Development of a Web-based System to Support Self-Directed ...

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centered approach to learning instead of a student-centered approach. Nolan (1997b) also stated that students prefer more of a teacher-centered model, as Levett-Jones (2005) also indicated that successful introduction of SDL into the curricula requires a balance between the two. For instance, Bary and Rees (2006) conducted research on the learning of the English language and found that a ”classical” approach aimed at acquiring the fundamental knowledge, which paralleled with self-directed learning, and thus allowed the students to explore the subject in detail on their own terms. The method of self-directed learning empowers the students to investigate freely in devising the experimental procedures and deciding on how the results are interpreted. Long (2010) pointed out the six cognitive skills that are particularly important to successful self-directed learning: goal setting, processing, cognition, competence (or aptitude), decision-making, and self-awareness. In other words, effective self-directed learning depends on gathering of information and monitoring learners’ cognitive reactions to stimuli. A case in point: The Internet has enabled learning at each individual’s own pace, being completely free from curricular obligations; some of the frequently used electronic search engines such as Google Scholar and CiteSeer Research Index make it possible for students to achieve such goals (Desikan et al., 2005). Researchers have recently attempted to have e-learning technologies applied to processes of self-directed learning. Idros et al. (2010) sought to reignite enthusiasm in students to enhance self-directed learning skills through a system called “e-SOLMS,” for instance, while Liu (2009) built a web-based course for self-directed learning in psychology. The one thing in common for these two research papers was the capability of this system to present course contents (i.e., audio files, video files, and text files), and another was their introduction of self-directed learning (SDL) into the curricula using the student-centered approach. However, this approach would not be ideal for courses that concentrate on experimentations and hands-on exercises, yet, recent technological development of virtual reality (VR) has nevertheless promoted teaching with the use of threedimensional (3-D) models. The advancements in optical-fiber networks have made real-time transmissions of a large amount of data possible. Through the use of 3-D models and video images, connections are made among remote spots through the broadband network (Paquette, Ricciardi-Rigault, Paquin, Liegeois, & Bleicher, 1996). The field of virtual reality (VR) is expanding rapidly and it now includes a growing variety of 3-D models on computer hardware for real-time interactions (Sung, Ou, 2003). Though, an educational virtual environment (Bouras, Philopoulos, & Tsiatsos, 2001) provides a unique case of a VR system that emphasizes more on education and collaboration than on simulation. Web-based environment for self-directed learning Web2.0 was employed for technology of virtual-reality. The application was driven by a web server and Java applications while the presentation by a client-side terminal that is comprised of HTML, XML, and a 3-D web player plug-in. The client provides a student interface that handles input and output. The web server executes and performs computations based on student input using the XML and JSP languages. The application server reads and writes by JavaBean and interfaces with external software packages. Web pages written in HTML are used mainly for presenting the contents of the courses and/or performing automated processing on documents. For the development of the course structures, eXtensible Markup Language (XML) was used, and JAVA language was used for acquiring cross-platform applications and developing web pages that are interactive. The process of microfabrication entails crystal growth, coating, packaging, and inspection. It was completed with virtual machines and laboratories designed (see Figures 1 & 2) in the current study. To engage students in the virtual laboratories, multiple interactive functions were made accessible to them—path design, parameter selection, view angle, and animation, as well as zoom, pan, rotation, machine, and working table navigating functions, also, selections of “events,” “animations,” or “simulations” can be made on a repeated basis so that the processes can be better understood. The observations made of the manufacturing processes fueled the adaptive selection stimulated and can be broken down: Onset of event → observations of manufacturing process → interpretation → assimilation → simulating developments of the observed micro products. The content for the learning of the microfabrication processes was extracted from the database based upon the group technology approach, where the procedures were displayed for the learning of the principles used in the stage of planning. After being selected, the manufacturing method for each of the microfabrication feature was delivered to students by virtual laboratories. 206
The creative problem-solving (CPS) theory was employed to develop the self-directed learning activities for technological education in the study. The guidelines and the results anticipated were provided in advance for the first type of CPS work, which is the type of work that introduces the students to relevant concepts that are fundamental and are involved in the design and fabrication of micro level devices. After students have gauged the interrelationships among the various related disciplines, they were expected to be able to explore methods of their choosing in finding solutions to the technological problems presented. Thus, the desired outcomes were not made available to students in the second type of CPS work; they were given only guidelines as for how to go about solving problems in the third type of CPS work. Students were confronted with problems only in the last type of CPS work, where they were asked to pursue solutions to have open-ended problems deciphered. Essentially, they were expected to formulate questions, investigate, plan design, collect and analyze information, and finally, have the final product produced. Figure 3 shows an example of a lesson that utilizes CPS for packaging and testing of the LED cap light. Figure 1. Operation of a packaging machine Preparation of materials and equipment Verification Web-based System (VR Lab) Figure 3. Package and testing of a LED cap light Figure 2. Operation of an I-V testing machine Analysis and generating ideas of packing Making processing planning 207
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