DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A CLOUD-BASED MOBILE LEARNING PLATFORM

ABSTRACT

Mobile computing involves the use of portable handheld devices having network

connections to access online resources especially via the internet. With mobile

computing, people can collaborate from various distant location, they can be involved

in conferences, online forums, symposiums, etc. One of such important services offered

by mobile computing is Mobile learning. Mobile learning or M-learning has been

realized as a convenient, efficient and effective way of learning. However, with the

increasing number of users, services, education contents and resources, the deployment

of m-learning becomes problematic. As a promising technology to overcome the

problems in M-learning, Cloud computing provides reliable, scalable and dynamic

computing environment for end-users. This research thesis presents a new architecture

for a mobile distance learning system in a cloud computing environment enriched with

mobile and wireless devices. This architecture can be applied everywhere where there is

a need for teaching and learning in higher education.

The method adopted in the design of this mobile learning platform involves the use of

classified software tools and high level programming languages. It is done in such a

way as to guarantee compatibility on all mobile devices (Smart phones, Laptops, PDAs,

Palmtops) and operating systems (iOS, Blackberry, Android, Windows OS, etc) and

also to enable a user friendly interface for the participants in the M-learning platform.

The teachers and students participating in the M-learning environment can remotely

collaborate with one another using their mobile and handheld devices.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page- - - - - - - - - - - - i

Declaration- - - - - - - - - - -ii

Certification- - - - - - - - - - -iii

Dedication- - - - - - - - - - - -iv

Acknowledgement- - - - - - - - - -v

Abstract- - - - - - - - - - - -vi

Table of Contents - - - - - - - - - -vii

List of Figures- - - - - - - - - - -xi

List of Tables- - - - - - - - - - -xiii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION- - - - - - -1

1.1 Problem Statement- - - - - - - - -1

1.2 Aims and Objectives- - - - - - - - -3

1.3 Significance of Study- - - - - - - - -3

1.4 Scope of Work- - - - - - - - - -4

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW- - - - - -5

2.0 Introduction- - - - - - - - - -5

2.1 Stages of Learning- - - - - - - - -5

2.1.1 Story Telling (Oral Tradition) Method- - - - - -6

2.1.1.1 Advantages of Story Telling Method - - - - -7

2.1.1.2 Disadvantages of Story Telling Method - - - -7

2.1.2 The Traditional (or Classroom) Method- - - - - -8

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2.1.2.1 Advantages of Classroom Method- - - - - -9

2.1.2.2 Disadvantages of Classroom Method- - - - - -10

2.1.3 The Electronic (or E-learning) Method- - - - - -11

2.1.3.1 Advantages of E-learning Method- - - - - -12

2.1.3.2 Disadvantages of E-learning Method- - - - - -15

2.1.4 The Mobile (or M-learning) method- - - - - - -17

2.2 Definition of Key Concepts- - - - - - - -18

2.2.1 E-learning- - - - - - - - - - -18

2.2.2 M-learning- - - - - - - - - - -19

2.2.3 Cloud- - - - - - - - - - -20

2.2.4 Cloud Computing- - - - - - - - - -21

2.2.5 Desktop Virtualization- - - - - - - - -22

2.2.6 Application Program Interface - - - - - - -23

2.3 The Cloud computing Trend - - - - - - -23

2.4 Overview of Cloud Computing - - - - - - -26

2.5 Cloud computing Characteristics- - - - - - -27

2.6 Cloud Service Models- - - - - - - - -29

2.7 Cloud Deployment Models- - - - - - - -33

2.8 Areas of Application of Cloud Computing- - - - - -37

2.9 Wireless Mobile Technologies for M-learning- - - - -40

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY- - - - - - -45

3.0 Introduction- - - - - - - - - -45

3.1 The design approach- - - - - - - - -45

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3.1.1 Software Components- - - - - - - - -46

3.1.2 Hardware Components- - - - - - - - -47

3.2 The Software design- - - - - - - - -50

3.2.1 The Login Module- - - - - - - - -50

3.2.1.1 Algorithm for the Login Process- - - - - -51

3.2.1.2 Flowchart for the Login Process - - - - - -52

3.2.2 The Admin Module- - - - - - - - -52

3.2.2.1 Algorithm for the Admin Module- - - - - -53

3.2.2.2 Flowchart for the Admin Module- - - - - -54

3.2.3 The Lecture Module- - - - - - - - -55

3.2.3.1 Algorithm for the Login Module- - - - - -55

3.2.3.2 Flowchart for the Login Module- - - - - -56

3.2.4 The Student Module- - - - - - - - -57

3.2.4.1 Algorithm for the Student Module- - - - - -57

3.2.4.2 Flowchart for the Student Module- - - - - -58

3.3 The Database- - - - - - - - - -59

3.4 The Database Design Process- - - - - - - -60

3.5 Cloud Hosting for the M-learning Application- - - - -64

3.6 Model of the Cloud-based M-learning Platform- - - - -65

3.7 Mobile Technology Standards Applied in the M-learning- - -67

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION- - - - -71

4.1 The Login Screen- - - - - - - - - -71

4.2 The Admin Homepage- - - - - - - - -72

4.3 The Student Homepage- - - - - - - - -74

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4.4 Registering Lecturers- - - - - - - - -75

4.5 Viewing Registered Lecturers- - - - - - - -76

4.6 Student Registration- - - - - - - - -76

4.7 Viewing Registered Students- - - - - - - -77

4.8 Creating News and Events- - - - - - - -78

4.9 Creating Forums- - - - - - - - - -79

4.10 Uploading Lecture notes and Assignments- - - - - -80

4.11 Submitting Assignments-- - - - - - - -81

4.12 Launching the WAMP Server software- - - - - -81

4.13 Opening the Application-- - - - - - - -82

4.14 Performance Index Analysis: Testing the Design- - - - -83

4.15 Considerations for hosting the platform- - - - - -84

4.16 Benefits of Cloud Computing in M-learning - - - - -87

4.17 Major Concerns of Cloud Computing- - - - - -89

4.18 Choosing a Cloud Service Provider- - - - - - -90

4.19 Cost Analysis of Cloud Services- - - - - - -92

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION- - - -95

5.1 Summary- - - - - - - - - - -95

5.2 Conclusion- - - - - - - - - - -95

5.3 Recommendations for future work- - - - - - -96

REFERENCES- - - - - - - - - - -97

APPENDIX- - - - - - - - - - -100

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1: The Cloud Concept- - - - - - - -21

Figure 2.2: Cloud Computing Concept- - - - - - -22

Figure 2.3: Network Architecture of cloud computing- - - -25

Figure 2.4: Cloud Service Provider Network Infrastructure- - - -27

Figure 2.5: Cloud Computing Characteristics- - - - - -28

Figure 2.6: Cloud Service Models- - - - - - - -30

Figure 2.7 Private Cloud- - - - - - - - -34

Figure 2.8 Public Cloud- - - - - - - - -35

Figure 2.9 Hybrid Cloud- - - - - - - - -36

Figure 2.10 Community Cloud- - - - - - - -37

Figure 2.11 2G Mobile Communication Network Architecture- - - -41

Figure 2.12 3G Mobile Communication Network Architecture- - - -42

Figure 2.13 Microwave links between the NodeB and RNC- - - -43

Figure 2.14 UMTS Network Element Interfaces- - - - - -44

Figure 3.1: Smart phones and handhelds for Mobile Learning- - - -49

Figure 3.2: Block Diagram of the M-learning software platform- - -50

Figure 3.3: Flowchart for the Login process- - - - - -52

Figure 3.4: Flowchart for the Admin Module- - - - - -54

Figure 3.5: Flow Chart for the Lecture module- - - - - -56

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Figure 3.6: Flowchart for the student module - - - - -58

Figure 3.7: The Database Design Steps- - - - - - -60

Figure 3.8: Traditional vs. Cloud hosting- - - - - - -64

Figure 3.9 Architecture for cloud based M-learning- - - - -65

Figure 3.10: Transmission link Characteristics- - - - - -68

Figure 4.1: The login screen- - - - - - - - -72

Figure 4.2: The Admin Home Page- - - - - - - -73

Figure 4.3: The Student Home Page- - - - - - - -74

Figure 4.4: Lecturer Registration portal- - - - - - -75

Figure 4.5: Platform to view Registered Lecturers- - - - -76

Figure 4.6: Student Registration Platform- - - - - - -77

Figure 4.7: Platform for Viewing Registered Students- - - -78

Figure 4.8: Platform for Creating news or events -- - - - -78

Figure 4.9: Platform to Creating Forums - - - - - - -79

Figure 4.10: Platform for uploading Lecture notes and assignments - -80

Figure 4.11: Platform to submit assignments and download lecture notes - -81

Figure 4.12 WAMP server software - - - - - - - -82

Figure 4.13: Students registered on the platform for demonstration- -83

Figure 4.14: Lecturers registered on the platform for online participation- -84

Figure 4.15: Comparison of Hosting Solutions- - - - - -85

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LIST OF TABLES

Table