A Case Study of an Algorithmic Course

ISSN:2229-6093
Mohamed Benslimane et al, International Journal of Computer Technology & Applications,Vol 7(4),530-536
Proposal of an Approach of Online Course Design and Implementation:
A Case Study of an Algorithmic Course
Mohamed BENSLIMANE*1, Kamar OUAZZANI#2, Mehdi TMIMI#3, Mohammed BERRADA#4
*Transmission and Treatment of Information Laboratory, EST, USMBA
#
Laboratory of computing and interdisciplinary physics, ENS, USMBA
1
[email protected], 2 [email protected], [email protected],
4
[email protected]
Abstract
Online learning continues to be emulated. It not only
fits better to the expectations of teachers and students,
but it also develops promising concepts.
give courses, creating motivation among students,
prove that it is possible to learn otherwise, to work
differently.
In this paper we will meet a set of very important
issues, bearing in online learning (eLearning), while
starting from the comparison between the face-to-face
courses, distance courses and online courses, through
the good pedagogical practices that allow us to develop
a solid set of specifications for our course (algorithmic
course), and ending with its implementation on the
LMS (Learning Management System) Moodle.
The E-Learning requires tools for the development and
distribution of courses on the Internet. This is possible
either by developing a clean computing environment or
by the use of a Learning Management System (LMS)
existing which is no other than a set of tools dedicated
to the development and delivery of courses and
assessment of learners on the Internet via a welldefined policy.
KEYWORDS: Online learning, Face-to-face Learning,
Distance Learning, Pedagogy, LMS, eLearning,
Hypermedia
2. Concepts
1. Introduction
In a training cycle, we have had a demonstration as
learners that allowed us to intuitively explore and to
manipulate some LMS. This has led to many questions:
how to use concretely in a class, all the riches of this
tool? What is the educational model on? How to
integrate it into a course and to serve it? Is it accessible
for all students and teachers? What are its advantages
and disadvantages? What are its limitations? What
about his place in our university? What image are we of
this tool? How to use it properly? Which platform to
choose? All these questions have been the basis of this
paper.
Our main objective was simply to think outside the
box. Moodle has only existed since 2002 and Claroline
only existed since 2001. These are not tools rooted in
the habits of the Moroccan university. Sometimes, they
are very little known and often used only partially. And
unfortunately, there are still too few books on the
subject. We therefore wanted to innovate in how to
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In "e-Learning", we find very clearly the word
"learning" and "e" which refers to electronics and more
specifically to Information and Communication
Technologies. All, therefore, means teaching and
learning online. So before looking at "e" we have to
find how to make the "learning" pedagogical, set goals
and decide if your course will face-to-face, distance or
online.
The transition from traditional learning to online
learning requires three changes: the availability and the
proper mastery of technical tools, the consideration of
the distance and the move towards a more learnercentred education.
2.1. The didactic triangle
The didactic triangle (Figure 1) shows the relationship
(sides of the triangle) between the three poles (triangle
vertices): the knowledge, the teacher and the learner.
Then, there are three types of relationships:
•
Knowledge-teacher relationship: includes the
instruction, the didactic work of the
information management, this is the process
"teach".
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Mohamed Benslimane et al, International Journal of Computer Technology & Applications,Vol 7(4),530-536
•
•
Teacher-learner relationship: includes the
education and the training, it is the process of
"form".
Learners-knowledge relationship: includes the
learning, it is the process of "learning".
We have chosen to promote this process
because by integrating technology in this
process, we will facilitate the acquisition of
knowledge by the learner, and it remains the
major goal of instruction.
present this technology are better than man. On the
other side, when the teacher acts as a guide,
accompanist, technology can never replaces him. He
underlines the importance of working with Claroline in
face-to-face and not just only from a distance by
supplying the site by many documents.
2.2. Factors favouring the learning process
Often, we tend to think that the learner is responsible
for its success, as it is for him to study. It is the student
himself who, by building knowledge, builds itself and
thus acquires knowledge. And concerning the teacher?
The teacher, too, learns. And regarding ICT
specifically, it has been noticed that it is necessary to
train teachers, over all, pedagogically because such a
device requires sound pedagogy to develop.
In fact, teacher training is an important point between
student training and development of technological
innovation in universities.
Fig. 1. The didactic triangle [1].
This triangle allows, so, to analyze different teaching
methods. Today, the teacher is rather seen as a guide
and not as the person who has the knowledge and
transmits it to student. He helps the student to acquire
knowledge and to build oneself.
Indeed, the teacher can make available of learners
contents, knowledge (tool "Documents and Links") but
the learner also can bring contents, works to his teacher
(tool "Works"). It is also noted that this is the letter "I"
(Information)
of
"ICT".
When
the
"C"
(Communication) represents the relationship between
the student and the teacher, (tools "Forums",
"Discussion", "send an email" ...). For the last
relationship, it is clear that the teacher will always be
face to new knowledge, new interesting technologies to
master, new tool platform to discover ... Whence the
necessary teacher training for the improvement of
teaching methods, quality of teaching and learning.
For Marcel Lebrun [2], eLearning is a tool or a means
by which to facilitate learning and to support various
forms of teachings. It thus serves to teach and learn. It
is a means energized by the electronics and used to
facilitate or extend teaching and learning.
To the question "is that technologies will replace the
teacher?" Marcel Lebrun reply "yes" ironic because if
the question is asked is that the teacher's model who
posed the question is based on the transmission and at
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The efforts of universities in the field of technological
innovation, teacher training, active methods in place to
teach and tools developed are all elements that focus on
student learning and success in school. Specifically, as
shown in the figure 2 below, it is first to be clear about
the goals of learning and finding methods that will
facilitate this learning while allowing for achieve goals.
Then we have to think about the tools to operationalize
these methods, and to the satisfaction of the user that
appears as a major dimension since the acceptance is
final when users are satisfied with the technology [3].
According to Wang [4], satisfaction in an e-learning
context measures responses and emotional reactions of
students in front of educational activities online. The
interface of pedagogical platform and its contents are
the two most frequently used components of
satisfaction in previous work [5,6]. The interface
proposed to the learner should be easy to use and
understand, friendly and stable. In terms of content, it
must be useful, comprehensive, quality and updated
regularly [4].
Some facilitators conditions, including the availability
of technology resources and quality of Internet access
would also be linked to the process of acceptance of elearning tools by learners. More computer equipment is
present at academic institutions in sufficient quantity
and the acceptance of the educational platform would
increase [7,8]. The conceptual model also states that the
quality of Internet connections would be positively
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Mohamed Benslimane et al, International Journal of Computer Technology & Applications,Vol 7(4),530-536
related to the acceptance of e-learning tools by learners
[9], or to think of a solution in offline mode [10].
the essential elements of teaching methods and
technological tools.
Fig. 3. Key factors to bear in mind to enhance learning [13].
Fig. 2. Structure of the dynamic model of learning [11].
Among the existing pedagogical models, Marcel Lebrun
has developed one in the basis of various currents
(Piaget and constructivism, Vygotsky and social
learning ...) and techniques.
Before the design of this device, it is important that
teachers have in mind a kind of "check list": what to put
on my course website to motivate learners? What is the
quality of my resources? What to ask them to do? What
to product so? How interactions will happen? All these
issues should be considered to create a course site. And
the pedagogical model that the teacher has set
beforehand will help to create its device and also to
assess its impact.
To promote learning, Marcel Lebrun reports that it is
important to put several elements forward (Table 1).
Online rectangles have a learning model based on
constructivism, previous knowledge, data, information
... are then transformed into activities by the learner so
he can build new knowledge (translated of the form of
a report, of a project, for example). The factors of
motivation (student engagement) and interaction (need
feedback, concrete results) are like two motors to move
the process forward.
This model is, in fact, simple: we must start from
internal resources (previous knowledge of learners and
what the teacher brings) and from there, the teacher
will provide activities. And that's when the learner will
mix and pull information to produce something.
3. Online module
3.1. Systems constituting an online module
When choosing to put a course online, we must first
make a design of specifications set to do it in an
educational way, while respecting the concepts
discussed above. We no longer talk of courses when we
are online, it becomes an online module.
TABLE I.
COMPONENTS OF THE LEARNING PROCESS
[12]
The following figure shows a dynamic view of the
pedagogical model. It is by respecting the model that
learning will be promoted. It may be noted that it found
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Fig. 4. General Components of an online module [14].
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As shown in Figure 4, a module is a set of learning
situations organized as a coherent whole. The
consistency of this module is both the objectives set by
the teacher and the teaching strategy to be adopted at
the learning process.
Figure 6 shows objectives and sub-objectives of
outsourced case (algorithmic course).
First, an online module must have three basic
characteristics: autonomy or independence, versatility
or reusability and consistency. After the characteristics,
there is the input system, the learning system and the
output system.
For the input system, it manages student flows at input
module and this thanks to the presentation of the
objectives, the pre test and the entrance test.
For the learning system, it concerns the module
content, the required activities of learners, aid and
resources and orientation in the system during the
learning process.
And finally, the output system, which tests the mastery
of the module objectives and directs the learner at the
end of the training, according to the results of the post
test.
Fig. 6. Objectives, sub-objectives and units of the algorithmic
course.
The second part of the development of the set of
specifications is to detail every unit of our module.
Table II presents the final set of specifications of our
course (algorithmic).
Fig. 5. Different scenarios of our course.
3.2. Development of the module set of
specifications
Before placing an online course, we must develop a set
of specifications, starting with defining its general
objectives, the purification of its objectives into subobjectives which ultimately will allow us to distinguish
the different units of our module.
TABLE II.
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SPECIFICATIONS SET OF ALGORITHMIC
COURSE
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Mohamed Benslimane et al, International Journal of Computer Technology & Applications,Vol 7(4),530-536
For the success of the online module the following
constraints are set:
• For each chapter, there will be a more detailed
PDF, in case the learner fails to understand,
• In the last chapter which is a case study, there
will be a detailed demonstration video on the
resolution of a given problem,
• Learners can use the chat to discuss the course,
• Learners can use the forum to post questions,
• The quiz will be done in a limited time (15 min
by quiz),
• The exercises will also make limited by
specific dates and times.
Following completion of the specification set of the
module to put online, we move to another heavier spot:
the choice of learning management system LMS, on
which we will host our module.
3.3. Choice of the Learning Management
System
For choosing our LMS, we made an inventory of
criteria to consider. It is clear that a choice is never
final, tools and open source projects evolve and
technological monitoring is useful to confirm or deny
our choice over time.
3.3.1. LMS Components
A Learning Management System or platform
distance education is integrated software:
A. It resumed a wide extent of typical
functionalities of a web based teaching:
•
Synchronous and asynchronous
communication
tools
(chat,
discussion forum, sending e-mail,
discussion groups),
Evaluation tools,
Possibility of collaborative work,
Realization of content,
Analysis of the user trace, ...
•
•
•
•
•
B. It allows the management of course spaces,
users and access control.
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Fig. 7. The basic functionalities offered by the most popular open
source platforms [15].
This implies the involvement of different types or
profiles of actors, including not only teachers,
assistants and students, but also administrators (system
administrator and tool administrator). The system
administrator is responsible for the hardware and the
product installing and updates as the administrator of
the platform is responsible for various settings,
management of courses and users database and access
management.
3.3.2. Advantages of using a Learning
Management System
A. To be actor of his Learning: E-Learning devices
give some freedom and a significant degree of
autonomy to the learner. He can therefore be
individually engage in the proposed learning activities
and carries with the responsibility for his own learning.
B. To share and to exchange easily: Through the
interaction modes present on most platforms or LMS
(Learning Management System), the learner can easily
share information, resources, and exchange with other
participants (via forums, wikis, instant messaging).
Online learning has, so, a social and collaborative
dimension.
C. To have various ways of learning: Trainers have the
possibility of putting online multimedia teaching
supports (audio sequences, videos, animations,
diagrams). This combination of various media allows to
respect the learning styles of each and to solicit the
learner to several levels (the famous duo "Left Brain /
Right Brain").
D. To learn at their own pace, on an individualized
manner: Since the modules are fully online, the learner
has the opportunity to review the media several times
and to come back whenever he wants.
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E. To have flexibility and availability: Just like the
previous point, the fact that the modules are on an
online platform allows participants to access wherever
they are, even if they are on the move (Moodle also
offers an application for mobile devices: tablets and
smart phones).
3.3.3. Benchmark of best known open source
LMS
The installation, the configuration and the deployment
of a test course in these different Learning Management
Systems have allowed us to define their properties as
shown in the following table:
Fig. 8. Form@tique platform
The figure 9 is a screenshot of our online courses.
TABLE III.
BENCHMARK OF THE BEST KNOWN OPEN
SOURCE [16]
This comparison confirmed that Moodle remains the
pillar of free Learning Management Systems open
source thanks to its intuitive interface, its rich
documentation, the number of plug-in offered, the wide
range of available users (Administrator, course creator,
teacher, non-editing teacher, student and guest),
integrated collaborative working tools (chat, wiki,
video conferencing, forum ...) and the diversity of
supported media. Also, it allows understanding why
Moodle has an imposing continuously growing
community.
On the LMS Moodle, we implemented our
specifications set algorithmic course for first-year
students (Technical University Degree, Statistics and
Informatics Business Intelligence, High School of
Technology, Fez).
The figure 8 shows the interface of our platform
Form@tic (Training in Computer Science).
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Fig. 9. Algorithmic Online Course
The course is open now for the affected students
(accounts were created for them), we wait the end of
the course and the evaluation for statistics and
comparison the results with those of a class that does
the same course in face-to-face (Technical University
Degree, Computer Science, High School of
Technology, Fez).
4. Conclusions and perspectives
In this document, we worked on good manners to give
an online course, starting from the comparison between
the classical course, the distance courses and the online
courses, through the design of specifications set for an
online course, and arriving at its implementation on the
LMS Moodle according to very specific criteria.
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The future extension of this work is to analyze the
results [17] and to compare them with the results of the
same course in face-to face for another class to draw
conclusions and to improve this online course.
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