Domain-Expert Repository Management for Adaptive

Hypermedia Learning System

By

Norazah Yusof & Paridah Samsuri

Members of SPAtH GroupFaculty of Comp. Science & Info.

Sys. University of Technology Malaysia

Introduction

Domain-Expert repository management system is a tool that supports activities of maintaining the Domain and Expert module of SPAtH.

It helps instructors organized their teaching materials and expert lists into the system.

Introduction

SPAtH is an adaptive web-based learning system for teaching and learning computer programming language.

It incorporates the features of hypermedia and intelligent tutoring systems to adaptively present the students with suitable learning materials.

Structure of SPAtH

InstructorsStudentsSPAtH

Learner Model

Adaptive Engine Domain-

Expert Model

Adaptive Engine

The interface between the learner and the system, as well as between the system and the learner model, also with the domain-expert model.

It is responsible to diagnose the learner’s knowledge acquisition status and categorize each learner as poor, intermediate or good.

Learner Model

Stores information about each individual learners.

It also records the learner’s behaviour during learning session in order to form an estimation of the learner’s knowledge acquisition status.

Domain-Expert Model

Stores the teaching materials and teaching strategies for different categories of learners.

2 main components of Domain-expert model: the domain knowledge the expert knowledge

Domain Knowledge

Contains the teaching materials that consist of: notes, practices examples, check-point questions, help/hints and solutions to each questions.

Semantic representation of teaching materials

Teaching Material

Pre-requisite

Learning Time

Objectives

example

Check-point question

solution mark

Is-a

Is-a

Is linked

Is-a

has

hint

Notes

Is linked

Is-a

has

has

EnrichmentRemediation

Core

has

Is-a has

Storage of Teaching materials

2 different forms: document file storage prepared in:

active server pages (.asp) document files

hypertext markup language (.htm) files. relational databases/tables in SQL.

Storage of Teaching Materials

Relational Database

IndxObjObjDesc

IndxObjObjDesc

IndxNoteNoteDescUrlNoteType

IndxNoteNoteDescUrlNoteType

IndxTitleTitleDesc

IndxTitleTitleDesc

IndxExUrlExPreReq

IndxExUrlExPreReq

IndxCPUrlCPUrlAnswerUrlHintUrlNote

IndxCPUrlCPUrlAnswerUrlHintUrlNote

Document File Storage

ChaptersNotes

Examples

CheckpointsObjective

Lists of index note and its URL to the documents

Table Relationships in Domain Database

Expert Knowledge

Consists of the teaching strategies that will match with the learner’s knowledge acquisition status.

It is a suggested list of learning path for each category of learner that can be either good, intermediate or poor.

Storage of Expert Knowledge

The suggested flow of teaching materials for each category of learners is stored in a relational database in three sets of expert tables: the poor list, the intermediate list, and the good list.

Expert Tables List for Poor, Intermediate and Good Learner

Learning flow for Poor Category Learning flow for Intermediate Category

Learning flow for Good Category

Table Relationships in Expert Database

Objective of Domain-Expert Repository Management System

To help the instructors: maintain their teaching materials database and

storage. set their teaching strategies.

Advantages of Domain-Expert Repository Management System

This tool : supports remote client access, allows more than one lecturer to collaborate in

maintaining the learning materials without having

to worry about:

the structure of the database,

the duplicate file names, and

the location of the materials.

2 Main Components of DERMs

Domain repository manager

Expert repository manager

Add, update or delete teaching materials in a user friendly manner.

Provides a uniform code to avoid inconsistencies in indexing scheme.

Caters the broken links while deleting nodes.

Add or delete the learning flow of the specified category of learner.

Caters the linking with the files in the Domain storage.

Records the information in appropriate expert knowledge table.

1. Instructor input valid login name and

password

Domain-Expert Repository Management Process

1. Instructor input valid login name and

password

Domain-Expert Repository Management Process

2. Select Chapter

List of Chapters

1. Instructor input valid login name and

password

Domain-Expert Repository Management Process

2. Select Chapter

3. Select Objective

List of Objectives

4. Select Maintenance Options

Domain-Expert Repository Management Process

6. Update Existing Note

5. Add New Note

7. Delete Existing Note

8. Organize notes

Process of Adding New Note1. A unique IndexNote is

given automatically

2. Insert Note Descriptions

3. Select document filename by using the Browse button

4. Initiate the validation qualifier.

5. Activate the code converter

7. Store information in the database

8. Upload the document file to the domain storage

6. Click Upload button

Process of Updating Note

1. Click on Update at the specific IndexNote

Process of Updating Note

2. The Index Note and URL Note will be displayed.

4. Click on Update Content button to edit the document’s content.

1. Click on Update at the specific IndexNote

3. Edit the Note description if necessary.

Process of Updating Note

5. Select Edit with Microsoft FrontPage Editor.

Process of Updating Note

6. Link to Microsoft FrontPage Editor.

5. Select Edit with Microsoft FrontPage Editor.

8. Save the file.

7. Edit the document content in FrontPage Editor.

9. The content of the document will be updated.

Process of Deleting Note1. Click on Delete at the specific IndexNote

Process of Deleting Note

5. Delete this record in the database.

6. Erase the document file in the Domain storage.

2. The Index Note and URL Note will be displayed.

1. Click on Delete at the specific IndexNote

3. Click on Delete Button.

4. Search the document file in the Domain storage.

Organizing Learning Materials in the Expert List

1. Select Learner Category

2. Select Chapter

3. All notes, examples and Questions will be listed out.

4. Select an item and click on the arrow button.

Conclusion

DERMs is developed to make the job easier for all instructors regardless of their knowledge in software development.

Although DERMs is only a part of SPAtH, it do help solve the domain-expert maintenance problem.

Domain-Expert Repository Management for Adaptive

Hypermedia Learning System

Thank you