STUDENT-UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATION MEDIA USING WEB 2.0
FAISAL ABDULKAREM QASEM SAEED
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA
STUDENT-UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATION MEDIA USING WEB 2.0
FAISAL ABDULKAREM QASEM SAEED
A project report submitted in partial fulfilment of the
requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Science (Information Technology – Management)
Faculty of Computer Science and Information Systems
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
APRIL 2010
iii
TO MY BELOVED
FATHER, MOTHER, WIFE, SON, BROTHER AND SISTERS
TO MY RESPECTED SUPERVISOR
Dr. NOORMINSHAH A. AHAD
FAMILY MEMBERS
BEST FRIENDS
iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Firstly, I would like to thank almighty Allah on whom ultimately we depend
for sustenance and guidance. Alhamdulillah for granting me the intention,
perseverance, patience and the success.
I am heartily thankful to my respected supervisor, Dr. Noorminshah A. Ahad,
whose encouragement, guidance and support from the initial to the final level
enabled me to develop an understanding of this project.
I am also grateful for Sanhan Community College, Yemen, for giving me the
opportunity to study Master’s program at UTM.
Very special thanks to my parents for their support, guidance, love and
prayers. You are the main reason of my success. You taught me how to be ambitious
and diligent. Thank you very much my beloved parents. Also, a lot of thanks to my
brother and sisters who always believe that I am successful and dependable. Thank
you for your encouragement, support, love and prayers.
Words fail me to express my appreciation to my wife. Thank you for your
love, help, patience, support and prayers and for every happy moment you always
bring to me.
Special thanks to my faculty lecturers and sincere friends in UTM who I will
never forget for the rest of my life.
v
ABSTRACT
Web 2.0 has become very widely to develop many web-based systems. Web
2.0 tools have changed the nature of web-based applications especially those are used
for communication purposes. The Forums, Wikis, Blogs, Social Networking, Video
Sharing and other Web 2.0 tools are used to communicate web users with each other
in effective way for many purposes. In Universiti Technologi Malaysia (UTM), the
communication process between postgraduate students and School of Graduate
Studies (SPS) is done by Face-to-Face, phone, fax, Email and post. There are many
communication problems encountered by the postgraduate students before and after
they registered as students. This project was conducted to propose a StudentUniversity Communication Media model using the Web 2.0 and use it to develop a
prototype of Web 2.0-based Student-University Communication Media Portal. The
Object Oriented Approach was used to develop the prototype of Web 2.0-based
Student-University Communication Media Portal. Eventually, the prototype was
implemented and tested. However, the organizational strategy of implementing the
prototype by SPS was formulated. The User Acceptance Testing was conducted by
thirty users with more than 95% of them satisfied with the developed portal and
confirmed that it is easy to use, functional and useful.
vi
ABSTRAK
Web 2.0 banyak digunakan untuk membangunkan pelbagai jenis sistem
berasaskan web. Perkakasan Web 2.0 telah mengubah penggunaan aplikasi-aplikasi
berasaskan web terutamanya perkakasan yang digunakan untuk tujuan komunikasi.
Perkakasan seperti Forum, Wiki, Blog, Rangkaian Sosial, Perkongsian Video dan
lain-lain perkakasan Web 2.0 digunakan untuk berkomunikasi antara pengguna
dengan efektif untuk pelbagai tujuan. Di Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM),
proses komunikasi antara pelajar-pelajar pasca ijazah dengan Sekolah Pengajian
Siswazah (SPS) dilakukan secara bersemuka, fax, email dan pos. Terdapat pelbagai
masalah komunikasi yang dihadapi oleh pelajar pasca ijazah sebelum dan selepas
mereka berdaftar sebagai pelajar. Projek ini bertujuan untuk mengenalkan model
media
komunikasi
pelajar-universiti
dengan
menggunakan
Web
2.0
dan
menggunakannya untuk membangunkan sebuah prototaip portal Web 2.0 media
komunikasi pelajar-universiti. Pendekatan berasaskan objek digunakan untuk
membangunkan prototaip portal Web 2.0 media komunikasi pelajar-universiti.
Prototaip ini diimplementasikan serta diuji. Walau bagaimanapun, strategi organisasi
untuk mengimplememtasikan prototaip oleh SPS diformulasikan. Ujian penerimaan
pengguna dijalankan terhadap tiga puluh pengguna dimana lebih daripada 95%
antara mereka puas hati dengan portal yang dibangunkan dan mengesahkan bahawa
ia senang digunakan, berfungi serta berguna.
vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER
1
TITLE
PAGE
TITLE PAGE
i
DECLARATION
ii
DEDICATION
iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
iv
ABSTRACT
v
ABSTRAK
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
vii
LIST OF TABLES
xii
LIST OF FIGURES
xiv
LIST OF APPENDICES
xvii
PROJECT OVERVIEW
1.1 Introduction
1
1.2 Problem Background
3
1.3 Problem Statement
4
1.4 Objectives of the Project
5
1.5 Scopes of The Project
6
1.6 Significance of The Project
6
1.6.1 Students Perspective
7
1.6.2 UTM Perspective
7
1.7 Chapter Summary
8
viii
2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
9
2.2 Web 2.0 Definition and Tools
10
2.2.1 Web 2.0 Definitions
2.3 Web 2.0 Technology Tools and Services
12
13
2.3.1 Blogs
14
2.3.2 Wikis
15
2.3.3 Tagging and social bookmarking
15
2.3.4 Multimedia sharing
16
2.3.5 Audio blogging and podcasting
17
2.3.6 RSS and syndication
17
2.3.7 Newer Web 2.0 services and applications
17
2.4 Web 2.0 Framework
19
2.4.1 Web 2.0 Key Parts
20
2.4.2 Web 2.0 Characteristics
20
2.5 Using Web 2.0 in Higher Education
22
2.5.1 Models of Integrating Web 2.0 in HE
23
2.5.2 Web 2.0 Opportunities and Challenges for HE
30
2.6 Using Web 2.0 as Communication Media
2.6.1 Computer-Mediated Communication
2.7 Useful Case Studies on SPS website
2.7.1 Knowledge Sharing Portal for Postgraduate
32
32
35
36
Students
2.7.2 Usability Study of SPS Website for Customer
2.8 Chapter Summary
3
36
38
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
39
3.2 Project Workflow
40
3.3 Operational Framework
41
3.4 Phases Descriptions
42
3.4.1 Phase A: Initial Planning
48
3.4.2 Phase B: Research
48
ix
3.4.3
Phase C: Analysis
50
3.4.4
Phase D: Design
50
3.4.5
Phase E: Implementation and Testing
51
3.4.6
Phase F: Organizational Strategy
52
3.4.7
Phase G: Documentation
52
3.5 Hardware and Software Requirements
52
3.5.1. Hardware Requirements
53
3.5.2. Software Requirements
53
3.6 Chapter Summary
4
54
ANALYSIS
4.1 Introduction
55
4.2 Organization Analysis
56
4.2.1 The School of Graduate Studies (SPS)
56
4.2.1.1 Graduate Studies Admin Structure
57
4.3 Current System Analysis
57
4.3.1 Document Analysis
58
4.3.2 Analysis on Interviews
60
4.3.3 Questionnaire Analysis
62
4.3.4
69
Conclusion of the Analysis Techniques:
4.3.5 Weaknesses
of
Using
the
Current
70
Communication Media
4.4 Analysis of Proposed System
71
4.4.1 Analysis on Interview
72
4.4.2 Questionnaire Analysis
73
4.5 User Requirements
92
4.5.1 Functional Requirements:
92
4.5.2 Non-Functional Requirements
93
4.6 Comparison between SPS Website and the
93
Proposed Portal
4.7 Proposed Web 2.0-based Student-University
97
Communication Media Model
4.8 Chapter Summary
100
x
5
PROTOTYPE DESIGN
5.1 Introduction
101
5.2 Conceptual Design
102
5.2.1 Use Case Model
102
5.2.2 Sequence Diagram
106
5.2.3 Activity Diagram
106
5.2.4 Class Diagram
109
5.3 Physical Design
3.5.1 Database Design
110
3.5.2 Windows Navigation Diagram
110
3.5.3 Prototype Interface Design
112
3.5.3.1 Main Menu Design
112
3.5.3.2 Communication Menu Design
113
3.5.3.3 Knowledge Sharing Menu Design
133
5.4 Chapter Summary
6
110
134
IMPLEMENTATION AND TESTING
6.1 Introduction
136
6.2 Coding Approach
137
6.2.1 Portal Database Implementation
6.3 Testing Plan
137
138
6.3.1 Unit Testing
138
6.3.2 Integration Testing
139
6.3.2.1 User Interface Testing
139
6.3.2.2 Use Case Testing
140
6.3.3 System Testing
141
6.3.3.1 Requirement Testing
141
6.3.3.2 Usability Testing
142
6.3.3.3 Security Testing
144
6.3.4 User Acceptance Test
6.4 Chapter Summery
145
154
xi
7
ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY
8
7.1 Introduction
156
7.2 Roll-Out Strategy
157
7.2.1 Step1: Organize Introduction Meeting with SPS
159
7.2.2 Step2: Appoint the Implementation Team
159
7.2.3 Step3: Enhance the System
160
7.2.4 Step 4: Launch the System
161
7.2.5 Step5: Train the System Users
164
7.2.6 Step 6: Maintain the System
165
7.2.7 Step 7: Organizational Support
165
7.2.8 Step 8: Change Management
166
7.3 Expected Organizational Benefits
166
7.4 Chapter Summary
167
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
8.1 Introduction
168
8.2 Achievements
169
8.3 Constraints and Challenges
171
8.4 Aspirations
172
8.5 System Limitation and Future Work
173
8.6 Chapter Summery
174
REFERENCES
175
APPENDICES A - J
178-232
xii
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE NO.
TITLE
PAGE
2.1
What is Web 2.0
12
2.2
Models of integrating Web 2.0 technologies in HE
23
3.1
Phases Descriptions
43
3.2
Minimal Requirements of Hardware
53
3.3
Software Requirements
54
4.1
SPS Website Main Menu Functions
59
4.2
Weaknesses of Using the Current Communication Media
70
4.3
Faculties of Respondent Students
76
4.4
Students satisfaction of the current SPS website
78
4.5
Prospective Students Communication Problems
79
4.6
The Current Students Communication Problems
80
4.7
Common Features of Communication Media Portal
83
4.8
Prospective and Current Students Recommendations
84
4.9
Using Web 2.0 tools for Communication
85
4.10
Using Web 2.0 by UTM Faculties’ Students
87
4.11
Web 2.0 Tools for SPS Rules Enquiry
88
4.12
Web 2.0 tools for Online Application Status Enquiry
89
4.13
Web 2.0 for Displaying SPS Website Information
90
4.14
Web 2.0 Knowledge Sharing Tools
90
4.15
Web 2.0 for Academic Resources
91
4.16
Functional Requirements
92
4.17
Non-Functional Requirements
93
xiii
4.18
4.19
4.20
Comparison between SPS Website and the Proposed
94
Portal
Analysis Feedback about Proposed Portal Advantages and
95
Challenges
Web 2.0
Student-University Communication Media
98
Model Layers
4.21
Web 2.0 tools for Communication Modules
99
5.1
Actors Roles
102
6.1
User Interface Testing.
140
6.2
Speed of Performance Test Report
143
6.3
User Login Class Testing
144
6.4
Lists of the UAT Respondents’ Background
146
6.5
SPS Staff Evaluation of Portal Ease of Use
148
6.6
Postgraduate Students Evaluation of Portal Ease of Use
148
6.7
SPS Staff Evaluation of Portal Functionality
149
6.8
Postgraduate Students Evaluation of Portal Functionality
150
6.9
Evaluation of Portal Usefulness for SPS Staff
151
6.10
Evaluation of Portal Usefulness for Postgraduate Students
151
6.11
SPS Staff Satisfaction
152
6.12
Postgraduate Students Satisfaction
153
7.1
Characteristics of Conversion Strategies
162
Conversion Strategies for Student-University
163
7.2
Communication Media Portal
xiv
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE NO.
TITLE
PAGE
2.1
Literature Review Structure
11
2.2
Web 2.0 Framework
19
2.3
The Process Model of the Web-based Learning
26
Community
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
The Structure Model of Web 2.0- Based Learning
Community
The Overall Structure of Network Education Supporting
System
The Structure of Learning Module
Model of Proposed International Students Knowledge
Sharing Portal
27
29
29
36
2.8
Main page of SPS prototype website.
37
3.1
Project Workflow Steps
41
3.2
Project Operational Framework
42
4.1
Academic and Administrative structure of SPS
57
4.2
SPS Website Features
58
4.3
The methods of applying for admission in UTM
63
4.4
Communication problems before coming to UTM
64
4.5
The used communication media for solving admission
problems
64
4.6
Communication problems after coming to UTM
65
4.7
Face-to-Face communication way with SPS
65
xv
4.8
UTM unites and communication problems
66
4.9
SPS staff and solving communication problems
66
4.10
Students Satisfaction with the Current Communication
67
Media with SPS
4.11
Student Satisfaction with the SPS officers help
67
4.12
The need to new communication media with UTM
68
4.13
Web2.0 tools used by students
68
4.14
Students Programs
74
4.15
Local against International Students
75
4.16
Students Nationalities
75
4.17
Faculties of Respondent Students
76
4.18
Period of stay of students in the university
77
4.19
Applying Methods to UTM
81
4.20
Communication Purposes
86
4.24
4.25
Proposed Web 2.0-based Student-University
Communication Media Model
Proposed Web2.0-based Student-University
Communication Media Portal
97
100
5.1
The main Use Case Diagram
104
5.2
The Details of Communicate by Portal Tools Use Case
105
5.3
The Details of Share Knowledge Use-Case
105
5.4
Student Activity Diagram
107
5.5
SPS Staff Activity Diagram
108
5.6
Class Diagram
109
5.7
Windows Navigation Diagram
111
5.8
Main Menu Module
113
5.9
Communication Modules
114
5.10
Prompted Login Page
114
5.11
General Enquiry Module
115
5.12
List of SPS Staff Contact Information.
116
5.13
SPS E-mail Form
116
5.14
Create New Message by UTM Account Messaging
117
5.15
UTM Messaging Account- New Message Notification
118
xvi
5.16
UTM Messaging Account Inbox
118
5.17
UTM Messaging Account – Read Message and Reply
119
5.18
General Enquiry Forum
119
5.19
Add Forum Topic
120
5.20
General Enquiry Chat Room (Student Side)
121
5.21
General Enquiry Chat Room (Admin Side)
121
5.22
SPS Management Staff Contact Information (SPS Email
Form)
122
5.23
Contact University Forum (SPS Management Staff)
123
5.24
Contact University Online Chat (SPS Management Staff)
123
5.25
Admission Requirements Forum
124
5.26
Admission Requirements Blogs
125
5.27
Admission Requirement Blog (Add Comment)
125
5.28
UTM Wiki (Home Page)
126
5.29
Admission Requirements Wiki Page
126
5.30
Editing Admission Requirements Wiki Page
127
5.31
Online Application Status Module
128
5.32
University Rules and Services Module
129
5.33
SPS Video Sharing Page
130
5.34
SPS RSS News Feeds
131
5.35
SPS RSS News Subscription
132
5.36
The RSS Feeds added into the use browser.
132
5.37
Knowledge Sharing Menu
133
5.38
SPS Social Networking
134
6.1
SPS Deputy Dean UAT Answer
147
6.2
6.3
The Most Desired Web 2.0 Communication Tools by
SPS Staff
The Most Desired Web 2.0 Communication Tools by
Postgraduate Students
153
154
7.1
Roll-Out Strategy Processes
158
7.2
Conversion Strategies
162
xvii
LIST OF APPENDICES
APPENDIX
TITLE
PAGE
A
Interview With SPS Assistant
178
B
The Online Questionnaires
180
C
Interview With SPS Staff (SPS Assistant Executer)
184
D
Printed Questionnaire
188
E
Use Case Descriptions
194
F
Sequence Diagram
208
G
Black-Box Unit Testing
219
H
Use Case Testing
223
I
User Acceptance Test Questionnaire
229
J
Gantt Chart
232
CHAPTER 1
PROJECT OVERVIEW
1.1
Introduction
Universiti Technologi Malaysia (UTM) is the largest engineering-based
university, located at the southern section of Peninsular Malaysia. It is well-known
for being the pioneer of engineering and technological knowledge and expertise.
UTM has more than 10 research alliance, and 28 centers of excellence, in addition to
academic faculties. There are more than 16,036 full-time undergraduate students at
UTM and more than 5,000 enrolled on distance learning programmes as part-time
students. In addition, there are 6432 postgraduate students, 1762 of them are
international students in various fields of specialization. Since the 1990s, the number
of International students has been increased, especially in postgraduate programs.
(www.utm.my, 2010).
UTM serves students by providing many web-based systems. In addition to
the UTM website, there are E-Learning System, Online Registration System, Online
Application System and other systems, which are Web 1.0-based systems.
2
Web 1.0 is the first generation of the World Wide Web (WWW). The Web
1.0 sites are static, which contain information that might be useful, but there's no
reason for a visitor to return to the site later. An example might be a personal Web
page that gives information about the site's owner, but never changes. Also, Web 1.0
sites are not interactive, which means that the visitors can only visit these sites; they
can't impact or contribute to the sites. And Web 1.0 applications are proprietary,
which means that under the Web 1.0 philosophy, companies develop software
applications that users can download, but they can't see how the application works or
change it. (Strickland, 2010)
In the current UTM website and its online systems, the students’ interactions
and contributions are very weak. Furthermore, online communication between
students and the university is not provided, except the use of E-mails. This project is
aimed at developing a Student-University Communication Media Portal using Web
2.0.
Web 2.0 is proposed because it facilitates interactive information sharing,
interoperability, user-centered design and collaboration on the World Wide Web,
examples of Web 2.0 are web-based communities, hosted services, web applications,
social-networking sites, video-sharing sites, wikis, blogs, forum, and other tools. A
Web 2.0 site allows users to interact with each other, or to change website content in
contrast to non-interactive websites where users are limited to the passive viewing of
information that is provided to them (Wikipedia, 2010).
The term Web 2.0 is closely associated with Tim O'Reilly because of the
O'Reilly Media Web 2.0 conference in 2004. Although the term suggests a new
version of the World Wide Web, it does not refer to an update to any technical
specifications, but rather to cumulative changes in the ways software developers and
end-users use the Web. (O'Reilly 2005)
3
This chapter contains the problem background, problem statement,
objectives, scopes, significance and summary of the project. The continuing sections
of the project are categorized into the following chapters: Literature Review,
Research Methodology, Analysis, Prototype Design, Implementation and Testing,
Organizational Strategy, and Discussion and Conclusion.
1.2
Problem Background
Although UTM has many online web-based systems, the current studentuniversity communication media are e-mail, phone, post, and fax. There is no webbased communication system in place. The students need to use these media in order
to enquire about admission requirements, online application status, UTM rules and
services, and to solve any academic or non academic issue.
For example, the process of admission can be done while in the university, by
posting the documents, or by using the online application system. The School of
Graduate Studies (SPS) is the responsible unit in UTM for the communication with
postgraduate students. Every semester, more than 3000 postgraduate students apply
to study in UTM using the online application system (according to SPS Assistant
Registrar) , but many students are rejected due to many reasons, one of which is the
miscommunication between SPS and students, especially the international students.
The SPS staffs use the phone, fax, post, and electronic mail to contact students in
case of further requirements, missing documents, incomplete application, or other
problems. But, because of the huge number of prospective students and their
problems, it is too difficult to solve all of their problems. Moreover, some
prospective students still send the admission documents by email to their friends who
study in UTM in order to get admissions.
4
Also, the UTM and SPS websites provide information in the form of text and
downloadable forms, which are misunderstood by many students who need more
explanation or want to enquire and discuss about this information online.
The use of the current communication media has many drawbacks; for
example, the use of phone is expensive, misunderstood in some cases, and not
sufficient in case of filling forms. The huge number of E-mails could not be managed
and answered well, and might be sent to the wrong destination. The post is
considered very slow and expensive compared to the online communication. Fax also
is rarely used as a communication media.
However, the researcher concluded that most students and SPS staffs are not
satisfied with the current communication media regarding to the cost, time, and
efficiency, based on the conducted surveys and interviews.
Therefore, there is a need to have web-based communication media in UTM
in order to overcome the students’ communication problems, before and after
students’ registration. The Web 2.0 technology tools are proposed to be used in this
Student-University Communication Media Portal.
1.3
Problem Statement
Due to the above mentioned reasons, this project will be done for answering
the following questions:
5
1- How can the communication problems of SPS with postgraduate students
be overcome using Web 2.0 technology?
i.
What are the communication problems that are faced by the
postgraduate students in SPS?
ii.
How to identify the main requirements to develop Web 2.0-based
Student-University Communication Media Portal between SPS
and postgraduate students?
iii.
How to propose the Student-University Communication Media
Portal Model?
iv.
How
to
develop
the
Web
2.0-based
Student-University
Communication Media Portal?
v.
How to implement the Web 2.0-based Student-University
Communication Media Portal by SPS?
1.4
Objectives of the Project
To be able to answer the problem statement questions, the researcher has
identified five main objectives to be achieved as the end result of the project:
i.
To identify the current communication problems and the appropriate
requirements needed by postgraduate students and SPS staff.
ii.
To study and analyze the critical requirements of a Web 2.0-based
Student-University Communication Media Portal.
iii.
To propose a model of Student-University Communication Media
using Web 2.0 to be used in SPS.
iv.
To develop a prototype of Web 2.0-based Student-University
Communication Media Portal.
6
v.
To formulate organizational strategy for implementing the Web 2.0based Student-University Communication Media Portal by SPS.
1.5
Scopes of the Project
In order to achieve the objectives stated in the previous section, it is
important to specify the study area and boundaries, which are stated in the following
points:
i.
Because the most communication problems are faced with SPS, this
project with focus on this UTM units.
ii.
Study and analyze the communication problems and requirements
needed by the postgraduate students and SPS staff.
iii.
Because the most communication problems are faced by the
international students before and after they come to UTM, most of the
requirements will be taken from them.
1.6
Significance of the Project
Conducting this research will help assist both postgraduate students and SPS
staff to overcome the communication problems. Developing new communication
media using Web 2.0 will help UTM from the following perspectives:
7
1.6.1 Students Perspective
i.
The Web 2.0-based Student-University Communication Media Portal will
help the postgraduate students outside Malaysia to contact UTM faster,
easier, cheaper, and effectively.
ii.
The postgraduate students in UTM will save more time by solving their
problems online.
iii.
The postgraduate students will be more satisfied with the communication
media and UTM online services.
1.6.2 UTM Perspective
i.
The Web 2.0-based Student-University Communication Media Portal will
help SPS to solve the postgraduate students’ problems easier and faster.
ii.
SPS staff will be more comfortable and satisfied with the new
communication media and they can solve postgraduate students’
problems properly.
iii.
The proposed portal will reduce the time and cost of answering or making
phone calls, especially the overseas calls.
iv.
The new communication media can be considered as advantage for UTM.
v.
Improve and enhance the UTM online services.
8
1.7
Chapter Summary
This chapter carried out an introduction to the proposed Web 2.0-based
Student-University Communication Media Portal in UTM, problem background,
problem statement, objectives, scopes, and significance of the project to be achieved.
Hopefully, by developing the next six chapters, the objectives of the project can be
achieved.
The Student-University Communication Media Portal will use some Web 2.0
tools such as the Wikis, Blogs, Forum, Instant Message (IM), RSS, and other tools.
Each one will be applied to solve a specific type of problems. At the end, all the
applicable tools will be used in the proposed Student-University Communication
Media Model. This model will be applied on SPS, and the future work is to use it in
all UTM units.
CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1
Introduction
Literature review is purposely to aid the researcher in having an insight
knowledge and information related to the topic of the project to have better
comprehension of the study. Overall, this chapter establishes a background for the
study and will begin by reviewing Web 2.0 definition, Web 2.0 technology tools,
Web 2.0 framework, using Web 2.0 in education, using Web 2.0 as communication
media, and useful case studies on SPS website.
All sources are obtained by doing literature review from various books,
journals, conferences, research reports and thesis, and the internet. The aim is to
broaden the understanding of the details of the uncovered areas in literature which
the study attempts to make a useful contribution. The Literature Review Structure
covered in this topic is shown in Figure 2.1.
10
2.2
Web 2.0 Definition and Tools
The concept of Web 2.0 began with a conference brainstorming session
between O'Reilly and MediaLive International. Dale Dougherty and O'Reilly, noted
that far from having crashed, the web was more important than ever, with exciting
new applications and sites popping up with surprising regularity. Also, the
companies that had survived the collapse seemed to have some things in common.
They asked whether the dot-com collapse could mark some kind of turning point for
the web, such that a call to action such as "Web 2.0" might make sense. They agreed
that it did, and so the Web 2.0 Conference was born (O'Reilly, 2005). O'Reilly
attempted to clarify just what they mean by Web 2.0 by formulating the sense of
Web 2.0 by example, which is shown in Table 2.1.
1
11
Literatture Review
2.1- Introduction
2.2- Web2.0
Definition and
Features
2.3- Web 2.0
Technology Tools
2.4- Web 2.0
Framework
2.5- Using Web 2.0
2
in Education
2.6- Using Web 2.0
as Communicattion
Media
Web 2.0
Definitions
Blogs
Web 2.0 Key Parts
Models of
g Web
Integrating
2.0 technolo
ogies in
HE
Web 2.0 Princip
ples
Wikis
Web 2.0
0
Characterisstics
Web 2.0
Opportunitiies and
Challenges for HE
Tagging and social
s
bookmarkin
ng
2.7- Useful Case
PS
Studies on SP
website
Using Weeb 2.0 for
Know
wledge
Sharing Portal
P
for
Postgra
aduate
students in UTM
Usability Study of
bsite for
SPS Web
Custo
omer
Satisfa
action
Multimediia
sharing
Audio blogging
and podcastiing
RSS and
syndication
Newer Web 2.0
nd
services an
application
ns
Figu
ure 2.1: Literaturre Review Structture
2.8- Chaptter
Summary
y
12
Table 2.1: What is Web 2.0, (O'Reilly 2005)
Web 1.0
Web 2.0
DoubleClick
-->
Google AdSense
Ofoto
-->
Flickr
Akamai
-->
BitTorrent
mp3.com
-->
Napster
Britannica Online
-->
Wikipedia
personal websites
-->
blogging
evite
-->
upcoming.org and EVDB
domain name speculation
-->
search engine optimization
page views
-->
cost per click
screen scraping
-->
web services
publishing
-->
participation
content management systems
-->
wikis
directories (taxonomy)
-->
tagging ("folksonomy")
Stickiness
-->
syndication
2.2.1
Web 2.0 Definitions
Web 2.0 is defined a set of economic, social, and technology trends that
collectively form the basis for the next generation of the Internet—a more mature,
distinctive medium characterized by user participation, openness, and network
effects (Musser, 2006).
Also, Web 2.0 has many other definitions that are (futureexploration, 2010):
•
The business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move to the
internet as platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that
13
new platform. Chief among those rules is this: Build applications that harness
network effects to get better the more people use them. Tim O'Reilly.
•
Web 2.0 is Distributed technologies built to integrate, that collectively
transform mass participation into valuable emergent outcomes. Ross Dawson.
•
An emerging network centric platform to support distributed, collaborative
and cumulative creation by its users. John Hage.
•
Ongoing transition of the World Wide Web from a collection of websites to a
full-fledged computing platform serving web applications to end users.
Wikipedia.
•
A collection of technologies - be it VoIP, Digital Media, XML, RSS, Google
Map , whatever,
that leverage the power of always on, high speed
connections and treat broadband as a platform, and not just a pipe to connect.
Om Malik.
2.3
•
Web 2.0 is about making the Internet useful for computers. Jeff Bezos.
•
Don’t fight the Internet. Eric Schmidt.
•
Teaching the machine. Michael Wesch.
Web 2.0 Technology Tools and Services
There are a number of Web-based services and applications that demonstrate
the foundations of the Web 2.0 concept. These are not really technologies as such,
but services (or user processes) built using the building blocks of the technologies
and open standards that underpin the Internet and the Web. These include blogs,
wikis, multimedia sharing services, content syndication, podcasting and content
tagging services. Many of these applications of Web technology are relatively
mature, having been in use for a number of years, although new features and
capabilities are being added on a regular basis. It is worth noting that many of these
14
newer technologies are concatenations, i.e. they make use of existing services
(Anderson, 2007)
2.3.1 Blogs
The term web-log, or blog, was coined by Jorn Barger in 1997 and refers to a
simple webpage consisting of brief paragraphs of opinion, information, personal
diary entries, or links, called posts, arranged chronologically with the most recent
first, in the style of an online journal (Doctorow et al., 2002). Most blogs also allow
visitors to add a comment below a blog entry. This posting and commenting process
contributes to the nature of blogging (as an exchange of views) in what Yale
University law professor, Yochai Benkler, calls a ‘weighted conversation’ between a
primary author and a group of secondary comment contributors, who communicate
to an unlimited number of readers. It also contributes to blogging's sense of
immediacy, since ‘blogs enable individuals to write to their Web pages in journalism
time –that is hourly, daily, weekly – whereas the Web page culture that preceded it
tended to be slower moving: less an equivalent of reportage than of the essay’
(Benkler, 2006, p.217).
The large number of people engaged in blogging has given rise to its own
term – logosphere – to express the sense of a whole world of bloggers operating in
their own environment. As technology has become more sophisticated, bloggers have
begun to incorporate multimedia into their blogs and there are now photo-blogs,
video blogs (vlogs), and, increasingly, bloggers can upload material directly from
their mobile phones (mob-blogging). ( Nardi et al., 2004).
15
2.3.2
Wikis
A wiki3 is a Webpage or set of WebPages that can be easily edited by anyone
who is allowed access (Ebersbach et al., 2006). Wikipedia’s popular success has
meant that the concept of the wiki, as a collaborative tool that facilitates the
production of a group work, is widely understood. Wiki pages have an edit button
displayed on the screen and the user can click on this to access an easy-to-use online
editing tool to change or even delete the contents of the page in question. Simple,
hypertext-style linking between pages is used to create a navigable set of pages
(Anderson, 2007).
Unlike blogs, wikis generally have a history function, which allows previous
versions to be examined, and a rollback function, which restores previous versions.
Proponents of the power of wikis cite the ease of use (even playfulness) of the tools,
their extreme flexibility and open access as some of the many reasons why they are
useful for group working (Ebersbach et al., 2006).
2.3.3
Tagging and social bookmarking
A tag is a keyword that is added to a digital object (e.g. a website, picture or
video clip) to describe it, but not as part of a formal classification system. One of the
first large-scale applications of tagging was seen with del.icio.us website, which
launched the social bookmarking phenomenon (Anderson, 2007).
16
Social bookmarking systems share a number of common features (Millen et
al., 2005): They allow users to create lists of bookmarks or favorites, to store these
centrally on a remote service, rather than within the client browser, and to share them
with other users of the system. These bookmarks can also be tagged with keywords,
and an important difference from the folder- based categorization used in traditional,
browser-based bookmark lists is that a bookmark can belong in more than one
category. Using tags, a photo of a tree could be categorized with both tree and larch
(Anderson, 2007).
2.3.4 Multimedia sharing
One of the biggest growth areas has been amongst services that facilitate the
storage and sharing of multimedia content. Well known examples include YouTube
(video), Flickr (photographs), and Odeo (podcasts). These popular services take the
idea of the writeable Web, where users are not just consumers but contribute actively
to the production of Web content, and enable it on a massive scale. Literally millions
of people now participate in the sharing and exchange of these forms of media by
producing their own podcasts, videos and photos. This development has only been
made possible through the widespread adoption of high quality, but relatively low
cost digital media technology such as hand-held video cameras (Anderson, 2007).
17
2.3.5
Audio blogging and podcasting
Podcasts are audio recordings, usually in MP3 format, of talks, interviews
and lectures, which can be played either on a desktop computer or on a wide range of
handheld MP3 devices. Originally called audio blogs they have their roots in efforts
to add audio streams to early blogs (Felix and Stolarz, 2006).
2.3.6 RSS and syndication
Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a family of formats which allow users to
find out about updates to the content of RSS-enabled websites, blogs or podcasts
without actually having to go and visit the site. Instead, information from the website
(typically, a new story's title and synopsis, along with the originating website’s
name) is collected within a feed, which uses the RSS format, and piped to the user in
a process known as syndication (Anderson, 2007).
2.3.7
Newer Web 2.0 services and applications
There are a number of technology services that are often posited as
representing the Web 2.0 concept in some way. Now, however, there has been an
explosion of new ideas, applications and start-up companies working on ways to
18
extend existing services. These services can be summarized as the following
(Anderson, 2007):
•
Social Networking
Professional and social networking sites that facilitate meeting people,
finding like minds, sharing content—uses ideas from harnessing the
power of the crowd, network effect and individual production/user
generated content.
•
Aggregation services
Gather information from diverse sources across the Web and publish
in one place. Includes news and RSS feed aggregators and tools that
create a single webpage with all your feeds and email in one place—
uses ideas from individual production/user generated content.
•
Data mash-up
Web services that pull together data from different sources to create a
new service (i.e. aggregation and recombination). It uses, for example,
ideas from data on epic scale and openness of data.
•
Tracking and filtering content
Services that keep track of, filter, analyze and allow search of the
growing amounts of Web 2.0 content from blogs, and multimedia
sharing services.
•
Collaborating
Collaborative reference works (like Wikipedia) that are built using
wiki-like software tools. It uses ideas from harnessing the power of
the crowd.
Also, Collaborative, Web-based project and work group productivity
tools. It uses architecture of participation.
•
Replicate office-style software in the browser
Web-based desktop application/document tools that replicate desktop
applications based on technological developments.
•
Source ideas or work from the crowd
19
Seek ideas, solutions to problems or get tasks completed by
outsourcing to users of the Web. It uses the idea of power of the
crowd.
2.4
Web 2.0 Framework
The intention of the Web 2.0 Framework is to provide a clear, concise view
of the nature of Web 2.0, particularly for senior executives or other non-technical
people who are trying to grasp the scope of Web 2.0, and the implications and
opportunities for their organizations. Figure 2.2 illustrates this framework as below.
Figure 2.2: Web 2.0 Framework (futureexploration, 2010)
20
2.4.1
Web 2.0 Key Parts
The Web 2.0 Framework nicely captures what Web 2.0 is all about and
collects the variety of players in the Web 2.0 ecosystem. The three key parts of the
Web 2.0 classified in the Web 2.0 Framework are:
•
Inputs
The user generated content (e.g. text, images, video and etc), options (e.g.
links, clicks, tagging and etc), and application (e.g. web applications and
widgets).
•
Mechanisms
The technologies, recombination, collaborative filtering, structures, and
syndications.
•
Emergent Outcomes
The most interesting becomes visible, personalized recommendation, and
meaningful communities.
2.4.2
Web 2.0 Characteristics
The seven characteristics of Web 2.0 shown in the Web 2.0 Framework are
described as the following (futureexploration, 2010):
•
Participation
Every aspect of Web 2.0 is driven by participation. The transition to Web 2.0
was enabled by the emergence of platforms such as blogging, social
networks, and free image and video uploading, that collectively allowed
extremely easy content creation and sharing by anyone.
21
•
Standards
Standards provide an essential platform for Web 2.0. Common interfaces for
accessing content and applications are the glue that allow integration across
the many elements of the emergent web.
•
Decentralization
Web 2.0 is decentralized in its architecture, participation, and usage. Power
and flexibility emerges from distributing applications and content over many
computers and systems, rather than maintaining them on centralized systems.
•
Openness
The world of Web 2.0 has only become possible through a spirit of openness
whereby developers and companies provide open, transparent access to their
applications and content.
•
Modularity
Web 2.0 is the antithesis of the monolothic. It emerges from many
components or modules that are designed to link and integrate with others,
together building a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
•
User Control
A primary direction of Web 2.0 is for users to control the content they create,
the data captured about their web activities, and their identity. This powerful
trend is driven by the clear desires of participants.
•
Identity
Identity is a critical element of both Web 2.0 and the future direction of the
internet. Anyone can increasingly choose to represent their by across
interactions, virtual worlds, and social networks.
22
2.5
Using Web 2.0 in Higher Education
According to Grosseck (2009), the specific technologies and services
contributing in higher education include blogs, microblogs, wikis, syndication of
content through RSS, tag-based folksonomies, social bookmarking, mediasharing,
social networking sites and other social software artifacts. She promoted scholarly
inquiry about the need of a new type a pedagogy (Web 2.0 based) and the
development and adoption of best practice in teaching and learning with Web 2.0 in
higher education (HE).
Dina Rosen and Charles Nelson demonstrated that Web 2.0 tools can promote
user participa tion and knowledge production and thus fit well with social
constructivist pedagogical theories. These tools have the potential to transform
classes from teacher-centric, transmission instruction to social constructivist, studentparticipatory approaches, from individual-focused pedagogies to learning community
approaches. However, it is possible that these tools may distract educators from
objectives of teaching and learning (Rosen, 2008).
According to Virkus, Web 2.0 is influencing the way in which people learn,
access information and communicate with each other. To be successful in the modern
society, Library and Information Science (LIS) educators should take advantage of
new information and communication technologies and consider the learning
preferences of digital natives as well as digital immigrants. Educational research has
confirmed that technology alone does not deliver educational success. It only
becomes valuable in education if learners and teachers can do something useful with
it. The Institute of Information Studies of Tallinn University has a long history of
using web-based technologies in its teaching and learning, based on constructive
approaches to learning, is used. To extend the pedagogical applications and choices
for learners and learning, staff have been experimenting with Web 2.0 technologies
and a few have successfully adopted them in teaching and learning. Experiences with
23
open and distance learning and e-learning have transformed teaching and learning,
provided new alternative delivery modes, and helped to reach new target groups. The
dominant approach at the Institute of Information Studies is a blended learning, but
there is an increasing demand for online programmes. However, innovation of
teaching and learning practices and the implementation of modern ICTs has been a
step-by-step process (Virkus, 2008)
2.5.1
Models of Integrating Web 2.0 technologies in HE
Table 2.2 renders some possibilities and examples of using Web 2.0
technologies as a support for preparing and collecting didactic materials, evaluating
and analyzing the progress made by students, putting together informative and
formative presentations, time management, planning the timetable and the calendar
of activities, developing projects in collaboration, digital storytelling, students eportfolios etc. (Grosseck, 2009 ).
Table 2.2: Models of integrating Web 2.0 technologies in HE (Grosseck,
2009 )
Technology 2.0
Blogging
Educational applications
•
use blogs for real-world writing experiences
•
pull class blogs together into one area for easy tracking
•
quickly give feedback to students, and students to each
other
•
students use peer networks to develop their own
knowledge
•
update new information such as homework and
24
Technology 2.0
Educational applications
assignments
•
using comments in blogs can encourage students to help
each other with their writing, and get responses to a
question without getting the same answer twenty times
etc.
Microblogging
•
classroom community, exploring collaborative writing,
reader response, collaboration across schools, countries,
project management, assessing opinion, platform for
metacognition, conference or as part of a presentation or
workshop, for reference or research, facilitating virtual
classroom discussion, creating a learning experience, a
Personal Learning Network
•
use for dissemination of teachers’ publications and
materials, locating original sources of ideas, quotes,
allows for very focused and concrete feedback to students
to refine their thinking and improve their skills, fostering
professional
connections,
informal
research,
for
storytelling, follow a professional, get feedback on ideas,
event updates, live coverage of events, build trust, build a
community etc.
Wikis
•
use for student projects; use for collaborating on ideas and
organizing documents and resources from individuals and
groups of students
•
use as a presentation tool (as e-portfolios); as a group
research project for a specific idea; manage school and
classroom documents; use as a collaborative handout for
students; writing: student created books and journaling
•
create and maintain a classroom FAQ; as a classroom
discussion and debate area; a place to aggregate web
resources; supporting committees, working parties and
university projects etc.
Photo / Slides
•
share, comment, and add notes to photos or images to be
25
Technology 2.0
Educational applications
used in the classroom
Sharing
•
inspire writing and creativity; create a presentation using
the photos
•
use tags to find photos of areas and events around the
world for use in the classroom.
•
post student presentations to an authentic audience and
get feedback from around the world; share professional
development materials and have it available anywhere,
anytime, to anyone; post presentations of special events
•
Video Sharing
video professional development on own terms; create an
own subject specific videos with students; use video
sharing sites to find videos on current issues etc.
Syndication
of
•
development,
time
saving;
updated
information in teaching area
content
through RSS
professional
•
information coming from constraining sources; sharing
work with other educators
•
RSS feeds can potentially replace traditional email lists,
reducing email overload
•
RSS feeds can be used to keep course specific webpages
current and relevant etc.
Social
•
create a set of resources that can be accessed on any
computer connected to the internet; conduct research and
Bookmarking
share that research with peers
•
track author and book updates; groups of students doing a
classroom project sharing their bookmarks; rate and
review bookmarks to help with students decide on
usefulness of resources; setup a group tag in order to
share educational resources
•
share one del.icio.us account between a number of
different subject specific educators in order to share
resources with each other etc
Social
•
event support and continuation, team and community
26
Technology 2.0
Educational applications
support, aggregation of social media applications,
Networking
personal learning environments etc. (Cobbs, 2008)
Other tools
•
instant messaging increase the sense of community and
accessibility which is required for collaborative learning;
VoIP can promote international collaborations and
understanding;
calendars
make
calendar
events,
homework, anything you want available on mobile
devices connected to the Internet
•
survey and polls, online diagrams and web-based word
processor, on-line spreadsheet, social search, mind
mapping; virtual worlds - virtual conferences and
seminars, team meetings and collaboration spaces,
simulations etc.
According to Tan (2009), the process model of the web-based learning
community construction consists of four processes that are: the regulation making,
peripheral participation, positive interaction and conflict adjustment as shown in the
Figure 2.3.
Figure 2.3: The Process Model of the Web-based Learning Community (Tan,
2009)
From the process model of learning community the paper author mentioned
that a community’s construction needs a long time of peripheral participation, and
27
then we can complete it gradually through positive interaction and conflict
adjustment. He explained that Web 2.0- based tools provide convenience for
learners’ participation and interaction. Using Web 2.0-based typical application
tools, he constructed a model of web-based learning community. The model is shown
as Figure 2.4.
Figure 2.4 : The Structure Model of Web 2.0- Based Learning Community
(Tan, 2009)
The model explains that, in the initial stage of community construction, the
learner has not realized the establishment of community. They complete the content
grasping and the resources studying by reading others' blog, summarizing (RSS) and
collecting (delicious) the valuable contents. With the lapse of time, the personalized
learners form their fixed reading link groups, and start to pay attention to the
existence of the human behind the content, then make conscious communication.
People who has the same hobby, interest and research direction gradually gathered
and started the positive interaction. They can exchange the instant message by Gtalk,
and may also carry out the asynchronous communication through Gmail or carry out
the cooperative creation using wiki. Members help each other, provide interest
contents and establish groups, and then the community is roughly formed. The
28
learners make further communication, share and exchange to improve the cohesion
of community.
Liu (2009) proposed an overall design model of network education
supporting system based on Web 2.0. The system adds many teaching functions
different from traditional network education supporting systems, such as blog_RSS
etc. The network education supporting system based on Web 2.0 enhances learner’s
positivity of active studying and improves the network education’s quality. The
functions of the network education supporting system includes: online publishing
courseware, online teaching services for teachers, online studying services for
learners and online administrating services for administrators. The network education
supporting system is composed of four modules which are learning module for
students, teaching module for teachers, teaching resources management module, and
system management module. The four modules connect and cooperate with each
other to form a complete network education supporting system. The overall structure
of this system is shown as Figure 2.5 and the The Detailed Functions Design of
Students Learning Module is shown in the Figure 2.6.
29
Figure 2.5: The Overall Structure of Network Education Supporting System
(Liu, 2009)
Figure 2.6: The Structure of Learning Module (Liu, 2009)
30
The Student Learning Module is divided into four parts that are My Space,
Network Classroom, Personal Learning Tool, and Cooperation Platform.
2.5.2 Web 2.0 Opportunities and Challenges for Higher Education
Grosseck (2009) listed the pros and cons of using Web 2.0 in Higher
Education. The advantages and disadvantages are listed as below:
2.5.2.1. Advantages
•
Reduction of costs;
•
Flexibility, as far as the possibility of choosing technologies is concerned;
•
Easier and faster access to information, when and where it is needed;
•
The integration of a variety of Web 2.0 technologies in the teaching-learning
activities;
•
Extensive opportunities of information and collaboration by the agency of
social bookmarking services;
•
Possibility to control access to resources by authenticating users;
•
Sharing accumulated experiences (blogs, microblogs, wikis, flickr, youtube)
and resources;
•
Independence from the platform (a computer, with browser and Internet
connection is enough);
31
•
Compatibility with the elements of the educational field and the existing
contextual dynamics;
•
The low level of complexity needed for use (minimum skills in using the
Internet);
•
Reliability in continuous usage, over an extended period of time;
•
Redistribution of effort, so that less and less time and energy are spent during
search and information management (del.icio.us, RSS);
•
The increase in number of modalities of use and the heterogeneity of didactic
practices and of types of formation, due to the diversity of the new
technologies;
•
The possibility to test the existing didactic practices, without great changes in
the current modus operandi;
•
The major focus on didactic innovation, and not on the technology per se;
•
Creating digital content (especially media, podcasting, videocasting).
2.5.2.2. Disadvantages
•
An Internet connection is required (especially a broadband connection);
•
It hides behind it a sum of technologies and concepts which are still
insufficiently defined;
•
It offers free things, in open-source structures, with a rather vague
significance;
•
It leads to a low quality of the actual content, with sites which struggle in
deep informational mediocrity;
•
It gives everyone the opportunity to complain, thus creating a community
without rules;
•
It has monetary quantification (the Internet as a business - Google);
32
•
It is a kind of second-hand Web, a medium for persons with low digital
abilities;
•
It has limited security;
•
The speed of programs is incomparably lower than the one of desktop
programs;
•
It is just electronic junk;
•
Time and knowledge invested in the Web 2.0 technologies.
2.6
Using Web 2.0 as Communication Media
In this part, the researcher summarized the important uses of Web 2.0 as
communication media and concluded that the Web 2.0 is considered the best and the
last computer-mediated communication.
2.6.1
Computer-Mediated Communication
Lengel (2009) mentioned that some of the first instances of ComputerMediated Communication (CMC) research were published in the 1980s. In these
early days, researchers focused on the organizational contexts of CMC, primarily in
the impact of decision making and leadership in local-area networks. At the first
signs that CMC was becoming useful for recreational and interpersonal
communication, researchers asked if CMC was appropriately suited for social' uses
(Baron, 1984, p. 136). Since CMC was so new, some researchers looked back to
33
other technological developments to see how other forms of communication
technology affected social interaction. There are various ways in which CMC can be
a collaborative space for identity construction as well as open dialogue. Kellner
(1998) argues that the Internet has produced new public spheres and spaces for
information, debate, and participation that contain the potential to invigorate
democracy and to increase the dissemination of critical and progressive ideas.
Whatever the CMC means used—e-mail lists, newsgroups, Web pages, there is
potential to engage others in dialogue that would, in other social, political, and
cultural contexts, be silenced.
Lengel (2009) mentioned that Blogging is a means for portraying identity and
a key form of CMC for what Kellner calls “critical or progressive ideas.” Of course,
bloggers have many different motivations to share their stories with the world. Those
who create and maintain blogs have used their online narrative spaces to “document
their lives, provide commentary and opinions, express deeply felt emotions,
articulate ideas through writing, and form and maintain community forums” (Nardi,
Schiano, Gumbrecht, & Swartz, 2004, p. 41). Blogging keeps people (research
indicates more women than men) connected with their communities, whether their
communities are down the street or across the globe. With the development of
diasporas, or large-scale movements of communities and populations, entire cultures
have become displaced from their historical and geographical roots. CMC allows
these communities to expand globally while maintaining contact with others of their
heritage. (Lengel, 2009)
Social-networking systems are a particularly collaborative way to construct
identity. Facebook, a popular online social-networking system used by millions of
adolescents and university-aged men and women, has received recent attention by
researchers of online impression. This is a particularly exciting research area because
it allows collaborative identity construction. Once a user puts up an online profile,
others can contribute to it. For the most part, these contributions are favorable;
however, friends have also been known to post discrediting or defamatory messages
34
on users' Facebook websites. In a study conducted by Walther, Van Der Heide, Kim,
Westerman, and Tom Tong (2008), the researchers found that complimentary, prosocial statements by friends about profile owners improved the profile owner's social
and task attractiveness, as well as the target's credibility” (p. 44). The researchers
note it is less costly to alter or distort claims that one makes about oneself (e.g., one's
own profile) than to modify or manipulate statements made by others (e.g., their
pictures and wall postings). Thus, information reflected in others' testimonials should
be of special value to an individual making a judgment about the profile owner.
(Lengel 2009)
According to Plessis (2004), the numerous studies about the Internet have
already been conducted or are in the process of being conducted. However, after
several years there still is no clear understanding of what form Web –based or online communication should take to make it really valuable to the consumer. He
attempted to address the current contents of Web-based communication and to
provide some ideas with regard to the shortcomings in this regard. He addresses the
impact of the Internet on the South African society, the Internet as a new
communication medium as well as its effect on organizational communication. It
also argues that an on-line presence is no longer enough and that online customers
want more value in terms of their online experience. He said that Although Webbased communication has become an integral part of many organizational practices,
traditional communication channels or media will not necessarily become obsolete.
The Internet is a new communication medium with much potential and can eliminate
problems associated with traditional media and channels. He considered that Webbased communication is a more complex task and requires a much more skillful
approach to be successful than is the general belief among communication
practitioners. After the initial rush to obtain an on-line organizational presence,
organizations are currently concerned with the effective integration of the Internet
into their traditional marketing communication mix. Marketers, public relations
practitioners and advertisers today benefit from the advantages of Web-based
communication in conjunction with traditional media. He concluded that the contents
of Web-based communication are also an important aspect of the Internet that still
35
needs to be further explored. Web-based communication has become an integral part
of life in South Africa and is a new medium with much potential. Realizing this,
various organizations are now also resorting to Web-based communication in
addition to their traditional communication activities. Web-based communication
media will, however, never replace traditional media and therefore an integrated
approach is preferred and applied by marketing communications and public relations
practitioners. However, successful Web-based communication requires a more
skillful approach and should provide more value to the online consumer. An on-line
presence is no longer enough to retain on-line customers' attention. This lack of a
skillful approach provides ample opportunities for more scientific research with
regard to better and more successful Web-based communication (Charmaine 2004).
2.7
Useful Case Studies on School of Graduate Study (SPS) Website
Two studies have been done on SPS website from different perspectives, the
first study focused on the knowledge sharing between international postgraduate
students in UTM using Web 2.0 tools, and the other study was about the usability
study of SPS website for customer satisfaction. The researcher chose these two case
studies in order to use the proposed SPS website structure and knowledge sharing
model to come up with new SPS portal, which includes Web 2.0-based StudentUniversity Communication Media, Knowledge Sharing among International
Postgraduate Students, and Usability of the SPS Website.
36
2.7.1 Knowledge Sharing Portal for Postgraduate Students in UTM
Nadhmi (2009) proposed a Model of International Students Knowledge
Sharing Portal Components that uses many the knowledge sharing tools. These tools
will make easy for the user to use them for sharing their knowledge with others. In
this model, which shown in Figure 2.7, Nadhmi (2009) specified some Web 2.0 tools
for purpose of sharing knowledge that are Forum, Chat, Wikis, Emails, Document
Sharing, Personalization, Video, and Audio.
Figure 2.7: Model of Proposed International Students Knowledge Sharing Portal
Components (Nadhmi, 2009)
2.7.2- Usability Study of SPS Website for Customer Satisfaction
Norrazizie (2009) explored the effectiveness of UTM website. The study was
done on the improvement of SPS website to increase usage level and customer
satisfaction. This study focused on the usability aspects. And then to develop new
prototype for SPS website. The prototype portal structure is shown in the Figures 2.8
37
In this portal, there are 12
1 modules in the mainn menu for navigation
n that are
A
SPS, Programm
me, Admission, Current Studennts, Studen
nts Life,
Home, About
Informatioon Directoryy, Downloaad, Online Application,
A
, Gallery, Forum, and Sitemap.
S
In additionn to some other
o
functiions like seearch, breaddcrumb thum
mbnail, fon
nt resizes
latest new
ws, announceement boardd, and quick
k links. Figgure 2.8 shoow the main
n page of
the portal..
w
(Norrazizie, 2009).
Figure 2..8: Main paage of SPS prototype website
38
2.8
Chapter Summary
This chapter has briefed about the literature relevant to the using of Web 2.0
in the Student-University Communication Media Portal which is to be planned and
developed. The project is done with some literature review from some resources such
as internet, books, conferences, journal and thesis.
This chapter also explained the terms related to Web 2.0 definitions and
principles, Web 2.0 Technology Tools, Web 2.0 Framework, and using Web 2.0 in
High Education and as Communication Media. Moreover, two case studies on SPS
portal were briefly described.
Also, a comprehensive idea of the literature with regarded to the models of
using Web 2.0 in high education and knowledge sharing. These models will be used
in order to propose a model of Student-University Communication Media using Web
2.0 in SPS, which is one of the project objectives.
CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1
Introduction
This research study relies on studying and developing a prototype of Web 2.0
Communication Media Portal used by postgraduate students and SPS staff in UTM.
The Web 2.0 tools such as Forum, Instant Message, Blog, RSS, and Wiki was used.
For doing some kind of research, a methodology is needed that is a sequence
of methodical work which is done through steps and used to guide the work
throughout a research in order to accomplish the research objectives.
This chapter demonstrates the methodology and the framework that have
been used in this project, the first section shows the project structure, then it is
followed by project operational framework. Next, the key project phases will be
described and explained in detail. Finally, software and hardware requirements
40
which will be used through this project are stated, and then the chapter is ended by
the chapter summary.
3.2
Project Workflow
In this section, project structure is explained, which gives a clear vision for
the work that has been done in this project. The project started with defining the
problem and determining the problem domain and scope, and the objectives to be
achieved at the end phase.
Then, research has been done to know the current work performed in this area
and to get knowledge of the useful Web 2.0 technology tools that have been used in
this project.
After that, collecting related data that helps to enrich and guide the researcher
to conduct this research has been done, this data have been analyzed well.
Finally, the findings of the whole work have been achieved, which used to
propose a Web 2.0 Communication Media Model, and develop the prototype. And
then, the organizational strategy of implementation the developed portal by SPS will
be formulated. The documentation process has been done throughout all project
processes. The following Figure 3.1 presents common project structure. In addition,
the next section will explain the project operational framework phases in detail.
41
Figure 3.1: Project Workflow Steps
3.3
Operational Framework
This section carries out the main activities for this project to achieve the
objectives; the main purpose from this section is to make a good work breakdown
structure that helping the researcher to schedule all the project activities. Figure 3.2
shows the operational framework steps that have been used in this project.
42
Figure 3.2: Project Operational Framework
3.4. Phases Description
The Phases description provides four important perspectives of the key
project phases. The perspectives of the key project phases consist of Objectives,
Activities, Instruments (Tools) and Deliverables. Table 3.1 represents the phases’
descriptions, and the next section provides the detail explanation of each key project
phases.
Table 3.1: Phases Description
Phase
A. Initial Planning
Objectives
Activities
• To diagnose underlying 1. Identify the background
problems regarding to
communication
problem current system.
2. Determine project scope,
between students and
objective and
SPS needed to be
importance.
solved.
• To determine project
purposes and scope.
• To build operational
Framework of key
project phases.
3. Produce the work plan to
break down the main
activities and schedule
the project.
Instruments (Tools)
• SPS and UTM Web
sites.
• Microsoft Project
Management.
Deliverables
• Problem Statement
• Project objectives
• Project scope
• Project Operational
Framework.
44
Table 3.1: Phases Description (Continued)
Phase
B. Research
Objectives
Activities
• To Study related topic
• Analyzing websites,
issues and previous
documentations,
documentations,
reviews of literature about
researches through
articles, books,
books, journals,
the study.
literature review
journals, previous
previous research and
research and etc.
etc.
• To gather data about
Student-University
Communication
problems and needs
regarding to the
existing systems.
• Interviewing SPS
staff
• Distributing set of
Instruments (Tools)
• Websites, articles,
• Unstructured open
ended questions to
the interviewees
questionnaires to
during interview
UTM Postgraduate
session.
Students.
• Semi structured
questionnaires
consist of close
ended and open
ended questions to
the respondents.
Deliverables
• Extensive and complete
• Feedback from
interviewees respondents
about the communication
problems with students.
• Feedback from
questionnaires respondents
about the communication
problems in UTM.
45
Table 3.1: Phases Description (Continued)
Phase
C. Analysis
Objectives
• To analyze feedback
Activities
Instruments (Tools)
Deliverables
• Assessing interview
• Interview questions
• Summarized requirements
from interviewees and
and questionnaire
respondents in proper
transcripts and
ways to get results.
analyzing feedback
• To study more existing
similar systems (if
required) to compare
the requirements.
• To identify the user
requirements.
from respondents.
• Identifying best
practice as examples
to the study.
form
• Online survey
website to collect
and analyze the
questionnaires.
specification for the study.
• Findings Report.
• Proposed StudentUniversity
Communication Media
Model
46
Table 3.1: Phases Description (Continued)
Phase
D. Design
Objectives
• To design the
proposed system
Activities
• Proposing and
constructing the
conceptual models
used to design the
system.
• Identifying the
hardware and
software needed to
design the system.
Instruments (Tools)
• UML techniques
• Macromedia
Dreamweaver 8,
Adobe PhotoShop
7.0 and Rational
Rose Software.
• PHP or ASP,
Apache, MS Access
Database, MySql,
Macromedia
Dreamweaver 8.
Deliverables
• Use Case Diagrams, Use
Case Descriptions, Class
Diagrams, and Sequence
Diagrams.
• Prototype System
47
Table 3.1: Phases Description (Continued)
Phase
Objectives
Activities
E. Implementation
• To implement, test
• Implementing the
and Testing
and evaluate the
Instruments (Tools)
Deliverables
• User Acceptance
• Developed and Tested
design technically
Test based on
Prototype System.
prototype system in
through
Technology
order to fulfill
prototyping.
Acceptance Model
project objectives.
• Conducting User
(TAM).
Acceptance Test
(UAT)
F. Formulating
Organizational
Strategy
• To formulate the
strategy of
implementing the
system by SPS
• Formulating the
Roll-Out Strategy
• Microsoft word, and
• Organizational Strategy
PowerPoint
• Formulating the
Change
Management
Strategy
G. Documentation
• To present the
system
documentation.
• Writing the system
• Microsoft Office
documentation.
and Microsoft
Project Tool.
• System Documentation.
48
3.4.1
Phase A: Initial Planning
Initial planning phase is the beginning of the project. Planning deals primarily
with problem diagnosis. A critical step in the planning effort is determining the key
problems to be solved by study. The objectives of the project are analyzed and
defined based on the problem statement. Besides that, project scope is identified to
draw the boundary of this project. After that, some researches of project background
have been done in order to decide the methodology of the project.
3.4.2
Phase B: Research
In this phase, the literature review of important perspective of the study has
been done. Also, the interview session with related respondents for valuable
information has been conducted. In addition, the questionnaires has been
disseminated, collected and analyzed to get the user requirements.
3.4.2.1 Literature Review
Researcher in this stage has reviewed literature basically from books, soft and
hard copies of journals, and some internet articles. Reviewing in the early stages was
focused on WHAT things mean, like definitions and explanations of Web 2.0, its
technology tools, characteristics, and principles. Also the Web 2.0 framework will be
explained. Then HOW things done was the second stage the researcher has observed
49
carefully, like how Web 2.0 is currently used as communication way in the High
Education Systems.
3.4.2.2 Interview
An interview is a conversation between two or more people (the interviewer
and the interviewee) where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain
information from the interviewee and gain a better understanding of their
backgrounds, qualifications and skills.
The interview of this study has been conducted individually with some of
SPS staff such as Assistant Registrar and Assistant Executer. This interview used the
unstructured or open ended questions initiative so that broad issues regarding this
study can be understood.
3.4.2.3 Questionnaires
The researcher developed a set of questionnaires that based on semistructured questions. These questions consist of the close ended and open ended
questions. Through questionnaires, the researcher can gather data to understand the
requirements of the proposed prototype system. The data of questionnaire have been
analyzed and processed carefully through the proper ways and models.
50
The researcher distributed two questionnaires, the first one for analyzing the
current system (As-Is system), and the second one for analyzing the proposed system
(To-Be system). The questionnaires were collected and analyzed.
3.4.3 Phase C: Analysis
In this phase, the gathered information has been analyzed based on each
category. For literature review, the information from literature resources have been
analyzed to guide the researcher to propose suitable model for Web 2.0
Communication Media Portal. As for interview and questionnaire findings, analysis
is based on the answers and suggestions given by respondents regarding the
research problem.
3.4.4
Phase D: Design
After user requirements was obtained in the analysis phase, conceptual
models and framework of proposed system was specified. Besides that, system’s
requirements have been identified, and the prototype system has been designed.
During this phase, researcher Object-Oriented Approach (O.O) with UML
technique as CASE tool was used to develop Use Case Diagram, Sequence Diagram
and Class Diagram which represents and translates user needs into working models.
51
Developing is the execution of the design. The Developing phase is technical
implementation of the design. This phase involved the prototyping ,which is iterative
process of systems development where requirements are converted to a working
system that is continually revised.
3.4.5 Phase E: Implementation and Testing
After the design is done, the prototype has been implemented and tested. The
User Acceptance Testing evaluate the prototype and check whether the project
objectives are fulfilled or not.
The implementation phase consists of testing and evaluation. In testing phase,
data on prototype system's outputs were collected and compared against the design
specifications. During the evaluation, the implemented prototype system was
evaluated to see how well it meets user's needs. The User Acceptance Test (UAT)
was done to know how acceptable Web 2.0 Communication Media Portal in solving
the student-university communication problems.
52
3.4.6 Phase F: Organizational Strategy
In this phase, the roll-out strategy has been formulated. The roll-out strategy
specifies how to implement the Student-University Communication Media Portal by
SPS. Also, the required change management strategy was discussed.
3.4.7
Phase G: Documentation
Report writing is the last part of the study, which finalizes the writing up of
the system documentation. The documentation task is performed during all the
previous phases.
3.5
Hardware and Software Requirements
The project development requires some hardware and software which are
necessary for designing, developing, implementing, and testing the prototype system.
The requirements of hardware and software are listed below:
53
3.5.1
Hardware Requirements
The hardware requirements to support the project development should have
the minimal configuration such as displayed in Table below.
Table 3.2: Minimal Requirements of Hardware.
No
Type
1
Web Server
Hardware Item
Processor
Hard Disk Storage
2
Processor
Database Server
Hard Disk Storage
3
Processor
Chat Server
Hard Disk Storage
4
3.5.2
Processor
User
Computers/Laptops
Minimal Specification
Intel Pentium IV or AMD
(3 GHz Speed)
250 GB
Intel Pentium IV or AMD
(3 GHz Speed)
250 GB
Intel Pentium IV or AMD
(3 GHz Speed)
250 GB
Intel Pentium IV or AMD
(2 GHz Speed)
Hard Disk Storage
80 GB
RAM
256 MB
Software Requirements
Table 3.3 describes the software requirements that has been chosen to
develop and implement the Web 2.0 Communication Media Portal Prototype.
54
Table 3.3: Software Requirements
Software
Description
Microsoft Windows Server 2003.
Used in the Web and database servers
Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, or Windows
Used in the terminal user computer
7.
PHP version 5.2.3
Used for developing the portal
MySQL version 5.0.45
Used for create and manage portal database
Joomla! version 1.5.13
Used for develop the prototype interface
Macromedia Dreamweaver 8.
Used for edit the portal pages
Adobe Photoshop 7.0
Used for designing portal logo and pictures
Microsoft Project 2007.
Used for manage the project processes
Rational Rose Enterprise Edition 2002
Used during the design phase
SPSS
Used during the questionnaire analysis
Internet Explorer or other explorer
Used for browsing the portal
3.6
Chapter Summary
In this chapter, the methodology that will be followed during developing this
project and fulfill its objectives was described. It included the Project Workflow,
Project Operational Framework, Phases Descriptions, and the Hardware and
Software Requirements.
Based on the project operational framework presented in this chapter, this
project is structured and divided into seven main tasks. The researcher should always
monitor the developing processes of this project by comparing the performed work to
these tasks to ensure that he still on the right way. Furthermore, some modifications
for making developing this project will be added if the researcher will find useful and
suitable ideas.
55
CHAPTER 4
ANALYSIS
4.1
Introduction
This chapter will tabulate the analysis results from the study that has been
conducted. Before the detailed study was done, analysis of the current SPS website
has been done. The interviews were conducted with SPS staff and two types of
surveys were used to collect data from the postgraduate students. Analysis of the
questionnaires that were distributed to the postgraduate students from various
faculties in UTM has been used to analyze the current system, and gather the
requirements of the proposed Student-University Communication Media Portal.
The analysis will assist to achieve one of the objectives of this project, which is
to identify the current communication problems and appropriate requirements needed
by postgraduate students and SPS staff. The analysis findings will be used to achieve
the second objective of this project, which is to study and analyze the critical
requirements of a Web 2.0-based Student-University Communication Media Portal.
56
Furthermore, the analysis findings, which gathered from document analysis,
interviews and questionnaires techniques, will be used to propose the Web2.0-based
Communication Media Model that is the third objective of this project.
4.2
Organization Analysis
Before the study analysis of this project will be done, it is very important to
clarify the organization in which the Web 2.0-based Student-University
Communication Media Portal will be implemented. That is the School of Graduate
Studies (SPS) in UTM.
4.2.1 The School of Graduate Studies (SPS)
Based on the SPS and UTM websites, the School of Graduate Studies (SPS)
is responsible for ensuring that prospective students have all the information they
need to make the right choice and to facilitate their postgraduate admission to UTM.
SPS promotes and advances outstanding achievement in graduate education at UTM.
SPS ensures quality and integrity of UTM graduate programmes; This entails that
students are provided with academic training of the highest standard in research and
other scholarly activities.
57
4.2.1.1 Graduate Studies Administrative Structure
The current Organizational Academic and Administrative structure of SPS is
presented in Figure 4.1.
Figure 4.1: SPS Administration Structure
4.3
Current System Analysis (As-Is Process)
The Document Analysis, Interview, and questionnaire techniques have been
used to analyze the current system of communication media between SPS and its
students.
58
4.3.1 Document Analysis:
First, the SPS website features are described in order to understand the
environment of the current system by which the students should communicate with
SPS, and to determine the lack of the current communication media. Figure 4.2
shows the SPS website main menu and Table 4.1 shows the functions of SPS website
main menu.
Figure 4.2: SPS Website Main Menu
59
Table 4.1: SPS Website Main Menu Functions
Main Menu Item
Function
Prospective Students
website provides information, as text
and downloadable forms, for students
who want to apply in UTM
Current Students
includes information about Academic
Calendar, Important Dates for Subject
Registration, Time Table for General
University
Subjects,
and
Course
Registration and Records.
Fees and Finance
includes information about Tuition
Fees, Scholarship and Assistantship,
and Claims and Forms
Student Life
provides information about the campus
life, laws and regulations. It shows
links to useful services in UTM such as
Centre
for
Information
Communication
&
Technology
(CICT),…etc
Academic Resources
provides academic information in form
of
downloadable
files
such
as
Academic Calendar, Thesis Submission
Forms, Guidelines and Examiner’s
Report Form.
Contact us
It contains the official address, Emails,
and telephone contact numbers of SPS.
staff
60
4.3.2
Analysis on Interviews
Face-to-Face interview with the Assistant Registrar of on 20-Aug-2009 were
individually conducted in order to get more information about the features of the
current communication media system and requirements for the proposed system
based on their experiences.
There are ten questions arranged in a manner to be explained briefly for
providing useful information (See Appendix A). This interview focused on the
preliminary understanding about how SPS currently communicate with students,
what are the difficulties and problems faced, and do they need a new system, and
how it will help to solve problems based on their experiences.
According to the interview with the Assistant Registrar of SPS, the feedback
from the questions asked was sufficient for the researcher understand the current
system and the requirements of the proposed portal.
The Assistant Registrar mentioned that there is no communication media
system using the web applied in SPS. She said that the traditional face-to-face
meetings, Emails, posts, faxes, and using Yahoo/MSN Messengers for chatting are
the ways of contacting students.
One question of the interview was about the main activities which need good
communication with students, she answered that is the online admission. She
explained that there are nine processes for applying online application in UTM,
which
are
receive
application,
send
response
card,
check
application
complete/incomplete, send the application to the faculty, receive the application from
the faculty, school of SPS process the application, send offer letter, receive response
61
card and finally register as student. She mentioned that the main problems occur
during the third and sixth steps, which are check application complete or incomplete
and school of SPS process the application.
The researcher asked her whether they contact students or not in case of
incomplete or unsuccessful application in order to help students to enhance their
documents, she replayed that SPS contacts students by phone, even by making
overseas calls, Emails or posts
Another question was whether the insufficient communication with students
can be considered as a reason of application rejection. She agreed because for certain
students, extra documents such as the experience certificates are needed to support
students’ opportunity to get admission in UTM.
But, because of the lack of
communication, they could not be announced and they get rejected.
The Assistant Registrar was asked about the difficulties that SPS staff face
during communicating with students, she answered that unclear and wrong post
addresses, the different English pronunciations of international students during the
overseas phone, and using the personal E-mails’ addresses of SPS staff for chatting
in some cases.
After quite explanation about Web 2.0 tools, the researcher asked whether the
SPS staff need a new way of communication based on Web 2.0 or not. She answered
that will be a helpful solution to improve the communication with students, save
time, reduce the cost and address all the communication problems easily.
62
4.3.3
Questionnaire Analysis
This section provides the analysis on feedback from respondents regarding to
the current communication media, when and where students face communication
problems, the satisfaction of postgraduate students with using the current system, and
the need for web-based communication system. The researcher distributed online
questionnaire that consists of 16 questions to approximately 300 hundreds of students
(See Appendix B). The total number of respondents was forty two students. The
analysis on feedback from these respondents was sufficient for researcher to
understand the problems of the current communication system, and the need for
developing a prototype of Web2.0-based Student-University Communication Media
Portal.
4.3.3.1 Analysis of the Questionnaire’s Findings
This questionnaire was prepared to gather information, feedback and views
from the respondents regarding to the communication with SPS. The content of the
questionnaire was divided into four sections which are:i.
Section A: Identifying the postgraduate students’ communication
problems.
ii.
Section B: Identifying the most important unit in UTM with which the
problems are faced.
iii.
Section C: Students’ satisfaction with the current system.
iv.
Section D: The need to Web 2.0 Student-University Communication
Media Portal and students’ recommendations.
63
In Section A,, there werre five quesstions, whicch identifieed whether students
munication problems or
o not, and what
w
types of communnication meedia they
face comm
use.
Thhe first queestion was asked
a
to kn
now how the
t studentss contact UTM
U
for
admissionn. The objecctive of this question iss to know whether
w
studdents use th
he online
applicationn for admisssion or noot. The resu
ults obtained that onlyy (27%) of students
used onlinne applicatioon, (22%) of
o students sent by posst, and (44%
%) of them send the
required documents
d
to their friennds in UTM
M by Emails. Figure 4.3 shows the details.
others
7%
Email to UTM
M Student Friend
44%
Online O
App
plication
2
27%
Sending Po
ost Message
22%
Figure 4.3:
4 The methods of app
plying for admission
a
inn UTM
Thhe second question was askeed to knoow whetheer studentss faced
communiccation probllems or nott before theey came to UTM. Onnly 38% of students
faced com
mmunicationn problemss with SPS,, and 62% of studentts did not face
f
any
problem. Figure
F
4.4 illustrates thhese ratios.
64
QA
A2: Have yoou faced a communicat
c
tion problem
m
with UTM
M before you
u came to M
Malaysia?
Y
Yes
38%
3
No
62%
6
Figure 4..4: Communnication pro
oblems befoore coming tto UTM
Thhe third question in thiss section waas to know how
h studennts contacted
d SPS to
solve any problem during
d
the admission.
a
The most used
u
way iss sending emails
e
to
students’ friends in UTM
U
( 29%
% of studen
nts used thiss way), 288% of studeents sent
a 20% off students ussed the phonne as shownn in Figure 4.5.
4
Emails to SPS staff, and
Q
QA3: How did you contaact SPS to sollve admisstio
on
problems?
I didn’t PS
contact SP
18%
Byy UTM Student Frriend
2
29%
By Email
27%
Other
6%
By Phone
20%
By Fax
0%
Figurre 4.5: The used comm
munication media
m
for soolving admission probleems
The forth questtion was askked to know
w whether students
s
stilll have prob
blems of
communiccation withh SPS afterr they camee to UTM. Most of sstudents wh
ho were
questionedd (51%) stilll face probllems. Figure 4.6 showss this result..
65
QA
A4: After you came to UTM, have yo
ou faced a co
ommunication
problem?
No
49%
Yes
%
51%
Figurre 4.6: Com
mmunication
n problems after
a
coming to UTM
The fifth questiion was askked to know
w whether thhe students in UTM usse Faceto-Face coommunicatiion to solvee their prob
blems with SPS. The percentage of 76%
students confirmed
c
thhat they usee Face-to-Faace commuunication. Fiigure 4.7 sh
hows the
respondennts’ answerss.
QA5: D
Do you alwaays go to SP
PS offices too solve probblems?
No, 2%
I haven't faced problems
22%
Yes, 76%
Figuree 4.7: Face--to-Face com
mmunicatioon way withh SPS
In Section B, the most im
mportant un
nit in UTM
M with whicch the probllems are
faced was identified. Most of stuudents (33%
%) answeredd that they fface commu
unication
problems with SPS. So, in thiss project, th
he researchher focuses on commu
unication
with SPS based on students’
s
coonsideration
ns. Figure 4.8 illustraates the maiin UTM
units and its
i communnication probblems’ ratio
ons.
66
Q B1: With whom you face communication probleems
in UT
TM?
Others
3%
I haven't faced probleems
25%
%
SPSS
33%
%
Hostel
23%
Facculty
16
6%
Figurre 4.8: UTM
M unites and
d communiccation probllems
a
to knnow the satisfaction of students
In Section C, three questtions were asked
with the current
c
com
mmunicationn system. The
T researchher noticed that most students
are not sattisfied withh the currentt system. In
n the first quuestion, thee students are
a asked
whether SPS
S
staffs solved theiir problemss before theey came too UTM. Th
he result
showed thhat 48% off students agreed
a
that SPS solvedd their problems, but 17% of
students saaid that SPS
S did not soolve their problems as shown
s
in Figure 4.9.
Q C1:
C Did the SPS
S staff soolve your prroblems beffore
you came to UTM?
I haven
n't faced prob
blems
36%
Yes
47%
No
17%
Figu
ure 4.9: SPS
S staff and solving
s
com
mmunicationn problems
In the secondd question of
o this sectio
on, the studdents were asked whetther they
are satisfieed with the way of com
mmunication
n with SPS or not. Thee percentagee of 50%
of students are not sattisfied as shhown in Fig
gure 4.10.
67
Q C2:Are you
y Satisfieed with the way
w of Com
mmunicationn with SPS??
I didn’t ccontact SPS before I came to U
UTM
1
14%
Yes
36%
No
50%
Figure 4.10: Studentts Satisfactioon with the Current Coommunication Media with
w SPS
In the third question,
q
thhe studentss were askeed to know
w whether they
t
are
satisfied with
w SPS officers
o
helpp. The resu
ult showed that 22% oof students are not
satisfied as
a shown in Figure 4.111.
Q C3: Are youu satisfied with
w SPS offficers' help??
I am
m not satiisfied
22%
I am too saatisfied
14%
I am jjust satisffied
64%
%
Figure 4.11:
4
Studennt Satisfactiion with thee SPS officeers help
In section D, four questtions were asked to confirm
c
the need for Web
W 2.0
Student-U
University Communicat
C
tion Mediaa Portal. Thhe first queestion was asked
a
to
know wheether studennts need a new
n media of
o communnication withh UTM or not.
n The
percentagee of 66% off students neeed it as sho
own in Figuure 4.12.
68
Q D1: Do
D you need
d a new meedia of
com
mmunication
n with UTM
M?
No
34%
Yes
%
66%
Figure 4.112: the needd to new com
mmunicatioon media wiith UTM
Thhe researcheer introducced some to
ools of Weeb 2.0 to sstudents wh
ho were
questionedd. These toools include IM (Instan
nt Message)), Forum, W
Wikis, Blogss, Social
Websites such as Faccebook. The student were
w
asked to
t know whhether they use one
(or more) of these Web
W 2.0 tecchnologies or not. Thee result shoowed that IM
I
and
social netw
working aree used by 500% of studeents, whereaas 38% of sttudents use Forums,
35% of sttudents usee Blogs, andd 23% of them
t
use Wikis,
W
as sshown in details
d
in
Figure 4.113.
W
Web 2.0
0 Tools
60
Social Chat, 50 Nettworking, 50
Students
50
40
F
Forum, 38
B
Blogs, 35
30
W
Wikis, 23
20
10
0
W
Web 2.0
F
Figure
4.133: Web2.0 to
ools used byy students
69
The last question in this section was open ended question. The students were
asked to write their suggestions and recommendations. The researcher sent the
questionnaires to IT-Management and Computer Science postgraduate students’ Email groups, so some answers were useful because the students have the knowledge
of Web 2.0. Some suggestions mentioned that the new system must use English
language for website interface, another suggestion to enforce every student to use the
communication system.
4.3.4
Conclusion of the Analysis Techniques
Based on the SPS website Document Analysis, Interview, and the
Questionnaire techniques, the researcher realized that postgraduate students contact
SPS to solve their problems currently by using the SPS office address (for Post or
Face-to-Face), E-mail , Fax, and Telephone numbers.
Also, the researcher found that there is no computer-based or web-based system
for communication with students in place. Instead, there are some ways of
communication that can be classified as the following categories:
•
Face-to-Face Meeting:
Because of most of students’ problems can be solved at the SPS offices,
Face-to-Face meeting is considered the most way of communication between
students and SPS.
•
Phone:
Postgraduate students still use the phone to contact SPS staff even those who
are outside Malaysia and make overseas call.
•
Email
70
The Emails of SPS staff are listed in the SPS website. The student can inquire
by Email about online application status, admission, UTM polices and
services, or general issues.
•
Chat (Instant Message)
Because of the different English pronunciation of international students, the
SPS staff could not understand students well in some cases, especially when
students make overseas calls. The Instant Message is used by some SPS staff
to and discuss about students’ problems.
•
Post
Some students still send their application documents by.
•
Fax
The fax is rarely used to communicate with SPS.
4.3.5
Weaknesses of Using the Current Communication Media
Table 4.2: Weaknesses of Using the Current Communication Ways/Media
Current Communication Media
Face-to-Face Meeting
Weaknesses
- It consumes the students and staffs’ time.
- It is impossible for the international students
who still outside Malaysia or study by distance
learning.
Phone
- Expensive for UTM and students, especially for
international calls.
- The different English pronunciations of students
cause problem of misunderstanding.
- It does not help in the case of filling forms, or
required signature.
71
Current Communication Media
E-mail
Weaknesses
- No verification of student personality.
- The huge number of emails can not be managed
and answered well by the SPS staff.
- It is not accurate, because the problems might
be sent to the wrong staff who may ignore it.
Chat (Using staff Yahoo ID, or - The staff use their personal emails to chat
other Instant Message IDs)
(usually using Yahoo or Gmail).
- The staff usually will not be comfortable to add
thousands of students into their IM accounts.
- Not accurate, no verification for the student
personality.
Post
- Very slow
- Expensive.
- Not accurate, many posts are missed.
-Most of students don’t have valid post addresses,
so some posts always returned back to UTM.
- It usually used by students for sending the
admission documents.
Fax
- Expensive
- Not accurate, no verification of the student
personality.
-It usually used to support another way of
communication, such as phones.
4.4
Analysis of Proposed System (To-Be Process)
To propose a new (To-Be) system, and to solve the problems of the current
system which are mentioned in the previous section (4.3), it is important to carry out
a preliminary research for an in-depth understanding of the user's needs and
requirements. The findings are gathered from key informants and respondents of
72
open ended questions interviews and semi-structured questionnaire. These findings
are analyzed to get the appropriate requirements and components required for the
Web 2.0-based Student-University Communication Media Portal.
4.4.1
Analysis on Interview
The researcher conducted an interview with the SPS Assistant Executer who
contact with students regarding to the online application problem. The interview was
individually conducted in order to get more information, requirements, and
recommendations
about
the
proposed
Web
2.0-based
Student-University
Communication Media Portal. All interview questions are listed in Appendix C.
The Assistant Executer was asked about the communication problems caused
by using the online application system. In the beginning, she was asked how she
know about new applications, she answered that the system will notify her by all new
applications. She mentioned that the online application system uses two colorful
flags, green and red for applications. The completed application gets the green flag,
while the incomplete one gets the red flag. She prints out all the complete application
to be processed by other SPS staff, and contact students for incomplete applications.
She said that the media of communication with students are the E-mail, and
sometimes the phone. And she said that students are asked to send additional
required documents to her personal E-mail. Also, she mentioned that about 30% of
online applications are rejected, some of them because they do not response to the
additional requests sent by E-mails, such as inform students about unclear
certificates, insufficient processing fees, experience certificates or other useful
documents to be sent again. The interviewed staff strongly agreed about providing
73
new communication tools instead of using Emails and phones, these tools like the
chat, forum and/or providing SPS-Account for each student.
The SPS Executer recommendations for the new communication portal that are:
•
SPS should assign some staff to use a public online chat with students at
work time to solve problems or answer about students’ enquiries.
•
Use the forum discussion, under SPS administration, with prospective
students to allow them to get information about all issues they always ask
about.
•
Every prospective student, who has Graduate Studies Management System
Account (GSMS) username and password, should have message inbox at
their accounts to be contacted easily.
•
4.4.2
The new communication media should be fast and reliable.
Questionnaire Analysis
The questionnaire was constructed to gather portal requirements and
recommendations, and to identify the suitable Web 2.0 tools in order to propose the
Web 2.0-based Student-University Communication Media Model which will be used
to develop the Web2.0-based Student-University Communication Media Portal to
serve the postgraduate students in UTM. The content of the questionnaire (see
Appendix D) was divided into four sections which are:
•
Respondent Background
•
Identifying the Communication Problems with SPS.
•
The Communication Media Portal Recommendation.
•
The Needed Web 2.0 Tools.
74
Unnlike the firrst survey which
w
was distributed online, tw
wo hundredss printed
copies of this
t questioonnaire weree distributed to the posstgraduate sstudents in different
d
faculties in UTM. Hundred and
a
twelvee students answered the questiionnaire.
However, the analysees on feedbback from these
t
112 students werre adequatee to give
the researcher undersstanding onn identifying
g the postgrraduate studdents requirrements,
the recom
mmendationss of portal’ss functions for designiing the proototype of Web2.0W
based Studdent-Univerrsity Comm
munication Media
M
Portaal.
4.4.2.1 Reespondent Backgroun
B
nd
Thhe respondeent studentts included
d Master and PhD students. Most
M
of
respondennts are interrnational stuudents distriibuted among differennt faculties in
i UTM.
Figure 4.114 shows the respondennt students’ programs. The percenntage of (53%) were
Master stuudents, whereas (46%) were PhD students.
s
Otheers
1%
%
PhD
46%
Master
5
53%
Figurre 4.14: Students Progrrams
Thhe percentagge of (88%
%) of respo
ondents weere international studeents, and
only (12%
%) were locaal students as
a Figure 4.15.
75
Local
2%
12
Inteernational
88%
Figgure 4.15: Local
L
againsst Internatioonal Studentts
osen from different
d
coountries, in order to
Thhe internatioonal studennts were cho
come up with
w a geneeral view off communiccation problems. The ppercentage of
o (26%)
of responddents were from Yem
men, and thee same perccentage froom Iran, wh
hen nine
percent (99%) were Indonesians
I
s, eight percent (8%) were Libyaans, and th
he others
from Nigeeria, Iraq, Paakistan, Suddan and Om
man. Figuree 4.16 show
ws these perccentages
in details.
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Figure 4.16: Studeents Nationaalities
76
In addition, the questioonnaire wass distributeed to studeents from different
d
w the facultties of resppondent stu
udents in
faculties. Table 4.3 and Figuree 4.17 show
details.
T
Table
4.3: Faculties
F
off Respondennt Students
Faaculty
Perceentage
FKE
Faculty of
o Electricaal Engineering
22
FSKSM
Faculty of
o Computeer Science and
a Informaation System
m
20
FKS
Faculty of
o Science
12
FKM
Faculty of
o Mechanical Engineeering
10
FKA
Faculty of
o Civil Enggineering
8
FP
Faculty of
o Educatioon
7
FPPSM
Faculty of
o Managem
ment and Hu
uman Resouurce
5
FKKKSA
A Faculty
of
Chem
mical
and
d
Naturall
Resources 4
Engineerring
FAB
Faculty of
o Built Envvironment
2
FBB
Faculty of
o Biosciennces and Bio
oengineeringg
1
-
Un-Speccified
9
Faculties
25
2
2
20
1
15
1
10
5
0
Fiigure 4.17: Faculties of
o Respondeent Studentss
77
Finnally, most of studentss have been
n in UTM foor one or tw
wo years. Th
he result
is summarrized in Figuure 4.18.
Morre than 4
12%
3
3 or 4 years
13%
Leess than 1 year
11%
1 or 2 years
1
64%
Figuree 4.18: Periiod of stay of
o students in
i the univeersity
4.4.2.2 Ideentifying th
he Commu
unication Prroblems wiith SPS:
Thhis section confirms the
t
finding
gs of the previous
p
quuestionnairee which
distributedd early. By answering this section
n, respondennts help to identify thee current
communiccation probllems with SPS
S to be so
olved.
Thhe followingg tables sum
mmarize th
he analysis of responddents’ answers. The
scales used in the queestionnaire are
a determin
ned as the following:
f
1 = Stronggly Disagreee
2 = Disagree
D
3 = Agreee
4=S
Strongly Ag
gree
In the first paart, the studdents were asked
a
aboutt the satisfaaction of thee current
SPS website. The meean of the annswers are provided. Table
T
4.4 shhows the an
nswers in
detail.
78
Table 4.4: Students’ satisfaction of the current SPS website
No
The Question
Percentage
Mean
1
2
3
4
5
33
50
12
2.70
4
40
49
7
2.60
13
42
41
4
2.35
11
40
44
5
2.44
1. The SPS web-site provides you with all
information you need to know about your
post graduate study and SPS rules.
2. The SPS web-site is clear, organized and easy
to find the information you need.
3. The SPS provides online communication for
you with SPS staffs using the SPS website.
4. The SPS website provides a good search
engine to find the information you need.
From Table 4.4, 62% of students got the information they need from SPS
website, and 56% of them consider it as clear and organized website, but 55% of
students answered that there is no online communication with SPS staffs in place,
and 51% mentioned that there is no good search engine to find the information in
SPS website.
The second part confirms that the prospective students face communication
problems with SPS, as found in the first questionnaire early. Although 60% of
prospective students got the information they need from the SPS website, but 75% of
them needed help to understand it. Also, 84% of prospective students needed
communication with SPS staffs, and 71% of them contacted SPS staffs by using the
current communication media (E-mail, phone, and others),
whereas 74% of
prospective students contacted non-SPS staff (such as their friends in UTM) to solve
their problems, which is due to the lack of communication with SPS. Table 4.5
represents these results.
79
Table 4.5: Prospective Students Communication Problems
N
The Question
Percentage
o
Mean
1
2
3
4
1 As a new student (prospective student), you 6
34
51
9
2.63
23
52
23
2.96
4
12
53
31
3.13
4 You contacted with SPS staffs using the 8
21
51
20
2.82
21
46
28
2.96
got the information you need for applying in
UTM easily from SPS website.
2 Before Registration, you needed help to 2
understand the Rules/Forms/Procedures that
are listed in SPS Website.
3 You needed to communicate with SPS staffs.
traditional ways (Emails, Phone, Post, etc) to
inquire or solve your problems.
5 You contacted with non-SPS staffs (your 5
friends in UTM, etc) to inquire or solve your
problems (Before Registration).
In the third part of this section, the current students were asked whether they
still use the traditional communication media, need online communication, and need
to inquire about information online. From the respondents’ answers, the current
students still use the Email, phone and post as communication media and they need
online communication with SPS, as shown in Table 4.6.
80
Table 4.6: The Current Students Communication Problems
N
The Question
Percentage
o
3
4
n
6
56
32
3.14
5
46
45
3.33
11
52
36
3.24
20
52
23
2.94
1
1 You
still
use
the
traditional
ways
of 6
Mea
2
communication (Face-to-Face, Emails, Phones,
etc) with SPS staffs to inquire or solve
problems (after Registration).
2 As Current UTM Student, you need more 4
online communication medium with SPS staffs
rather than just through email and phone.
3 You need to inquire about SPS rules/procedures 1
online by using the SPS website tools.
4 You would like to add information you know 5
about UTM to the SPS website to enrich it.
The students were asked about the way by which they applied to UTM. Only
20% of students applied through online application, 20% of students used the post,
5% of students used the E-mail during applying to UTM, 46% of students contacted
their UTM-friends, 15% of them applied manually to SPS officers, 10% of students
used other ways for applying such as external agencies, as shown in Figure 4.19.
This result supports what the researcher had found from the previous survey which
described that 27% of students used the online application, 20% of them used the
post, 44% of them contacted their UTM-friends, and 10% of them used others ways
of communications for applying in UTM, as shown previously in Figure 4.3.
81
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Figure 4.119: Applyin
ng Methods to UTM
Byy doing moore analysis on respo
ondents’ annswers, 23%
% of studen
nts who
applied onnline are neew students (less than one
o year inn UTM), butt only 5% them
t
are
consideredd as senior UTM studeents (more than 4 yearrs in UTM)). Also, onlly 9% of
students who
w appliedd by post aree new studeents, but 32% of them are senior students.
s
That mighht imply thaat the new students
s
preefer to use the
t providedd online app
plication
and servicces.
Finnally, this section was ended
d by som
me useful commentss about
communiccation probllems, whichh were menttioned by sttudents, such as:
- “Both coommunications are needed, traditio
onal and moodern.”
- “The SPS staff sometimes needd a couple of
o days for solving
s
probblems.”
- “The prooblem is in the
t responsee on time.”
-“ They doon’t replay on email onn time.”
- “Most off the time, SPS
S not respponding to our
o E-mailss.”
- “We donn’t know about the new
w news from
m SPS. SPS website stilll use empty
y links.”
- “Englishh language of
o SPS stafff is poor.”
-“ It is tooo hard to gett what you want
w via ph
hone with thhe SPS stafff for any enq
quiry.”
82
-“ A lot of time is wasted before one can communicate with SPS staff (Face-toFace).”
-“ We need to website involve all parts of SPS like visa and so on.”
-“ Ever the phone, the persons have no idea about the things we ask about.”
- “Low internet speed in the university.”
-“ Long queue for meeting SPS staff (Face-to-Face).”
-“ During the registration, I couldn’t contact by Email to SPS staff.”
-“ I had a problem which took one year to be solved.”
4.4.2.3 The Communication Media Portal Recommendation:
In this section, the respondents were asked about their recommendations in
identifying elements and features of the proposed portal. These features are
important because the new portal should satisfy the needs of postgraduate students
who communicate with SPS.
This section is divided into four parts which are:
1- The common features of communication media portal.
2- The prospective and current students’ features.
3- The students’ acceptance to use of Web 2.0 tools.
4- The most important information to be communicated with SPS.
Firstly, the common features of the communication media portal are
described in the Table 4.7. The scales from one to four are used as mentioned earlier.
83
Table 4.7: Common Features of Communication Media Portal
N
The Question
Percentage
o
2
3
4
n
4
9
44
43
3.27
1
4
52
43
3.37
2
9
45
44
3.31
2
4
44
50
3.43
0
5
51
44
3.39
0
1
35
64
3.63
0
4
39
57
3.54
0
8
58
34
3.26
1
1 A new SPS portal with online communication
Mea
media is needed rather than just using emails and
phones.
2 The new portal must provide online
communication with SPS staffs.
3 The new portal must provide a way to inquire
about any information/rules/form in SPS website.
4 The portal must provide a way to contact SPS
specialist staffs online to solve problems.
5 The portal should notify students in case of
portal-content updated (add new announcements
/dates etc).
6 The portal should have a good search engine to
find the desired information.
7 The portal should have access (links) to all UTM
services with brief explanation about them.
8 The portal should act as communication media.
As shown in the Table 4.7, most of the students strongly agreed that a new
portal is needed to provide online communication with SPS staff and a way to
inquire about information in SPS website. They agreed that the portal should notify
students about any new updates, the portal should have a good search engine, the
portal should guide students to use all UTM services, and the portal should act as
communication media.
Secondly,
the
prospective
and
current
students’
recommendation for the proposed portal are summarized in Table 4.8.
responses
on
84
Table 4.8: Prospective and Current Students Recommendations
N
The Question
Percentage
1
1 The portal must provide a communication
2
Mean
3
4
0
6
56
38
3.58
1
12
47
40
3.27
0
6
44
50
3.46
0
2
36
62
3.61
0
8
53
39
3.31
0
3
49
48
3.46
medium during applying online to UTM.
2 The portal must provide the prospective students
with accounts (username/password) to be used
for communication (UTM Email, or Forum
account)
3 The prospective students need to inquire (online)
about their applications till they get the offer
letter.
4 In case of the application is not complete, the
SPS must notify students to enhance their
application
5 The portal should provide current students with
information more than just providing
downloadable forms and important news/dates
only.
6 For the academic resources, the portal should
include online discussion in addition to the
downloadable forms.
These results show that prospective students need to communicate with SPS
to inquire about the status of their applications, especially when the applications are
incomplete. Also, the portal should provide the current students with needed
information online such as the academic resources by using online communication
media.
85
In the third part of this section, the students strongly agreed to use Web 2.0
tools for communicating with SPS staff and finding the needed information. In
addition, 93% of students would like the proposed portal rather than the current SPS
website. Table 4.9 shows the relative respondents’ answers.
Table 4.9: Using Web 2.0 tools for Communication
No
The Question
Percentage
1
1
Web 2.0 tools for example forum, chat and
2
Mean
3
4
0
8
61
31
3.23
2
10
61
27
3.13
2
13
45
40
3.49
0
7
53
40
3.33
blogs can be used to communicate with SPS
staff.
2
It is more effective and efficient to
communicate with SPS staff using Web 2.0
tools for example forum, chat and blogs.
3
The portal should allow users (SPS staffs and
students) to add contents to enrich it with
sufficient information (example: blogs, wikis)
4
I would like this proposed portal (with rich
communication tools) rather than the current
SPS website.
In the fourth section, the students were asked about the most important
information they need to communicate with SPS about. As shown in Figure 4.20, the
percentage of 58% of respondents communicate with SPS for purposes of enquiring
about status of their online application and SPS rules, when 51% of respondents
enquire about UTM services, and 43% of respondents communicate with SPS during
applying to study in UTM.
86
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Onlinee Applicattion Status
Enquiiry about SPSS rules Enquiry about U
UTM services Ask for help to apply in UTM
Figure 4.20: Comm
munication Purposes
P
4.4.2.3 Th
he Needed Web
W 2.0 Toools
In this sectionn, the studeents were asked
a
aboutt specific W
Web 2.0 too
ols to be
used in thhe Student-U
University Communicaation Mediaa Portal. Thhe objectivee of this
section is to know the
t suitablee Web 2.0 tools that are familiaar to studeents, and
effective for
f communnication.
Thhe first quesstion was asked
a
to kno
ow the Weeb 2.0 toolss that are used by
students. Most students, 60% off them, used
d the online chat, whereeas 56% of students
f
and social
s
networking. Thee percentage of 50% oof students used
u
the
used the forum
blogs, 26%
% of studennts used the wikis, 16%
% of them chhose the RSS
S, and 38%
% of them
used the other
o
tools suuch as YouuTube.
Moore analysiss has been done
d
to kno
ow the perceentage of sttudents who
o already
used thesee tools at eaach faculty. The researccher found that
t the online Chat an
nd Social
Networkinng have beeen used by students fro
om all facuulties. The F
Forum has not
n been
used by FBB studentts only. Thee Blogs and
d Wikis are used at all faculties ex
xcept the
87
FBB and FAB, whereas the RSS has not been used by FBB, FAB, and FKKKSA
students. Table 4.10 shows the analysis result in details.
Table 4.10: Using Web 2.0 by UTM Faculties’ Students
Students of
Forum
Chat
Blogs
Wikis
RSS
Social Net
Others
FSKSM
86
77
68
59
32
82
55
FKKKSA
40
60
40
20
0
20
40
FKM
45
45
45
36
9
73
55
FKS
46
77
38
23
23
38
31
FPPSM
50
50
67
33
33
50
17
FBB
0
100
0
0
0
100
0
FKE
64
56
48
4
8
40
28
FP
50
63
75
25
13
63
38
FKA
22
56
33
11
22
56
44
FAB
100
50
0
0
0
50
50
56
60
50
26
16
56
38
All
Faculties
The second question were asked to know which tools students prefer to
communicate with SPS staffs in order to inquire about SPS rules and procedures.
The result shows that most of respondents prefer to use UTM Messaging account
(58%), Forum (42%), and Chat (39%).
Most respondents from the faculties of FBB (100%), FKM (82%), FKKKSA
(80%), FKS (69%), FPPSM (67%), and FKA (67%) prefer to use the UTM
Messaging Account. Most students at FSKSM (77%) prefer the Forum. The Chat is
mostly preferred by students from FBB (100%), FKKKSA (80%), FKS (54%). Table
4.11 shows this result.
88
Table 4.11: Web 2.0 Tools for SPS Rules Enquiry
Students of
UTM Msg.
Account
Forum
Chat
FSKSM
41
77
41
FKKKSA
80
20
80
FKM
82
36
27
FKS
69
38
54
FPPSM
67
17
17
FBB
100
0
100
FKE
56
32
32
FP
50
25
38
FKA
67
44
33
FAB
0
100
50
All Faculties
58
42
39
In the third question, the students were asked about the tools they prefer to
use to inquire about status of their online application during the admission.
Most students prefer to use UTM Messaging Account (65%), Forum (39%), and
Chat (34%). At the faculties, most students of FBB (100%), FAB (100%), FKKKSA
(80%) prefer to use UTM Messaging Account, whereas most students of FSKSM
(68%) prefer to use Forum, as shown in Table 4.12.
89
Table 4.12: Web 2.0 tools for Online Application Status Enquiry
Students of
UTM Msg. Account
Forum
Chat
FSKSM
50
68
41
FKKKSA
80
40
40
FKM
73
36
36
FKS
69
38
46
FPPSM
50
17
33
FBB
100
100
0
FKE
72
24
16
FP
38
50
38
FKA
67
33
44
FAB
100
50
0
All faculties
65
39
34
Another question was asked to know which Web 2.0 tools students prefer for
displaying the SPS website information. The Forum is preferred by 46% of
students, whereas the blogs, video sharing, and wikis are preferred by 22%, 33%, and
19% of students respectively. The FSKSM students prefer to use Forum (82%), when
most of FKM students prefer to use Blogs (55%). All respondents from FBB prefer
to use Video Sharing, and 50% of FAB students prefer to use Wikis, as shown below
in Table 4.13.
90
Table 4.13: Web 2.0 for Displaying SPS Website Information
Students at
Forum
Blogs
Video Sharing
Wikis
FSKSM
82
32
23
27
FKKKSA
40
40
20
0
FKM
36
55
27
36
FKS
54
15
23
8
FPPSM
33
50
33
17
FBB
0
0
100
0
FKE
36
24
16
16
FP
25
50
13
0
FKA
56
11
33
0
FAB
50
0
0
50
All faculties
46
33
22
19
The students were also asked about the tools they prefer to use for sharing
knowledge with each other. Most students (48%) prefer the Social Networking,
40% of them prefer the Forum, and 38% of students prefer to use UTM Messaging
Account for knowledge sharing, as shown in Table 4.14.
Table 4.14: Web 2.0 Knowledge Sharing Tools
Students at
Social Net.
Forum
UTM Account
FSKSM
41
64
27
FKKKSA
40
80
20
FKM
64
18
82
FKS
38
31
54
FPPSM
50
33
33
FBB
100
0
0
FKE
40
44
28
91
Students at
Social Net.
Forum
UTM Account
FP
50
25
38
FKA
67
22
33
FAB
0
50
50
All faculties
48
40
38
In addition, the students were asked about the tools they prefer to use for
providing academic resources. Most of students prefer the Forum (48%), Blogs
(36%). And, the percentage of (31%) of students prefer to use Video Sharing and
Wikis. The students’ answers from different faculties are shown in the Table 4.15.
Table 4.15: Web 2.0 for Academic Resources
Students of
Forum
Blogs
Video Sharing
Wikis
FSKSM
73
27
50
50
FKKKSA
60
20
0
0
FKM
36
36
55
55
FKS
62
31
23
23
FPPSM
17
100
50
50
FBB
100
0
0
0
FKE
40
36
20
20
FP
38
38
25
25
FKA
22
22
11
11
FAB
100
0
50
50
All faculties
48
36
31
31
Finally, the students were asked whether they prefer to get SPS website
updates by using the RSS or not. Most of students (60%) prefer it, only 7% of them
are reluctant to use RSS, and 33% of students still do not know about RSS.
92
4.5
User Requirements:
4.5.1 Functional Requirements:
Table 4.16: Functional Requirements
User
Portal Administrator
SPS Staff
Student
Functional Requirements
-
Login into the portal account.
-
Mange the users.
-
Mange the portal contents.
-
Browse the portal
-
Login into portal account
-
Communicate with student
-
Logout
-
Browse the portal
-
Login into the portal account.
-
Enquire about any problem
-
Communicate with SPS Staff
93
4.5.2
Non-Functional Requirements
Table 4.17: Non-Functional Requirements
Requirement Type
Non-Functional Requirements
Operational
- The portal can be accessed from the Internet.
- The portal can be operated in many operating systems
like Windows and Macintosh Environment.
Performance
- The portal should be available 24 hours a day.
- The portal database should be integrated with UTM
database so that the students can use their UTM accounts to
login into portal account.
- The response time must be short
(no more than 10
second).
Security
- Only portal administrator, authorized SPS staff, and
registered (prospective and current) students can login into
the system.
- The session should expire if the user interaction with
portal becomes idle.
4.6
Comparison between SPS Website and the Proposed Portal
The comparison of current SPS website with the proposed portal illustrates
the weaknesses of the current system of communication and opportunities of using
the Web 2.0 as new communication media. Table 4.18 shows this comparison.
94
Table 4.18: Comparison between SPS Website and the Proposed Portal
SPS Website System
Proposed Portal
It depends on Web1.0 technology.
It depends on Web 2.0 technology.
It displays information about SPS It helps students by enabling them to
and its services. The student should inquire about needed information or
browse the website to find the needed services online.
information.
It shows lists of office addresses, It provides new ways of communications
emails, phone and fax numbers for such as forum, chat, blogs, and wikis.
solving any problem.
Limited ways of communication Advanced
and
using the current media (phone, communication
email, etc)
that
ways
of
facilitate
the
communication and solving problems.
The problems are not organized Web 2.0-based
because
new
of
the
ways
communication media
of portal will organize problems to be solved
communication.
easily.
It depends on another media like It depends on the Web 2.0 to solve all
phone and post, which are expensive problems by cheap, accurate, and fast
and not accurate.
ways.
The solved problems are not archived Many problems will be saved in the portal
for the future use, or to help in and can be retrieved easily.
solving similar problems.
Emails, Faxes, Phones and even the Every student will have an account and
Posts do not provide a verification of they will be responsible for their inquiries,
the student personality.
or requests.
Because of the difference of time The students can check whether staff are
between
Malaysia
countries,
the
and
other online or not, and can use Forum to inquire
international or request information that will be
prospective students not always use answered later.
the website at the work hours, so no
one can answer their calls.
95
Furthermore, after analyzing the interview and questionnaire, the researcher
summarized the advantages and challenges of developing Student-University
Communication Media Portal based on Web2.0, which are displayed in Table 4.19.
Table 4.19: Analysis Feedback about Proposed Portal Advantages and Challenges
New Portal Advantage
New Portal Challenges
Save staffs’ time by reducing Face-to- Requires knowledge of Web 2.0 tools
Face meetings.
Save the cost of sending posts, faxes, and It may require assigning new staff who
making phone calls.
should always appear online during the
work time to solve students’ problems.
Direct contact with the responsible SPS The new portal can be improved not
staff online to solve any problem.
only to solve problems but also to
perform the manual tasks by using the
Web 2.0.
Reliable way of communication
SPS polices should accept the online
requests.
Easy and comfortable communication The Forums and other Web 2.0 tools
media for both students and staffs.
will allow students to write anything
about their problems, so a good
administration is needed.
Provide added value advantage for UTM Some
online services.
students
will
still
use
the
traditional communication media, which
will cause more disturbances for SPS
staff.
Can use the organized and archived It will cost more money in case of
problems to solve similar ones.
assigning new SPS staff.
96
4.7
Proposed Web 2.0-based Student-University Communication Media
Model
According to the analysis findings that have been conducted, Tan (2009)
Structure Model of the Web 2.0- based Learning Community which was discussed in
chapter 2 (Section 2.5.1), and Nadhmi (2009) model of Proposed International
Students Knowledge Sharing Portal which also was discussed in chapter 3 (Section
2.7.1), the researcher proposed the Student-University Communication Media Mode
and its layers, as shown in Figure 4.21 and Tables 4.20 and 4.21.
97
Figure 4.21: Proposed Web 2.0-based Student-University Communication Media Model
98
Table 4.20: Web 2.0 Student-University Communication Media Model Layers
Layer
Components
Description
s
Layer
Interface
Users
Interface
Anyone browse the portal.
A good website interface will help portal users to
communicate with university online and easily.
University Area
Could be web administrators, and SPS staff. In
term of web administrator, they technically
manage the portal. The SPS staff response to the
communication
modules
enquiries.
They
communicate with students by using the Web 2.0
tools
communicate with SPS. Prospective students are
registered into the portal database after they
apply online using online application. Current
Layer
students are registered into the portal database
after being registered in the university.
Web 2.0
Communication
Layer
Web 2.0 allows students and SPS staff to
communicate with each other.
Tools
Communication
These modules specify the most important
Modules
purposes of communication between students
and SPS that are provided by the portal.
Database
Repositories
This is for portal-registered students. Both
prospective and current students have accounts to
Applications Layer
Transport
and Access & Authentication
Student Area
The portal information are stored in this layer.
99
The details of using appropriate Web 2.0 Communication Tools with each
Communication Module are described in Table 4.20.
Table 4.21: Web 2.0 tools for Communication Modules
Communication Module
Web 2.0 Communication Tools
General Enquiry
UTM Messaging Account, Forum, Chat
Contact University
UTM Messaging Account, Forum, Chat
Admission Requirements
Forum, Blog, Wiki
Online Application Status
UTM Messaging Account, Chat
University Rules/Services
Forum, Blog, Wiki
Academic Resources
Forum, Blogs, Video Sharing, Wiki
University News
RSS, Social Networking.
Enrich Website Information
Forum, Blogs, Video Sharing, Wiki
Knowledge Sharing
Social
Networking,
Video
Sharing,
Forum, UTM Messaging Account, Wiki,
Blog
Finally, according to this proposed model and the SPS website structure
designed by Norrazzie (2009) which discussed in Chapter 2 (Section 2.7.2 ), the
proposed Web 2.0-based Student-University Communication Media Portal is shown
in Figure 4.22.
100
Figure 4.22: Proposed Web2.0-based Student-University Communication Media
Portal
4.8
Chapter Summary
The analysis that has been done in this chapter provides a basis for the
researcher to get preliminary understanding of the postgraduate students’
communication problems and requirements and portal recommendations, which are
carried out for the development of the proposed portal. Also, the analysis has been
used to propose the Web 2.0-based Student-University Communication Media Model
and to identify the potential requirements of the Web2.0-based Student-University
Communication Media Portal. By then, the researcher has been achieved the first
three important objectives of this project, which are identifying the current
communication problems and the appropriate requirements needed by postgraduate
students and SPS staff, studying and analyzing the critical requirements of a Web
2.0-based Student-University Communication Media Portal and proposing a model
of Student-University Communication Media using Web 2.0 to be used in SPS.
101
CHAPTER 5
PROTOTYPE DESIGN
5.1
Introduction
This chapter discusses the processes of designing a prototype of Web 2.0based Student-University Communication Media Portal according to the proposed
Student-University Communication Media model (Chapter 4, Section 4.7) and the
requirements that have been collected earlier through the analysis of To-Be system.
The prototype design represents the structure of the To-Be system as required by the
user. The main purpose is to design the conceptual and physical models that will be
used to develop a prototype portal.
102
5.2
Conceptual Design
In this chapter the Object-Oriented Approach with Unified Modelling
Language (UML) techniques are used. UML models provide visual presentation of
the system and its structure. All the processes of the proposed portal have been
modeled using Case Diagram, Sequence Diagram and Activity Diagram. The data
involved in each process is illustrated by Class Diagram and Class-ResponsibilityCollaboration (CRC) Cards.
5.2.1
Use Case Model
Use cases are scenarios for understanding system requirements using visual
diagrams that describe the whole processes and specify the actors who perform each
process. In this case, there are four main actors who interact with the StudentUniversity Communication Media Portal. The actors are SPS Staff, Student, Portal
Administrator, and Visitor. Table 5.1 shows those four actors and their detailed roles.
Table 5.1: Actors Roles
Actor
Student/SPS
Staff
Roles
•
Browse the portal main menu
• Login/Logout to/from Portal.
• Use the Communication Menu Modules.
•
Use the Knowledge Sharing Menu Tools.
•
Use Contact SPS by Email or Phone Form.
•
Use UTM Messaging Account.
103
Actor
Roles
•
Use Forum.
•
Use Online Chat.
•
Use Blogs.
•
Use UTM Wiki.
•
Subscribe to SPS News RSS
• Upload and Download Documents
• Use Student Webmail (students only)
• Download Software
• Download Thesis
• Use SPS Video Sharing
• Use SPS Social Networking
• Use UTM Share
• Edit an article (SPS Staff only)
• Control Chat rooms (SPS Staff only)
System
•
Administrator •
Visitor
Login to SPS Portal.
Manage Forum (Add, Edit, and Delete)
•
Manage SPS Blogs
•
Manage Chat rooms
•
Manage UTM Wiki
•
Manage SPS Social Networking
•
Manage SPS Video Sharing
•
Manage Portal users
•
Manage Articles ,Documents, Software, and Thesis
•
Manage Announcement and News
•
Logout from the portal
•
Browse the portal main menu
•
Subscribe to SPS News RSS
• Contact with University by phone or email
• Use SPS Video Sharing
• Use SPS Social Networking
104
5.2.1.1 Use Case Diagram
There are twenty three main use cases in this system. The use case diagram
describes the relationships among actors and use cases. The main use case diagram is
shown in the Figure 5.1.
Figure 5.1: The main Use Case Diagram
For simplicity, the “Communicate by Portal Tools” and “Share Knowledge”
use-cases are described in details in Figures 5.2, and 5.3 respectively.
105
Figure 5.2: The Details of Communicate by Portal Tools Use Case
Figure 5.3: The Details of Share Knowledge Use-Case
106
5.2.1.2 Use Case Descriptions
Every main use case has its own use case description. The detailed use case
descriptions are as in Appendix E.
5.2.2
Sequence Diagram
The sequence diagram shows the objects interaction involved in the StudentUniversity Communication Media Portal. This interaction describes how processes
operate with each other and in what order. The main twenty sequence diagrams are
listed in Appendix F.
5.2.3
Activity Diagram
Activity diagram illustrates what happens in the system workflow, what
activities can be done in parallel, and whether there are alternative paths through the
workflow (www.ibm.com, 2010). There are two activity diagrams for student and
SPS staff are shown in Figures 5.4 and 5.4.
107
Start
Browse the Home
Page
Login
Browse Knowledge
Menu
Use SPS
Forum
Browse Communication
Menu
Use Admission
Requirement Module
Use General
Enquiry Module
Using SPS Wiki
Use Contact
University Module
Use Enrich
Portal Module
Using SPS Blog
Use Online App.
Staus Module
Use SPS Video
Sharing
Choose first Communication
Media
Use SPS Social
Networking
Use SPS Chat
Academic Res.
Module
Use Univ. Rules
Module
Choose second
Communication Media
Use Chat
Use Student
Webmail
Use Email or
Phone Page
Download
Documents
Use UTM
Messaging
Use Video
Sharing
Use Forum
Use Wiki
Download
Thesis
Use Blog
Use UTM Share
End
Figure 5.4: Student Activity Diagram
108
Start
Browse the Home
Page
Login
Browse Knowledge
Menu
Use SPS
Forum
Use General
Enquiry Module
Using SPS Wiki
Browse Communication
Menu
Use Admission
Requirement Module
Use Contact
University Module
Use Enrich
Portal Module
Using SPS Blog
Use Online App.
Staus Module
Academic Res.
Module
Use Univ. Rules
Module
Use SPS Video
Sharing
Choose first Communication
Media
Use SPS Social
Networking
Choose second
Communication Media
Use Chat
Use SPS Chat
Use UTM
Messaging
Use UTM Share
Use Video
Sharing
Use Forum
Use Wiki
Use Blog
End
Figure 5.5: SPS Staff Activity Diagram
109
5.2.4
Class Diagram
Class Diagram represents the classes that are involved in the system and their
attributes and relationships. The classes in this system are User that includes Student,
Visitor, Administrator and SPS Staff and SPS Portal that includes Wiki, Blog, Chat,
Forum, UTM Messaging Account, SPS News, SPS Social Networking and SPS
Video Sharing. Figure 5.6 shows the Class Diagram of Student-University
Communication Media Portal.
User
Portal Manager
Staff Name
Staff ID
Staff Address
Staff Phone
Staff Email
1
Staff Username
Staff Password
Portal User
Visitor
0..n
User Login
loginID
loginName
loginPassword
LoginSuccessRedirectPage
LoginFailedRedirectPage
Sudent
Student ID
Student Name
Student IC No
Student Card No
Program
Faculty
Student Username
Student Password
Student Status
Add New Student. ..
Delete Student()
Edit Student()
1
validateLogin()
Login()
Logout()
showLogin()
1
Add New Use...
Delete User()
Edit User()
1
Administrator
Assign New Administrato...
Delete Administraror()
0..n
1..n
SPS Staff
0..n
0..n
0..n
SPS Portal
Poral URL
0..n
Blog
Blog Name
Blog ID
Blog Title
Blog Body
Edit Blog()
Add Comment()
Wiki
Topic ID
Topic Name
Topic Body
Edit Topic()
Search about Topic...
Add Topic()
Forum
Forum Name
Fourm ID
Forum Category
Forum Topic Body
Forum Topic Title
Add Topic()
Edit Topic()
Post reply()
Send Private Message...
Attach file()
0..n
Browse the Porta...
SPS Messaging Account
Account No
Account Type
Check Inbox()
Create New Message...
Send Message()
Chat
Chat Room ID
Chat Room Name
Chat Room Admin
Enter Chat Room()
Use Text Chat()
Use Voice Chat()
Use Video Chat()
Logout From Chat. ..
Figure 5.6: Class Diagram
SPS News
News Id
News Title
News Body
News Image
SPS Social
Networking
Page Title
Page body
Page URL
Add News()
Subscribe to News...
Subscribe as Fan()
Add comment()
Add Video()
Add wall message...
SPS Video Sharing
Page URL
Page Name
Add Video()
Add Comment()
Download Video()
110
5.3
Physical Design
5.3.1
Database Design
A database is an integrated collection of logically-related records that
provides data for one or more multiple uses. In this portal prototype, the relational
database is developed based on collections of tables and linked those tables together
through the primary and foreign keys relationships. As mentioned in chapter 3, the
researcher has used Joomla 1.5, MediaWiki, Joo!BB Forum and 123 Flash Chat
Room in designing the portal prototype.
5.3.2
Windows Navigation Diagram
The windows navigation diagram for Student-University Communication
Media Portal is illustrated in Figure 5.7.
111
Figure 5.7: Windows Navigation Diagram
112
5.3.3
Prototype Interface Design
In this part, the prototype interface has been designed according to the model
of Web-2.0 Student-University Communication Media (Section 4.7) and the
conceptual design models (Section 5.2). The main function of the prototype is to
provide postgraduate students with online communication with SPS staff instead of
the current communication media such as phone and E-mail. In addition, the SPS
website structure proposed by Norrazizie (2009) has been followed in order to
benefit from the usability study of SPS website for customer satisfaction. Also, the
model of knowledge sharing among international postgraduate students proposed by
Nadhmi (2009) has been included in the portal with some additions. These two case
studies have been included with this project in order to provide a continual integrated
improvement for SPS portal.
For manageability of designing the prototype, it has been divided into three
main menus which are the main menu, communication menu, and knowledge sharing
menu.
5.3.3.1 Main Menu Design
As mentioned earlier, the main menu of this prototype portal has been
designed according to Norazizie (2009) structure. Figure 5.8 shows the main menu
module interface. It contains the menu items, SPS flash announcements, front page
topics and latest news. The login menu has been added to the portal to enable
administrators, SPS staffs and students to login into the portal in order to use the
communication and knowledge sharing modules.
113
Figure 5.8: Main Menu Module
5.3.3.2 Communication Menu Design
According
to
the
proposed
Web
2.0-based
Student-University
Communication Media Model, there are nine communication modules and each
module is designed using many Web 2.0 tools. After the user (student and SPS staff)
login into the portal, the communication module menu and other menus are
displayed. Figure 5.9 shows the nine communication modules and other displayed
menus. In addition, if the user try to use any module after the session time out is
expired, the login page is prompted as shown in Figure 5.10.
114
Figure 5.9: Communication Modules
Figure 5.10: Prompted Login Page
115
5.3.3.2.1 General Enquiry Module
In this module, the student can contact with SPS staff online for general
enquiry such as academic and examination, academic off campus, VIVA,
scholarships, and international students. The online communication tools used in this
module are the SPS E-mail Form, UTM Messaging Account, SPS Forum and
Online Chat. Figure 5.11 shows these multiple communication tools alternatives.
Figure 5.11: General Enquiry Module.
The SPS E-Mail Form provides students with the contact information of SPS
staff involved in this module. The position, E-mail, and phone number for each staff
is provided as shown in Figure 5.12. When student choose one staff to contact with,
the E-mail Form is displayed and the E-mail message can be sent from this form
directly without the need to open student’s E-mail account in order to send an Email. Figure 5.13 shows the SPS E-mail Form.
116
Figure 5.12: List of SPS Staff Contact Information.
Figure 5.13: SPS E-mail Form
The second communication tool in this module is the UTM Messaging
Account which allows students and SPS staff to communicate by sending and
receiving messages using their portal account. The student chooses which SPS staff
to be contacted. The SPS staff list is displayed when the message will be created.
117
Figure 5.14 shows how student create new message to be sent to the SPS Assistant
Registrar.
Figure 5.14: Create New Message by UTM Account Messaging
Figures 5.15 ,5.16, and 5.17 show how the SPS Assistant Registrar receive
the message and reply to the student.
118
Figure 5.15: UTM Messaging Account- New Message Notification
Figure 5.16: UTM Messaging Account Inbox
119
Figure 5.17: UTM Messaging Account – Read Message and Reply
The third communication tool alternative in General Enquiry Module is
the SPS Forum. When student choose this tool, the General Enquiry Forum is
displayed as shown in Figure 5.18. Once student login to the portal, they are already
login to the Forum. The student and SPS staff can add new topic, post reply, attach
files, send private messages to each other. Figure 5.19 shows how student and SPS
staff can add new topic.
Figure 5.18- General Enquiry Forum
120
Figure 5.19: Add Forum Topic
The fourth communication tool in this module is the online chat. Every
communication module has its own chat room. The same here, the student and SPS
staff do not need to login to the chat rooms because they already login to their portal
account. Figures 5.20 and 5.21 show how student and room administrator chat in this
module. Also, the student can chat with room admin by private chatting. In addition,
the video and audio chatting is supported in the SPS Chat Rooms.
121
Figure 5.20: General Enquiry Chat Room (Student Side)
Figure 5.21: General Enquiry Chat Room (Admin Side)
122
5.3.3.2.2 Contact University Module
In this module, the student can contact three main categories of SPS Staff
which are SPS management staff such as assistant registrar, SPS of Engineering such
as the deputy dean of engineering faculties and SPS of Science such as deputy dean
of science faculties. For the first category, the student can use the SPS Email form,
Contact University Forum, UTM Messaging Account and Online Chat. For the
second and third category, the student can use the SPS Email Form, Contact
University Forum and UTM Messaging Account. Figures 5.22-5.24 show some of
these communication tools.
Figure 5.22:SPS Management Staff Contact Information (SPS Email Form)
123
Figure 5.23: Contact University Forum (SPS Management Staff)
Figure 5.24: Contact University Online Chat (SPS Management Staff)
124
5.3.3.2.3 Admission Requirements
The students can discuss about admission requirements by using Admission
Requirements Forum, UTM Blogs and UTM Wiki. The Figures 5.25-5.30 show
these three tools.
Figure 5.25: Admission Requirements Forum
125
Figure 5.26: Admission Requirements Blogs
Figure 5.27: Admission Requirement Blog (Add Comment)
126
Figure 5.28: UTM Wiki (Home Page)
Figure 5.29 – Admission Requirements Wiki Page
127
Figure 5.30 – Editing Admission Requirements Wiki Page
5.3.3.2.4 Online Application Status Module
The student can inquire about status of their online application by SPS Email
Form, UTM Messaging Account and Online Chat. Figure 5.31 shows these three
online communication media alternatives.
128
Figure 5.31 – Online Application Status Module
5.3.3.2.5 University Rules and Services Module
In this module, the student can use the University Rules and Services Forum,
Blog, and UTM Wiki in order to inquire about university rules or services. Figure
5.32 show the module page.
129
Figure 5.32- University Rules and Services Module
5.3.3.2.6 Academic Resources Module
The student can inquire about any academic resources by the Academic
Resources Forum, Blog, Wiki, and SPS Video Sharing page. The Forum, Blog,
and Wiki have been discussed in the previous sections. Figure 5.33 shows the SPS
Video Sharing Page.
130
Figure 5.33 – SPS Video Sharing Page
5.3.3.2.7 Enrich SPS Website Information Module
The Forum, Blog, Wiki, and SPS Video Sharing Page are used in this
module in order to enrich the SPS website. Both students and staff are asked to add
new topics, videos, comments, and so on. The use of these tools have been described
in the previous section.
131
5.3.3.2.8 SPS RSS News Module
In this module, the user (visitor, student, and SPS staff) can subscribe to SPS
RSS News. As described in chapter 2, the RSS feeds will be added into the user
browser and feed it with the new topics in SPS website. Even if the users does not
browse the SPS portal, they will still receive the last news of SPS. Figures 5.34 , 5.35
and 5.36 show the SPS RSS News Subscription.
Figure 5.34 – SPS RSS News Feeds
132
Figure 5.35: SPS RSS News Subscription
Figure 5.36: The RSS Feeds added into the use browser.
133
5.3.3.3 Knowledge Sharing Menu Design
As mentioned earlier, Nadhmi (2009) model of Knowledge Sharing among
Postgraduate students in UTM had been included in this project. The new knowledge
sharing tools that are added by the researcher are UTM Blog, SPS Video Sharing,
SPS Social Networking, and UTM Share. The Figure 5.37 and 5.38 show the
Knowledge Sharing menu and SPS Social Networking page. The user can subscribe
to this page to be able to receive any news and share video, comment on the page
wall and discuss with SPS Social Networking users.
Figure 5.37: Knowledge Sharing Menu
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Figure 5.38: SPS Social Networking
5.4
Chapter Summary
In this chapter, the prototype of Student-University Communication Media
Portal is designed. Both conceptual and physical designs have been done. The
prototype portal will act as a platform to serve the postgraduate students in UTM to
online communicate with SPS. The prototype portal allows the students and SPS
staff to use many Web 2.0 tools that are specified by the proposed StudentUniversity Communication Media Model. The use case diagrams and descriptions
have been used to visualize and model the system requirements and processes. The
sequence diagram has been used to illustrate interactions that occur between actors
and objects in the system. The activity diagrams has been used to illustrate what
happens in the system workflow, what activities can be done in parallel, and whether
there are alternative paths through the portal process workflow. The class diagram
has been used to show the design of classes and their relationships to each other and
135
to their contents. The CRC Cards have been used to represent the responsibilities of
the each class, the names of other classes with which the class will collaborate to
fulfill its responsibilities and the super and sub classes. In database design, the
database structure has been designed to be used by the portal. Then, the windows
navigation diagram has been designed to be used in the portal interface. Finally, the
prototype interface has been designed.
The nine communication modules have been described in detail. Each module
has been designed by specific Web 2.0 communication tools to satisfy the user
requirements and needs. Also, the knowledge sharing modules has been designed and
briefly described.
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CHAPTER 6
IMPLEMENTATION AND TESTING
6.1
Introduction
In this chapter, the results from design phase are used as input to implement
the prototype of Student-University Communication Media Portal. The prototype
testing is done in order to evaluate the prototype portal functions, measure the user
satisfaction and ensure that user requirements have been fulfilled. The testing plan
contains the unit test, integration test, system test and user acceptance test.
137
6.2
Coding Approach
The prototype portal is being developed using Joomla! PHP-based open
source tool with MySQL Database. The Joomla! provides web programming
modules such as Login and Menu modules. Also, It can be integrated with many
Joomla! extensions like JOO!BB Forum, 123FlashChat, and LyftenBloggie, and with
MediaWiki tool. The portal database is connected to all of these extensions by using
an auto-login bridge that enables users to use their portal accounts to login into the
Forum, Chat, Blog, and Wiki. The SPS Facebook page is created in order to connect
all students and SPS staff. The SPS Youtube group is created in order to allow
students and SPS staff to share videos.
6.2.1
Portal Database Implementation
The database has been created by executing the following SQL code. The
database name is SPS. And all database tables has been created by using SQL
statements.
CREATE DATABASE `SPS` DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE
utf8_general_ci; USE `SPS`;
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6.3
Testing Plan
The test plan contains a detail of how the test will proceed, who will do the
testing, what will be tested. The Unit Testing, Integration Testing, System Testing,
and User Acceptance Testing techniques are applied to ensure the functionality of the
prototype portal, and the fulfillment of user requirements.
6.3.1
Unit Testing
During the development of the prototype, every code line and function have
been tested to avoid any error. The testing has been done by entering testing data and
monitoring the testing result. Any undesired behavior of the portal functions has been
debugged, corrected, and tested until the desired behavior and results has been
achieved.
Black-box testing has been done, in which the test conditions are developed
based on the system’s functionality; that is, the tester requires information about the
input data and observed output, but does not know how the program or the system
works. The researcher has selected valid and invalid inputs and determined the
correct output to perform the black-box testing which is derived by CRC Cards in
this case. Appendix G illustrates the black box unit testing of the prototype.
139
6.3.2 Integration Testing
After completing the black box testing, integration testing will take place. It
involves User Interface Testing and Use-Case Testing. The purpose of this testing is
to verify that every function of the portal works with each other. This means, an
output from one module can be used as an input for other module.
6.3.2.1 User Interface Testing
All Portal screens, forms, and menus are tested to ensure that all prototype
functions are integrated together toward the objective of the Student-University
Communication Media Portal. Table 6.1 shows the User Interface Testing. In the
testing tables, ‘P’ means Pass, and ‘F’ means Fail.
140
Table 6.1: User Interface Testing.
Layout Standard
Result
(P/F)
Screen
Display a portal banner at top of every page.
P
The Main Menu is always displayed on top-left of every page.
P
SPS Logo is always displayed on the portal pages.
P
User Name is shown after login.
P
The Logout is shown for each user’s page.
P
The Latest News menu is displayed on the top-right of every
Forms
page.
P
Forms are displayed at the middle of portal pages.
P
Text boxes are used to fill the user-owned information.
P
Drop down list to fill critical information and avoid any
expected errors.
P
The items shown in the drop down list come from the
Database and relate to other associated data.
Menu
P
Communication, Knowledge, Chat, SPS Messaging Menus
are only shown after user login.
P
The Sub-Menus are displayed only when clicking on the
parent menu.
P
Every Menu and its Sub-Menus open the related pages in the
same window.
P
6.3.2.2 Use Case Testing
In this testing, the researcher has reviewed all use cases and checked their
functionality. The main twenty use cases are tested in the Appendix H.
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6.3.3 System Testing
In this testing, the complete prototype portal is executed on the actual data.
During the execution process, the output is analyzed, and it may be found that the
outputs do not match the user expectation. In such case, the errors in the particular
pages are identified. In these cases, the problems and errors are fixed and tested
again until the expected output is shown. When it is ensured that the prototype portal
is running with error-free, the users are called to test the prototype portal by using
their actual data in order to check whether the prototype portal satisfies their
requirements or not.
This test is performed to validate the whole system and test all the
components of the system together. Every menu, link, or button is tested to ensure
that the prototype portal meets user requirement. Four types of testing were
performed, which are explained in the following sub-sections.
6.3.3.1 Requirement Testing
In this level, every part in the prototype portal has been tested to examine
how good it meets the user requirements.
142
6.3.3.2 Usability Testing
During this testing, the prototype portal has been tested to examine how it is
convenient to the users. There are two basic elements that have been done during this
testing which is Usability Requirement and Usability Measure.
6.3.3.2.1 Usability Requirement
The Test Plan: Test the user’s needs. That is to determine what tasks and subtasks
that must be carried out by the users.
Test Report: Based on the test plan listed in usability requirement, the result shows
that all the tasks and subtasks listed in user requirements are achieved and meet user
needs. During the testing, all the functions within the system are fully function.
143
6.3.3.2.2 Usability Measures
i. Time to learn
Test Plan: The researcher has tested on how long it takes for users to learn how to
perform a set of tasks such as to register.
Test Report: Based on the test plan above, the user can perform many tasks easily
because the prototype portal is user friendly. But some tools like Forum, Wikis,
Social Networking, and Video Sharing are not used by many students and SPS staff.
These tools should be explained for them.
ii. Speed of Performance
Test Plan: the researcher has tested and observed how long user take to carry out the
task. The login task has been tested.
Table 6.2: Speed of Performance Test Report
Time (in second)
Task
Login
Attempt #1
Attempt# 2
Attempt #3
10
14
13
144
6.3.3.3 Security Testing
The security testing is applied for user authentication and authorization. If
either user name or password is not valid, the error message will be displayed. Also,
if the user tries to access any page after idle time, the login page is prompted again.
Every user is granted to access different prototype portal functions. The test case of
the security testing is detailed in Table 6.3.
Table 6.3: User Login Class Testing
Class Name: UserLogin
ID: 17
Tester: Faisal
Test Description: to ensure that UserLogin operations can be performed
successfully
Attribute
Attribute
Name
Type
UserName
Password
String
String
Event
Login
Login
New Value
Expected
Actual
Result
Result
(P/F)
(P/F)
Null
F
F
ABC
F
F
Admin
P
P
Null
F
F
ABC
F
F
XYZ123
P
P
i. User Authentication
The researcher tried to login using invalid user name or password, the error
message is prompted and the login page is redirected to the home page.
145
ii. User Authorization
Every type of users has different access level to the prototype portal. For
example, only the portal administrator can add new forum category or delete forum
topic. Also, only the portal administrator and authorized SPS staff can edit articles
and news. The students are only allowed to use the communication modules and
knowledge sharing tools.
6.3.4
User Acceptance Test
The User Acceptance Test (UAT) is the final stage of the portal testing. The
goal of UAT is to confirm that the prototype portal meets the users’ needs, and
acceptable to them. The portal users are the SPS staff and UTM postgraduate
students.
During the UAT, thirty users were given set of questionnaires for their
feedback of the Student-University Communication Media Portal. Before that, the
researcher briefly explained to the users the analysis findings that determine the
communication problems between students and SPS, and the weaknesses of the
current communication media used by SPS. Then the researcher presented all the
functions of the Student-University Communication Media Portal, and had asked the
targeted users to use it. The users included top management staff of SPS such as the
SPS Deputy Dean, SPS Deputy Registrar, and SPS Assistant Registrar, and PhD and
Master Students in UTM as shown in Table 6.4. UAT questionnaires are attached at
Appendix I.
146
Table 6.4: Lists of the UAT Respondents’ Background
User Type
Position/Program
Number
of
Users
SPS
Management
Staff
SPS Deputy Dean (Science & Technology)
1
SPS Deputy Registrar
1
SPS Assistant Registrar (Academic & 1
Record)
SPS Assistant Registrar (Intake)
2
SPS Assistant Executer
1
Postgraduate
PhD Students
10
Students
Master Students
14
Total
30
The Student-University Communication Media Portal has been evaluated
based on four factors, which are ease of use, functionality, usefulness, and user
satisfaction. Both types of users, SPS staff and postgraduate students in UTM, are
included in this UAT. Figure 6.1 shows the UAT answer of the Deputy Dean
(Science) of SPS, Prof.Dr.Shaharuddin Salleh (March, 2010).
147
Figure 6.1: SPS Deputy Dean UAT Answer
6.3.4.1 Ease of Use
Four questions were asked in order to determine the respondent users’
feedback about Student-University Communication Media Portal ease of use. The
portal interface, menus, navigation are the parameters of the evaluation. As shown in
the tables. All the respondents from SPS Staff and Postgraduate Students confirmed
148
that the portal is easy to use. The percentage of 54% of SPS staff and 64% of
students strongly agreed that the portal is easy to useas shown in Tables 6.5 and 6.6.
Table 6.5: SPS Staff Evaluation of Portal Ease of Use
Question
The Communication Media Portal is
user-friendly?
The communication modules menus
are a well-organized and arranged?
It is easy to navigate Communication
Media Portal?
The Communication Media Portal
easy to use?
Total Average
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Agree
Strongly
Agree
0
0
33
67
0
0
67
33
0
0
50
50
0
0
33
67
0
0
46
54
Table 6.6: Postgraduate Students Evaluation of Portal Ease of Use
Question
The Communication Media Portal is
user-friendly?
The communication modules menus
are a well-organized and arranged?
It is easy to navigate Communication
Media Portal?
The Communication Media Portal
easy to use?
Total Average
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Agree
Strongly
Agree
0
0
17
83
0
0
50
50
0
0
50
50
0
0
29
71
0
0
36
64
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6.3.4.2 Functionality
Two questions were asked to evaluate the functionality of the StudentUniversity Communication Media Portal. The entire respondents of SPS Staff and
98% of Postgraduate Students confirmed that the portal successfully provides online
communication media between students and SPS by using efficient communication
tools like Chat, Forum and other Web 2.0 tools Tables 6.7 and 6.8 show in detail the
evaluation of portal functionality.
Table 6.7: SPS Staff Evaluation of Portal Functionality
Question
Strongly
Disagree
I think this portal successfully 0
provides
online
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
Agree
0
33
67
0
50
50
0
41
59
communication
media with Students.
I think the portal uses efficient web- 0
based communication tools like
chat, forum, and others.
Total Average
0
150
Table 6.8: Postgraduate Students Evaluation of Portal Functionality
Question
Strongly
Strongly
Disagree
Agree
0
0
29
71
0
4
54
42
0
2
41
57
Disagree
Agree
I think this portal successfully
provides
online
communication
media with SPS Staff.
I think the portal uses efficient webbased communication tools like chat
and forum
Total Average
6.3.4.3 Usefulness
Three questions were asked to evaluate the usefulness of the StudentUniversity Communication Media Portal. The entire respondents of SPS Staff and
88% of Postgraduate Students confirmed that the portal is sufficient to solve the
student-SPS communication problems online, more useful than the current-used
communication media like phone or e-mail, and the portal will encourage SPS Staff
to help Postgraduate Students. Tables 6.9 and 6.10 show in detail the evaluation of
portal usefulness.
151
Table 6.9: Evaluation of Portal Usefulness for SPS Staff
Strongly
Question
Disagree
I think this portal is sufficient to 0
Strongly
Disagree
Agree
0
50
50
0
67
33
0
67
33
0
61
39
Agree
solve the communication problems
with Postgraduate Students.
I think this portal is more useful to 0
SPS
than
the
current
communication media like email
and phone.
I think the portal will encourage 0
SPS Staff to help students and
solve their problem online?
Total Average
0
Table 6.10: Evaluation of Portal Usefulness for Postgraduate Students
Strongly
Question
Strongly
Disagree
Agree
0
16
42
42
0
8
42
50
0
13
41
46
0
12
42
46
Disagree
Agree
I think this portal is sufficient to
solve the communication problems
with SPS.
I think this portal is more useful to
Students
than
the
current
communication media like email
and phone.
I think the portal will encourage
SPS Staff to help students and solve
their problem online?
Total Average
152
6.3.4.4 User Satisfaction
Two questions were asked to evaluate the user satisfaction for the StudentUniversity Communication Media Portal. The entire respondents of SPS Staff and
96% of Postgraduate Students are satisfied with this portal, and would like to
communicate with each other by using the Communication Media Portal. The
percentage of 92% of postgraduate students respondents ensured that the
communication modules, provided by the portal, satisfy all their needs and
expectations regarding the communication with SPS. Tables 6.11 and 6.12 show in
detail the user satisfaction.
Table 6.11: SPS Staff Satisfaction
Question
I am satisfied with this Communication
Media Portal.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Agree
Strongly
Agree
0
0
67
33
0
0
67
33
0
0
67
33
I would like to communicate with
students by using the Communication
Media Portal.
Total Average
153
Taable 6.12: Postgraduat
P
e Students Satisfaction
S
n
Quesstion
Strongly
S
D
Disagree
A
Agree
Disagree
D
Sttrongly
Agree
A
I think the commuunication modules
m
satisfy alll my needs and expeectations
0
8
63
29
0
4
46
50
0
4
38
58
0
5
49
46
regardingg to commuunication wiith SPS.
I
am
satisfieed
with
this
Communnication Media Portal.
I would like
l
to comm
municate with
w SPS
by usingg the Com
mmunicationn Media
Portal.
Total Avverage
Finnally, the user
u
commeents are gatthered and the improovement haave been
made to thhe prototyppe portal succh as addin
ng poll, morre detail infformation about
a
the
SPS stafff in chargge for eacch commun
nication module. Thee other co
omments
recommennded this Student-U
University Communication Meddia Portal to be
implemennted in SPS as
a fast as poossible. Moreover, the most Web 22.0 Commu
unication
Tools thatt SPS staff and postgraaduate stud
dents like too use are shhown in thee Figures
S SS
SPS
Staff
ff
6.2 and 6.3.
80
60
40
20
0
0 Communiication Toolls by SPS Staff
Figurre 6.2: The Most Desirred Web 2.0
g
Postgraduate
Students
154
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Figuree 6.3: The Most
M Desireed Web 2.0 Communiccation Toolss – Postgrad
duate
Studeents
6.4
Ch
hapter Sum
mmary
Thhe prototypee portal haas been imp
plemented successfully according
g to the
prototype design disccussed in chapter 5. The
T portal database
d
hass been creaated, and
the conneection with SPS Wiki database has
h been doone. Every user can use
u their
account too login into Forum, Chaat, Blog, an
nd SPS Wikii as well.
Foour types off testing havve been don
ne, which arre the Unit T
Testing, Inttegration
Testing, System
S
Testting, and User
U
Accepttance Testinng. The Unit Testing has
h been
conductedd to make sure
s
that evvery unit in the prototyype portal rruns effectiv
vely and
without anny error. The
T Black-B
Box Testing
g has beenn applied too perform the
t Unit
Testing.
Thhen, the Inteegration Tessting has beeen conducteed to verifyy that every function
of the porrtal works with
w others.. Both Userr Interface Testing andd Use Casee Testing
have beenn applied to perform thee Integration
n Testing.
155
After that, the System Testing has been conducted to validate the whole
system and test all the component of the system together. The Requirement Testing,
Usability Testing, and Security Testing have been applied to perform the System
Testing.
Then, the User Acceptance Testing has been conducted to confirm that the
prototype portal meets the users’ needs, and acceptable to them. Thirty users (SPS
Staff and Postgraduate Students) performed the UAT to evaluate the portal ease of
use, functionality, usefulness, and user satisfaction. All the respondent of SPS Staff
confirmed that the portal is easy to use, functional, and useful. They confirmed that
the portal satisfies all their needs and requirements. The entire respondents of
postgraduate students confirmed that the portal is easy to use, 98% of them
confirmed the portal functionality, 88% of them confirmed that the portal is useful,
and 96% of them are satisfied with this portal.
Finally, by completing the prototype Implementation and Testing, the fourth
objective of this project has been achieved successfully, which is to develop a
prototype of Web 2.0-based Student-University Communication Media Portal.
156
CHAPTER 7
ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY
7.1
Introduction
This chapter describes some techniques and strategies of how the StudentUniversity Communication Media Portal will be implemented by SPS. The
developed portal has undergone many steps as described in this chapter. Also, it
includes the conversion strategy for system implementation into the current
environment. Subsequently, discussion of the changes in management that may occur
in the organization is presented.
157
7.2
Roll-Out Strategy
Based on the results of System Analysis and User Acceptance Test (UAT),
the SPS needs to implement the Student-University Communication Media Portal in
order to overcome the current communication problems that have been observed
during the analysis phase, and to satisfy SPS users as concluded from UAT.
In order to successfully implement Student-University Communication Media
Portal in SPS, the Roll-Out Strategy processes should be performed. Figure 7.1
shows these processes that followed by a more detailed explanation.
158
Step1:
Organize Introduction Meeting with SPS
Step2:
Appoint the Implementation Team
Step3:
Enhance the System
Step4:
Launch the System
Step5:
Train the System Users
Step6:
Maintain the System
Step 7:
Organizational Support
Step 8:
Change Management
Figure 7.1: Roll-Out Strategy Processes
159
7.2.1
Step1: Organize Introduction Meeting with SPS
At the early stage, all staff from related units of SPS should attend the
introduction meeting with the researcher. During this meeting, the SPS Staff will
gain a good understanding of the Student-University Communication Media Portal
objectives and features, and how it is beneficial to SPS as individual and
organization.
7.2.2
Step2: Appoint the Implementation Team
In this stage, the implementation team should be assigned from SPS top
management staff and IT Department. The top management is responsible for
implementing this Roll-Out Strategy. They monitor and control the technical and
organizational implementation. The administrator and other technical staff are
assigned from IT Department. They are responsible for implementing the system
infrastructure, performing the data converting, and launching the system. After
implementation, the administrator’s tasks will be monitoring and managing the
Student-University Communication Media Portal.
160
7.2.3
Step3: Enhance the System
In order to enhance the prototype portal to become a full-functional system,
three main processes should take place, which are the specifying the portal
organizational structure, converting data, and connecting the databases.
7.2.3.1 Specifying the Portal Organizational Structure
The SPS top management should specify the portal organizational structure,
in which some SPS Staff will be assigned the responsibility to each of the
communication modules. This sentence not cleared, may you hv to restructure.
7.2.3.2 Converting Data
The data in the current SPS website should be converted into the StudentUniversity
Communication
Media
Portal
(the
new
portal).
All
articles,
announcements, downloadable files, and other types of data should be copied into the
new portal. Since the current and new portals have been developed using Joomla!,
the converting data process will easily be performed. This process is very important
because the new portal includes three useful features, which are the SPS website
usability for postgraduate students, knowledge sharing among postgraduate students,
and the communication media between SPS and postgraduate students.
161
7.2.3.3 Connecting Databases
The portal database should be connected to two UTM databases. The first one
is the Users Academic Computing ID (ACID) database, which includes the contact
information of all current students in UTM. The second one is the Graduate Studies
Management System database which includes the prospective students’ accounts.
The SPS staff accounts should be created into the portal database.
7.2.4
Step 4: Launch the System
In this process, the system infrastructure will be installed and the conversion
strategy will be applied in order to successfully implement the Student-University
Communication Media Portal.
7.2.4.1 Install System Infrastructure
The hardware and software requirements discussed in (Section 3.5) need to
be installed. The web server of the current SPS website can be used to implement the
Student-University Communication Media Portal in case of applying the Direct Style
Conversion strategy. The Chat and Database Servers need to be provided.
162
7.2.4.2 Conversion Strategy
There are three conversion strategies, which are the conversion styles, the
conversion location, and the conversion modules. The characteristics that should be
considered in selecting an appropriate strategy are the risk, cost, and time. Figure 7.2
and Table 7.1 show the conversion strategy and its characteristics respectively.
Figure 7.2: Conversion Strategies (Dennis, 2010)
Table 7.1: Characteristics of Conversion Strategies (Dennis, 2010)
163
The summary of conversion strategies for the Student-University
Communication Media Portal is shown in Table 7.2 that is followed by brief
explanations.
Table 7.2: Conversion Strategies for Student-University Communication Media
Portal
Characteristics
Conversion Styles
Conversion Location
Conversion Modules
Direct Conversion
Simultaneous
Modular Conversion
Risk
High
High
Medium
Cost
Low
High
High
Time
Short
Short
Long
7.2.4.2.1 Conversion style
In terms of the conversion style, the direct conversion approach was chosen
for this project. There is a high risk because the existing system will be replaced by
the new Student-University Communication Media Portal. This means that the
organization will depend on it to perform its business. On the other hand, the cost of
implementing direct conversion is low and need a very short time to deploy this
system since the developer can install the system within one day and the users of the
new system can make use of the system immediately after installation is complete.
164
7.2.4.2.2 Conversion Location
Based on the conversion strategy, this project is high in risk and cost, and
needs a short time to complete the installation process. Simultaneous conversion was
chosen as the conversion location approach for this project because the main location
of this system is SPS.
7.2.4.2.3 Conversion Modular
This project is medium in risk in terms of conversion modules and requires
high cost to implement and needs a long time to install. Modular conversion is used
for this project, which means that main page and menu of the portal will be installed
first, and then the loosely associated communication and knowledge sharing modules
can be installed one at a time. That will help to train the assigned SPS staff of each
module to use the new system.
7.2.5 Step 5: Train the System Users
The implementation team should prepare the training plan, by which the SPS
users will be trained about how to use the Student-University Communication Media
Portal modules. Also, the postgraduate students should be alerted by the website, and
trained in using multimedia files that describe how to contact SPS using the
165
communication modules. The researcher has prepared video presentation to be used
as a portal user guide.
7.2.6
Step 6: Maintain the System
Student-University Communication Media Portal should also be maintained
regularly so that the information in the system will be always up-to-date.
Furthermore, the portal should be maintained to drop some of the irrelevant data, add
new services, and for data backup. The monthly backup should be performed to
ensure the information availability and avoid any missing of data.
7.2.7
Step 7: Organizational Support
The
SPS
top
management
should
support
the
Student-University
Communication Media Portal by applying motivation strategy. This strategy will
attract SPS staff and postgraduate students to increase their participation on using the
new portal. The policy can be implemented by allowing students to evaluate and vote
the communication modules’ responses. The winner of communication module’s
staff will be rewarded some benefits and certificates. The postgraduate students can
be attracted by giving them the priority to solve their problems, or in the form of
other beneficial rewards.
166
7.2.8
Step 8: Change Management
The SPS top management is responsible for making any required changes
such as adding new staff, assigning current staff into a specific communication
module, and producing new policies that encourage SPS staff to use the StudentUniversity Communication Media Portal. Also, some policies need to be changed in
order to accept online requests from students.
7.3 Expected Organizational Benefits
After implementing the Student-University Communication Media Portal in
SPS, it is hoped that some benefits will be gained which are summarized as below:
•
The portal will help SPS to solve the postgraduate students’ problems
easier and faster.
•
SPS staff will be more comfortable with the new media of
communication, and they can solve postgraduate students’ problems
properly.
•
The portal will reduce the time and cost of answering or making phone
call, especially the overseas calls.
•
The new communication media portal can be considered as an advantage
for UTM which can increase the quality of UTM online services.
167
7.4 Chapter Summary
This
chapter
provides
the
implementation
of
Student-University
Communication Media Portal in SPS. The researcher discussed the roll-out strategy,
change management needed and the expected benefits from this system. The final
objective of this project is achieved successfully by formulating this organizational
strategy.
168
CHAPTER 8
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
8.1
Introduction
In this chapter, the entire project work that led to the conclusion is been
discussed. Also, the objectives of this project are reviewed to check whether they are
successfully achieved or not. The achievements, constraints, challenges and
aspirations of the project are highlighted. Finally, the future enhancements of the
project are recommended, which can be proposed for improvement.
169
8.2
Achievements
The researcher has successfully achieved all the objectives that are
highlighted in the beginning of this research. The main achievements are listed and
discussed below:
i.
Clear understanding of the communication problems and the appropriate
requirements needed by postgraduate students and SPS staff.
ii.
Clear understanding of the current system of communication media in SPS.
iii.
Analyzing the critical requirements of the Web2.0-basaed Student-University
Communication on Media Portal.
iv.
Proposing the Student-University Communication Media Model.
v.
Developing
the
prototype
of
Web2.0-based
Student-University
Communication Media Portal.
vi.
Formulating the Organizational Strategy for implementing the Web-2.0 based
Student-University Communication Media Portal in SPS.
The first objective, which is to identify the current communication problems
and the appropriate requirements needed by postgraduate students and SPS staff, has
been achieved through the analysis of the current (As-Is) system. Three main
techniques were used, which are the document analysis, interviews, and
questionnaires. SPS website was analyzed to know the provided communication
media between postgraduate students and SPS. Face-to-Face interviews were also
conducted with the SPS Assistant Registrar and two Assistant Executers to
understand the current communication media system and to identify the
communication requirements.
In addition, the questionnaires were distributed online
to postgraduate
students for them to understand and identify the communication problems that they
170
face by using the current system. The results from the three analysis techniques have
been collected and analyzed carefully through Chapter 4 ( Section 4.3).
The second objective, which is to study and analyze the critical requirements
of a Web2.0-based Student-University Communication Media Portal, has also been
achieved by doing the analysis of (To-Be) system. Two main techniques were used,
which are the interview and questionnaires. Face-to-Face interviews were conducted
with SPS staff to identify the communication tools and requirements they need to use
in the Student-University Communication System. The questionnaires were
distributed to 110 postgraduate students from different programs and faculties in
UTM, both local and international students. Subsequently, the results of these two
analysis techniques were collected and analyzed carefully through Chapter 4(Section
4.4). According to the analysis results, the functional and non-functional
requirements were identified in Chapter 4 (Section 4.5).
The third objective, which is to propose a model of Student-University
Communication Media using Web 2.0 to be used in SPS, has been achieved. The
model has been proposed according to the analysis findings that was conducted, Tan
(2009) structure model of the Web2.0-based Learning Community which discussed
in Chapter 2 (Section 2.5.1), and Nadhmi (2009) model of Proposed International
Students Knowledge Sharing Portal, which discussed in Chapter 3 (Section 2.7.1).
The Student-University Communication Media Model with its Layers and Modules
are proposed and described in Chapter 4 (Section 4.7).
The Fourth objective, which is to develop a prototype of Web 2.0-based
Student-University Communication Media Portal, has been achieved. The prototype
portal has been designed, implemented, and tested. According to the User
Acceptance Test, the entire respondents; SPS staff and 95% of postgraduate students
are satisfied with the developed portal and they confirmed that it is easy to use,
171
functional, and useful. Finally, the organizational strategy for implementing the
developed portal in SPS has been formulated.
The final objective, which is to formulate organizational strategy for
implementing the Web 2.0-based Student Communication Media Portal by SPS, is
achieved. The processes that should be done for successfully implementation of the
developed portal are formulated and discussed in chapter 7.
8.3
Constraints and Challenges
There were some constraints and challenges that had been faced during the
progress of this project. Some of the constraints were:
i. Although the researcher used online survey website to disseminate the first
questionnaires to four E-mail groups which include about five hundreds of
postgraduate students, only forty two responded.
ii. Although the researcher disseminated the second questionnaires to two
hundreds of postgraduate students, only 110 questionnaires were returned
completed.
iii. Responses from SPS staff to the research's requests of doing interviews was
quite few, because most of them are always occupied with performing their
daily tasks.
iv. The current communication media are phones, E-mails, faxes, and posts. That
means no computerized system or documentations in place, so this project
started to analyze and develop the system from scratch.
v. The limitation of time to do more in-depth research and study for this
research is the major constraint for the project.
172
vi. Because of the limitation of time and hardware equipments, the researcher
could not upload the prototype portal into the SPS servers in order to make
User Acceptance Test with a broad range of users. Instead, the researcher
used his laptop to show to groups of users and asked them to use and test the
portal one by one.
viii. Some materials found in UTM websites were written in Malay language.
Some of the challenges were:
i. Identifying and proposing an appropriate University-Student Communication
Media Model.
ii. It is quite challenging in choosing which Web2.0 tool to be used for
developing every communication module.
8.4
Aspirations
Although there were some constrains and challenges faced during the early
phases of this project, all the objectives have been successfully achieved. The
aspirations that are hoped to be achieved in the future are:
i.
The SPS will successfully perform the Organizational Strategy that has
been formulated in chapter 8, in order to implement the StudentUniversity Communication Media Portal.
ii.
The proposed Student-University Communication Media Model and
Portal can be used, with future work, as media of communication
between students and all units of UTM.
173
iii.
Although SPS YouTube Group and Facebook page have been created, it
will be better to develop UTM Video Sharing and Social Networking
portals inside UTM in order to be secure, fast, and allow users to share
high amount of data.
8.5
System Limitation and Future Work
The developed prototype has some limitations that can be summarized as the
following points:
i.
Database Connection
The portal database should be connected to the UTM database (such
as Academic ID ACID database) in order to allow the authorized
students to connect into the system.
ii.
Portal tools
The portal uses some tools such as 123FlashChat and WikiMedia
tools and Facebook and YouTube websites, in order to apply the
proposed model, which are the free trial versions or public services of
commercial companies and have many limitations.
iii.
Portal usage
The portal has been developed to satisfy the School of Graduate
Studies in UTM staff and students.
174
The Recommended future work is:
i.
Connecting the portal to UTM databases. ii.
Developing UTM-own Web 2.0 tools such as UTM Online Chatting,
UTM Wiki, UTM YouTube and UTM social networking. iii.
Applying the proposed model to be used in all UTM units such as
faculties, library, CICT and others.
8.6
Chapter Summery
In conclusion, the intended objectives of this project are successfully
achieved. Also, all the processes and activities that should be done for this project
have been successfully completed. The overview of the project was identified. The
objectives and scopes are defined. Literature related to the project was studied.
Methodology for development the project was specified and discussed. Then, the
Student-University Communication Media Model was proposed, and the prototype
of Web2.0-based Student-University Communication Media Portal has been
developed, implemented, and tested. Finally, the organizational strategy in
implementing the developed portal was proposed. Hopefully, this project will be
effectively enough to help SPS to overcome the student-university communication
problems faced by postgraduate students and SPS staff.
175
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178
APPENDIX A
INTERVIEW WITH SPS ASSISTANT REGISTRAR
179
1- How many percent of successful online application per semester?
2- What are the main processes after online application?
3- Regarding to the web site, in the process 3 (check application/complete
incomplete)
What is the procedure if the application is not complete?
4- How many percent of unsuccessful online application?
5- What are the reasons of failure (Reject online application form)?
a. Limitation of UTM polices.
b. Incomplete application
c. Student doesn’t satisfy the admission conditions.
d. No good communication with student.
6- In the case of incomplete/invalid application, do you contact with students to
ask them to complete/correct their application?
7- After you receive the application from the faculty, maybe the faculty will
reject the application due to many reasons; do you inform the students about
some of those reasons?
8- How do students contact with SPS to check their application or enhance it
with the necessary documents/information?
a. By their account.
b. By email?
c. By phone
d. No communication at all. Just reject the application.
9- In the case of Reject the application, can the students try to complete /recorrect their application any apply to the next semester after doing some
corrections?
10- Do you need a way of communication (online) with students to help them to
get the admission from UTM?
180
APPENDIX B
THE ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRES
181
1) How did you apply for admission in UTM?
Online Application
Sending post message
Email to your UTM Student Friend
Other (Please Specify):
2) Have you faced a communication problem with the university before you came to
Malaysia?
Yes
No
3) How did you contact UTM Staff (especially in SPS) to solve any problem during
admission (if any)?
by Email
by Phone
by Fax
by your UTM Student Friend
I didn't contact SPS.
Other (Please Specify):
4) Have they solved your problem (if any)?
Yes
No
I haven't faced a problem(s).
5) Have you satisfied with the way of communication?
Yes
No
I didnt contact UTM before I came to Malaysia.
6) Do you need a new media of communication with UTM?
Yes
No
182
7) Have you used any of Web2.0 Techonolgy Tools ( Instant Message IM, Forum,
Wikis, Blogs, Social websites like facebook) ?
Instant Message (IM)
Forum
Wikis
Blogs
Social webistes (like facebook)
Other (Please Specify):
8) If you know about Web2.0 Techology, do u want UTM to use it?
Yes
No
I dont know
9) After you came to Malaysia, have you faced a communication problem(s)?
Yes
No
10) With whom you faced problem(s)?
SPS
Your Faculty
your Hostel
I haven't faced problem(s)
Other (Please Specify):
11) Do you always go to the UTM office(s) to solve problem(s)?
Yes, I solve them manually in the office
No, I solve them online.
I haven't faced problem(s)
12) Are you satisfied with UTM Officers' Help?
I am satisfied too much.
I am just satisfied.
I am not satisfied
13) How do you contact with your lecturers?
183
by Elearning.
by Email.
by Phone.
by office meeting.
Other (Please Specify):
14) Do you face the problem of contact/communication with your lecturer(s)?
Yes
No
15) Are you satisfied with the Elearning System as media of communication with
your lecturer(s)?
I am satisfied too much.
I am just satisfied.
I am not satisfied
16) What are your suggestions to solve the problem of communication with UTM (if
any)?
184
APPENDIX C
INTERVIEW WITH SPS STAFF (SPS ASSISTANT EXECUTER)
185
Interview with SPS Staff
1- What are the most important processes that need a communication with
students?
2- For each process,
a. How do you currently contact with students? What is the most
communication media used to contact with students?
b. What are the important types of information to be exchanged?
c. Is the current communication media sufficient to solve students’
problems?
d. Do you need a new communication media that depend on the web to
exchange information and allow students to enrich the SPS Website
Data?
3- For the Perspective Students, SPS Website provides a list of useful links that
may not cover all the students’ cases.
a. Do you need a General Forum or Online Chat to allow prospective
students to ask about their specific needs?
b. The information in SPS Website are scattered and very difficult to
find a desired one, do you need to re-organize the Information to be
easy to retrieve and search?
c. Can we allow users to add some contents as (Blogs) or (Wikis) to
enrich the information related to SPS?
d. After the perspective student apply online application, can he use his
account to contact with specialist clerk?
4- For the Online application, the most important application used by all the
perspective students.
a. What are the processes that must be done online to get offer letter ? (
9
processes)
b. How do you contact students with every process to solve any
problem?
c. After the students apply and get account, can they enquiry about their
status and discuss about any problem? How? Can be solved online?
186
d. As the website shows, in the case of any trouble/problem, the way to
communicate with students is the phone or the email. Is that enough to
solve all students’ problems?
e. Should every perspective students have an account with ability to
enquiry and discuss about their problem online?
5- For the current students, the SPS Website provides information about
Calender, Important Dates, download Tuition fee forms, time table for
university elective subjects, and three links for course registration and
records.
a. The same problem of non-organized information. Can we re-organize
the information to academic and non-academic?
b. The information is not clear for those who are new students, like the
ACID account. Can the students have Forum/chat/blogs or any type of
online discussion to explain that useful information clearly?
c. The current students are very important category in the SPS website,
but it contains very poor information and it’s very static. Can students
have online community to be the voice of all postgraduate students?
(by using forums/blogs and etc).
d. Can we use the ACID account to be communicate with SPS online to
solve any problem?
6- In the related part (category) : Student Life. It contains a list of links, most of
them are not working. The working links are: (CICT), PSZ, counseling links.
a. Can we provide an online community for post graduate students, by
which they can share their knowledge/expertise and enrich the UTMrelated information?
7- The Fifth category in the SPS website is the Academic Resources. It contains
a list of downloadable forms.
a. Can we provide a way of online discussion or advanced way of search
to get the required information?
b. Can students consults SPS Clerks online to solve any academic
problem?
8- The sixth category in SPS website is for Non-Graduate students. It contains
tow downloadable forms.
187
a. Can they use online way of communication with SPS Staff to enquiry
about any information or solve any problem as we mentioned before
for the current students?
9- The News in SPS are shown in the right side of the SPS Website.
a. Can we find a way to send these news/updated news to students?
10- In the (contact us) part, can we use online way to contact rather than email
and phones? Which one you prefer?
11- Finally, Are there any other problem (not related to the SPS website) that
encounter SPS staff during contacting students? Can they be solved online?
By chat, forum or any web2.0 tools ?
188
APPENDIX D
PRINTED QUESTIONNAIRE
189
SU
URVEY: TH
HE REQUIREMENT
TS OF THE
E
STU
UDENT-UN
NIVERSIT
TY COMM
MUNICATIION MEDIIA PORTA
AL
OBJEC
CTIVE
The purpoose of this survey is to gather the requireements of S
Student-Un
niversity
Communication Meedia Portall that will serve
s
the poost graduatte students in UTM
better to communica
c
ate with SP
PS (School of Graduatte Study) eeasier and faster
f
by
using Webb 2.0 tools.
GUIDEL
LINES
Below aree the definitiions of term
ms for Web 2.0 tools that you mighht need to reefer to
assist you in answerinng sections B & C.
w
Weebsite membbers can post
Forum
Discussionn area on a website.
discussionss and read and
a respondd to posts byy other forum
m
members.
Blog
Facility forr publicly posting thouughts and ideeas to the web.
w
Chat
A feature of
o the intern
net that allow
ws users to "talk" to on
ne another
in virtual real time (ex
xample: Yahhoo Instant Messenger )
Wiki
Wiki is a piece
p
of serv
ver softwaree that allows users to frreely
create and edit Web page contentt using any W
Web browsser
(example: Wikipedia).
UTM E-m
mail
Specified Email
E
accou
unt for UTM
M student.
Video Shharing
Sharing thee video filess (example: YouTube)
Social
Building online comm
munities of people
p
who share the saame
Networkiing
interests (eexample: Faacebook, Friiendster)
RSS
People cann subscribe to
t RSS feedds so they w
will be notifiied every
time contennt is updateed on a partiicular site.
Please Noote that:
All informatioon given is confidential
c
l; secret andd used only for research
h
puurpose.
Yoour cooperaation in answ
wering this questionnai
q
ire is very m
much apprecciated.
Prepared by :
met - M.Sc. Informatioon Technoloogy (Manag
gement)
Faisal A.Q Al-Sam
Facultty of Compuuter Sciencee and Inform
mation System
Section AA Identifyin
ng the Com
mmunicatio
on Problem
ms with SPS
S:
190
This section is to show the problems that may be faced by the international students
related communication with SPS.
A.1- Please use the scale below and √ accordingly to the extent you agree with the
statement.
1 = Strongly Disagree
2 = Disagree
3 = Agree
4 = Strongly Agree
No
The Communication Problems
5. The SPS web-site provides you with all information you need to
know about your post graduate study and SPS rules.
6. The SPS web-site is clear, organized and easy to find the
information you need.
7. As a new student (prospective student), you got the information
you need for applying in UTM easily from SPS website.
8. Before Registration, you needed help to understand the
Rules/Forms/Procedures that are listed in SPS Website.
9. You needed to communicate with SPS staffs.
10 You contacted with SPS staffs using the traditional ways
(Emails, Phone, Post, etc) to inquire or solve your problems.
11 You contacted with non-SPS staffs (your friends in UTM, etc)
to inquire or solve your problems (Before Registration).
12 The SPS provides online communication for you with SPS
staffs using the SPS website.
13 The SPS website provides a good search engine to find the
information you need.
14 You still use the traditional ways of communication (Face-toFace, Emails, Phones, etc) with SPS staffs to inquire or solve
problems (after Registration).
15 As Current UTM Student, you need more online
communication medium with SPS staffs rather than just through
email and phone.
16 You need to inquire about SPS rules/procedures online by using
the SPS website tools.
17 You would like to add information you know about UTM to the
SPS website to enrich it.
1
2
3 4
A.2- How did you apply to study in UTM (apply for offer letter before the
registration)?
1-(
) Online Application
2-(
3-(
) Email
4-(
) by Post
) Contacting your UTM-Student
Friend
5-(
) Submit Manually to SPS officers
6-(
………
A.3- Other Communication Problem, please specify
) Other, please specify
191
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…
Section B: The Communication Media Portal Recommendation
This section is about your recommendation and opinion about the new
communication media portal.
B.1- Please rate the statements below using the scale of agreement:
1 = Strongly Disagree
2 = Disagree
3 = Agree
4 = Strongly Agree
No
Your Recommendations
1. A new SPS portal with online communication media is needed
rather than just using emails and phones.
2. The new portal must provide online communication with SPS
staffs.
3. The new portal must provide a way to inquire about any
information/rules/form in SPS website.
4. The portal must provide a way to contact SPS specialist staffs
online to solve problems.
5. The portal should notify students in case of portal-content
updated (add new announcements/forms/dates etc).
6. The portal must provide a communication medium during
applying online to UTM.
7. The portal must provide the prospective students with accounts
(username/password) to be used for communication (UTM
Email account, or Forum account, etc ).
8. The prospective students need to ask/inquire (online) about their
applications till they get the offer letter.
9. In case of the application is not complete or insufficient to get
offer letter, the SPS must notify students to enhance their
application
10 The portal should have a good search engine to find the desired
information.
11 The portal should have access (links) to all UTM services with
brief explanation about them.
12 For the academic resources, the portal should include online
discussion/enquiry in addition to the downloadable forms.
13 The portal should allow users (SPS staffs and students) to add
contents to enrich it with sufficient information (example:
adding blogs, wikis)
14 The portal should provide current students with information
more than just providing downloadable forms and important
news/dates only.
15 The portal should act as communication media.
16 Web 2.0 tools for example forum, chat and blogs can be used to
communicate with SPS staff.
17 It is more effective and efficient to communicate with SPS staff
using Web 2.0 tools for example forum, chat and blogs.
1 2 3
4
192
No
Your Recommendations
18 I would like this proposed portal (with rich communication
tools) rather than the current SPS website.
1 2 3
4
B.2- What is the most important information to be communicated with SPS (you
can check more than one)?
1-( ) Ask for help to apply in UTM.
2-( ) Online Application Status.
3-( ) Enquiry about SPS rules (admission, visa, etc)
4-( ) Enquiry about UTM services (accommodation, library, etc)
5-( ) Other, please specify …………………………….
B.3- Other Recommendations for the communication media portal:
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…
Section C : The Web 2.0 Needed Tools.
Please note that for questions C.1 – C.6 you can √ more than one.
C.1- Please tick on the communication (Web2.0) tools that you have
used/known:
1-( ) Forum
2-( ) Chat
3-( ) Blogs
4-( ) Wikis
5-( ) RSS
6-( ) Social Networking (facebook )
7-( ) Video Sharing (YouTube)
8-( ) Others, ………
C.2-Which tool do you prefer to communicate with SPS staff to inquire/ask
about SPS Rules/Procedures?
1-( ) Forum
2-( ) Chat
3-( ) Blogs
4-( ) Wikis
5-( ) UTM Email Account.
6-( ) Others ………….
7-(
) FAQ-Frequently Asked 7-( ) I don’t know about these tools
Questions
C.3- Which tool(s) you would like to communicate with SPS staff to inquire
about Online Application Status during the admission process?
1-( ) Forum
3-( ) Blogs
5-( ) Others ……..
2-( ) Chat
4-( ) UTM Email Account
6-( ) I don’t know about these t tools
C.4- Do you prefer additional tools to display the SPS website information,
please specify?
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1-( ) Forum
3-( ) Blogs
5-( ) Others ……………..
2-( ) Video Sharing
4-( ) Wikis
6-( ) I don’t know about these tools
C.5- Do you prefer additional tools to share knowledge and contact other UTM
students, please specify?
1-( ) Forum
3-( ) Blogs
5-(
) Social Networking (like
facebook)
7-( ) Others …..
2-( ) Video Sharing
4-( ) Wikis
6-( ) UTM-Student Email
7-( ) I don’t know about these
tools
C.6- Do you prefer additional tools to provide the academic resources, please
specify?
1-( ) Forum
3-( ) Blogs
5-( ) Others, ………
2-( ) Video Sharing
4-( ) Wikis
6-( ) I don’t know about these tools
C.7- Do you prefer to get the updates in the portal using the RSS?
1-( ) Yes
2-( ) No
3-( ) I don’t know about RSS.
C.8- Other Tools That You Recommend:
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…
Section D : Respondent Background
Please tick (√) at the space appropriately.
1- Faculty:
(…………………………………………………)
2- Program:
1-(
) Master
2-(
) PhD
3- (
Other:
3-How long have you been in UTM:
1-(
) Less than 1 years
2-(
) 1-2 years
3-(
) 3-4 years
4-(
) More than 4 years
4- Nationality:
(
) Local Student
(
) International Student ( Country: ……)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION ☺
)
194
APPENDIX E
USE CASE DESCRIPTIONS
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1- Use Case: Login into the Portal
Use Case Name: Login into the Portal
ID: 1
Important Level: High
Primary Actor: Student, SPS Staff
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Administrator: wants to manage the portal and edit its
content
SPS Staff: wants to communicate with students.
Student: wants to communicate with SPS staff.
Brief Description: The portal users enter their username/password to login into their
accounts.
Triggers: Users need to login in to the portal. Also, the system prompts the login page
when the users access their accounts with expired session.
Type: External and Internal
Relationships:
Association:
Include:
Extend: Manage Portal, Edit the Portal Content, Communicate by Portal Tools, Share
Knowledge
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The user enters their username/password.
2- The system checks the login information.
3- If the username and password are correct, the system will redirect the page to
communication modules’ page.
Sub Flows:
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
a1: if the login information is not correct, the system show error message, redirect the
page into the home page.
2- Use Case: Browse the Portal
Use Case Name: Browse the Portal
ID: 2
Important Level: Medium
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Student, SPS Staff, and Visitor want to browse the main
page and its menu
Brief Description: The user browses the main menu of the portal, news menu, login
menu, subscribe to SPS RSS News, YouTube Group, and Facebook Page.
Triggers: The user want to browse the portal
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include:
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The user writes the portal URL into their browser.
2- The main page is displayed.
3- The user can browse through the main menu, news menu, and login menu, and
they can subscribe to SPS RSS News, Youtube Group, and Facebook Page.
Sub Flows:
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3- Use Case: Subscribe to SPS News RSS
Use Case Name: Subscribe to SPS News ID: 3
Important Level: Medium
RSS
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Students and visitors can subscribe to SPS News RSS.
Brief Description: The user can subscribe to the SPS News RSS to receive all the news
of SPS by RSS feeds.
Triggers: Students and Visitors want to subscribe to SPS News RSS.
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include:
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The user click on the RSS icon on the main page.
2- The system opens the subscription page.
3- The user accepts the subscription.
4- The system adds SPS RSS button on the user browser’s tool bar.
Sub Flows:
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
4- Use Case: Use SPS Video Sharing
Use Case Name: Use SPS Video Sharing
ID: 4
Important Level: Medium
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Students and visitors can use and subscribe to SPS Video
Sharing Page.
Brief Description: The students and visitors use the YouTube Page to subscribe by
using YouTube user account in order to download or upload videos.
Triggers: Students and Visitors want to use and subscribe to the SPS Video Sharing
Page.
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include:
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The user click on the YouTube link on the main page.
2- The system opens the SPS YouTube page.
3- The user can download any video.
4- If the user has YouTube account, they can subscribe to SPS YouTube Group in
order to upload videos and discuss about any topic.
Sub Flows:
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
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5- Use Case: Use SPS Social Networking
Use Case Name: Use SPS Video Sharing
ID: 5
Important Level: Medium
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Students and visitors can use and subscribe to SPS Social
Networking page.
Brief Description: The students and visitors browse SPS Facebook Page. They can
subscribe by using their Facebook account in order to share all SPS Facebook
page memebrs.
Triggers: Students and Visitors want to use and subscribe to the SPS Social Networking
page
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include:
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The user click on the Facebook link on the main page.
2- The system opens the SPS Facebook page.
3- The user can browse the page.
4- If the user has YouTube account, they can subscribe to SPS Facebook page in
order to receive any feeds and share other members.
Sub Flows:
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
6- Use Case: Edit the Portal
Use Case Name: Edit the Portal
ID: 6
Important Level: Medium
Primary Actor: Administrator
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Students and visitors can use and subscribe to SPS Social
Networking page.
Brief Description: The administrator can edit the portal content such as articles, SPS
news, and announcements.
Triggers: The administrator want to edit the portal.
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include:
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The administrator login into their portal account.
2- The system shows the edit icon on the top of any article.
3- The administrator click on the edit icon.
4- The article will be editable.
5- The administrator can edit the article and save it.
6- The content of the new article will be published to the portal.
Sub Flows:
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
198
7- Use Case: Communicate by Portal Tools
Use Case Name: Communicate by Portal ID: 7
Important Level: High
Tools
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Student wants communicate with SPS staff by using the
communication modules.
Brief Description: The student login into the portal and choose one communication
module to communicate with SPS staff.
Triggers: The student want to communicate with SPS staff.
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include: Make General Enquiry, Contact University, Enquire about Admission
Requirements, Enquire about Online App. Status, Enquire about University Rules and
Services, Enquire about Academic Resources and Enrich SPS Portal Information
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The student login into the portal.
2- The system shows the communication modules page and menu.
3- The student chooses one module, and then the S-1 subflow is performed.
Sub Flows:
S-1
1. If the student wants to make general enquiry,
The student executes the “Make General Enquiry” use case.
2. If the student wants to contact university,
The student executes the “Contact University” use case.
3. If the student wants to enquire about admission requirements,
The student executes the “Enquire about Admission Requirements” use
case.
4. If the student wants to enquire about online app. status,
The student executes the “Enquire about Online App. Status” use case.
5. If the student wants to enquire about university rules and services,
The student executes the “Enquire about University Rules and Services”
use case.
6. If the student wants to enquire about academic resources,
The student executes the “Enquire about Academic Resources” use case.
7. If the student wants to enrich SPS website,
The student executes the “Enrich SPS Portal Information”
use case.
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
199
8- Use Case: Share Knowledge
Use Case Name: Share Knowledge
ID: 8
Important Level: High
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Student wants to share knowledge.
Brief Description: The student login into the portal and choose one knowledge sharing
tool.
Triggers: The student uses the knowledge sharing menu.
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include: Use Forum, Use Chat, Use SPS Wiki, Use SPS Blogs, Use Student Webmail,
Share Documents, Download thesis, Download Software, Use SPS Video Sharing, Use
UTM Social Networking, and Use UTM Share.
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
4- The student login into the portal.
5- The system shows the knowledge sharing menu.
6- The student chooses one menu item, and then the S-1 subflow is performed.
Sub Flows:
S-1:
1. If the student wants to use forum,
The student executes the “Use Forum” use case.
2. If the student wants to use chat,
The student executes the “Use Chat” use case.
3. If the student wants to use SPS wiki,
The student executes the “Use SPS Wiki” use case.
4. If the student wants to use SPS blog,
The student executes the “Use SPS Blog” use case.
5. If the student wants to use student webmail,
The student executes the “Use Student Webmail” use case.
6. If the student wants to share documents,
The student executes the “Share Documents” use case.
7. If the student wants to download thesis,
The student executes the “Download Thesis” use case.
8. If the student wants to download software,
The student executes the “Download Software” use case
9. If the student wants to use SPS Video Sharing,
The student executes the “Use SPS Video Sharing” use case
10. If the student wants to use SPS Social Networking,
The student executes the “Use SPS Social Networking” use case
11. If the student wants to use SPS share,
The student executes the “Use SPS Share” use case
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
200
9- Use Case: Make General Enquiry
Use Case Name: Make General Enquiry
ID: 9
Important Level: High
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Student wants to make general enquiry
Brief Description: The students can contact SPS to make general enquiry by using
Email Form, SPS Messaging Account, Forum, and/or Chat.
Triggers: The student login to the portal and browses to the communication menu, then
chooses General Enquiry sub-menu.
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include:
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The student login into their portal account.
2- The system shows the communication modules’ menu.
3- The student clicks on the General Enquiry sub-menu.
4- The system shows four communication tools, and then the S-1 subflow is
performed.
Sub Flows:
S-1
1- If the student chooses “ by Email” sub-menu, the system executes “Use Email
Form” use case.
2- If the student chooses “by SPS Messaging Account”, the system executes the
“Use SPS Messaging Account” use case.
3- If the student chooses “by Forum”, the system executes the “Use Forum” use
case
4- If the student choose “by Chat”, the system executes the “Use Chat” use case.
10- Use Case: Contact University
Use Case Name: Contact University
ID: 10
Important Level: High
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Student wants to contact SPS and SPS of engineering,
Science, and Technology staff.
Brief Description: The students can contact SPS top management, SPS of engineering,
Science, and Technology staff by using Email Form, SPS Messaging Account,
Forum, and/or Chat.
Triggers: The student login to the portal and browses to the communication menu, then
chooses the Contact University sub-menu.
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include:
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The student login into their portal account.
2- The system shows the communication modules’ menu.
3- The student clicks on the Contact University sub-menu.
4- The system shows four communication tools, three options will be available:
a. Student chooses “Contact SPS Staff” sub-menu, the system executes the
201
S-1 subflow.
b. Student chooses “Contact SPS of Engineering” or “Contact SPS of
Science”, the system executes S-2 subflow.
Sub Flows:
S-1
1- If the student chooses “ by Email” sub-menu, the system executes “Use Email
Form” use case.
2- If the student chooses “by SPS Messaging Account”, the system executes the
“Use SPS Messaging Account” use case.
3- If the student chooses “by Forum”, the system executes the “Use Forum” use
case
4- If the student choose “by Chat”, the system executes the “Use Chat” use case.
S-2:
1- If the student chooses “ by Email” sub-menu, the system executes “Use Email
Form” use case.
2- If the student chooses “by SPS Messaging Account”, the system executes the
“Use SPS Messaging Account” use case.
3- If the student chooses “by Forum”, the system executes the “Use Forum” use
case
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
11- Use Case: Enquire about Admission Requirements
Use Case Name: Enquire about Admission
ID: 11 Important Level: High
Requirements
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Student wants to enquire about admission requiremnts
Brief Description: The students can contact SPS staff to enquire about admission
requirements by using Forum, Blog, and/or Wiki.
Triggers: The student login to the portal and browses to the communication menu, then
chooses the Admission Requirements sub-menu.
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include:
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The student login into their portal account.
2- The system shows the communication modules’ menu.
3- The student clicks on the Admission Requirements sub-menu.
4- The system shows 3 communication tools, and then the S-1 subflow is performed.
Sub Flows:
S-1
1- If the student chooses “ Discuss by Forum” sub-menu, the system executes “Use
Forum” use case.
2- If the student chooses “Discuss by Blogs”, the system executes the “Use Blog”
use case.
3- If the student chooses “Discuss by Wiki”, the system executes “Use Wiki” use
case
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
202
12- Use Case: Enquire about Online Application Status
Use Case Name: Enquire about Online ID: 12
Important Level: High
Application Status
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Student wants to enquire about their online application
status.
Brief Description: The students can contact SPS staff to enquire about their online
application status by using Email Form, SPS Messaging Account, Forum, and/or
Chat.
Triggers: The student login to the portal and browses to the communication menu, then
chooses the “Online Application Status” sub-menu.
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include:
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The student login into their portal account.
2- The system shows the communication modules’ menu.
3- The student clicks on the Online Application Status sub-menu.
4- The system shows four communication tools, and then the S-1 subflow is
performed.
Sub Flows:
S-1
1- If the student chooses “ by Email” sub-menu, the system executes “Use Email
Form” use case.
2- If the student chooses “by SPS Messaging Account”, the system executes the
“Use SPS Messaging Account” use case.
3- If the student chooses “by Forum”, the system executes the “Use Forum” use
case
4- If the student choose “by Chat”, the system executes the “Use Chat” use case.
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
13- Use Case: Enquire about University Rules and Services
Use Case Name: Enquire about University ID: 13
Important Level: High
Rules and Services
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Student wants to enquire about UTM rules and/or services
Brief Description: The students can contact SPS staff to enquire about UTM rules
and/or services by using Forum, Blog, and/or Wiki.
Triggers: The student login to the portal and browses to the communication menu, then
chooses the “University Rules and Services” sub-menu.
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include:
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The student login into their portal account.
2- The system shows the communication modules’ menu.
203
3- The student clicks on the University Rules and Services sub-menu.
4- The system shows three communication tools, and then the S-1 subflow is
performed.
Sub Flows:
S-1
1- If the student chooses “ Discuss by Forum” sub-menu, the system executes
“Use Forum” use case.
2- If the student chooses “Discuss by Blogs”, the system executes the “Use
Blog” use case.
3- If the student chooses “Discuss by Wiki”, the system executes the “Use Wiki”
use case
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
14- Use Case: Enquire about Academic Resources
Use Case Name: Enquire Academic ID: 14
Important Level: High
Resources
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Student wants to enquire about academic resources.
Brief Description: The students can contact SPS staff to enquire about academic
resources by using Forum, Blog, and/or Wiki.
Triggers: The student login to the portal and browses to the communication menu, then
chooses the “Academic Resources” sub-menu.
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include:
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The student login into their portal account.
2- The system shows the communication modules’ menu.
3- The student clicks on the Academic Resources sub-menu.
4- The system shows four communication tools, and then the S-1 subflow is
performed.
Sub Flows:
S-1
1- If the student chooses “Forum Resources” sub-menu, the system executes
“Use Forum” use case.
2- If the student chooses “Blog Resources”, the system executes the “Use Blog”
use case.
3- If the student chooses “Wiki Resources”, the system executes the “Use Wiki”
use case.
4- If the student chooses “Video Resources”, the system executes the “Use SPS
Video Sharing” use case.
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
204
15- Use Case: Enrich SPS Portal Information
Use Case Name: Enrich SPS Portal ID: 15
Important Level: High
Information
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Student and SPS staff wants add information to the SPS
website.
Brief Description: The student or SPS staff add information to the SPS website by using
Forum, Blog, Video Sharing, and/or Wiki.
Triggers: The student and SPS staff login to the portal and browses to the
communication menu, then chooses the “Enrich Website Information” sub-menu.
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include:
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The student or SPS staff login into their portal account.
2- The system shows the communication modules’ menu.
3- The student or SPS staff clicks on the Enrich Website Information sub-menu.
4- The system shows four communication tools, and then the S-1 subflow is
performed.
Sub Flows:
S-1
1- If the student or SPS staff chooses “Enrich SPS Forum” sub-menu, the system
executes “Use Forum” use case.
2- If the student or SPS staff chooses “Enrich SPS Blog”, the system executes
the “Use Blog” use case.
3- If the student or SPS staff chooses “Enrich SPS Wiki”, the system executes
the “Use Wiki” use case.
4- If the student or SPS staff chooses “Enrich SPS Video”, the system executes
the “Use SPS Video Sharing” use case.
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
16- Use Case: Use Forum
Use Case Name: Use Forum
ID: 16
Important Level: High
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Student and SPS staff wants to add or edit forum topic, or
post reply
Brief Description: The student or SPS staff can use SPS Forum to contact SPS staff.
Triggers: The student and SPS staff chooses ‘use forum” option in any communication
or knowledge sharing modules.
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include: Add New Topic, Edit my Topic, Post Reply, and Send Private Message
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The student or SPS staff login into their portal account.
2- The system shows the communication and knowledge modules’ menus.
3- The student or SPS staff clicks on any “use forum” sub-menu.
4- The SPS forum is shown, and then the S-1 subflow is performed.
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Sub Flows:
S-1
1- If the student or SPS staff chooses “Add new Topic” button, the system
executes “Add new Forum Topic” use case.
2- If the student or SPS staff chooses “Edit Topic” button, the system executes
the “Edit Forum Topic” use case.
3- If the student or SPS staff chooses “Post Reply” button, the system executes
the “Post Forum Reply” use case.
4- If the student or SPS staff chooses “Send Private Message” button, the system
executes the “Send Forum Private Message” use case.
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
17- Use Case: Use Chat
Use Case Name: Use Chat
ID: 17
Important Level: High
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Student and SPS staff wants to use the SPS Chat Rooms
Brief Description: The student or SPS staff can use SPS Chat Rooms to contact each
other.
Triggers: The student and SPS staff chooses ‘use chat” option in any communication or
knowledge sharing modules. Or, use the chat menu at the bottom-right side.
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include:
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The student or SPS staff login into their portal account.
2- The system shows the communication and knowledge modules’ menus, and chat
menu.
3- The student or SPS staff clicks on any “use chat” link.
4- The SPS Chat Room is shown.
5- The student or SPS staff enters any room.
6- The system shows all chatting-users in this room.
7- The student or SPS staff can chat with any user by public or private room.
Sub Flows:
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
18- Use Case: Use Wiki
Use Case Name: Use Wiki
ID: 18
Important Level: High
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Student and SPS staff want to use the SPS Wiki
Brief Description: The students and SPS staff can use SPS Wiki to add, edit or browse
topics
Triggers: The student or SPS staff choose ‘use Wiki” option in any communication or
knowledge sharing modules.
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include: Add New Wiki Topic, Search about Wiki Topic, and Edit Wiki Topic
Extend:
Generalization:
206
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The student or SPS staff login into their portal account.
2- The system shows the communication and knowledge modules’ menus.
3- The student or SPS staff click on any “use wiki” sub-menu.
4- The SPS Wiki is shown, and then the S-1 subflow is performed.
Sub Flows:
S-1
1- If the student or SPS staff chooses “Search” button, the system executes
“Search about Wiki Topic” use case.
2- If the student or SPS staff chooses “Create new Page” link , the system
executes the “Create new Wiki Topic” use case.
3- If the student or SPS staff chooses “Edit” button, the system executes the
“Edit Wiki Topic” use case.
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
19- Use Case: Use Blog
Use Case Name: Use Blog
ID: 19
Important Level: High
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Student and SPS staff wants to use the SPS Blog
Brief Description: The students can use SPS browse topics or add comments
Triggers: The student and SPS staff choose ‘use Blog” option in any communication or
knowledge sharing modules.
Type: External
Relationships:
Association:
Include: Add Comment
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The student or SPS staff login into their portal account.
2- The system shows the communication and knowledge modules’ menus.
3- The student or SPS staff clicks on any “use Blog” sub-menu.
4- The SPS Wiki is shown, and then the student or SPS staff can browse any Blog
5-The S-1 subflow is performed.
Sub Flows:
S-1
1- If the student or SPS staff chooses “Leave Comment” button, the system
executes the “Add Blog Comment” use case.
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
20- Use Case: Use SPS Messaging Account
Use Case Name: Use SPS Messaging ID: 20
Important Level: High
Account
Primary Actor: Student
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Student and SPS staff wants to use the SPS Messaging
Account
Brief Description: The students and SPS staff can use SPS messaging account to check
their inbox, read message, or create new message.
Triggers: The student and SPS staff chooses ‘SPS Messaging Account” option from any
communication module, or messaging menu.
Type: External
207
Relationships:
Association:
Include: Check inbox and Create new Message.
Extend:
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The student or SPS staff login into their portal account.
2- The system shows the communication and messaging menus.
3- The student or SPS staff clicks on any “use SPS Messaging Account” sub-menu,
or “messaging” menu.
4- The SPS Messaging Account is shown, and then the S-1 subflow is performed.
Sub Flows:
S-1
1- If the student or SPS staff chooses “Inbox” , the system executes “Check SPS
Messaging Account Inbox” use case.
2- If the student or SPS staff chooses “Create new Message”, the system
executes the “Create new SPS Messaging Message” use case.
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
21- Use Case: Logout
Use Case Name: Logout from the Portal
ID: 21
Important Level: High
Primary Actor: Student, SPS Staff
Use Case Type: Detail, Essential
Stakeholders and Interests: Administrator, SPS Staff, and Student want to logout from
the portal.
System- logout from the portal after the session is expired.
Brief Description: The portal users click on “logout” on the left side of the portal page.
Triggers: Portal user click on the “logout”
System execute the logout after session is expired.
Type: External and Internal
Relationships:
Association:
Include:
Extend: Manage Portal, Edit the Portal Content, Communicate by Portal Tools, Share
Knowledge
Generalization:
Normal Flow of Events:
1- The user click on the “Logout”
2- The system logout from the portal account and page will be redirected to the
main page
3- The login menu will be shown.
Sub Flows:
Alternative/Exceptional Flows
a1: if the session is being expired, the system logout from the user account
automatically.
208
APPENDIX F
SEQUENCE DIAGRAM
209
1- Login Sequence Diagram (Student and SPS Staff login)
Student/SPS Staff
Browse ()
Main Page
Login Page
login ()
Account: List
Communication and
Knowledge Page
Validate (username, password)
[invalid] Login again
[valid] Redirect()
View Communication and Knowledge Menus
2- Subscribe to SPS News RSS Sequence Diagram
Main Page
RSS Subscription
Page
Portal User
Subscribe?
[subscribed] RSS added to browser
2- Use SPS Social Networking Sequence Diagram
210
: Portal User
Portal Main
Page
SPS Social
Networking Page
Editable SPS
Social Page
Click on Social Link
Redirect
subscribe () ?
[unsubscribed] Browse only
[subscribed] Share SPS News and Info
3- Edit the Portal Content Sequence Diagram
Main Page
Portal User
Click on Video Link
SPS Video
Sharing Page
Redirect
Subscribe ?
[Unsubscribed] browse only
[subscribed] share SPS users
Editable SPS
Video Page
211
4- Edit Portal Sequence Diagram
Login Page
Accounts: List
Editable Portal
Page
: Portal Manager
login()
validiate (username, password)
[valid user] approve
[manger user type] Edit
[portal user] browse
5- Make General Enquiry Sequence Diagram
Login Page
: Student
Communication
Menu
login()
[valid] approve
Browse
Choose Communication Module ?
[General Enquiry] Browse
Choose Communication Tool ?
[Communication Tool] make the Enquiry
General Enquiry
Module Page
212
6- Contact University Sequence Diagram
Login Page
: Student
Communication
Menu
Contact University
Modules Page
Login()
[valid] approved
Browse
Choose Module?
[contact university] Browse
Choose Communication Tool ?
[communication tool] contact specified party
7- Enquiry About Academic Resources Sequence Diagram
Login Page
: Student
Communication Academic Resources
Menu
Modules Page
Login()
[valid] approved
Browse
Choose Module ?
[Academic Resources] Browse
Choose Communication Tool ?
[communication tool] contact specified party
213
8- Enquiry about Admission Requirements Sequence Diagram
Login Page
Communication Admission Requirements
Menu
Modules Page
: Student Login()
[valid] approved
Browse
Choose Module ?
[Admission Requirements] Browse
Choose Communication Tool ?
[communication tool] contact specified party
9- Enquiry about Online Application Status Sequence Diagram
Login Page
: Student
Communication
Menu
Online App. Status
Modules Page
Login()
[valid] approved
Browse
Choose Module?
[Online App. Status] Browse
Choose Communication Tool?
[communication tool] contact specified party
214
10- Enquiry about University Rules and Services Sequence Diagram
Login Page
: Student
Communication
Menu
Unive. Rules and Services
Modules Page
Login()
[valid] approved
Browse
Choose Module?
[Univ. Rules and Services] Browse
Choose Communication Tool?
[communication tool] contact specified party
11- Enrich SPS Portal Information Sequence Diagram
Login Page
Communication
Menu
: Student Login()
[valid] approved
Browse
Choose Module?
[Enrich Website Info] Browse
Choose Communication Tool?
[communication tool] contact specified party
Enrich Website Infor
Modules Page
215
12- Use Email or Phone Page Sequence Diagram
Login Page
Student
Communication
Menu
Email and
Phone Page
Login()
[valid] approved
Browse
Choose Submenu ?
[Email and Phone submenu] Browse
Choose specific party ?
[Specific Party] contact specified party
13- Use Forum (Add new Forum Topic) Sequence Diagram
Login Page
Communication
Menu
: Student Login()
[valid] approved
Browse
Choose Submenu ?
[Use Forum] Browse
Choose specific Category ?
[specific category] Browse
Add New Topic ?
[add new topic] Add new Topic
Forum
Category: List
Forum Topic:
List
216
14- Use Forum (Post Reply) Sequence Diagram
Login Page
: Student
Communication
Menu
Forum
Category: List
Forum Topic:
List
Login()
[valid] approved
Browse
Choose Submenu ?
[Use Forum] Browse
Choose specific Category ?
[specific category] Browse
Choose Topic?
[specific topic] Browse Topic
Post Reply ?
[choose post reply] go to post reply
write your post ?
[written] post reply
15- Use Chat Sequence Diagram
Login Page
Communication
Menu
: Student Login()
[valid] approved
Browse
Choose Submenu ?
[Use Chat] Browse
Choose specific Room ?
[specific room] chat
Chat Room:
List
Chat Room
Page
217
16- Use UTM Messaging Account (Send Message) Sequence Diagram
Login Page
: Student
Communication
Menu
UTM Messaging
Account Page
Create New
Message Page
Login()
[valid] approved
Browse
Choose Submenu ?
[Use UTM Messaging] Browse
Create new Message?
[Create new Message is chosen] go to create new message page
choose receiver party ?
[receiver is chosen] go to write message box
write the message subject and body ?
[message is written] Send
17- Use UTM Messaging Account (Read Message) Sequence Diagram
Login Page
: Student
Communication
Menu
UTM Messaging
Account Page
Login()
[valid] approved
Browse
Choose Submenu ?
[Use UTM Messaging] Browse
Go to Inbox ?
[click on inbox] go to inbox
read message ?
[ message is chosen] go to read message
Inbox Page
218
18- Use Blog Sequence Diagram
Login Page
Communication
Menu
Forum
Category: List
Forum Topic:
List
: Student Login()
[valid] approved
Browse
Choose Submenu ?
[Use Forum] Browse
Choose specific Category ?
[specific category] Browse
Choose Topic?
[specific topic] Browse Topic
Post Reply ?
[choose post reply] go to post reply
write your post ?
[written] post reply
19- Use Wiki Sequence Diagram
Login Page
: Student Login()
[valid] approved
Communication
Menu
Wiki: List
Browse
Choose Submenu ?
[Use Wiki] Browse
Choose specific Topic ?
[specific Topic ] Browse Topic
Edit the wiki topic ?
[Edit option is chosen] Edit the topic
Blog Page
219
APPENDIX G
BLACK-BOX UNIT TESTING
220
1- Student Class
Class Name: Student
ID: 5
Tester: Faisal
Test Description: to ensure that student operations can be performed successfully
Attribute
Attribute
Event
New Value
Expected
Actual
Name
Type
Result (P/F) Result (P/F)
StudentName String
Add
New Null
F
F
Student
123
F
F
ABC
P
P
Student
String
Add
New Null
F
F
UserName
Student
123
F
F
ABC
P
P
Student
String
Add
New Null
F
F
Password
Student
ABC123
P
P
2- Administrator Class
Class Name: Administrator
ID: 6
Tester: Faisal
Test Description: to ensure that administrator operations can be performed successfully
Attribute
Attribute Event
New Value
Expected
Actual
Name
Type
Result (P/F) Result
(P/F)
StaffName
String
Add New User
Null
F
F
123
F
F
ABC
P
P
UserName
String
Add New User
Null
F
F
123
F
F
ABC
P
P
Password
String
Add New User
Null
F
F
ABC123
P
P
3- SPS Staff Class
Class Name: SPS Staff
ID: 7
Tester: Faisal
Test Description: to ensure that SPS Staff operations can be performed successfully
Attribute
Attribute Event
New Value Expected
Actual
Name
Type
Result
Result
(P/F)
(P/F)
StaffName
String
Add
New Null
F
F
User
123
F
F
ABC
P
P
UserName
String
Add
New Null
F
F
User
123
F
F
ABC
P
P
Password
String
Add
New Null
F
F
User
ABC123
P
P
221
4- User Login
Class Name: UserLogin
ID: 17
Tester: Faisal
Test Description: to ensure that UserLogin operations can be performed successfully
Attribute
Attribute
Event
New Value
Expected
Actual
Name
Type
Result (P/F) Result
(P/F)
LoginName
String
Login
Null
F
F
ABC
F
F
Admin
P
P
LoginPassword String
Login
Null
F
F
ABC
F
F
XYZ123
P
P
5- Blog Class
Class Name: Blog
ID: 9
Tester: Faisal
Test Description: to ensure that Blog operations can be performed successfully
Attribute
Attribute
Event
New Value Expected
Actual
Name
Type
Result (P/F) Result
(P/F)
Blog
String
Add
Null
F
F
CommentBody
Comment
ABC
P
P
Blog
String
Add
Null
F
F
CaptchaCode
Comment
ABC
F
F
123456
P
P
6- Wiki Class
Class Name: Wiki
ID: 10
Tester: Faisal
Test Description: to ensure that Wiki operations can be performed successfully
Attribute
Attribute
Event
New Value Expected
Actual
Name
Type
Result (P/F) Result
(P/F)
Wiki
String
Add Topic
Null
F
F
TopicTitle
ABC
P
P
Wiki
String
Add Topic
Null
F
F
TopicBody
ABC
P
P
Wiki
String
Search
Null
F
F
TopicTitle
about Topic
ABC
P
P
222
7- Forum Class
Class Name: Forum
ID: 11
Tester: Faisal
Test Description: to ensure that Forum operations can be performed successfully
Attribute
Attribute
Event
New Value
Expected
Name
Type
Result (P/F)
TopicTitle
String
Add Topic
Null
F
ABC
P
TopicBody
String
Add Topic
Null
F
ABC
P
TopicTitle
Post Reply
Null
F
ABC
P
PostBody
PostReply
Null
F
ABC
P
Actual
Result (P/F)
F
P
F
P
F
P
F
P
8- SPS Messaging Account Class
Class Name: SPS Messaging Account
ID: 12
Tester: Faisal
Test Description: to ensure that SPS Messaging operations can be performed successfully
Attribute
Attribute
Event
New Value Expected
Actual
Name
Type
Result (P/F) Result (P/F)
Message Title
String
Create
New Null
F
P
Message
ABC
P
P
Message Body
String
Create
New Null
F
P
Message
ABC
P
P
Message
Create
New Null
F
F
Receiver Name
Message
ABC
F
F
Admin
P
P
223
APPENDIX H
USE CASE TESTING
224
Use Case ID: 1
Use Case Name: Login into the Portal
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that portal users can login into the portal correctly and each one has
their authorization.
Test Report:
- Any user who does not login to the portal, they can not access the communication,
knowledge, chat, and SPS messaging account menus.
- Only the administrator can manage the portal users and content.
- Only the administrator and SPS Staff can edit the portal articles contents.
- Students can only use the allowed menus (communication, knowledge, chat, and
SPS messaging account menus)
- If the session is being expired and the user try to connect to the above menus’ links,
the login page is prompted.
Use Case ID: 2
Use Case Name: Browse the Portal
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that any visitor can browse the portal (main menu only)
Test Report:
- Anyone can browse the main menu.
- Any one can see the login menu.
Use Case ID: 3
Use Case Name: Subscribe to SPS News
RSS
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that any visitor can subscribe to SPS RSS News
Test Report:
- Anyone can see the RSS icon on the top right of the page.
- Anyone can subscribe to the SPS RSS News.
Use Case ID: 4
Use Case Name: Use SPS Video Sharing
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that any visitor can use to SPS Video Sharing Page
Test Report:
- Anyone can see Video Sharing link (YouTube group page) at the middle- bottom of
each page.
- Anyone who has YouTube account can subscribe to this YouTube group.
- Any subscribed- user can share videos and writing comments on the group video
sharing page.
Use Case ID: 5
Use Case Name: Use SPS Social Networking
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that any visitor can use to SPS Social Networking Page
Test Report:
- Anyone can see SPS Social Networking link (Facebook page) at the middle- bottom
of each page.
- Anyone who has Facebook account can subscribe to this Facebook page.
- Any subscribed- user can receive SPS feeds, write comments, and share other users.
Use Case ID: 6
Use Case Name: Edit the Poral
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that only administrator and SPS staff can edit the portal article
225
contents.
Test Report:
- Only Administrator and SPS Staff can edit the portal articles.
- Students cant edit any portal article.
Use Case ID: 7
Use Case Name: Communicate by Portal
Tools
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that Students and SPS Staff can communicate by portal tools.
Test Report:
- The Students and SPS Staff can use the communication modules shown in the
communication menu.
- The students can use communication tools like Forum, Chat, Wiki, Blog, SPS
Messaging Account, Email Form, Social Networking, Video Sharing, and others.
- Once the students and SPS Staff login to the portal, they do not need to login again
in order to use Forum, Chat, and other communication tools.
Use Case ID: 8
Use Case Name: Share Knowledge
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that Students and SPS Staff use the knowledge sharing module
tools
Test Report:
- The Students and SPS Staff can use the knowledge sharing module tools listed in the
knowledge menu.
- The Students and SPS Staff can use knowledge sharing tools like Forum, Chat,
Wiki, Blog, Social Networking, Video Sharing, UTM Share, Document Sharing and
others.
- Once the students and SPS Staff login to the portal, they do not need to login again
in order to use Forum, Chat, and other knowledge tools.
Use Case ID: 9
Use Case Name: Make General Enquiry
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that Students can make general enquiries successfully.
Test Report:
- The students can use E-mail form to enquire about general issues, but the E-mails
are not sent yet successfully because the portal should be supported by UTM
Webmail Server function.
- The students can use the SPS Messaging Account successfully. They can send and
receive messages from SPS staff.
- The students can use the General Enquiry Forum successfully to enquire about their
issues. They can add new topics and post reply to the existing ones.
- The students can enter to the General Enquiry Chat Room and chat with the SPS
Staff in public or private chatting. They can use the webcam as well.
Use Case ID: 10
Use Case Name: Contact University
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that Students can Contact the specified SPS Staff successfully.
Test Report:
226
-
The students can contact three categories of SPS Staff, which are the SPS
Management Staff, SPS of Engineering, and SPS of Science.
The students can use E-mail form to enquire these three categories of SPS Staff, but
the E-mails are not sent yet successfully because the portal should be supported by
UTM Webmail Server function.
The students can use the SPS Messaging Account successfully. They can send and
receive messages to and from SPS Staff.
The students can use the Contact University Forum successfully to enquire about
their issues. They can add new topics and post reply to the existing ones.
The students can enter to the Contact University Chat Room and chat with the SPS
Management Staff in public or private chatting. They can use the webcam as well.
Use Case ID: 11
Use Case Name: Enquire about Admission Requirements
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that Students can enquire about admission requirements
successfully.
Test Report:
- The students can use the Admission Requirements Forum successfully. They can
add new topics and post reply to the existing ones.
- The students can use the Admission Requirements Blogs successfully. They can read
and post comments to enquire about any related issues.
- The students can use SPS Wiki successfully in order to read and edit related topics
Use Case ID: 12
Use Case Name: Enquire about Online App. Status
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that Students can Contact the specified SPS Staff successfully to
enquire about their online application status.
Test Report:
- The students can use E-mail form to enquire about their online application status, but
the E-mails are not sent yet successfully because the portal should be supported by
UTM Webmail Server function.
- The students can use the SPS Messaging Account successfully. They can send and
receive messages to and from SPS Staff.
- The students can enter to the Online Application Status Chat Room and chat with the
SPS Management Staff in public or private chatting. They can use the webcam as
well.
Use Case ID: 13
Use Case Name: Enquire about University Rules and Services
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that Students can enquire about University Rules successfully.
Test Report:
- The students can use the University Rules and Services Forum successfully. They
can add new topics and post reply to the existing ones.
- The students can use the University Rules and Services Blogs successfully. They can
read and post comments to enquire about any related issues.
- The students can use SPS Wiki successfully in order to read and edit related topics
Use Case ID: 14
Use Case Name: Enquire about Academic Resources
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that Students can enquire about Academic Resources successfully.
Test Report:
- The students can use the Academic Resources Forum successfully. They can add
new topics and post reply to the existing ones.
227
-
The students can use the Academic Resources Blogs successfully. They can read and
post comments to enquire about any related issues.
The students can use SPS Wiki successfully in order to read and edit topics about the
academic resources.
Use Case ID: 15
Use Case Name: Enrich SPS Portal Information
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that Students can enrich the SPS portal Information successfully.
Test Report:
- The students can use the SPS Forum successfully. They can add new topics and post
reply to the existing ones.
- The students can use the SPS Blogs successfully. They can read and post comments
to enquire about any related issues.
- The students can use SPS Wiki successfully in order to read and edit topics.
- The students can use the SPS Video Sharing page to upload and download videos.
Use Case ID: 16
Use Case Name: Use Forum (Add new
topic)
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that SPS Staff and Students can add new topic in SPS Forum
successfully.
Test Report:
- The SPS Staff and Students can choose any forum category.
They can click on “post new topic” shown in the SPS Forums.
- They can write topic title and body.
- They can add the new topic.
- The topic is shown in the forum immediately.
Use Case ID: 17
Use Case Name: Use Chat
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that SPS Staff and Students can chat with SPS Staff successfully.
Test Report:
- The SPS Staff and Students can connect to Online Chat successfully.
- They can enter any chat room.
They can read any chatting discussion in the public room.
- They can chat with the room members in public or private.
- They can use the webcam for chatting.
-
Use Case ID: 18
Use Case Name: Use Wiki
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that SPS Staff and Students use SPS Wiki successfully.
Test Report:
- The SPS Staff and Students can connect to SPS Wiki successfully.
- They can search for any topic.
They can read any chatting editing any topic.
- They can create new topic.
228
Use Case ID: 19
Use Case Name: Use Blog
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that SPS Staff and Students use SPS Blog successfully.
Test Report:
- The SPS Staff and Students can connect to SPS Blog successfully.
- They can browse any topic.
- They can create new comment and post it.
Use Case ID: 20
Use Case Name:
Use SPS Messaging
Account
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that SPS Staff and Students use SPS Messaging Account
successfully.
Test Report:
- The SPS Staff and Students can connect to SPS Messaging Account successfully.
- If the SPS Staff or Student has new messages, the notification is shown in the SPS
Messaging Account Menu.
- They can read any message and reply to the sender.
- The SPS Staff and Students can create new message.
- The Students can only see the SPS Staff in the recipient suggestion down list.
Use Case ID: 21
Use Case Name: Logout from Portal
Tester: Faisal
Test Date: 01/03/2010
Test Objective: to ensure that SPS Staff and Students logout successfully.
Test Report:
- The SPS Staff and Students can see the logout link on the right side of any page.
- After they click on the “logout”, they successfully signed out from the portal
account.
- If the session is being idle for long time, the logout action is automatically
performed.
229
APPENDIX I
USER ACCEPTANCE TEST QUESTIONNAIRE
230
User Acceptance Test – SPS Staff
Job Title …………………….
Please rate the statements below using the scale of agreement given as guidance.
1 = Totally Disagree
2 = Disagree 3 = Agree
4 = Totally Agree
No Question
1
2
1. The Communication Media Portal is user-friendly?
2. The communication modules menus are a well-organized and
arranged?
3. It is easy to navigate Communication Media Portal?
4. The Communication Media Portal easy to use?
5. I think this portal successfully provides online communication
media with Students.
5. I think this portal is sufficient to solve the communication
problems with Postgraduate Students.
6. I think this portal is more useful to SPS than the current
communication media like email and phone.
7. I think the Communication Portal uses efficient web-based
communication tools like chat, forum, and others.
8. I think the portal will encourage SPS Staff to help students and
solve their problem online?
9. As SPS staff, I can add information to the portal, in order to
enrich the SPS website information.
10 I am satisfied with this Communication Media Portal.
11 I would like to communicate with students by using the
Communication Media Portal.
3
B: Choose the Communication Tools you like most:
Forum
(
Blog
(
Facebook Page (
)
)
)
Chat
( )
SPS Messaging Account ( )
Youtube Page
( )
Wiki
(
E-Mail Form (
)
)
C. Comments for improvements :……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4
231
User Acceptance Test – Postgraduate Student
Faculty: …………………
Country: ………………….
Program: ………………….
A. Please rate the statements below using the scale of agreement given as
guidance.
1 = Totally Disagree
2 = Disagree 3 = Agree
4 = Totally Agree
No
Question
1 2
1. The Communication Media Portal is user-friendly?
2. The Communication modules menus are a well-organized and
arranged?
3. It is easy to navigate Communication Media Portal?
4. The Communication Media Portal Tools are easy to use?
5. I think this portal successfully provides online communication
media with SPS Staff.
5. I think this portal is sufficient to solve the communication
problems with SPS.
6. I think the communication modules satisfy all my needs and
expectations regarding to communication with SPS.
7. I think this portal is more useful to students than the current
communication media like email and phone.
8. I think the Communication Portal uses efficient web-based
communication tools like chat, forum, and others.
9. I think the portal will encourage SPS Staff to help students and
solve their problem online?
10 As student, I can add information to the portal, in order to enrich
the SPS website information.
11 I am satisfied with this Communication Media Portal.
12 I would like to communicate with SPS by using the
Communication Media Portal.
B.Choose the Communication Tools you like most:
Forum
( )
Blog
( )
Facebook Page ( )
Chat
(
SPS Messaging Account (
Youtube Page
(
)
)
)
C. Comments for improvements :………………………………………………………..
Wiki
(
E-Mail Form (
)
)
3
4
232
APPENDIX J
GANTT CHART
233