Skip to main content
Log in

Instructional uses of the WWW: An evaluation tool

  • Published:
World Wide Web Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The development of the World Wide Web (WWW) and the subsequent introduction of different browsers, with their extensions, has changed the Internet from a text‐only communications tool to a powerful multimedia platform whose potential applications are increasing day by day. Research efforts in the computer aided education field are represented by a broad spectrum of applications, from the virtual classroom to remote courses. In these environments, visualising the progress of students in a certain course is an important part of the learning process. At the Universidad Politecnica de Valencia we are experimenting with WWW based software tools and networks for computer aided learning. This research process has resulted in the development of a teacher's authoring tool and an evaluation application; both developed using Java and based on Internet browsers. With this evaluation tool, teachers can easily create questions of different types – which are stored on a database. These questions can later be used to compose different exams or exercises for different students depending on the course and the objective of the examinations. The advantages include an improvement in the fulfillment of the teacher's duties; an increase in the responsiveness of the exam results to the level of student understanding; and the potential for using the application in distance learning and training.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams, J. and A. Armstrong (1995), “Eval: Educational Verification and Learning,” http://holmes.calvin.edu/eval/.

  • Adams, J. and K. Voskuil (1997), “Pita: Platform Independent Testing Application,” http://watson.calvin.edu/pita/.

  • ANSI Standard, (1992) SQL (Standard Query Language).

  • Antao, B.A.D., A.J. Brodersen, J.R. Bourne, and J.R. Cantwell (1992), “Building Intelligent Tutorial Systems for Teaching Simulation in Engineering Education,” IEEE Transactions on Education 35, 1, 50–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Apache Group (1998), “Apache Web Server,” http://www.apache.org/.

  • Balli, S. and L. Diggs (1996), “Learning to Teach with Technology: A Pilot Project with Preservice Teachers,” Educational Technology 36, 1, 56–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Batini, C. (1992), Conceptual Database Design: An Entity-Relationship Approach, Benjamin/Cummings Series in Computer Science, Redwood City, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blakowski, G. and R. Steinmetz (1996), “A Media Synchronization Survey: Reference Model, Specification, and Case Studies,” IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications 14, 1, 5–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brand, M. (1995), “The Wise Use of Technology,” Educational Record 76, 4, 38–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brett, P. (1996), “Using Multimedia: an Investigation of Learners' Attitudes,” Computer Assisted Language Learning 1, 2–3, 191–212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Byrnes, R., R. Debreceny, and P. Gilmour (1995), “The Development of a Multiple-Choice and True-False Testing Environment on the Web,” In Proceedings of the AusWeb95 Conference, http://www.scu.edu.au/ausweb/ausweb95/papers/ education3/byrnes/.

  • Castells, R. (1998), “Una Aplicacion de Teleexamen Desarrollada en Java,” M.S. thesis, Department of Communications, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Valencia.

    Google Scholar 

  • CERN (1994), “Mosaic,” http://www.cern.ch.

  • Chen, P. (1976), “The Entity-Relationship Model: Toward a Unified View of Data,” ACM Transactions on Database Systems 1, 2, 9–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Denning, A. (1997), ActiveX Controls Inside Out, Microsoft Press, Redmon, VA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ebel, R. and D. Frisbie (1991), Essentials of Educational Measurement, Prentice-Hall, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Economic European Community, (1993) Crecimiento, Competitividad y Empleo: Retos y Pistas para Entrar en el siglo XXI, White Book, European Economic Community Press, Luxembourg.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furth, B. (1994), “Multimedia Systems: An Overview,” IEEE Multimedia 1, 1, 47–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, M. (1997), “CALOS: First Results from an Experiment in Computer-Aided Learning,” In Proceedings of ACM 28th SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, http://homebrew1.cs.ubc.ca/webct/papers.

  • Goldberg, M. (1997), “WebCT and First Years Computer Science: Student Reaction to and Use of a Web-Based Resource in First Year Computer Science,” In Proceedings of ACM ITiCSE Conference on Integrating Technology in Computer Science Education, http://homebrew1.cs.ubc.ca/webct/papers.

  • Goldberg, M., S. Salari, and P. Swoboda (1996), “World Wide Web Course Tool: An Environment for Building WWW-Based Courses,” Computer Networks and ISDN Systems 28, 1219–1231.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gosling, J., B. Joy, and G. Steele (1996), The Java Language Specification, Java Series, Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham (1997), HTML, Source Book, 3rd Edition, Wiley, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, D. (1998), “MSQL Database,” http://www.hughes.com.au/.

  • Intel Corp (1998), “Java Media Framework,” http://www.intel.com/ial/jmedia/.

  • Kleeman, J. (1998), “Now is the Time to Computerize Pen and Paper Tests. A White Paper,” http://www.questionmark.com/.

  • Laney, J. (1996), “Going the Distance: Effective Instruction Using Distance Learning Technology,” Educational Technology 36, 2, 51–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Little, T.D.C. and A. Ghafoor (1990), “Synchronization and Storage Models for Multimedia Objects,” IEEE Journal on Selected Areas on Communications 8, 3, 413–427.

    Google Scholar 

  • Little, T.D.C. and A. Ghafoor (1991), “Multimedia Synchronization Protocols for Broadband Integrated Services,” IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications 9, 9, 1368–1382.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd, J.G. Martin, and K. McCottery (1996), “The Introduction of Computer Based Testing on an Engineering Technology Course,” Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education 21, 1, 83–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackenzie, D. (1998), “TRIADS System,” http://www.derby.ac.uk/assess/talk/quickdemo. html.

  • Mauldin, M. (1996), “The Formative Evaluation of Computer-Based Multimedia Programs,” Educational Technology 36, 2, 36–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Niemeyer, P. and J. Peck (1997), Exploring Java, 2nd Edition, O'Reilly and Associates, Sebastopol, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nürenhberg, J. (1997), “Database Access for Java Programs Using the Java DataBase Connectivity (JDBC),” M.S. thesis, Department of Communications, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Valencia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Question Mark Computing Ltd. (1997), “Question Mark Web,” http://www.questionmark.com/.

  • Reeves, T. (1992), “Evaluating Interactive Multimedia,” Educational Technology 32, 5, 47–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowland, E. (1996), “The Teacher as Examiner,” Higher Education Review 28, 2, 63–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schürmann, G. and U. Holzmann-Kaiser (1990), “Distributed Multimedia Information Handling and Processing,” IEEE Network Magazine 4, 6, 23–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinmetz, R. (1996), “Human Perception of Jitter and Media Synchronization,” IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications 14, 1, 61–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun Microsystems (1997a), “Java Data-Base Connectivity (JDBC) drivers,” http://java.sun.com/products/jdbc/jdbc.drivers. html.

  • Sun Microsystems (1997b), “Java Database Programming, JavaSoft,” http://developers.javasoft.com/developer/ onlineTraining/jdbc/jdbc.html.

  • Sun Microsystems (1998), “JAVA Platform Documentation,” http://java.sun.com/docs/.

  • Sun Microsystems (1999), “The Java Development Kit,” http://java.sun.com/products/jdk/.

  • Thyne, J.M. (1974), Principles of Examining, University of London Press, London, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tinoco, L. (1996), “Online Evaluation in WWW-based Courseware: The QUIZIT System,” M.S. thesis, Department of Computer Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tinoco, L., E. Fox, and N. Barnett (1997), “Online Evaluation in WWWbased Courseware,” In Proceedings of the 28th Annual Symposium for Computer Based Education, pp. 194–198.

  • Twomey, E. and P. Miller (1996), “Computer-Based Assessment: An Introduction,” Life Sciences Educational Computing 7, 1, pp. 5–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wall, L. (1991), Programming Perl, O'Reilly, Sebastopol, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yalamanchili, S., J.B. Lockhart, P.W. Flur et al. (1996), “Integrating Academic Services in a Modern Networked Environment,” IEEE Transactions on Education 39, 3, 409–414.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Palau, C.E., Guerri, J.C. & Esteve, M. Instructional uses of the WWW: An evaluation tool. World Wide Web 2, 231–249 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1019265126113

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1019265126113

Keywords

Navigation