Software product "DistEdu" for distance education lessons.

Bagimov, Igor ; Konobritskiy, Dmitry ; Kramar, Vadim 等

1. INTRODUCTION

At present time distance education has being developed active. There are more and more people who want to study distantly and independently from place of living.

There are some problems in process of teaching of future technical specialists. The main difficulty is impossibility to get practical skills of operating with real equipment. Correspondence education student can study how equipment works in theory, but can't see or control it. Practically a student understands all symbols of elements in drawing but has no possibility to get skills of assembling of technical systems. It is very important to know how to interpret technical drawing into real device, using inputs/outputs of components and understanding rules of assembling.

There is a wellknown software product named FluidSIM (by FESTO) for creating and simulation pneumatic schemes on level of symbols of components.

Another product is LogicLab--Pneumatic workplace developed by Globula NetStudio for FESTO (http://www.logiclab.hu). Quite realistic animation of working pneumatic systems is realized in this application. Students have possibility to get some lessons about direct and indirect control, simple logic. Images of real components and corresponding symbolic view are presented.

Authors offer to develop the concept of e-learning software for online studuing and practicing. The aims of research are: to combine workplace simulation, remote control with real stands and real visual control of assembled schemes and interactive contact students with teachers.

Thus authors improve wellknown projects by possibilities of feedback communication between student and teacher (for example for receiving comments about mistakes from teachers and joint analyses of assembled schemes) and by possibility to assemble schemes for different purposes and more levels of complexity.

Software DistEdu helps to develop pneumatic scheme, send its image to laboratory, observe process of assembly and communicate with teacher. DistEdu provides audio and video connection between a student and engineer in laboratory, works on any computer via Internet with any operating system.

This article was prepared in context with SYNERGY project realized by universities of Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and FESTO.

2. INFORMATION

Modern telecommunication instruments should be used to solve difficulties with distance access to didactic equipment. We have to use broadband Internet channels to provide video and audio connections and to show real functioning of pneumatic equipment to students.

2.1 Purpose of software

Main purpose of application is to provide proper learning process via distance access to FESTO didactic equipment. There are several subtasks of DistEdu software:

2.1.1 To assemble pneumatic schemes using library of components (with description of components).

2.1.2 To transmit designed pneumatic scheme to computer in laboratory via Internet or local net of university.

2.1.3 To provide video and audio connection between a student and a teacher in laboratory with equipment using web cameras and microphones.

2.1.4 Virtual components should be looked as real ones.

2.1.5 Software should have reference information about components. This information could be added by users.

2.1.6 A student is able to save schemes on server; an engineer or a teacher in laboratory should have a possibility to open projects just after saving.

Students will have a possibility to work with equipment via Internet from any place on Earth. Thus it is necessary to install Flash-player on computer (small free application) to work with DistEdu and to have connection with server with DistEdu.

2.2 Tools for DistEdu development

ActionScript 3.0 language and Flash CS3 environment were used for development of software. Thus DistEdu was developed without necessity of its installation on computer of user. It is enough to load web page with application and start to work. DistEdu will function on any operational system with installed Flash Player.

PHP language, database MySQL and Flash Media Server were used for developing of server part of application. Software Zend Studio was used for developing of PHP scripts.

2.3 Describing of working principles of software

Software is placed on web server and it starts on computer of final user in Flash player application after a web page is opened. Database MySQL and PHP scripts placed on web server are used for storage and loading of component base. Flash Media Server is used for providing of video and voice connections. It allows to see video from laboratory and to control video flow for several students simultaneously. FMS3 uses H.264 format for data communications, thus Internet bandwidth is used economically but with high image quality.

It is possibly to record video into file on hard drive for further demonstration.

2.4 Interaction of client and server parts

DistEdu uses client-server architecture (Please see Figure 1). Server part is used for storage of application, component library and organization of video communication.

After loading of web page with application user browser loads DistEdu from web server and starts it in Flash player which is installed on computer earlier. During loading of application PHP script on server returns data about component library into XML. Application loads icons and images of components. PHP script turns to MySQL using query language SQL to receive data from database.

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

Application connects with FMS and receives video flow from laboratory to provide video connection. Also application directs video flow from client web camera to FMS to realize two-side video connection. The same operations are realized with audio flow to make audio connection. Interaction of data flows is realized on FMS.

Thus we have the following data flows: data flow from web server on HTTP protocol and data flow from FMS on RTMP protocol.

2.5 Review of program interface

Program interface is presented on Figure 2. It is quite simple and allows to work with application right away. There are three areas:

a) Working area for allocation of scheme

b) Component library consisted of list of component images and inscriptions

c) Video window for video from web cameras mounted in laboratories.

Student has to place components on working area and to connect them with pipes. Images of components are photos of real elements, so students can select required elements on appearance. Scale of presented elements corresponds to assembled schemes on a real stand.

It is necessary to mark start and final connection points in order to connect elements with pipes. It is possible to turn and delete elements from working area.

User may save scheme on server after virtual assembling.

Places of areas might be changed if it's necessary. Control panel of video area allows to connect different video cameras in different laboratories.

Users with proper rights may add components. New component will be accessible for all users after reset of program.

[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]

2.6 Content of a lesson

Students receive a task to learn (or investigate) pneumatic scheme. Theoretic material and methodical instructions are accessible on server of university.

It is strongly recommended to use FluidSim software from FESTO to learn principles of operation of components and to make virtual model of pneumatic scheme during executing of the task.

After that students have to learn theory and to assemble scheme using DistEdu in compliance with the task. After preparing virtual scheme student have to save it on server and switch on video connection with laboratory.

An engineer in laboratory opens image with scheme and assemble it "as is". A student observes this process and check if scheme is assembled as it is shown on image. Then scheme is ready an engineer switchs on air pressure and demonstrates if it really works. Also it is possible to investigate scheme by measuring of times, pressure, length of movement etc.

After that an engineer (or a teacher) and a student discuss working scheme, look for mistakes if scheme does not work and talk over theoretic material.

Student disconnects, scheme is disassembled in offline mode, teacher and engineer are ready to work online with next student.

2.7 Plans for future

Directions of future development of DistEdu software are:

* Replenishment of component library with elements

* Testing of software and creation of methodical instructions of usage DistEdu as a part of learning process.

* Teaching of correspondence education students, organizing of distance trainings for engineers, assembling schemes as a demonstration of designed projects for industrial customers.

* Developing of applications for other types of equipment: hydraulics, sensors, electro drives ets.

3. CONCLUSION

Interactive software DistEdu for teaching technical specialists was created. Students received a possibility to study a theory, to get practice distantly with equipment placed in university and to discuss technical questions with a teacher.

Correspondence educated students received a possibility to spend more time for practice, thus they'll be better prepared to "face time" communication with teachers in university.

The created structure may be added with new components and expanded for new equipment.

4. REFERENCES

Cove, A.; Eide-Goodman, H.; Lecky-Thompson, E.; Nowicki, S. Professional PHP5, Dialictica, ISBN 0-7645-7282-2, Moscow

Bagimov, I., Klevakin, V., Kramar, V., Mikhailov, M., Mogilnikov, P., Roslyakov, P., Shalai, V., Stazhkov, S. (2007). International Educational Project "SYNERGY", Annals of DAAAM for 2007 & Proceedings ofthe 18th International DAAAM Symposium, Katalinic, B. (Ed.), pp. 473-474, ISSN 1726-9679, Zadar, Croatia, 24-27th of October 2007, DAAAM International Vienna, 2007

Burlakov, M. (2007). Adobe Flash CS3 manual for self-tuition, Dialictica, ISBN 978-5-8459-1319-7, Moscow

Konobritskiy, D. (2007). Development of software for distance using of FESTO didactic stands, Qualification work for bachelor's degree, Sevastopol State Technical University, Sevastopol, Ukraine, 2007

LogicLab e-learning software. Available from http://www.logiclab.hu, Accessed: 2008-07-11

BAGIMOV, I[gor]; KONOBRITSKIY, D[mitry] & KRAMAR, V[adim] *

Young Researcher and Scientist Paper / * Supervisor, Mentor