CHAPTER
ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Today, websites are efficient tool
of communication within society. For example, when people need
information a company, institution of learning or on organization , most of
them will almost instantaneously think of its website .
The influence that this website has
in the private and public sector cannot be over emphasized, these days the
private and public sector is not complete without a website.
The use of the web and e-learning
portal as a primary information channel is growing daily. As the number of web
users grows it is important that the information is accessible and usable by all
.the introduction of website and e-portal concept to the web has opened new
possibilities and improved the level of dissemination of knowledge in
educational sector.
Design is one of the key parts of web
design. This includes the design principles, design element, lines shape,
texture, color, font and direction.
Web design means the designing,
creating, uploading and updating of a website and its implementation. It also
involves information architecture, website layout, structure, user interface,
navigation website.
Websites:
A website refers to a location on the internet and a collection of web pages,
images, videos, which are addressed relative to a common uniform resource location (URL). It’s nothing but a domain
name hosted on server which is accessible via a network called internet private
local area network. Owning a website becomes an essential part for any
institution, businesses and company, without web presence such organization is
just running the risk of losing the business opportunities.
Each website has its own unique web
address (uniform resource locator) which can be reached though an internet
connection. The opening page of a website is usually called homepage which
contains. Hyperlinks to other pages on the same or other site(s).
A
single web server may support multiple website and a single website may reside
on multiple web server, sometime thousands of miles apart.
Typical Website
Attributes
·
It’s a public interface
·
It support the user in
specific task (marketing or ecommerce)
·
It provides targeted
content from independent resources to specific audience
·
Its content is generally
focused, eliminates the need of visiting different sites
·
It selects and organizes
the material needed to be accessed
·
It established your
presence in online global market
·
It reaches the targeted
audience.
Web portal is a vehicle by which a
user gains an access of driving broad array of resources, while a website is a
destination in itself.
Portals and websites are distinct entities which often overlap and
complement each other. A web portal and website should be strongly linked
together, but they should not replace each other.
Website represents an organization to
outside world, but a portal provide multiple user roles with a common access
point.
A portal is a collection of website or service that offers board array
of resources and services such as email, forums, search engines and online
shopping malls. It’s an organized gateway that helps to configure the access to
information found on the internet. Web portal applications offers consistent
look and feel with access control & procedures for multiple applications
and databases. Some of the web portals are AOL, Google, Yahoo and even more.
A student portal is a web based
interface to access personalized information, resources, applications, and
educational academic options with students can reach a range of internal and
external sources through a network connection in a password protected setting.
Homepage:
This is the first page most users see when accessing the portal is homepage is
typically the highest level of a portal hierarchy.
Portal Developer:
This is the organization responsible for building a portal.
Portal Maintainer:
This is the organization responsible for operation a portal once deployed.
The maintainer is responsible for
responding to feedback about the portal correcting errors, and adding new
information as it becomes available.
1.1 AIM
The aim of this project is to create
a website and c-portal for the institute of technology in other to enhance
e-communication and improve the student/lecturer interaction of Kwara State
Polytechnic.
1.2 OBJECTIVE OF
THE PROJECT
The objective of the project is
1.
To create a link or means of
interaction between the lecturers and students outside the lecture room
2. To
store information for future reference
3.
For easy access to educational
resources like past question papers. course materials, handout/textbooks e.t.c.
4. To
serve as source of information for students, staffs and parents.
5.
To create a database of past
projects that each department has embarked on
6.
To update students, staffs, parent
and guardians on what is happening in the institute and the entire polytechnic.
7.
To make an easy surfing on the
internet for the students and staffs. It is also for easy downloading of
material needed for their study.
1.3 SCOPE OF THE
PROJECT
The scope of the project is to design
and implement computer aided information and management database website and
e-portal via cloud computing. The database is to be built using information
gathered from each department, the Institute and school management. This
information should reflect the departmental information and activities,
historical and current records of students’ population etc. This will serve as
a useful tool that will enhance the learning and teaching processes.
1.4 E-LEARNING AND
WEB PORTAL
The term learning means to gain
knowledge or understanding of or skill by study, instruction or experience.
Unfortunately e-learning does not possess such a precise and clear definition.
The understanding of the e-learning concept varies from training via the
internet according to (computer user high-Tech Dictionary,
http/www.computeruser.com), to a more extended definition as an approach to
facilitate and enhance learning by means of personal computers, CDROMs and the
internet as explained in (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org). E-learning is the delivery of education (all
activities relevant to instructing, teaching, and learning) through various
electronic media (koohang & Harman, 2005).
The electronic medium could be the
internet, intranets, satellite TV, video/audio tape, and/or CD ROM. An
c-learning web portal is able to provide students with networks access to them.
Typical c-learning portal features contain one or more of the following
component (volodymyr & wilfried. 2004): organization, information,
documentation, assessment and corn mu n zeal ion to mention just a few.
An e-learning platform is specialized
software, sometimes referred to as the virtual learning environment or the
course management system (CMS). This software should be capable of providing
facilities for both the development and the delivery of c-learning. The CMS is
usually a distributed online system connected to the internet through the
c-learning web portal. Several communications media are used for c-learning
including the internet, intranets, extranets, videos/audio tape, and/or CD ROM.
From history, some educational institutions have started the process of creation
of enterprise open source applications such as course management systems and
electronic bulletin (e-bulletin) board. These are some of the initiatives taken
by higher institutions on move away from proprietary software towards open
source.
Kim, Chaudhury and Rao (2002) claimed
that there are three types of web portals:
Data Portals:
Concerned with managing such structure data as corporate databases with a
single point of access.
Information
Portals: In contrast to the data portals, this
type of portal is concerned with managing such unstructured data as e-mail,
text, and other documents by using indexing and cataloguing systems with search
and retrieval functionality.
Collaborative
Portals: This type is focused on group interaction
functionality as well as the integration of the enterprise by bridging
internet, extranet, private source data, and public information. The users are
also allowed to access all collaborative functions such as classified topics,
conferencing, team discussion, news channel, calendaring, and the abilities to
personalize the interface.
1.5 BENEFITS OF
E-LEARNING PORTAL
1. To
plan and disseminate course outline by lecturers
2. To
manage attendance of both students and lecturers
3. To
create and submit assignments
4.
To participate in interactive
discussions between students and lecturer anytime, breaking through the barrier
of geographical location. With the portal there will be an enriched and members
of the academic community.
5. The
school portal offers education without walls
6.
Your ipad, Smartphone or computer
changes from being a toy to a tool.
7.
It is the generation learning
management system (LMS) combining academic management, social collaboration and
third-party integration.
8.
This is the emerging learning platform
exemplified by the distant learning and Open University model.