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Volume Two - Academic Conferences

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2. TASAM design and production<br />

2.1 System architecture<br />

Nahla Aljojo et al.<br />

The main characteristic of TASAM is that it can be adapted to the learning style. The system was<br />

organized in the form of three basic components: The domain model, the learner model and the<br />

adaptation model. These three components interacted to adapt different aspects of the instructional<br />

process. Figure 1 illustrates the system architecture.<br />

Learner Model<br />

SQL Database<br />

Adaption Model<br />

Visual basic.net<br />

SQL server 2005<br />

Web Browser<br />

Domain Model<br />

Active Server Pages 3.5<br />

Figure 1: Illustrates the system architecture<br />

When learners enter TASAM for the first time, they signed up to the system by using a registration<br />

form. Once a learner registers, a learner profile will be created to store all his/her information and will<br />

be saved in the database, a unique identification (ID) is generated for the learner. After that he/she<br />

will submit the answered questionnaire to get the results that will show his/her learning style. TASAM<br />

uses an Arabic version of the Felder and Soloman’s (1997) Index of Learning Styles (ILS) to generate<br />

the learning profile which consists of a personal preference for each of the four dimensions of FSLSM<br />

expressed with values between +11 to -11 per dimension (see figures 2&3).<br />

TASAM adapts the content sequencing of the course material to match the learning style profile for<br />

the student. The lesson contents appear in the navigation area as tree-like structure of hyperlinks,<br />

whilst in the content area the learning content is presented by the media matched for the learner<br />

preference. TASAM offered many signs to prevent learner from getting lost. First, the learning tree<br />

shows already visited pages in a different color (purple instead of blue). Secondly, the learner typically<br />

progresses through TASAM in a hierarchical manner. As the learning tree grows, new pages will be<br />

added below the last branch. The new branch expands and the first content page is displayed when<br />

the learner enters a new lesson. Finally, link annotations have been added to learning contents to<br />

show the currently viewed content pages.<br />

Learning tree: The learning content was accessible in a hierarchical, tree-like fashion with the aid of<br />

a collapsible Active Server Pages tree menu .The tree grew with the progression of the learner.<br />

Intra lesson navigation: A small navigation bar offered “previous” and “next” arrows for the content<br />

pages of the current lesson.<br />

Learning content: The central screen area was reserved for the learning content, presented in the<br />

different teaching strategies and electronic Media.<br />

899

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