure 3, the navigation menu colors may give much attention to the student.

Each navigation menu has parent link and each parent link and child link. The navigation diagram will show parent and child link.

Navigation diagram

Home.html

About.html

community.html

teacher.html

student.html

Login.html

forum.html

message.html

Forget password.html

submit.html

report_error.html

buy.html

ccreate_acc.html

Logout html

The name for the properties of each link :

Home - Home.html

Student - student.html

Teacher – teacher.html

Community – community.html

About – about.html

Forget password - Forget password.html

Logout – Logout.html

Create New Account - create_acc.html

How to buy- buy.html

Report Error- report_error.html

Submit Question- submit.html

Forum- forum.html

Message Us - message.html

The Design of the website

The e-tutor website design has been rigorous research. Based on research, the website needs redesign with some modification. The modification of website design will enhance the interaction of the website and reduce error that had been encounter. There have certain aspect of functions and design is needed to modify. The justification must be applies to the modification aspect functions and design. The justifications are:

Navigations: The selection color of navigation is not match with design. The navigation color should match with the design and also enhance user attention.

Designs layout and content: The information in contents is cluttered. This makes student difficulty to notice information well. The cluttered information will make student lose interest in the website. Therefore, content information need to simplify. The simply information enable user to comprehend easily. The layout of website is not suitable for novice. The novice will not find the way of use the e-learning because the arrangement of the content layout is properly structured and organized. Therefore, the layout implementation should make simple that the novice can understand. The implementation of new website should simple yet attractive.

The consideration for the new website:

Before implementing the website, a brief design consideration should need focus. The design will be focus in attention, visual element and color. The purpose of focus specifically these aspects because attention, visual element and color are the main objective to impression from the student. The brief design consideration should need focus are:

Visual Design Elements

Clarity - The website interface should cleaner and the information should clear. Therefore overall information needs to estimate. The more information will reduced used attention

Consistency - The website interface should be in consistent behaviors and each pages should be consistent use of colors, names, layout and so on.

Alignment – The grid interface of website should allow the user eye to parse display more easily

Text – the text is easier to read when make the fonts wide kerning (horizontal space between letters) instead narrow kerning

Images – The use of images should comprehend faster by the user and more accurately than text.

Design for attention

The interface design should aid attention focus to the user in the right place and at the right time.

Aid user to attend task not the interface. Show the user what should focus on.

Produce alert messages if necessary to know the user.

Make the elements or objects noticeable with use color, larger font and picture.

Design for color

Color is emotional. Certain color will impact to each people psychology and culture differently. For example red color represents luck for Chinese people but its represent danger for U.S people

The saturated colors should not use in web interface unless the developer really need something to stand out (warning).

Identify the best color combination for designing the web interface. For example , Black and white is best color combination whereas green and orange is worst color combination.

The wireframe for new website

1.The login page

Picture

Home

About

News

Buy?

Register

Picture and information

Login

Username :

Picture and information

Picture and information

Picture and information

Clear

Login

User Type:

Password :

Address:

Subject :

Class :

Password :

Password again :

Role :

Last Name :

First Name :

About

News

Buy?

Register

Home

Picture2. The register page

3. The about page

Information content

Information

How to buy

Picture and information

Picture

Home

Register

Buy?

News

About

4. The news page

News

Picture

Home

Register

Buy?

News

About

5. The about page

Picture

Home

Register

Buy?

News

About

About

6. The view subject page

ICON

ICON

ICON

TITLE : SUBJECTS

ICON

Geografi

Science

UPLOAD LESSON

CLASS LAB

CHECK STUDENT ANSWERS

Teacher name :

School name :7. Teacher Page

8. Upload Lesson

Upload file :

UPLOAD LESSON

Subject :

Lesson :

 ( here put : Question by Topic and Random Questions)

Topic :

 (when the user choose option : Question by Topic )

UPLOAD

CANCEL

CLEAR

<< extend>>

LogoutUse Case Diagram

Login access

<<extend>>

Random questions

View Subjects

View Exams

Student

Register

Upload lesson

Check students answers

Class Lab

Use Cases

The use case diagram shows the sequential interactions between the student and the teacher. It is a graphical representation of the function of e-learning system. Each use case shown in detailed action and analyzed to help to comprehends the functionality of the system and shows the student the next course of action. The use case diagram above aids the analysis of the crucial.

The processes involved with the flow the system is intended to be interacted w