ABSTRACT
This research work focused on electronic learning system for food and nutrition using Ritman college in Ikot Ekpene as a case study. The problems that necessitated the development of the system include: The school does not have an electronic intelligent learning system to aid in the training of students on the subject of food and nutrition and inability of students to learn food and nutrition independent of a teacher. The objectives of the study include: to develop an electronic intelligent learning system to aid in learning of food and nutrition and to develop a learning system that can be used by students independent of an instructor. The significance of the study is it will provide an e-learning platform for the management of Ritman College to aid in the learning of food and nutrition. The software development methodology used is Rapid Application Development (RAD). The programming language used is pHp Hypertext pre-processor (PHP) and the database used is MYSQL. It was concluded that Institutions can adopt the use of intelligent E-learning system to aid in promoting gaining of knowledge on the subject by making it available to people that need training on food and nutrition. It was recommended that more research should be encouraged in the area of electronic intelligent learning system.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page – – – – – – – – i
Certification – – – – – – – – – ii
Approval – – – – – – – – – iii
Dedication – – – – – – – – iv
Acknowledgment – – – – – – – – v
Abstract – – – – – – – – vi
Table of Contents – – – – – – – – vii-ix
List of Tables – – – – – – – – x
List of Figures – – – – – – – – xi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction – – – – – – – 1
1.1 Background of the Study – – – – – – 1-3
1.2 Statement of Problem – – – – – 3
1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study – – – 3-4
1.4 Significance of the Study – – – – – – 4
1.5 Scope of the Study – – – – – – – 4
1.6 Organization of the Research – — – – – 4-5
1.7 Definition of Terms – – – – – – 5
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction – – – – – – – 6
2.1 Theoretical Background – – – – – – 6-8
2.2 The E-Learning Process – – – – – – 9-11
2.3 Ways of Conducting E-Learning – – – – 11-13
2.4 Applications of E-Learning Technologies – – – 14
2.5 Advantages and Disadvantages of eLearning – – – 14
2.5.1 Advantages of Electronic Learning – – – – 15
2.5.2 Disadvantages of E- learning – – – – – 15-16
2.6 Intelligent Tutoring System – – – – – – 16-18
2.7 Components of an Adaptive intelligent learning
System (AILS) – – – – – – – 18-19
2.8 Food and Nutrition – – – – – – – 19-20
2.8.1 Food – – – – – – – – – 20-23
2.8.2 Food and Nutrition and Nutrients – – – – 23-24
CHAPTER THREE: SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
- Introduction – – – – – – – 25
3.1 Research Methodology – – – – – 25-26
3.2 Analysis of the Existing System – – – – 26
3.2.1 Advantages of the Existing System – – – 26
3.2.2 Disadvantages of the Existing System – – – 26
3.3 Analysis of the Proposed System – – – – 27
3.3.1 Advantages of the Proposed system – – – 27
3.4 System Design – – – – – – – 27
3.4.1 Input layout – – – – – – – 28-29
3.4.2 Output Layout – – 30
3.4.3 Algorithm – – 30-31
3.4.4 Program Flowchart – – 32-37
3.4.5 Database Design – – – – – 37
3.4.6 System Architecture – – – – – 37-38
3.4.7 Use Case/Class Diagram- – – – – – – 38-39
CHAPTER FOUR: SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION AND DOCUMENTATION
4.0 Introduction – – – – – – 40
4.1 System Design Diagram – – – – – 40
4.2 Choice of Programming Language – – 40
4.2 Analysis of Modules – – – – 40-41
4.4 Programming Environment – – – – 41
4.4.1 Hardware Requirements – – – – – 41-42
4.4.2 Software Requirements – – – – – 42
4.5 System Implementation – – – – – 42-43
4.6 Software Testing – – – – – – 43
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.0 Introduction – – – – – – – – 44
5.1 Constraints of the Study – – – – – – 44
5.2 Summary – – – – – 44
5.3 Conclusion – – – – – – 45
5.4 Recommendations – – – – – – 45
References – – – – – – 46-47
Appendix A (Source Code)- – – – – – 48-58
Appendix B (Output) – – – 59-67
LIST OF TABLES
Page Number
Table 3.1: Output Layout – – – – – – 28
Table 3.2: Database design – – – – – 30
LIST OF FIGURES
Page Number
Figure 2.1: Login page – – – – – – 8
Figure 3.1: Input Layout – – – – – – 28-29
Figure 3.3: Home page flowchart – – – – 32
Figure 3.4: User Registration Flowchart – – – 33
Figure 3.5: View/Read learning materials Flowchart – 34
Figure 3.6: E-learning Assessment flowchart — – – 35
Figure 3.7: View Database Records flowchart – – 36
Figure 3.7: Architecture of the System – – – – 37
Figure 3.8: Use case diagram – – – – – 38
Figure 4.1: System Design Diagram – – – – 39
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction
This chapter presents the introduction to computer aided learning system for food and nutrition. It presents the following: introduction, background of the study, statement of the problem, aim and objectives of the study, significance of the study, scope of the study, organization of the research and definition of terms.
1.1 Background of the Study
E-learning is the computer and network-enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. Application of e-learning includes computer-based learning, web-based learning, virtual education opportunities etc. Content is provided via the Internet, audio or video tape and CD-ROM etc. It can be self-paced or instructor-led and it also includes various media in the form of text, image, audio, video, animation etc. It is learner centric learning mechanism irrespective of time and distance. Â Distance learning with emerging computer technologies has offered many promises in the field of education. A crucial issue in educational technology is the provision of instructional environments and conditions that can comply with individually different educational goals and learning abilities. The learning management systems provide educational services to a wide range of students and they can help students to achieve their learning goals by delivering knowledge in an adaptive or individualized way (Gilbert, Juan and Arthur, 2015).
Adaptiveness is a crucial issue in today’s onlinelearning environments (OLE). Virtual learning environments (VLE) are best at achievinglearning effectiveness when they adapt to the needsof individual learners. OLEs should be able to identifylearning needs and customize solutions that fostersuccessful learning and performance, with or withoutan instructor to supplement instruction. The ultimate goals of online learningenvironments are to achieve adaptive learning and helplearners to create their own knowledge.The adaptive intelligent learning systems inherit theadvantages of both artificial intelligence and learningAI has been seen as a way toextend and improve the adaptation for a Learning ManagementSystem (LMS). The intelligence of a LMSis largely attributed to its ability to adapt to a specificlearner’s needs during the learning process. FlexibleOLE can be established according to the knowledgeof the subject domain, information of the individualstudent or the groups of students, and the teachingmethodology (Howard, Carver & Lavelle, 2016).
The Contemporary scenario of education and training is undergoing a paradigm shift under the impact of information and communication technology. The widespread uses of computers and access to the Internet have created many opportunities for online education, including improved distance-learning and classroom support. Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) extend traditional computerized content-delivery learning systems by incorporating intelligence to improve the quality of a learner’s experience resulting in better achievement of learning objectives. This normally involves personalized tutoring, using factors such as learner’s knowledge, emotion or learning style to alter the sequence and style of learning material.
Besides this, in conventional/classical contact mode teaching-learning process, a teacher has plenty of opportunities to facilitate a student as per his or her level of understanding. Along with this a teacher can modulate his/her training procedure according to the various responses obtained from the learners. E-learning, under normal circumstances, cannot provide a learner the privilege of teacher’s timely intervention as and when a learner requires. Human tutors have the wisdom of tuning the teaching strategy to harmonize with present in the case of e-learning environment. Therefore in an e-learning environment, the learner faces the additional challenge of retaining learning interest in the absence of a teacher and his encouragement as well as personal care. To face these types of challenge, lot of innovative methods of e-learning have been introduced among which a major part is based on intelligent e-learning. These types of e-Learning technology help to bridge the gap and reduce the social restrictions and facilitate a learner in many ways to achieve his objective of learning a particular subject such as food and nutrition.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The following identified problems necessitated this study:
- The school does not have an electronic intelligent learning system to aid in the training of students on the subject of food and nutrition.
- Students do not have easy access to food and nutrition learning materials.
- Inability of students to learn food and nutrition independent of a teacher.
- Teachers must physically be present in class with the students before they can learn food and nutrition.
1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study
The aim of the study is to develop a computer aided learning system that can be used to educate users on food and nutrition. The following are the objectives of the study:
- To develop a computer aided learning system to aid in learning of food and nutrition.
- To develop a learning system that can be used by students independent of an instructor.
- To design a learning system to assess students performance on the subject of food and nutrition.
- To develop a system that can be used to retrieve needed reports from the database about the registered users of the system.
1.4 Significance of the Study
This study is significant in the following ways:
- It will provide an e-learning platform for the management of Ritman College to aid in the learning of food and nutrition.
- It will aid easy access to learning materials of poultry farming by staff and students.
- It will eliminate the barrier of distance in learning food and nutrition.
- The study will also serve as a useful reference material to other researchers seeking related information electronic intelligent system for food and nutrition.
