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Session 2220

Use of Internet in Information Content Creation and Delivery for Promoting Active Cooperating Learning

Javed Alama, Joseph J. Rencisb Youngstown State University/Worcester Polytechnic Institute

ABSTRACT

The teaching process involves dissemination of significant amounts of information. This is accomplished through reading assignments in textbooks and handbooks, and the traditional method of lecturing assisted through the blackboard. The World Wide-Web (WWW) component of the Internet can be used to assist in all these functions. It enhances their quality by giving the faculty more flexibility in using hypermedia technology to develop information rich course content.

The teaching process also includes, ascertaining the proficiency achieved by the students in the subject material through tests, quizzes and assigned projects. It is possible to create mechanisms using the Internet to develop interactive course content to provide immediate feedback to the students. The use of e-mail and special purpose groupware software can assist in promoting active cooperative learning. Some of these technologies are relatively new and this paper will discuss their implementation in two courses taught by the authors in the area of computer applications and structural mechanics. The methodology for developing the course content for WWW using HTML and management of HTTP server will be described. The use of Java to develop interactive content will also be discussed. These examples will be demonstrated live through the use of a local WWW client during the presentation. This paper will give details on how e-mail was used to generate student collaboration in preparing project reports for the course.

Lastly, the issues of the network bandwidth will be discussed. The Internet is getting more and more congested due an increase in data traffic. This provides a damper on using it as a main source of information retrieval for students. New technologies to overcome network bandwidth problems are on the horizon. One such technology, which works on the TV channel concept, will be demonstrated. A new company known by the name of Marimba develops this product. This product allows students to download the course modules during non-peak hours thus avoiding the timings when the WWW acts more like a World-Wide Wait. After that only changes in information on the server side are downloaded for viewing, thus eliminating the downloading of the entire site every time the student accesses the WWW server. In addition to that the local viewing of the course content is significantly faster as compared to accessing a remote site.

1. INTRODUCTION

a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering b Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering

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Alam, J., & Rencis, J. (1997, June), Use Of Internet In Information Content Creation And Delivery For Promoting Active Cooperating Learning Paper presented at 1997 Annual Conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 10.18260/1-2--6863