Enhanced engineering education using smart class environment

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.11.061Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Annotation facility on slides from both students and educators are explored.

  • Live broadcast of a lecture to multi-class is realized by real time mixture.

  • Students are highly in favor of annotation facility.

  • High internet speed is required for live broadcast using real time mixture.

Abstract

The availability of 3G and 4G technologies coupled with tablet PCs and smart phones makes the communication and learning system easier. In engineering education, these sophisticated technologies can bring immense advantages to the methods of delivering and acquiring knowledge. In this paper, we focus on facilities of a smart class environment for engineering education that can improve the co-learning procedure. We particularly emphasize the use of 3G and 4G technology in a smart class.

Introduction

Smart class can be defined as a class equipped with modern technologies such as 3G and 4G, interactive learning, uninterrupted audio and video transmission, and recording and uploading the lecture in a website. 3G technology, which relies on broadband internet access, can provide easy access to the Wi-Fi networks. However, the speed of the connected is decreased if the number of simultaneous users is increased heavily. On the other hand, 4G technology uses TCP/IP and provides better services in the area of video and multimedia transmission. It improves the 3G technology in terms of speed, performance, reliability, portability, compatibility, and fault tolerance. 4G technology is more secure than its 3G counterpart (Hosny, 2007, Wentzel et al., 2005).

The widespread use of smart phones and tablet PCs makes them a good choice for learning as well (Andreu et al., 2011, Shamim Hossain et al., 2014). Both the e-learning and the m-learning (mobile learning) can now be simultaneously used in a physical or virtual classroom. On example of the advantages of e-learning is to use the smart class facility, such as, E- podium to record the lecture materials in real time environment. An instructor can record while he is lecturing in the class. After recording the lecture, the instructor can upload it on the special Learning Management Services (LMS), which are readily available and utilized by most universities around the world. The LMS system is equipped with platforms like blackboard, WebCT, etc. Once the lecture is uploaded, it can be viewed and listened through mobiles or computers connected to the Internet. The viewers must login to access the materials.

One of the problems associated to this system is that the lectures cannot be viewed or the participants cannot interact simultaneously with the lecturer. Therefore, it can be regarded as a one-way traffic. To solve this problem, smart classroom concept equipped with enhanced technology can be considered. This technology can be well utilized in co-learning environment. There are several learning frameworks that have been developed before (Lytras, 2010, Lytras, 2011, Mohamed, 2013, Shamim Hossain et al., 2009, Shamim Hossain and El Saddik, 2008); however, these frameworks do not utilized the latest eLearning technology in the form of a smart classroom.

The rest of the paper is organized as follows. Section 2 gives an overview of the existing e-learning and m-learning facilities; Section 3 presents a possible enhancement to the learning system; Section 4 gives an example of a tutorial system using the enhanced system, and finally, Section 5 draws some conclusions.

Section snippets

An overview of a smart class using LMS

The current system utilizes the LMS technology, which involves software applications for the administration, documentation, tracking, and reporting of e-learning programs. In the case of King Saud University (KSU), the university has carefully chosen an LMS system that is consistent with the University’s long-term goals and best addresses the academic needs of the students.

One of the most important benefits of LMS is its user-friendly features. Stu-dents can login to the system anywhere and

Enhancement to the existing learning system

LMS systems are software applications that provide university faculty and students with online training programs, virtual classrooms and online lectures and seminars. It can facilitate online educational opportunities, such as electronic exams, online video courses and supplemental sessions and lectures, as well as direct communication with course administrators and professors.

The current problem of the existing system is that it cannot provide simultaneous interaction between the students and

Case study: digital signal processing course

The enhanced technology of the learning system can be explained through a core engineering course, which is digital signal processing (DSP). DSP is a mandatory course in the electrical and electronics engineering, and to an extent in the computer engineering curriculum. This course mainly deals with sampling, quantization, A/D converter, different transformation such as Fourier transform and z-transform, filter design, application of DSP in speech and image processing, and hardware

Conclusions

One of the main outcomes of any learning system is to ensure the delivery and attainment of quality educational programs. An enhanced learning system is necessary for favorable recognition in any discipline. In this paper, the authors have tried to detail a smart classroom environment facilitated with enhanced technology for an uninterrupted lecture over multi-class. The enhanced technology includes real-time mixer, streaming of the server, multi-screen display, rotating angle cameras, highly

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Deanship of Scientific Research, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia under grant number RGP-VPP-228.

References (13)

  • H.B. Andreu et al.

    Inclusion strategy for mobile technology in the classroom: experience at the Universidad de Tarapacá

    Ingeniare. Revista Chilena De Ingeniería

    (2011)
  • El Saddik, A., Shamim Hossain, M. (2006). Multimedia content repurposing. In Borko Furht (Ed.). Encyclopedia of...
  • E-podium, King Saud University (2010)....
  • Hosny, W. (2007). Power engineering mobile education technology. In proceedings of university power engineering...
  • LMS, King Saud University (2010)....
  • Lytras, Miltiadis D. (2010). From the special issue editor: information systems research for a sustainable knowledge...
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (48)

  • Practice-Based Learning Using Smart Class: A Competency-Based Model in Undergraduate Radiology Education

    2022, Academic Radiology
    Citation Excerpt :

    There is still a lack of experiments in model construction integrated with well-organized concepts and methods. Smart class is a high-tech teaching environment enriched with learner-centric, interactive, and digital devices, enabling the instructors to deliver effective, efficient, and engaging courses (24,25). It could act as a customizable platform that flexibly implants various e-learning tools, which consequently offers a user-friendly environment to construct a hybrid model of undergraduate radiology education.

  • Understanding socio-technological challenges of smart classrooms using a systematic review

    2021, Computers and Education
    Citation Excerpt :

    Other aspects of personalized learning are based on incorporating concentration levels (Kim, 2018), personalizing activity completion (Anil & Moiz, 2019), assuring fulfilment of the minimal study objectives through appropriate learning paths (Temdee, 2019), and supporting flexibility for e-learning based on users' personal timeframes (Park & Hyun, 2014). However, the premise for personalization varies with arguments for focus on the needs of the students (Allawi et al., 2014), knowledge management suggestions (Kalaiselvi & Jayashri, 2017), digital artifacts based on user profiles (Gaeta et al., 2015), AmI (Leonidis et al., 2010), and context-aware and adaptive preferences (Yau et al., 2002, pp. 233–238). Some proposals for learner-driven personalization include customization of learning schedules (Cheong & Koh, 2018), use of blogs (Aldulaimi et al., 2018), and control of the learning processes that involve selecting teachers, courses, assessment criteria, and use of technology (Kinshuk et al., 2016).

  • Smart home: Highly-educated students' acceptance

    2020, Technological Forecasting and Social Change
    Citation Excerpt :

    For example, smart education using Information and Communication Technology could change the way of teaching and learning (Roslina et al., 2017). According to Alelaiwi et al. (2015) the spread of 3G and 4G technologies and the development of devices such as Smartphones or tablets promote the implementation of smart class environment. Learners can be connected from home and Smart education can provide them with more comfort, efficiency and flexibility.

  • Smart Classroom: A Review and Research Agenda

    2024, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management
View all citing articles on Scopus
View full text