Development of web-compatible graphical portal for presenting learning hypermedia

• Main Author: Siew, Zhihui.
• Other Authors: Kevin Anthony Jones
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Computer science and engineering::Information systems::Information interfaces and presentation
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/36255
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This document reports on the studies found on how much a blended learning format that incorporates Interactive Digital Media (IDM) is preferred by students, and the factors that have effects on their preferences. It also provides recommendations on future development and research of similar topic. It is known that distant learning has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Motivated students are more capable of learning on their own without the presence of an instructor whereas those who are less motivated may encounter difficulties trying to keep up with their work. Researches have shown that part of the problem lies in the presentation of learning resources. A user interface that is not likable by students is proven to negatively affect learning interest and motivation. As part of the Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) recommendations, this project is appointed to find out if the usage of IDM interfaces to access learning resources is well received by students. To achieve the objectives, prototypes of two interactive interfaces were designed – Materials Inventory and Learning Bench. The former aims to reduce the time taken for students to locate their materials, while the latter aims to provide students with an interactive and dynamic way to organize materials according to their needs. These two interfaces, along with a concept description of three other alternatives, were sent for a usability test to find out their acceptance level. As part of the research to understand deeper, students’ preferences on having an Artificial Intelligent (AI) agent as their academic assistant were also tested.