=Paper=
{{Paper
|id=Vol-2732/20201129
|storemode=property
|title=Formation of Personalized Learning Path for Foreign Students Based
on the MOODLE E-learning Platform Using SCORM-package
|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-2732/20201129.pdf
|volume=Vol-2732
|authors=Anna Puliaieva,Lyudmyla Kravtsova,Tatyana Zaytseva
|dblpUrl=https://dblp.org/rec/conf/icteri/PuliaievaKZ20
}}
==Formation of Personalized Learning Path for Foreign Students Based
on the MOODLE E-learning Platform Using SCORM-package==
https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-2732/20201129.pdf
Formation of Personalized Learning Path for Foreign
Students Based on the MOODLE E-Learning Platform
Using SCORM-Package
Anna Puliaieva1[0000-0003-0595-6709] and Lyudmila Kravtsova1[0000-0002-0152-635X] and
Tatyana Zaytseva1[0000-0001-6780-719X]
1Kherson State Maritime Academy, 20, Ushakova St., Kherson, 73000 Ukraine
leon85517@gmail.com, limonova@ukr.net,sunny@ksu.ks.ua
Abstract. In the paper questions about using Distance Learning Platform based
on the SCORM standard for definition structure of teaching materials and crea-
tion personalized learning path for students are discussed. The authors made re-
search of teaching way of the discipline Information Technologies for foreign
students on the basis distance learning platform. A proposed strategy must take
into consideration national, language, psychology and cognitive features of stu-
dents, different their skill levels not only from information disciplines but also
from other general science subjects.
A number of reasons conditions the relevance and practicability of the study.
First, learning of foreign students in the maritime academy requires the creation
of according conditions for them, which help better adapt to the learning process.
Second, scientifically planned and methodically determined distance learning can
help to students to be not cut off educating when they have practice training in
remote areas.
Efficient use of education distance form depends on a built learning manage-
ment system (LMS) and information technologies by which it had been realized.
Application of SCORM-package improves cognitive orientation, its accessi-
bility, variability, creative education aspects and contributes to forming a public
usable web-based learning environment. SCORM-packages have been developed
taking into account a standard, so can be used for e-learning system based on
different platforms.
Without taking into account that involved training course of marine profes-
sional was oriented to foreign students, the research results can be applied for
students’ teaching in other areas, because usage of SCORM standard allows to
develop learning course independently of a software platform and some topics
are general for the forming of information culture of trainees.
Keywords: Learning Management System, SCORM-packages, Distance Learn-
ing Platform, Information technologies.
Copyright © 2020 for this paper by its authors. Use permitted under Creative Commons License Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
1 The general problem statement and its actuality
The term “e-learning” means any education with information technologies. Electronic
learning has greatly impacted to education in general, making it available to anyone
interested student, who wants to obtain deeper knowledge in various areas. Educational
institutions at all levels use learning management systems as an essential part of the
organization today. This enables students all needed materials of each course, which is
part of the training program for a relevant field. Certainly, methodological content must
be quality and satisfy of the educational program.
But there are some specializations for which e-learning usage is not only desirable
but indispensable element for learners preparing. These included qualifications related
to work at sea, when student can’t attend classes because long time is not just abroad,
but far away in the sea or ocean. However, career of the marine specialist, destiny or
even lives of the crew and ship sometimes depend on sailor’s knowledge, skills and
attitudes, physical and moral training. To date, the primary problem of maritime edu-
cation institutions is quality training of marine professionals, which can do complex
problems and take right management decisions. So, the graduates’ competitiveness in
the international labour market depends on as far as full teaching institution applies
modern technologies in education using all possible resources which defines actuality
proposed material.
2 Analysis of recent research and publications, which launched
the solution to this problem
In recent years, e-learning has received much attention including in publications – tu-
torials, articles, workshops. Besides, there is about applying of increased abilities of
distance learning platform and their apps. The e-learning resources such as SCORM
standard are particularly popular that allows the application of distributed processing
technologies (cloud educational service) besides to the direct function exchanging of
training materials and management of the learning process. Both works of domestic and
foreign authors have focused on this topic.
The paper by H. Husieva [1] has a detailed description of Learning Management
System in the SCORM format. This is where author discusses the full cycle of estab-
lishing a training unit based on interaction SCORM-package and LMS in the structural
form (apps for administration, documentation, path tracking and other online activities).
Authors Yu. Telnov and O. Rohozyn [2] have devoted their work to preferences of
educational objects that were created in SCORM standard and have built own develop
based on SCORM. Their conducted experiment has shown the effectiveness of using
develop when courses are created and, most importantly, improving the quality of
teaching students.
Analysis of possible use of DLS content in the SCORM format is executed in the
papers of L. Zamikhovsky and V. Yakubovsky [3], O. Baibuz and N. Kharchenko [4].
On the other hand, many scientific works focused on the optimal choice of training
resource, which allows to create personalized learning path of a learner taking account
his education attainment and personal preference. For instance, P. Brusilovsky [5] much
attention has devoted to create an appropriate learning path of students. The same view
is shared by K. Limonhelli [6] and T. Lendiuk [7], who are active supporters of creating
a personalized learning path for each student in order to achieve target knowledge level.
Greek scientists P. Karampiperis, D. Sampson [8] consider the definition of learning
resource sequence as learning path. International scientific community, for example, P.
Libbrecht [9], Е. Bowling [10], has long been involved about the problem of reusing e-
learning, hence there are some international standards in this direction that describe can
be found and in the papers M. Hlybovets [11].
The works of N. Valko, N. Osipova, N, Kushnir [12] are devoted to the characteris-
tics of STEM technologies and the description of the pedagogical experience of using
interactive teaching methods in higher education.
3 Solving basic problems
Most of the educational institutes are used course management system Moodle (Mod-
ular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment). Each teacher decides for self in
what format own course will be created, how teaching materials structured for students'
interest and involving them to general process of mutual understanding, which arouses
desire to learn and self-learn. The user's attitude to the chosen educational system
largely depends on educational institution’s attitude to current technologies, its provi-
sion of modern technologies, means of communication and general strategy of intro-
ducing distance forms of providing knowledge in educational process. Additionally, the
strategy itself depends on specifics of educational institution and the student body. But
far not all users to the full possess features of work with resources and objects Moodle
– LMS’s with open source codes. Obviously, this system provides what's necessary for
distance learning. It contains blocks for direct course creation, in addition, with apply-
ing of interactive elements, providing feedback, communication both between students
and teacher, and between students themselves, testing the learners’ level of mastering.
But capabilities of distance learning system can be greatly enhanced by downloading
course elements, which are SCORM-compliant and can be displayed in a web browser.
The purpose of this article is an analysis of developing process of structure and con-
tent distance teaching material and formation personalized learning path in an environ-
ment of DLS using SCORM package. This approach should take into account psycho-
logical, personal and cognitive characteristics of learners.
SCORM standard has proved successful in foreign institutions and is actively used
in the learning portals of Ukrainian educational establishes. It defines structure of learn-
ing materials and interface, so all learning objects can be used in different e-learning
systems. Besides, SCORM standard is provided management of educational process
and applying of selected parts of learning material without significant change its struc-
ture.
LMS Moodle several years is one of the educational process elements of Kherson
State Maritime Academy (KSMA) not only as a modern training tool of theoretical and
practical materials, but also checking learners’ quality of education. In fact, it is a very
convenient learning platform, but not enough when it comes to foreign student educa-
tion.
International relations in education are great importance for Ukraine higher educa-
tion institutions. Firstly, it is exchange of experience, scientific and pedagogical ideas
and views on the modern educational space. Secondly, it is a real opportunity not only
to see how are learning in other countries, but also to involve students in this process.
However, some Ukraine institutions in can compete with similar overseas universities.
The citizens of different nations from Asia, Africa and Europe (Bangladesh, Cameroon,
Lebanon, Ghana, Egypt, etc.) had desire to be trained in KSMA after carefully studied
training level and educational environment there. In fact, its material and technical base
meets the highest standards and contains such training complexes, which other mari-
time educational institutions would envy.
A multinational group of foreign students, each of whom communicates in English
with an appropriate dialect, requires a special approach. This is about adaptive learning
approach that takes into account both the mentality of each student of such groups and
their different levels of prior training, and, most importantly, the training specific at a
maritime institution that trains marine professionals for international campaigns. Thus,
teachers should not only have professional competencies and sufficient communication
skills in English for teaching but also correctly organize work of English-speaking
group.
Let's show what problems teachers have faced, who conduct classes in foreign stu-
dent groups and what methods of decision these problems they offer.
We’ll do it on the example of discipline "Information Technologies" our department
in KSMA and modern training methods based on the technical possibilities of the in-
stitution, teacher’s experience and creative teaching approach.
From 2016 onwards, that’s four years in a row, the Academy accepts foreign stu-
dents, who wish to be marine education. Not only in each academic year but even in
each group, students are different from each other by nationality, level of English,
which causes some teaching difficulty in such groups. We would like to stress sepa-
rately two main points. First, it is a dialect and some slang expressions that foreign
students use when communicating both with each other and with the teacher. Very often
it makes difficult for understanding and translate the students’ speech during class. Sec-
ond, it’s a training level. With the example of discipline Information Technology that
is taught the first year at the academy, we are dealing with a polar different computeracy
level in foreign student groups. Therefore, in our opinion based on own experience, the
issue of adaptive learning in such groups is most relevant, so, requires the introduction
of modern forms and methods of teaching. The teacher’s task is to plan classes in such
a way as to make work in a group effective, interesting for students, as much as possi-
ble, taking into account all their features, capabilities and experience.
A personalized approach in education was implemented by our department with DLS
of KSMA built on the Moodle platform. Resources and activities of Moodle allowed to
create training courses such that each student could choose his or her own learning path,
get complete information on this or other department’s discipline, perform and send
practical works to the teacher for checking and be tested for assessing the level of ma-
terial mastering.
During the first two academic years, distance learning courses were developed that
have used interactive elements of Moodle. Availability of multimedia equipment in
classrooms, student's ability to work on PC, his (or her) access to the course's electronic
resources significantly improved the learning quality. But a thorough analysis of the
Moodle platform operating principles allowed to add modules that were created in the
SCORM format in training courses. This standard provides compatibility of course
components, presents training material in separate blocks, greatly enhances the possi-
bility of learning personalization and student’s independence in the learning.
Taking into account teaching experience in foreign student groups, it can be noted
that the creation of SCORM-packages and their use in classes of the discipline Infor-
mation Technologies is very effective in the learning. First of all, the teacher forms the
structure of the future package, which should cover all information elements, training,
consulting, the performance of planned practical works, checking knowledge, etc.
In the academic year 2018/19, the usage of SCORM-package for foreign student
group was first proposed. The student is able “to travel” independently on educational
material through the properly designed course structure thus increasing cognitive mo-
tivation and knowledge levelling. The survey results showed that work with such re-
source is much more convenient for student.
Experience of the above-mentioned academic year has helped to expand possibilities
SCORM-standard guided by basic principles of package designing, namely:
─ Quantization principle that is a distribution of material into modules, which have
minimum amount but closed in content.
─ Completeness principle (each module has following components: theoretical core,
questions on theory, examples, tasks and exercises to solve independently, questions
on the module, test, context help (Help), comments).
─ Visibility principle: the availability of a visualization that makes possible to under-
stand and memory of new concepts, assertion and methods.
─ Branching principle: each module should be hyperlinked to other modules so that
user has choice of switching to another module. It ensures to the student be able
choose the personalized learning path.
─ Principle of regulatory and adaptability: student manages module’s blocks inde-
pendently by selecting the level of complexity, study sequence, applied orientation
that depends on the learning purpose.
─ Principle of computer support: the learner can get computer support for performing
standard actions at any moment of the topic processing to focus on the main material;
it should be noted that student must be proficient in the computation techniques of a
sufficient level of complexity.
─ Collection principle: that is, all module’s elements are made in formats, which pro-
vide to collect it’s into electronic complexes, to expand and supplement in new
blocks.
These principles have formed the basis of the course Information Technologies for
foreign students. For example, structure one of the interactive course’s modules Infor-
mation Technologies was designed based on SCORM methodology in the application
iSpring Suite 9.0 on the topic "Tabulation of the function and graphing in MS EXCEL".
Note that this topic is very important for any student of technical higher education,
because it not only reveals topic, but also generally covers such elements as an under-
standing of analytical dependence (formulas), knowledge of Excel’s built-in functions,
ability to perform calculations in accordance with a mathematical model.
Teacher offers a standard lesson structure for this course to systematize student's
work and choosing own learning path (see Fig. 1). But the student can control time
independently that spent at any stage, and most importantly, can review any step, for
example, theoretical material or explanations for practical tasks, without leaving the
SCORM-package. Additionally, the student can learn the topic even if he or she was
absent from class for certain reasons at any convenient time.
Fig. 1. Lesson structure with SCORM-package
The next stage is a fill content of the created structure. The student’s training level and
interest to topic mastering dependence exactly on content quality. Therefore, teacher
expands the learning material with interactive elements such as Video, Labeled
Graphic, Media Catalog and others.
So, the package element Labeled Graphic was used when teaching the topic "Tabu-
lation of functions and charting in MS EXCEL" (see Fig. 2). This element contributes
to enhancing foreign students' understanding of the properties of excel chart compo-
nents. Each label is responsible for a certain chart element. The student can see descrip-
tion of element clicking on the label. If necessary, he or she can refer to a theoretical
description of the material or to the example of tasks execution, or while performing a
personal task without leaving the package.
Fig. 2. Interactive element Labeled Graphic
One more interesting element of the package is "Tabs" that use when topic "Tabulation
of functions and charting in MS EXCEL" teaching to familiarize with the basic kinds
of charts. The student sees view corresponding type of the chart and its description
pressing on the tab (see Fig. 3).
Fig. 3. Interactive element Tabs
Levels of relevant competencies formation in control and experimental groups have
been analysed to confirm the hypothesis that modern training courses should provide
an opportunity to build personalized learning path and e-learning courses that devel-
oped according to the SCORM standard is an effective tool for this.
The students’ training results on discipline Information Technology in the academic
years 2017/18 and 2018/19 have been taken by measures of a control group, the exper-
imental group was formed in the academic years 2019/20.
The application of most statistical methods is based on the idea of using a random
set of students, who took part in the study, from all persons on whom the conclusions
can be spread, but in our case - all 100% of foreign first-year students were involved
owing to the real learning process when we conducted experiment.
The level of formed subject competencies of foreign students has become an object
of research and analysis.
A quantitative type of data variation was used to obtain objective data: discrete var-
iation - students' total scores on topics were assessed, continuous variation - students'
average points of current scores on each separate topic [13].
Percentage distribution of control and experimental groups’ learners with different
educational levels shows in the following chart (see Fig. 4).
Fig. 4. Percentage distribution of control and experimental groups’ learners
The variation series and histograms (see Fig. 5, Fig.6) of experimental and control
groups by the average and total scores were constructed (Table 1).
Table 1. The variation series of experimental and control groups
Scores (W) 50 60 64 74 83 90 100 ∑
Number of control
1 5 7 4 2 2 4 25
group students (fcontr)
Number of experi-
mental group students 0 4 4 5 3 3 6 25
(fexp)
Measures of variation were calculated to extensive and full characterization of variation
facilities. One of them is a weighted average:
Fig. 5. Variation curves
Fig. 6. Frequency distribution
f i Wi
M , (1)
n
where n is number of all variants.
The average value of variation will be closer to values that occur more frequently.
Therefore, closer to this value, first of all, we should hope to obtain most values in
future observations.
We have obtained result for the control group: Мcontr=3.86.
This value is equal: Мexp=4.18 for the experimental group.
This number is a specific centre of frequency dispersion observed values of an in-
vestigated quantity.
The average value does not fully characterize a series, because different in nature
variation series may have the same average value. Therefore, essential distribution
characteristics are also frequency dispersion characteristics, in particular the standard
deviation (σ) of the observed values of the investigated quantity from arithmetic mean
and dispersion (D or σ2) a measure of variation. These values indicate the deviation of
a random variable from the distribution center and related to each other (dispersion is
equal to standard deviation arisen to square) [14].
In our experiment, we have obtained the following dispersion values:
n
(X i M )2
i 1
(2)
n 1
σ2contr=0.067
σ2exp=0.056
Let hypothesis H0 argues that level formation of foreign students’ subject compe-
tencies when using SCORM packages on the distance learning platform does not ex-
ceed efficiency of the traditional teaching method discipline Information Technology.
We shall accept an opposite assertion as hypothesis H1 to hypothesis H0.
In other words, we will check the hypothesis that estimates’ samples of the control
and experimental groups belong to the same general population using the
Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (K-S test) [15].
Let us calculate the value of K-S test to hypothesis testing
max f 2 f 1 0.2,
1
Texp (3)
n
where Σfi is the frequency accumulation in relevant samples.
n1 n 2
Tcontr 0,014, (4)
n1 n 2
where significance level α = 0.05.
Since, Texp>Tcontr so the alternative hypothesis H1 was accepted over the null hy-
pothesis H0 in accordance with decision-making rule for the two-tailed test of Kolmo-
gorov-Smirnov.
On the basis of statistical data, the conclusion was made: with probability 0.95 it can
be considered as data of two samples belong to different general populations, i.e. ex-
perimental and traditional teaching methods of discipline Information Technologies
provide different distributions of the learners’ scores.
The results indicated to state the positive impact of SCORM-package implementa-
tion on training quality of future sailors and continue strategy formation, which would
increase level of students’ competence upon completion of the course.
4 Conclusions and directions for further research
Even though that specific training course for marine specialists oriented to foreign stu-
dents is considered there, some topics are common for disciplines related to information
technologies in other areas of training. Applying of SCORM standard provides an op-
portunity to develop a distance learning course, which independent of the software plat-
form on which the training will take place.
The problem of reusing electronic learning resources and their transferability from
one virtual learning environment to another is always relevant for educational technol-
ogies.
In the future, we plan to develop a course based on the Learning Tools Interopera-
bility (LTI) standard, which allows users of one environment to access resources of
another. It makes possible to integrate them in United Distributed Learning Environ-
ment, which is created and shared [16]. For example, educational institutions may use
publicly available e-learning resources that have been developed by other scholars, a
uniform learning environment can be built on the institution, combining different plat-
forms.
These focus on professionally directed disciplines such as Theory of Ship Structure,
Navigation and Location, Ship Management and others in the field of training of mari-
time professionals. But the quality of specialist training is determined in all areas, in-
cluding the skills of modern innovative technology. Additionally, the proposed teach-
ing method to the disciplines of our department ITCSN is easy to introduce to other
departments. Therefore, we consider the conducted study is timely, useful and practi-
cally applicable.
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