A development of a client-based web database for English language instructional materials

• Main Author: Pham, Quang Tung
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1998
• Subjects: WEB (Computer program language); English language > Data processing; Teaching > Aids and devices; Instructional materials; Computer Sciences
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/2013
• Institution: De La Salle University

To help users in language instruction with enhanced access to Web English language instructional materials (ELIM), this study attempts to design a Web database which is: ELIM specific client-based fitting educational environmentThe target end-users are English language teachers, learners, textbook writers. This Web ELIM Database (WESD) package consists of a database software written in MS Access and a search program in javascript which performs queries on the client side. Thus, besides being ELIM specific, WESD also distinguishes from other search tools by putting the database right on the client side. A comparative test run against ITESLJ search, and ESL/EFL specific search tool developed by the Internet Teaching English as Second Language Journal, and EXCITE, a popular search engine featuring sophisticated concept search, shows that: putting the database on the client side results in unrivaled availability. WESD can run everywhere, at any time and even offline i.e. without connection to the Internet. specialization of the database in ELIM helps reduce the size of the database and as a consequence improve advantageously the performance in terms of speed, relevance of search results and efficient use of computer resources entrusting database maintenance to a commercial database system helps reduce significantly both Web access time and training cost. An initial user evaluation also shows that this searching tool fairly meets end-users requirements in terms of performance, ease of use especially in searching, and relevance of results. It was equally found out that in WESD, English language instructional materials are comprehensively modeled, especially regarding pedagogical concerns. Furthermore, requirements and constraints dictated by actual educational environment are fully met. It could be concluded that WESD contributed to providing English language learners and teachers with enhanced access to Web materials. Though some improvements such as computerized data populating, elaborated search algorithms, etc., the underpinning ideas of domain-specific database, client-based search program, and offline database maintenance could be extended to other educational disciplines and other fields as well.