Just-in-time lecture delivery, management and student support system

Abstract

The project detailed in this document proposes a new prototype Virtual Classroom Environment that will enable lecturers to prepare their lectures for delivery over the Internet, and students to follow lectures 'on demand' from the comfort of their own desks. The prototype consists of a suite of four applications and this document first outlines the functionality of each application, and then describes how it was designed and built, one application at a time. It should be noted that throughout this report the term Virtual Classroom Environment refers to an environment that mimics as far as possible that of a real classroom, in terms of student experience and student-lecturer interaction. At the same time, the phrase 'on demand' implies our prototype will deliver lectures asynchronously, so that students and instructor do not have to be present simultaneously at a present location and a pre-scheduled time. The aim is to allow students to draw up their own schedules and follow lectures at their own pace. This document should be of interest to any educational or commercial institution that is considering delivering education online. The prototype is targeted at adult education (such as tertiary education and commercial training), and may not be suitable for educating children.