The design and implementation of an assessment management module to function within the architectural constraints of an existing Open Source Software (OSS) learning management system (to meet target-user requirements)

Abstract

This dissertation was written in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology in the Faculty of Information Technology at the Peninsula Technikon in South Africa. The dissertation covers the introduction of the study; the reviews of the case, Free and Open Source Software; the discussion of methodology of software project management in terms of software engineering; the analysis of assessment methods; the techniques of using PHP, MySQL, Apache and CVS; and the implementation of a test module. The research represents the consideration of the problem, namely that there are few free assessment manager programmes that can be used for the quick and efficient deployment of academic assessments. An experimental research method was used to with the aim of solving the above problem. In other words, a test management system module had to be designed and implemented to function within the architectural constraints of a developing Open Source Software (OSS) Learning Management System (LMS), which is called Knowledge Environment for Web-based Learning Next Generation (KEWL.NextGen). The test management system is a module developed on Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) in PHP and MySQL application. The scripts of this test module are written under the KEWL.NextGen' application framework, which is based on a close approximation of model, view and controller (MVC) design III pattem. Now the entire source coding of the test module has been uploaded to Web site http://kngforge.uwc.ac.za. This test module can be used for the creation and management of an online test. It provides facilities to create a new test, and to preview, edit, delete and mark an existing test. Three question types have been achieved, namely multiple-choice, true/false and short answer.