Animated Courseware Support for Teaching Database Design

Introduction Database technologies are foundational to effective information systems and an effective database system is predicated on a good data model. The goal of database design is to conceptualize an underlying data model and determine an appropriate structure to be used in the physical implementation of that model. Consequently, understanding database design is central to understanding a good data model and an effective database implementation. However, the abstract nature of database design can make it challenging to teach and challenging to learn (Chilton, McHaney, & Chae, 2006). One way to address this challenge is through the use of supplemental instructional materials. We are developing a set of software animations to support the teaching of database design as well as other database related concepts. The animations are part of a larger animated database courseware project funded through a National Science Foundation Course, Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement grant. The courseware is freely available and can be accessed at Animations and visualizations have been touted as a means to provide additional instructional support to convey complex and dynamic topics especially when commonly used teaching methodologies such as lectures and textbooks do not appear to be sufficient. Animations have been used in many disciplines, including computer science, where animations exist to support the teaching of algorithms, machine execution, networking and programming. While the achievement of learning outcomes as a result of using animations has been mixed, there is evidence that animations do support the teaching and learning process. Animations have been found to increase student motivation and visualizations have been found to help students develop understanding of abstract concepts which are otherwise considered to be ‘invisible’ (Steinke, Huk, & Floto, 2003). In their study of ways to introduce the idea of pervasive computing to students, Woodcock, Burns, Mount, Newman, and Gaura (2005) cite that using words and pictures helped students construct verbal and pictorial mental models as well as to build connections between them and increased their ability to understand the precepts of the topic under study. Further, Mayer (2001) notes that the capacity of animations to portray information in a different way engages the use of an additional cognitive channel, thereby, reducing the learner’s overall cognitive load. Whatever the case, providing multiple venues of learning support such as supplemental instructional materials does contribute to heightened levels of student learning. A review of the literature revealed very few animations or visualized tutorials that support the teaching of database concepts. A majority of these programs focus specifically on some aspect of SQL or query execution. For instance, W3Schools (W3Schools, 2009) offers an interactive SQL tutorial and Allenstein, Yost, Wagner and Morrison (2008) provide a simulation system to enable students to visualize the steps required to execute a database query. The WINRDBi Educational Tool developed at Arizona State University (WINRDBI Educational Tool, n.d.) provides an interpreter that allows students to program in interactive SQL, relational algebra, domain calculus or tuple calculus. While several drawing tools are available that provide support for the mechanical creation of ER diagrams, no animated instructional support materials were found that that address the topic of database design. The process of database design includes identifying user requirements, conceptualizing those requirements into a graphical data model, mapping that model into a physical database system and assessing the model to insure data anomalies are reduced, data integrity maintained and data redundancy eliminated, a process known as normalization. The animations included for database design in the Animated Database Courseware (ADbC) project follow this process for the development of a relational database system.