World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 40 2010

Design and Implementation of E-Learning

Management System using Service Oriented
Architecture
Mohammed A. Jabr, Hussein K. Al-Omari

Abstract—Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) defines how to When beginning to create e-learning content, the
integrate widely disparate applications for a world that is web- students’ profiles and courses have to be stored in the system
based and uses multiple implementation platforms. In this paper database and presented using web application to facilitate the
we propose an e-learning management system with Web services functionality of building an e-learning management system.
oriented framework. The system will be an open source application The proposed system is an advanced, 3-tier, database-
with client-scripting facility. It also supports the cross browser and driven using Microsoft ASP.NET 3.5 with VB.NET. The
it is fully integrated with different databases; MS SQL Server, MS system is divided into several phases; each phase describes a
Access, Oracle, and LDAP. The key values of Interoperability,
number of actions. The model used in building the system is
durability, compatibility, manageability, dynamic reusability, and
the “Evolutionary Model”, because it is easy to use, it allows
accessibility in the proposed architecture enhance the future e-
learning systems to communicate more efficiently and share data
small systems to be developed rapidly, and it allows user
more easily. engagement with the application.

Keywords—SCORM, Evolutionary Model, 3-Tier Evolutionary development model uses small, incremental
Architecture, Accessibility, Compatibility, Requirements, Service product releases, frequent delivery to users, and dynamic
Oriented Architecture. plans and processes.

I. INTRODUCTION

S ERVICE-based architectures take legacy application

functionality and expose it to the Internet in a reliable,
highly available, scalable, flexible, manageable, and
secure manner, easy and reliable internet-based method to
create and access learning.
Web Service technology has emerged as a new paradigm
of distributed computing. The Service-based architectures
are layered on the top of standard transfer protocols for
transmitting messages that currently, the most common ones
are the XML-based specification SOAP (Simple Object
Access Protocol), UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery
and Integration), and WSDL (Web Service Description
Language) [5] [12].E-learning is a general term used to refer Fig. 1: A Data-Flow of the Evolutionary Model. In this model, the
to a form of learning in which the instructor and student are objective is to evolve a final system from an initial outline
separated by space or time where the gap between the two is specification, starting with well-understood requirements, and
bridged through the use of online technologies. adding new features as proposed by the end users.
Many technologies can be, and are, used in e-learning,
including: In this paper the basic concept about the development
• Blogs and Wikis. process in several modules has been presented. The main
• Collaborative software. requirements of the system are introduced with figures and
• Computer aided assessment. the modules are shown in details. Rather than deliver the
• Discussion boards. system as a single delivery, the development and delivery is
• Electronic performance support system. broken down into increments with each increment delivering
• Learning management systems. part of the required functionality.
• Virtual classrooms.
• Web-based teaching materials.
• Web-based component services.
Authors are with Amman Arab University, Amman, Jordan.
e-mail: [email protected]

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• Allow students to locate and access instructional

components from one remote location and deliver to
other locations.
• The ability for a Web-based Learning Management
System (LMS) to launch content that was authored
using tools from different vendors, and to exchange data
with that content.
• The ability to launch the same executable content and to
exchange data with that content during execution while
utilizing Web-based LMS environments from different
vendors.
• The ability for multiple Web-based LMS environments
to access a common repository of executable content
and to launch such content.
III. THE ABILITY TO MOVE AN ENTIRE COURSE FROM ONE
LMS TO ANOTHER.EASE OF USE
The system runs on Microsoft ASP.NET 3.5 with
VB.NET, which is a fully object-oriented computer language
that can be viewed as an evolution of Microsoft’s Visual
Basic (VB) implemented on the Microsoft .NET framework.
Fig. 2: This diagram shows the incremental development process
of the Electronic Learning Management System. Early increments
The system is fully integrated with different databases; MS
act as a prototype to help elicit requirements for later increments. SQL Server, MS Access, Oracle, and LDAP. It supports
As shown from the diagram; after the system definition, the Single Sign On technology.
architectural design has been specified, and then divides the system
into small increments. The system at that time needs to be built Most of transactions with the database are developed
with these small increments and validated. This process will be using client-scripting in order to enhance the performance of
repeated until a final system has been delivered. the system.

II. AIMS OF THE SYSTEM The system is divided into three phases: Layout,
• The main aims of the system are: database, and web services. Each phase describes specific
• Improve learning accessibility that is, eliminating actions taken in several locations.
barriers to learning that many learners have found in
traditional classrooms. We have described each phase in details as follows:
• Improve the interaction between students and
instructors. The system has a question bank facility • Layout Phase
where the students can ask questions and send them to In this phase we will introduce the main concepts of
their instructors. the web application design facilities in the system.
• Speed up the reaching for required data and facilitate the We have to use the following tools in web design:
interaction with database records. • HTML.
• Keep data secure. Each student has an account to • Java Script.
authenticate into the system. • Adobe Photoshop CS.
• Facilitating personalized delivery of content based on • AJAX custom extended controls.
the individual learner’s knowledge and learning • Cascading Style Sheet.
preferences. HTML, an initialize of Hypertext Markup
• Providing tracking and assessment of learners to Language, is the predominant markup language for
measure effectiveness and compliance. Web pages. It provides a means to describe the
• Promoting knowledge sharing through collaborative structure of text-based information in a document
learning. — by denoting certain text as links, headings,
• Allow students to choose what to focus on and to take paragraphs, lists, and so on — and to supplement
control of their own learning experience [4]. that text with interactive forms, embedded images,
• The number of articles and amount of information that and other objects.
students can access is unlimited.
• Providing participants with an extensive list of The images in each web page will be created using
summaries of related resources that they can choose to Adobe Photoshop. We have already desired to give
read, or archive for later use.
variety to the layout of each web page of the
• Building durable e-learning contents, regardless of
system.
changes or evolutions in technology. This means that
new content should be added to existing content without
costly redesign, reconfiguration, or recoding. The system is a robust, cross browser system. The
user interface is largely the same in Microsoft

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Internet Explorer, Firefox and Opera. There are no In order to provide these dimensions we are using the three-
menus or editors driven by DHTML, or the like, tier system architecture.
that can fail to work in some environments.
a. Three-tier architecture: The 3-Tier architecture has the
AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML), is a following three layers:
group of interrelated web development techniques • Presentation Layer
used for creating interactive web applications or In this tier the user interface has to be built to
rich Internet applications. This feature has to be display data to the user or accept input from the
used in the login process where the JavaScript can user. It will contain controls like text boxes,
communicate directly with the server, using the dropdown lists, gridviews, labels, etc.
JavaScript XMLHttpRequest object. With this
• Business Logic Layer
object, the JavaScript can trade credentials with a
It serves as an intermediary for data exchange
web server, without reloading the page.
between the presentation layer and the data access
layer.
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a simple
• Data Access Layer
mechanism for adding style (e.g. fonts, colors, and
In this layer the data is set to the database back and
spacing) to Web documents. Using CSS, the
forth. This layer only interacts with the database.
HTML documents can be displayed using different
We will write the database queries or use stored
output styles. In this system a standard CSS files
procedures to access the data from the database or
has to be used to view the web pages.
to perform any operation to the database. It will get
the data from the business layer and send it to the
• Database Phase
database or get the data from the database and send
This phase is connected with all other modules. In
it to the business layer.
this phase, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 has to be
used as web storage. It includes native support for
managing XML data, in addition to relational data.

• Web Services Phase

In this phase we have to use web services as
references in most database actions. For example,
the data manipulation is done through web
services.
All web services are web methods of functions that
Fig. 3: A graphical representation of the 3-tier architecture.
perform specific actions. Web Services allow the
system greater flexibility over the Internet by
allowing it to work with other systems through the b. Security Modes: In this system there are four modes;
Internet as if it was a standard LAN network. guest, student, instructor, and administrator modes.
It uses XML to transmit the data to and from
different sources. Web Services can also be V. METHODOLOGY
considered as a connectivity tool—objects, data
sets, and even cached objects can be passed to and Today’s e-learning standards provide a strong new
framework, creating a bridge from abstract programmable
from other servers.
components to the practical world of implementation.
IV. SYSTEM ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN According to new recent studies, the e-learning standards
are of value in that they support investments in:
Various learning systems have been developed in the past • Interoperability: that allows the Learning Object to
decade; the majority of these systems are implemented communicate with management systems, databases,
either with client-server architecture or are centralized and web applications. This communication with a
server based. The client-server and centralized server management system takes place through web
approaches are metaphors of student-teacher and repository transport protocols (XML data, HTTP, HTTPS, or
centric which reflect real world learning scenarios in which URL encoded data). The purpose is to exchange or
teachers act as the content producers while students act as update metadata information about the use of the
the content consumers [24]. Learning Object. This may involve variables, such
Our learning environment provides an interoperable, as learner scores, preferences, completion times,
pervasive, and seamless learning architecture to connect, and progression, identifying which Learning Object
integrate, and share three major dimensions of learning to deliver next.
resources:
• Durability: e-learning content should be durable,
• Learning collaborators. regardless of changes or evolutions in technology.
• Learning contents. This means that new content should be added to
• Learning services.

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existing content without costly redesign, and sequencing of learning and assessment material in the
reconfiguration, or recoding [30]. form of shareable, reusable content objects. A SCORM
• Compatibility with major technology platforms: learning object comprises a collection of assets, which in
such as Microsoft.NET and SUN Java SCORM terminology designate pieces of instructional or
Environment. educational material. Assets within an object admit different
• Manageability: defined by enabling value to be organizations, different forms of aggregation and
assessed. sequencing oriented towards a definite learning purpose
• Dynamic Reusability: using Learning Objects as [21].
programmable components. Content developers and
learners should be able to extract relevant e-learning Service Oriented Architecture (SOA):
content such as modules from different courses and
reassemble them into a new course, application, or In our learning system we will transform the
context [30]. development of dynamic contents from using normal HTML
to XML. XML provides the answer to creating dynamic
• Accessibility: e-learning content should be easy to
online user experiences. Extensible Markup Language, more
find based on the classification of the content. Users commonly known as XML, has been accepted as the de facto
should be able to locate and access instructional standard for developing web applications that give users a
components from one remote location and deliver much richer online experience than the simple “page
to other locations [30]. turning” typical of an HTML application. Able to store
organization-relevant information in a single database, XML
SCORM: has already become a favorite tool for developers because it
expresses and manages content independently from content
The SCORM is not a standard in itself, but a reference delivery and management services.
model to be used to ensure that content and management
systems are compatible. It stands for Shared Content XML offers great promise that many believe will be the
Objects Reference Model. The initial version of the final “tipping point” toward a broad-based acceptance of e-
SCORM was centered on Web-based learning content and learning as a legitimate enterprise learning strategy. Many
was intended to enable the following: believe that XML will help establish a new benchmark for
• The ability for a Web-based Learning Management creating dynamic online learning experiences that inspire and
System (LMS) to launch content that was authored empower learners, rather than test their patience slow-
using tools from different vendors, and to exchange loading text and graphical elements, page after page after
data with that content. page [11].
• The ability to launch the same executable content
Service-based architectures take legacy application
and to exchange data with that content during functionality and expose it to the Internet in a reliable, highly
execution while utilizing Web-based LMS available, scalable, flexible, manageable, and secure manner,
environments from different vendors. easy and reliable internet-based method to create and access
• The ability for multiple Web-based LMS learning.
environments to access a common repository of Web Service technology has emerged as a new paradigm
executable content and to launch such content. of distributed computing. The Service-based architectures
• The ability to move an entire course from one LMS are layered on the top of standard transfer protocols for
to another. transmitting messages that currently, the most common ones
are the XML-based specification SOAP (Simple Object
SCORM content must be in HTML form–viewable Access Protocol), UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery
within a standard web browser. However, this does not limit and Integration), and WSDL (Web Service Description
developers and designers to text or even text and images. Language) [5] [12].
Multimedia and other content, such as Flash, Video, or
Audio objects, can be SCORM conformant, because nearly A web service is a stand-alone software component that
anything that can be embedded in a web page can be has a unique URI (Uniform Resource Identifier). Web
SCORM conformant. The SCORM includes a mechanism services architecture aims to provide a standard based
for describing the specific requirements of a piece of content, platform for Service-Oriented Computing. It defines itself as
such as required plug-ins [15]. a set of specifications that support an open XML-based
platform for description, discovery, and interoperability of
Our learning system supports the facility of SCORM distributed, heterogeneous applications as services [20]. It is
compliant. The instructors can develop their learning objects based on the interactions between three roles [3]; service
using authoring tools and publish the output as SCORM provider, service registry, and service requestor. These
files. Then, theses files can be deployed into our learning interactions involve publishing, find and bind operations, and
system as an IMS content package. these roles and operations act upon the Web Services
artifacts.
SCORM (Shareable Content Object Reference Model) is a The scenario of Web services consists in four stages as
collection of standards and specifications for the packaging below in Fig. 14, and those stages are: [2]

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1. The service provider is deploying and publishing

the description of its services to service registry,
and hosting these services and controlling access to VI. CONCLUSION
them. As can be seen from reading this paper, by using our
2. The service requester works with the service broker learning management system facilities, the geographical
to discover the optimal services that meet and barriers are eliminated, opening up broader administration
satisfy the specifications of register. and education options. The system can facilitate
3. The service broker sends the services that have been personalized delivery of contents based on the individual
found to the service requestor. learner’s knowledge and learning preferences. It will
4. The final stage, service requester negotiates with provide participants with an extensive list of summaries of
the service providers to bind services after they related resources that they can choose to read, or archive for
have been found. later use. We proposed a middleware for uniform access to
all thesis resources that belong to different administration
The typical learning management system is built based on areas. We described new technologies including web
a component-based architecture. However, Web services services, single sign on, and AJAX and how we can use
provide a better alternative as services are loosely coupled them in the development of our system.
and can be subscribed anytime any place. Furthermore, In this paper, we defined a 3-tier architectural e-learning
leveraging web standards in an e-learning environment will system. The objective of this architecture is to supply a basis
allow the dynamic integration of applications distributed for designers, developers, and instructors to construct
over the web and encourage reuse of learning objects [6]. practicable strategic e-learning models suitable for their
individual e-learning environments.
Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Layers: The proposed framework using the Web Service
approach will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of
As shown in Fig. 4, the Application UI layer represents collaborative learning in terms of Reusability,
the presentation layer for the clients. This layer is described Interoperability, Accessibility and Modularization.
as a presentation tier in the 3-tier architecture. In this tier the
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