A computational scheme for monitoring online learning progress

Abstract

This paper describes a scheme of adaptive advising students on how much time they should spend on traversing the course network. The scheme is based on the notion of critical path embodied in the network. While web-based online teaming emphases student's initiative in managing his own teaming, experiences tell us that some students are always at the risk of being lost in the cyber campus. If they are not monitored closely, their successful completion of the course on time would be in jeopardy. The novelty of the scheme is on its time-based feature. Developers specify the expected time to be spent on each unit and thereby the study patterns of individual students can be closely monitoring. In events of 'abnormality' such as a topic is still not yet browsed after a specified time, the system would alert the student and instructor accordingly.