INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE

18 19 November 2004, GABROVO

A STRATEGY FOR REALIZATION OF DISTANCE LEARNING SYSTEM

dr Ruica Stankovi

dr Ranko Popovi

Advanced Business School Kosovo Polje

(Blace)

mr Nenad Jovanovi
Advanced Business School Kosovo Polje

Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Pritina

(Kosovska Mitrovica)

Suzana Markovi
Advanced Business School Kosovo Polje

Ivan Stankovi
Advanced Business School Kosovo Polje

Abstract
With the fast development of computer networks, people can access information and communicate with others without
being constrained by space and time. Through network communications, people can discuss things with others to solve their
problems. Therefore, how to implement systems for distance learning on computer networks becomes an interesting and
challenging issue.
Using UML and Java, we have worked out a requirement specification, design and implementation of the web-based
learning system for teaching and learning Computer Science.
In this paper, we present our work that describes the suggestion for solving a problem of distance learning.
Keywords: e-learning, distance learning.

INTRODUCTION
The rapid development of the Internet
technologies, especially the evolution of World
Wide Web has led to growth in opportunities to
teach and learn outside of the traditional
classroom-based education. The overall purpose
of all kinds of distance education is to give and
receive education and to establish some kind of
two-way communication between the teachers
and the students [1].
The problem domain of distance education
system is not simple and involves many concepts
such as course instructors, students, course
materials, learning activities, etc. These concepts
are also closely related to determine the structure
of the system. [2]
Therefore there is a need to model learning
processes to support the effective employment of
appropriate learning objects. Each process should
be analyzed in detail and modeled using a
modeling language such as UML.
In our project, we used object-oriented
techniques Java programming language and
UML through the requirement capture and
analysis, design, and implementation in the
development of a distance leaning system.

OVERVIEW OF EXISTING DISTANCE

LEARNING SYSTEMS
Overview of mostly used distance learning
systems is presented below:
Microsoft Class Server [3] - Learning
Management Platform is powerful Web enabled
software designed for schools to empower
teachers and improve learning for all students. It
provides a complete solution for school
administrators, teachers, students and their
parents.
The entire system is divided into four
interfaces. These interfaces allow the student,
teacher or administrator access to the features and
information required to accomplish their tasks.
This software package also involves parents.
Microsoft Class Server allows parents to actively
participate in their childs education. Private,
secure access to their childs lessons,
assignments, completed and graded work,
teachers comments, etc.
It enables multiple authentication options
which mean easier administration.
The basic window of Teacher interface is
presented on Figure 1.

Guide - CIM is equipped with movie guides on

how to best use CIM and make student learning
experience more effective.
On the basis of analyze existing distance
learning systems we developed own model which
is presented in the following text.
MODELING AND REALIZATION OF
DISTANCE LEARNING SYSTEM

Figure 1. An overview of the screen MS Class Server Teacher

Cisco Interactive Mentor is a Cisco product

which is consists of [4]:
CIM User Interface - All courses share
common user interface elements that include: an
easy to use menu system, icons, clear topology
diagrams, and pop quizzes.
CIM Simulation Environment Labs - Reinforce
learning from each module with hands on
exercises. Each lab is equipped with audio and
written instruction that takes student through
configuration tasks to troubleshooting using a
Java-based,
internetworking
simulation
environment.
Module Assessments - test students
understanding on concepts presented in each
module (Figure 2).

Figure 2. CIM Test

Following UML closely, e-learning processes

can be developed in 4 phases as illustrated below.
In each phase, models with different artifacts are
produced.

Figure 3. The Phases in the e-learning Process

Requirement
Specification
(Requirement
Capture and Analysis): In this phase, the major
purpose is to capture the requirements of the
client to a system and to create a use-case model
and a conceptual model.
Design: This phase aims to create the
interaction diagrams for the system operations
and the design class diagrams.
Implementation: This is a process for mapping
the artifacts created in the design stage to a code
in real programming language.
All these models are related and represent the
e-learning system as a whole. Elements in one
model have trace dependencies backwards and
forwards with the help of links to other models.
The final representation of all the models would
be the architecture of the entire system.
Below are the basic steps undertaken in the
requirement capture and analysis phase.
1. Identify the use case
Several use case diagrams can be noticed in
the system. One of them will be Use Case where
Student is an actor.
2. Detail the Use Case (Figure 4)

Login/out

Student

Register with system

Take Lesson

<<include>>
Exercise in VirtualLab
Register to course

<<include>>

Person
<<include>>
Take CourseOffering

Ask Question

<<include>>
Take Test

Figure 4. Use Case Diagram by the Student actor

The functions and requirements of the all use

case diagrams are documented in order to give
description to the use case.
3. Conceptual Model: The creation of concepts
is the most essential object-oriented step in
analysis in investigation of the problem domain
for building extensible software with reuse. The
aim of this step is decomposition of the problem
into individual concepts or objects.
There are a lot of concepts in this system such
as: Student, Teacher, Course, Lesson, Testing,
Administrator, etc. A concept is represented by a
class with a given name.
A major task of the system design phase is to
create the interaction diagrams for the system
operations: collaboration diagram and object
sequence diagram.
The final goal of an object-oriented
development of a system is the creation of code in
an object-oriented programming language. In our
project, we used Java programming language.
The artifacts created in the design phase provide
the information necessary in order to generate the
code. Implementation in an object-oriented
programming language requires writing source
code class definitions and method definition. For
this, we basically defined classes with methods
and simple attributes, add reference attributes,
and defined methods from collaboration
diagrams.
All mentioned diagrams of our system are
depicted and documented by Rational Rose tool.
Our distance learning system is composed of
following components (Figure 5).

Figure 5. The Components of the distance Learning

System

The entire system is divided into three

interfaces. These interfaces allow the student,
teacher or administrator access to the features and
information required to accomplish their tasks.
Each interface is created dynamically following a
successful login. The interface is created for the
specific user incorporating that specific users
name and each of them contains two or three
panels. The home page, the login and verify login
feature are common to all three interfaces.
The distance learning system should be
enabling to students:
access to instruction content on Computer
Science through web browser, (Figure 6)

Figure 6. Access to Virtual Classroom

- scheduling of adaptive courseoffering for the

registered courses,
- sequencing of learning content into learning
lectures (Figure 7),

Kontrole

Manager

Editor
Monitor

Figure 7. The Learning Content

- learning lectures need to have lecture

descriptions and explanation, graphs, pictures,
animations, etc,
- fast and exact delivery of course
- offering several instructional components
such as, quiz (questions/answers), examinations,
exercises in virtual Lab, simulator [6] (Figure 8,
Figure 9).

Figure 8. Virtual Laboratory

- and delivery message between teachers and

students (or between students) through
communication environment such as e-mail,
NetMeeting, chat, or submitting by web browser.

Figure 9. Simulator - The Main Window

The testing features are designed to support

and encourage accurate, context sensitive
feedback. Distance testing (Figure 10) include:
- authorized access to system,
- on-line student s testing,
- the tests are in form of questions offering
multiple answers, where student select
answer,
- automated reports and marks.

Figure 10. The process of testing

Our project also includes selection of optimal

places as a center of distance education of our
school. This software packet (Figure 11) is made
in .NET technology (ASP.NET web application is
done in C#) [5].

The technical recommendations for future

development
describe
adaptive
learning
environments where the system responds to the
learner and actively seeks new content and
evaluation material, based on the students
demonstrated proficiency and needs.
This system is not intended to be a stand alone
system, but instead is dependent on both the
technical and academic infrastructure provided by
an Institution of Higher Education..
REFERENCES
Figure 11. The multi criteria optimization

CONCLUSION
In this paper is presented a way to model a
distance learning system. Using UML and Java,
we have worked out a requirement specification,
design and implementation of the web-based
learning system for teaching and learning
Computer Science. We have concentrated on
lessons, examination and exercises in virtual
laboratory.
Proposed model can be applied for simulation
and visualization in real time environment.

[1] Choe Sun Yong, Zhiming Liu, Apply Object-Orientation

and UML to the Development of Web-based Learning
System, UNU/IIST (United Nations University
International Institute for Software Technology) Report
No. 274, March 2003.
[2] R.C.Clark, R.E.Mayer, e-Learning and the Science of
Instruction, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2003
[3] www.microsoft.com/ClassServer
[4] www.cisco.com
[5] Mr Ruica Stankovi , dr Ranko Popovi , mr Nenad
Jovanovi, in. Ivan Stankovi, E-Learning on
Advanced business school of Blace, X Conference on
Technology, Culture and Development, Herceg Novi,
september 2003.
[6] dr Ranko Popovi , mr Nenad Jovanovi, An Web Based
Computer
Networks
Simulator,
International
Conference InfoFest, Budva 2004.