A Collaborative Educational IS Based on WWW

1. A Collaborative Educational IS Based on WWW Meiqi Fang ,Tieyan Li, Jinghai Rao, Xiaomeng Su Information School, Renmin University, Beijing, China

2. Abstract • What are we going to talk about? • An educational IS • An educational IS based on WWW • A collaborative Educational IS based on WWW • How we organize the article? • Basic principle and our consideration in designing such an IS • Illustrate a real project -SIM_EDI to embody the basic rules • Adjustments and our final suggestions

3. 1.Introduction Basic principles • Why the WWW? • Easier and wider accessibility • Wide range of Knowledge • Motivated learning rather than Unmotivated learning • Why collaborative? • Classify the web-based educational IS

4. 1.1 Classification of Web_based Educational IS 1) Real time remote educational IS • similar to the traditional classroom-based instruction mode • learning at same time different place • An example to demonstrate both the advantage and the limitations

5. 1.1Classification of Web_based Educational IS 2)Educational IS focused on information sharing • Currently the most widely used style • Located the student at the center of the self-teach Circle • Access at any time any place • Easy participation, enormous resource and well_organized knowledge • Give a typical example • what we can draw from this?

6. 1.1Classification of Web_based Educational IS 3)Collaborative educational IS • Constructive Theory of Education • The Multi-User Dungeon(MUD) paradigm • The collaborative learning model can help positively in applied subjects • To achieve the goal of a highly functional IS, certain extra points need to be considered besides the routine ones

7. 1.2 Our consideration in designing such an IS • To what degree your future system can simulate the real situation--Is it the more the better? • How to server both the needs of simulation and to simplifying the system • A careful designed interface • Certain automatic roles can be developed • Monitor and keep track of the participants • As in a game, there must be proper rules • proper chose of platform and tools

8. In the remainder of this article, you will see a sample of the collaborative learning environment--SIM_EDI. It simulates the trading process around a steel factory and its partners, allowing students to be acquainted with Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), commercial routine and the international trading pattern, through performing trading activities in this simulated environment.

9. 2.Architecture of SIM_EDI We describe the system which we have designed and tested in order to show how the above principles may be integrated with a real system Now the detail:-)

10. 2.1 Structure of SIM_EDI • A two-tier structure • Roles within a LAN

11. 2.2 Roles within a LAN • Automatic roles • Student performed roles • System manager

12. 2.2.1 Student performed roles and SIM_EDI working process • Recycling agents • Manufacturers • Wholesalers • Retailers • Transport Agent

13. 2.2.2Automatic Roles • Simulation Bank--the key link of currency flow • Consumer--the source and destination of currency flow and merchandise flow • Customs--the pivotal agent in the flow of merchandise • Mailer--the key link of information flow

14. 2.2.3 Instructor • the computer system administrator, DBA etc. for the distributed computer system • the referee/controller of the game that take place within the simulation world • the instructor/guide/assessor in the real world

15. 2.3 SIM_EDI Management Center (SEMC) • An intermediary • Functions

16. 2.4 Other system functions • Business Management Function • There is a mini MIS(Management Information System) in every user’s system.This MIS can manage the daily routine work and it closely integrate the “enterprise “ with market information. • System rewards and penalties • In an educational system, the instruction should mark every student according to their performance in the game. • Rewards should not be offered only in the form of money, credit or score, but need to be designed as a method that can stimulate students to remain assiduous. • In SIM_EDI students will be “punished” when breaking a rule • Use Email to exchange experiences and discuss questions.

17. 2.5 Superiority of SIM_EDI on WWW • A much more real environment, oral negotiation can be avoided. • Use of WWW distinguishes domestic trade and foreign trade to some extent • Conveniently obtain knowledge in relevant fields through the Internet , not just a simple online help • A larger system leads to more variety , and so more amusements • When more users participates there is a wider exchange of experience

18. 3 Conclusions and Suggestions After analyzing the system, we list some of our conclusions and suggestions when exploiting a collaborative educational IS on WWW as follows: • Support multiple platforms to ensure the portability of the system • Simulate the real environment at the user interface, but make the internal implementation simple and easy to manage. • The game rules in the simulated environment should be independent of the simulation program. • Simulation should be flexible. Here: the instructor can adjust many types of parameter to alter the configuration.

19. 3 Conclusions and Suggestions • Taking account of the network load, especially the transfer ate in the Internet, all data transfer should use short files to guarantee high speed • Even in an educational system, security should be considered. In order to avoid cheating, we can use authority management and log file. Here we use ftp to transfer the encrypted files. • There is no centralized management. Every part of the system can execute freely. The balance of the system depends on a set of game rules.

20. Furtherstudy • Collaborative educational IS based on constructive theory will broaden the development of CAE. • Integrate IT with education theory • Further research and practice are required in this field

21. Acknowledgment Many thanks to Dr. Ken Moody for helping to clean up the English and to Huijiang Dong for collecting materials for the paper, also to the referees for their recommendations