Kwame, Shan, Ikenna Adewale & Oladipo Laurea U.A.S Laurea Leppävaara NIA0911

Service Innovation Report 01128/Päivi & Juha 01-Dec-11

WEB-BASED PLATFORM FOR GHANA’S PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL INITIATIVE ON DISTANCE LEARNING (PSI-DL)

Kwame, Shan, Ikenna Adewale & Oladipo Laurea U.A.S Laurea Leppävaara NIA0911

Service Innovation Report 01128/Päivi & Juha 01-Dec-11

Table  of  Contents   1  

PROJECT  SUMMARY  

4  

2  

INTRODUCTION  

4  

3  

OBJECTIVE  

5  

4  

CUSTOMER  NEEDS/STATEMENT  OF  THE  PROBLEM  

5  

5  

SERVICE  INNOVATION  

6  

6  

RESEARCH  METHODS  

7  

6.1  

CUSTOMER  FEEDBACK  ON  EXISTING  E-­‐LEARNING  TOOLS  

9  

6.2  

RETROSPECTIVE  TESTING  (DEMO  ACCOUNTS  FROM  EXISTING  TOOLS)  

9  

7  

MARKETING  STRATEGY  

10  

7.1  

FACE-­‐TO-­‐FACE  MARKETING  

10  

7.2  

AGENCY  MARKETING  

10  

7.3  

PARTNERSHIP  MARKETING  

10  

7.4  

ADVERTISEMENT  

10  

7.5  

SPONSORING  NGOS  EDUCATIONAL  ACTIVITIES  

11  

8  

THE  GH-­‐TOOL  

11  

9  

SOFTWARE  INTERFACE/  FEATURES  DESCRIPTION  

11  

9.1  

STUDENT  FEATURES  

11  

9.2  

LECTURER’S  FEATURES  

13  

10  

WAYS  OF  USING  THE  TOOL    (LEARNING  PROCESS)  

15  

11  

BENEFIT  OF  THE  WEB  PLATFORM  

16  

11.1  

BENEFITS-­‐STUDENTS  

17  

11.2  

BENEFIT-­‐INSTRUCTOR  

17  

11.3  

BENEFITS-­‐GOVERNMENT  

17  

Kwame, Shan, Ikenna Adewale & Oladipo Laurea U.A.S Laurea Leppävaara NIA0911

Service Innovation Report 01128/Päivi & Juha 01-Dec-11

12  

ICT  INFRASTRUCTURE  

17  

13  

E-­‐LEARNING  TRENDS  IN  GHANA  

18  

14  

RISK  ANALYSIS  

19  

15  

BUSINESS  MODEL  CANVAS  

20  

16  

CONCLUSION  

20  

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Project Summary

This report on service innovation and design was the work of a team of 5 students from Laurea UAS (Leppävaara campus). It was a project report on the development of a web-based platform for the Ghana President’s Special Initiative on distance learning (PSI-DL). The PSI-DL is a free educational programme for the whole nation. Some aspect of the programme is aired on TV and others at designated centres especially the vocational education. Many are the challenges this programme faces. In this project report the team has design a web-based tool service called the GHTool, which will improve the success of the PSI-DL programme. The team’s main research methods were customer feedback on existing web-based tools and retrospective testing. Also, in this report major issues that were covered are risks assessment, people level of the usage of internet/computers, Infrastructure, Household Internet usage, tool benefits to our customers and many more. 2

Introduction

The Ghana Presidential special initiative on Distance Learning (PSI-DL) is an educational programme with the slogan “Education for All” as its target, financed by the government of Ghana. The Government of Ghana is aware of the educational needs of the people and as a result has decided to find a different method to help solve or improve the educational situation in the country. “The PSI-DL was therefore established in April, 2002 to co-ordinate and make operational in Ghana alternative models of education to complement Government’s efforts of ensuring that Ghana attains the target of “Education for All” by 2015”(Kwarteng, A., A., and Donkor, F.). The programme includes vocational education and training with designated centres, TV-broadcast of various high school subjects such as Mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, English among others. The television (TV) broadcast programme is aimed at “effectively bridging the educational gap between the well endowed and the poorly endowed schools especially in the rural areas and providing the youth needing remedial tuition the opportunity to improve upon their grades in English, Mathematics and Science”(Kwarteng, A., A., and Donkor, F.). According Kwarteng, A. and Donkor, F., the PSI-DL coordinators, the vocational education and training is “aimed at providing learners with livelihood skills and the prisons project that targets prison inmates interested in acquiring skills vital for re-integration into society upon their release” The first part started in 2003 with two subjects English and Mathematics. At the moment, subjects such as Integrated Science, Physics, Chemistry and Biology are been telecast on Ghana Television telecast (GTV). The content of these subjects are based on the West African Senior School Certificate Examination syllabus. According to the coordinators of the programme, the due to time they are not able to telecast all courses within the year. Now, previous lessons are on CDs, VCD as

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well as printed material for sale to the general public, which means to refer to previous lessons, one need to buy these materials. This is in contrast to one of the objectives of the programme, which says, “effectively bridging the educational gap between the well endowed and the poorly endowed schools especially in the rural areas and providing the youth needing remedial tuition the opportunity to improve upon their grades in English, Mathematics and Science”. We understand the government want to use programme to achieve “Education for all” agenda by 2015 and if they are selling the materials for revision they how will the less endowed people buy them. For the purpose of this project, we are concentrating on the on programme telecast on GTV that cater for the greater part of the population and meant to give the youth a better academic future. 3

Objective

The aim of this project is to “propose or design a web-based environment/platform for the PSI-DL TVbroadcast programme which will help Students make good use of and benefit well from the programme Students to do more practice of the concepts taught The government to measure the success of the programme Reduce government cost in the long run The coordinators to offer more courses than they offer now

4

Customer needs/Statement of the problem

This project is based on the fact that, there is a lot of problem associated with the current PSI-DL programme that is been telecast on GTV. v Few subjects are telecast within the year due to time. v The quality of presentation v The time for the broadcast is at 15:00 during which time most high school student are still at school. v The time for the broadcast is also not suitable for parents to help their wards if the need arise. v Students cannot practice exercises on concepts thought v Student cannot refer or review previous lessons v Instructor has little time to solve tutorial questions (one question is solved on each concept and one is giving as home work)

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v Government/coordinators cannot measure the success of the programme. v Coordinators cannot determine the number of students on the programme. v Student cannot ask the entire question they want to ask because of the time and calling problems v

Cost in broadcasting.

The time for the broadcast is not suitable for all students

Time for the broadcast is also not suitable for parents

Few subjects are telecast within a year due to time

PSI-DL

Coordinators cannot determine the number of

Students cannot practice exercises on concepts

5

The quality of presentation

Student cannot refer or review previous lessons

Student cannot ask the entire question they want Instructor has little time to solve tutorial questions

Coordinators cannot measure the success of the programme

Service Innovation

“Service innovation is a way of doing things better and doing better things” (Europa) In general it is a way of creating a new service concept and/or improving the already existing services in order to bring solutions to problems or challenges in the environments. Most services are birthed as a result of new inventions in different areas of life, for example developments in the aspect of ICT sector brings about improvements and innovation of services in different areas of life. The advent of technology has contributed immensely to the educational sector by creating platforms that makes learning easy and convenient. This project is cantered on creating a web-based environment/platform for the PSI-DL TV-

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broadcast programme in Ghana to enhance the learning capacity of students and as well bring about paradigm shift in the way teachers coordinate their lecturing exercise. This is born out of the new developments in technology sector, introducing e-learning interface to the learning environments of education in Ghana. Implementation of this technological concept to help develop the educational sector in Ghana is a service innovation to that sector. 6

Research Methods

This project explores two major research methods and these are; Customer feedback on existing e-learning tools Retrospective testing (demo accounts from existing tools) Viope tool and e-learning centre were our main benchmarked tools even though we examined a lot of them. Below are figures of how their interface looks like Viope

Figure 1: Viope Tool student interface

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Figure 2: Viope Tool Instructor interface E-learning Centre

Figure 3:E-learning center

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Figure 4: E-learning Centre

6.1

Customer feedback on existing e-learning tools

This project was built on comparison among various existing e-learning tools and customers’ feedbacks were thoroughly looked into. The concern of individual and their testimonies were used in building an effective e-learning tools for the e-learning environment/platform of PSI-DL TV-broadcast programme and project in Ghana For some of these feed-backs (see Appendix A) 6.2

Retrospective testing (demo accounts from existing tools)

This project also looked into the demo of some existing e-learning tools to know the features they have and as well as having deep understanding on how they function. The information gathered was used to build the features for e-learning environment/platform for the PSI-DL TV-broadcast programme in Ghana, but relative to their study offerings and academic status of Ghana. For the list of these tools (see Appendix C) Below are

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Marketing Strategy

Marketing is one vital aspect of any business. Business that will succeed must have very effective marketing strategies in order to have an edge over the competitors and to build a sustainable profit with other benefits. “A marketing strategy is a process that can allow an organization to concentrate its (always limited) resources on the greatest opportunities to increase sales and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage” Here are some of the marketing strategies this project will be focusing on; 7.1

Face-to-face Marketing

This is otherwise known as personal selling, this involves marketers connecting with their customers physically, and with this they build a long lasting relationship with their customers. This is because people get along easily with people they can go along with and this is a relational way of conducting market. 7.2

Agency Marketing

This involves the use of agent to market organisation products and services. It is a wholesales marketing which involves taking the market to individuals and companies who will help in selling products and services 7.3

Partnership Marketing

“This is when two or more companies form alliance with the intent of creating and building long and short term marketing programs designed to fulfil their business objectives and goals respectively”

7.4

Advertisement

This is a way of communicating services and products to different target audiences in the society (potential customers). “It is an offline system of marketing that involves the use of Print - like newspapers, magazines, yellow pages, ads, flyers, bill board, postal, coupons, etc. Media - Television and radio

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Word of mouth” 7.5

Sponsoring NGOs educational activities

This is another effective way of marketing in which organisation get involve in sponsoring community projects such as road construction projects, supply of needed facilities for hospitals, supporting educational programs and charity institutions. This is because people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care. This in a way makes customers bond and buy easily into organisational services and products.

8

The Gh-Tool

The Gh-Tool is a web-based platform for teaching and learning all kinds of subjects or courses. The tool comes with numerous features to help instructors control teaching. Unlike other e-learning tools that are used in supporting selected courses, the Gh-Tool support all courses such as computer science courses, business courses, general arts subjects, science subjects etc. Users of this tool need nothing more than Internet and a browser to work. No installation is needed and no need to study complicated integrated development environment (IDE). The platform contains enough features to manage courses like mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, programming as well as all reading subjects. Other unique thing about Gh-tool is that, it comes with automatic assessment system for all kinds of questions. For example, multiple choice questions, essay questions, calculation questions, fill in the blanks, true/false etc. The tool also has a randomization feature for all questions. This means that, the instructor can change the order of questions and the choices for his/her students to avoid cheating during examination. The structure of the tool is such that it contains learning materials of courses, all kinds of questions, features for student interface as well as instructor interface, which are described below. 9 9.1

Software Interface/ features Description Student features

Assessment Quiz: Before one student starts learning one course, there always some assessment quiz for him/her to take, it is guidance for students of what will be shown next and also a test for student current knowledge level

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Course Materials: Course material feature offers course contents in documents or video, it is the main section of every course. During reading/ or watching, students get the knowledge of every chapter. Three sections constitute this feature: topics, pages, and checkpoints. Select material by click the topic, read the material in pages, and does the checkpoints after finishing your learning (with help of materials). Exercise: Exercise is the feature below the course material, and it also formed in chapters. This platform offers three different types of exercises: multiple choice, fill in the blanks and true or false. After finishing materials in one chapter, student can check his/ her knowledge by doing the exercises related to this chapter without help of materials. Theoretical Questions: Theoretical questions are more written work than exercises. It offers two types of questions: calculation and essay. Students should spend more time with theoretical questions by thinking and writing down the answer but not just check the selection as in exercises. Theoretical questions do not offer automatic feedback. Exams: At the end of every term, there will be one final exam for students to participate. Lecturers can set the time limits and also the date and question types. Students have to log in on time and finish the exam before the time runs out. Communication Tools: Communication tools help lecturers and students get in touch with each other on time. It offers four different types of communication tools: forum, chat, emails and noticeboard. Forum is a platform for everyone online to chat as MSN, Chat is like face-to-face discussion, Email is a email system inside this platform with the same functions as every email box, but all users, both students or lecturers do not need to remember the email address or apply for a real mailbox, Notification is a board lecturers can use to inform students with big change or exams dates. GradeBook: Grade book has different interface for students and lecturers, student can check his/ her scores in every exams. Notebook: Notebook is for students taking notes while reading the materials; students allow to get help from their notebook while doing their exercises, but not exams. No copy-paste allow while dong notes. Dictionary: Dictionary is a tool for students to find out meaning of new words appeared in materials. Other Tools

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Settings: platform to set personal information Project Team: Form project groups and groups can do the work in one separate place Tutorial: Here students can view already solved problems or checkpoints Share: For students and lecturers to share additional useful videos, links, audio Help: Send emails to producer to get help, manual as to how to use the tool. The figure below depicts the looks of the student interface of the Gh-Tool. For the Structure of the features see Appendix A

Figure 5: Gh-Tool, Student Interface 9.2

Lecturer’s Features

Assessment Quiz: Lecturers set up quiz and students should finish before starting one course. The goal for this quiz is let both students and lecturers to know his/her ability lever. Learning Material Management: A platform for lecturers to manage their course materials. Lecturers can create, edit, publish or delete materials for students to read, change can be done both by topics and pages. Course Management: This is the feature for lecturers to manage courses. There are three branches, announcement, and enrolment information and student password. Announcement is for lecturers to publish notice about big changes and notice will be displayed in the homepage. Enrolment information: For lecturers to enrol students.

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Student password: Is for managing and changing students password if they have some problems in password. Test Bank: Test bank is for lecturers to create, edit, publish or delete exams and exercises. Lecturers can set time-limitation, publish date and mark score for each question or the whole exams. There are three types of exercises: theory questions, multiple choice and fill in the blanks. Students Activities: This feature help lecturers to monitor students’ behaviour on time. There are four branches in this feature: evaluate exercises, scores, statistics and plagiarism detection. Evaluate exercises is to check how much left for one student to finish this course. Scores is the feature to check scores of every student on exercises or exams. Statistics help list student’s scores in order from the highest to the lowest. Plagiarism detection help lecturers to check students’ theory if plagiarism involved Communication Tools: Communication tools help lecturers and students keep in touch. There are three types of communication tools, same as students interface. Chat is for face-to-face chatting, forum is type chatting, there are email systems inside this system, and all students enrolled in this course are added into email system automatically. Help: There are two features under help which assistant lecturers to help students. Lecturers can define key words and their meaning in Dictionary besides some regular dictionary words. Manual is for teaching lecturers and students how to use the whole platform of GH-Tools Other Tools: Tutorial sections, team management, and extra materials are other tools help lecturers in teaching. Tutorial sections shows an example how to solve programming problems, Team management helps lecturers to form students into groups and groups can work in their group folder. Extra materials are to share extra useful materials for students to improve. Settings: Place to edit lecturer’s personal information and course information. The figure below depicts the looks of the instructor interface of the Gh-Tool. For the Structure of the features see Appendix A

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Figure 6: Gh-Tool Instructor Interface

10 Ways of using the tool (learning process) This web-based platform can be used for universities, training centre, NGO (non-government organization) and other education areas. Also, it can be used for distance-learning and individual improvement. Self-studying + distance tutoring: Students study by themselves using GH-Tools in wherever they want, school, home, coffee bar and etc. Lecturers do not guide students face-to-face, but distance tutoring. By answering student’s emails and distance chatting using communication tools, lecturers offers guidance and help to students who need it. Limited instructor, "weekly tutoring": This situation suits for schools or training centre with limited lecturer sources. Lecturers range weekly guidance or weekly meeting with all the available students, answering student’s questions and guide students who are interrogative. Lecturers can check student’s behaviour and learning process and send notice to someone left behind. Blended-learning: Mixed distance learning with weekly guidance. Fully guided (That is, in class room with teacher): Use GH-Tools as one materials using in school, as power point and other teaching materials. Automated assessment: Use GH-Tools as exam resources.

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Own material in GH Tools environment: No materials giving, just use GH Tools as a teaching platform, lecturers can add their own materials for teaching. 11 Benefit of the web platform ''As a force contributing to social and economic development, open and distance learning is fast becoming an accepted and indispensable part of the mainstream of educational systems in both developed and developing countries''(Open and distant learning, UNESCO 2002). Research has indicated that the use of the Internet for educational purposes leads to the increase of education accessibility, and may lead to the growth of economic efficiency. Globalisation requires the sustainable improvement of technology as well as the ability to use its advantages to the fullest. Introducing ICT systems and the use of the web early in the educational stage allows students for example to gain important knowledge that will possibly lead to better employment in the future. Using web-based learning will eventually enable the society of Ghana to continue to develop within expected economic standards. The Internet offers a worldwide platform in which you can teach courses. Amongst many benefits are for example the possibilities for students to use the Internet as an encyclopaedia at any time during their studies. Important course material is always updated on time and course texts, exercises and other work are checked together interactively to make sure that the maximum benefit of each exercise is used. This is because the ability to brainstorm, demonstrate and work together plays a very important role in the learning process. Distant learning or web-based learning is considered more cost-efficient than the traditional way of education. Many things affect on this but the key benefit is that with the use of the web fewer teachers are able to reach larger groups of students thanks to the fact that classrooms are no longer needed with this technology. Another very valuable benefit of the web platform is the fact that web based learning does not need any physical movement. You can participate in the learning from where ever your Pc is set or you are capable of having Internet access. Many surveys and research papers have indicated that the use of web based learning enables the attendance of those people who could previously not attend classes due to costly transportation costs, this is a way for many people to save valuable money on travel expenses. It is very evident that the use of web-based learning is without a doubt free from limitations of space and time and it reaches people around the world easier than ever. Web based learning also enables the easy access of subject materials, and also the delivery of these materials through the web instead of paying money on books and printed papers. Using the Internet as a tool in education also enables students to expand their hunger for knowledge beyond the information provided during class. For example, the student who suddenly becomes more interested about a topic learned during class, could with the use of the Internet further more broaden their knowledge even if the teacher isn't there to guide him or her. This possibility of accessing information worldwide should be considered very beneficial. It can also be considered a benefit that web based learning really requires more initiative from the students. In a ''virtual classroom'' teachers don't notice when a student is sleeping or not paying attention. This type of thinking has also lead to some people saying that e learning is less effective than the traditional classroom approach on learning.

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Another benefit of the web platform is that student's progress at their own pace. They can work at home during their free time etc. This ability to work at the students own pace is a big advantage when you compare it to traditional teaching methods, where topics are taught at the teachers pace, and if you fall behind you are faced with the risk of never catching up.

11.1

Benefits-Students v v v v v

Offer easy way for students to share their thoughts on the course Offer automatic and immediate feedback Offer possibility for student to practice more A lot of important features to help students learn Possibility to review previous lessons

11.2 Benefit-Instructor v v v v v v 11.3

Reduce their workload Help them cover more topics than usual Give them enough time to prepare and concentrate on weak students A virtual class can be held using the Gh-Tool Instructor can set questions without limitations Statistical features to control students

Benefits-Government v Measure the success of the PSI-DL v Determine the number of students on the PSI-DL v Reduce cost in the long run

12 ICT Infrastructure Ghana became the second country in sub Saharan Africa to have full Internet connectivity in 1995(ICTS and Higher Education in Africa) “Ghana is connected to the first submarine fibre-optic cable system, which links Africa to Europe and Asia”. Today most Internet users in Ghana are connected by way of shared Internet connections, at offices, cyber cafes, and friends and, to a lesser extent, homes (ICTS and Higher Education in Africa). The easy and fasters way of getting Internet is through the Internet cafes but with the recent increase in mobile internet as one of services been offered by all telecommunication networks, Internet accessibility is much more easier. Internet cafes are scattered all around the country. Notwithstanding the fact that Internet connectivity in Ghana was in 1995, still the growth is still slow as connectivity to remote areas is poor.

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13 E-learning trends in Ghana For the last 10 years, universities in Ghana have been forced to turn away a large number of their qualified applicants every single year. Due to their limited facilities they can't even accept half of their applicants. Limited facilities combined with the rising cost of quality education in Ghana is making the situation very hard for the government, who are at the moment even finding troubles in funding their tertiary education. As a result to the problems mentioned above, and other similar problems, the government has adopted the idea of implementing distance learning to go hand in hand with the traditional face-to face education. This implementation is very much inspired with the thought that Ghanaians should have access to education and all forms of training regardless of where they live. Distant learning is at a very primary stage in Ghana at the moment. Research reveals that there are only 3 universities in the whole of Ghana that are using distant learning in their study offering. Two of these 3 universities mentioned started using distant learning in 2001-2002. The last one is now at its 4th year of operation. All of these universities are dual-mode institutions. This means that they have the characteristics of being '' on campus'' schools, as well as distant learning schools. At the moment there is no institution in Ghana that has based all of its functions around distant learning. The existing institutions that are using distant learning only offer it at a very small scale, however all universities have stated their desire to expand in the future. Also the single mode institutions have expressed their desires to offer some courses through distance education. At the moment distant learning in Ghana is very primary and restricted to only prints and plain texts. However, plans to add video, audio and other media attachments have been made. Only a few personnel at the universities and polytechnics have been trained for the use of distance education. One or two academics have been trained to do some course writing in distant learning, and a few have been trained in the administration and management aspects of distant learning.

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Personnel at the universities that do not have any distance learning have not been trained at all, however there is a small exception of KNUST (Kwame Nkrumah university of science and technology), where a few of the personnel have been trained. This training has not led to the programmes really taking off. Although the institutions have the capability to produce high quality materials, due to the fact that they don't have access to computers, they are forced to use hand written print outs to hand in materials to the distance learners. Clear enough to say that there is room for vast improvements with the use of computers to develop these materials. One problem in the existing trends is that institutions do not work together in collaboration. The university of Winneba and University of Cape coast tried to work together to develop a Diploma in basic education programme, but this collaboration ran into problems and failed at a very initial stage. As a conclusion the E-learning trends in Ghana are at a very primary stage and developments are being made constantly. 14

RISK ANALYSIS

Technological Risk ●

Internet Broadband Speed

●

Electricity

●

System malfunctions

●

Heavy traffic towards information transfer

●

Availability of broadband in a geographical area

Content Risk ●

●

●

●

Invitation of expert in important field for course work preparation content for the Elearning program

People Risk ●

●

Having years of experiences in their expertise field. Inadequate academic course work contents Inadequate business course work contents

●

Inadequate of facilitating instructors for student Inadequate of good instructors with IT knowledge and working online with student comfortably. People readiness to use elearning tools

Process Risk ●

Inadequate learning effectiveness

●

Ineffective operational expertise

●

Insufficient administrative

●

Inadequate ICT personnel Regulatory change

● ●

Insufficient elearning infrastructure

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Competitors There are few ICT firms in Ghana that handles e-learning program which can be the competitors after the project is been introduced and deployed. Some of the firms are listed as follows NIIT (National Institute of Information Technology) AB-TECH University of Ghana E-learning System Oilennium Ltd (OTC Ghana) 15 Business Model Canvas

16 Conclusion

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Education is turning from more face-to-face interaction to distance education and with Gh-Tool we can contribute our quota to its development. Education in Ghana is still more instructor centered as student depends more on teachers, with Gh-Tool students will be more responsible and take initiative

Reference(s) v (http://www.the-business-plan.com/types-of-marketing-strategies.html) v http://www.e-learningcenter.com/testimonies.htm v (http://www.searchenginepeople.com/blog/what-is-partnership-marketing.html) v (http://www.dynamicintegration.net/marketing_strategy.aspx) v Kwarteng, A.,A., and Donkor, F.,EXPANDING THE HORIZON OF EDUCATION: THE CASE OF PRESIDENTS’S SPECIAL INITIATIVE ON DISTANCE LEARNING, GHANA v http://wikieducator.org/PCF5:EXPANDING_THE_HORIZON_OF_EDUCATION:_THE_CASE_OF_PRESID ENTS’S_SPECIAL_INITIATIVE_ON_DISTANCE_LEARNING,_GHANA v http://wikieducator.org/PCF5:EXPANDING_THE_HORIZON_OF_EDUCATION:_THE_CASE_OF_PRESID ENTS’S_SPECIAL_INITIATIVE_ON_DISTANCE_LEARNING,_GHANA v "EXPANDING THE HORIZON OF EDUCATION: THE CASE OF PRESIDENT'S ..." Insert Name of Site in Italics. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2011 v http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001284/128463e.pdf v http://www.cet.uct.ac.za/files/file/ghana.pdf v http://www.resourcesunlimited.com/Advantages_and_Disadvantages_of_Web-based_Learning.asp v http://www.syberworks.com/articles/e-learningROI.htm v http://www.elearningap.com/elap2006/Proceeding/p44.1-5-fin-44.pdf v https://optima.discendum.com/learning/id74/bin/doc_show?id=2241556&ws=2116196&noedit=1&name=/Gh ana_capacity_building_En02.pdf

v (http://ec.europa.eu/research/sme-techweb/pdf/service_innovation_final_report.pdf)

Appendix A

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Student Features

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Instructor features

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Appendix B “Fifteen students from the Viope exercise group participated the exam and eleven (73 %) received the grade passed.From the other exercise group, sixteen students participated the exam and six (38 %) received the grade passed. Thus, there is a significant difference between the two groups.” - Satu Alaoutinen, Arto Kaarna Department of Information Technology, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland (http://viope.fi/products) ”We have noticed in our previous courses that the students often have trouble connecting the small classroom exercises with the larger laboratory projects. This tool allows the students to get extra practice with those concepts to help ensure they are understood.” - Jeffrey Carver and Lisa Henderson Department of Computer Science and Engineering,Mississippi State University, USA (http://viope.fi/products) ”Learning environments can be able to give dynamic feedback and to have a tip system, which helps students when teacher unreachable. Viope-environment is a study book example of virtual learning environment.." - Jussi Pekka Kasurinen, research report 107, Lappeenranta University of Technology, The Faculty of Technology Management, Department of Information Technology (http://viope.fi/products)

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"I was searching and looking for online training that could keep my attention and one that I enjoy learning. I found it! Out of all the web sites (on-line training), e-LearningCenter is the most attractive and enjoyable one that I have seen. I just completed the free Excel 2000 MOS and was amazed by how it works. I could not believe it was free! This will definitely catch one's attention. I will be sending in a payment soon to order a full package including Word, PowerPoint, Access, etc. It is great!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Beverly Perkins Roswell, Georgia (http://www.e-learningcenter.com/testimonies.htm) "On the 6th I signed up for your "Technical Web Development" courses. As of now I have completed & certified in two of the courses !!!!!!! :o) I think that you guys have a GREAT website with VERY good prices. I am very happy that I stumbled across your site & once I master the courses that I am taking at this time, I will be taking others & hope to get my Microsoft Certifications through your website!! Thank You for a GREAT product!" Joe R. Webb Ore City,Texas (http://www.e-learningcenter.com/testimonies.htm) " I am enjoying learning as much as I will earning an income later on. I was a 65 year old computer illiterate until I bought a Gateway2000 2 years ago. I am just thrilled to know that a person my age can still learn. I have spent my life raising my 2 children and now they are raising theirs and I had a lot of time on my hands and stayed sick a lot so I really needed this opportunity to stretch my world. I am loving every minute of it. I am getting ready to put up my web site and do some business for Nutrition for Life. Thanks for the Opportunity, I would be delighted to have my name and City and State and whatever you can use of my letter to help some of my fellow Senior Citizens learn something to talk about except their aches and pains and pills. This would be good for them, to use their minds. I love it!!" Martha Stewart Athens, Alabama (http://www.e-learningcenter.com/testimonies.htm) " I took a look at your free courses. I also have researched for the last couple of weeks to get the best price and the best type of training. I chose your company. I like the way your courses are set up. They are simple and to the point. I'm sure that as I dig into your courses this coming year, that I will enjoy the learning experience. Thank You!" Dennis A. Crumrin MasterBrand Cabinets. Inc Arthur, Illinois (http://www.e-learningcenter.com/testimonies.htm) " Thanks for setting up this company. I do enjoy the free e-classes and I am very impressed with the site. I am looking at my budget to see how I can fit the year long all access course into both my funds and schedule. It is a great service at a great price!" Aurora (jazzmouth) Robinson (http://www.e-learningcenter.com/testimonies.htm)

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"I took one of your free online classes and was so excited. Wonderful content presented in a way I can get it. I signed up for your web package immediately. I love the product and the price. I'm REALLY glad I found you site." Thanks! Joy Castle (http://www.e-learningcenter.com/testimonies.htm) "I have to say that I've learned a lot so far from the UNIX courses. I use UNIX a lot in my work, but up until February of this year had never done much with UNIX and have had to learn on the job as I go. These courses will help me to fulfill the goals that I have for my next evaluation!" Thanks! Linda Ryan (http://www.e-learningcenter.com/testimonies.htm) "The classes simple to use, gratifying (the small units and intermittent tests show me I'm moving forward and learning), and I think the graphics and overall set up is excellent. The graphics add to the classes, but are not distracting or too much, and the backgrounds are perfect; they give an excellent contrast and make each page look rich. Impressive stuff!" S. Ratcliffe, Iowa (http://www.e-learningcenter.com/testimonies.htm

Appendix C v VIOPE v BOSS v WebWork v WebAssign v CodeLab v CodeWitz v CodingBat v Gradiance v MyMathLab v MycodeMate v TALER Lab v TRAKLA2 v Web-CAT v EasyProf v BlueJ v E-learning Center v CourseMaker v ViLLE v Webucator v Processing

Kwame Laurea U.A.S Laurea Leppävaara NIA0911 0901608 v Educosoft

Appendix D Project Idea Generation using 8X8 method

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