Internet Centralized K-12 Homework Assignment Capability May 04-06

1. Internet Centralized K-12 Homework Assignment Capability May 04-06 Team Members : Michael Bravo III Kathryn Lamont Lauren Marshall Richard Patrick April 27, 2004 Client : Senior Design Team Ongo-08 Advisors : Dr. Thomas Daniels Dr. Yong Guan

2. Presentation Agenda • Problem Statement • Operating Environment • Intend Users and Intended Uses • Assumptions and Limitations • End Product and Deliverables • Project Activity Description • Resources and Schedules • Project Evaluation • Commercialization • Recommendations for Additional Work • Lessons Learned • Risk and Risk Management • Closing Summary May04-06

3. Important Definitions • mySQL – An open source relational database used for web applications. • PHP – (PHP Hypertext Preprocessor) A scripting language used to create dynamic web pages • Session Management – A method of controlling usage of an application by limiting access to users that have logged into the system • White Box Testing – Testing done with knowledge of code May04-06

4. Acknowledgements • Client • Senior Design Team Ongo-08 K-12 Teaching Application and Software • Advisors • Dr. Thomas Daniels • Dr. Yong Guan May04-06

5. Problem Statement • School absences cause missed assignments • Extended absences leads to piled up homework • Need for a method of retrieving assignments while absent May04-06

6. Solution Approach • A web-based application • Give students access to class work at home • Database stores all information and worksheets May04-06

7. Operating Environment • Personal computer • Web application as main working environment • Database stored on server owned by Ongo-08 • Web application platform independent May04-06

8. Intend Users • Students • 8 years old • Third grade education • Basic computer skills including mouse usage • Teachers • Teaching degree or relevant teaching experience • Moderate computer skills including data entry • Administrators • Experience in web administration • Familiarity with server and system operations May04-06

9. Intended Uses • Retrieval of missed assignments by students • Post assignments and worksheets by teachers • Add and delete students, teachers, and absences by administrators May04-06

10. Assumptions • Internet access for all users • Security of server provided • Development server is where the application will be run • Primary usage by students who were absent from class • Application for only for one school district • Only computer administrator adds and deletes students, teachers, absences, and classes from the system May04-06

11. Limitations • Application developed using open source software • Simple and concise text for a 3rd grade user • Hyperlinks no more than two levels deep • Slow internet connections for some users • Can not use cookies for session management • Four months for development and testing • Certain uploaded documents not viewable for all users May04-06

12. End Product and Deliverables • Web-based application • Student interface • Teacher interface • Administrator interface • Underlying database • Log files • Help documentation May04-06

13. Present Accomplishments • Student functionality • Administrator functionality • Teacher functionality • Database • Login and session management • Help functionality • End-Product • Basic functionality complete • Advanced functionality nearly complete May04-06

14. PHP Pros Well suited for web development Easily embedded into HTML Already installed on server provided Cons Team members not familiar with it Approaches Considered Languages • ASP Pros • Some team members have experience with ASP • Works well with VB, C++, C Cons • Not supported on provided server May04-06

15. JavaScript Pros Platform independent Can create nice GUI applications Open source language Cons Team members not familiar Approaches Considered Languages (cont.) • XML Pros • More versatile than HTML • No need for underlying database Cons • PHP seems a little more useful for what project problem May04-06

16. mySQL Pros Fast and easy to customize Code reusability is high Well documented Very stable Open source Interface with PHP well Approaches Considered Databases • Microsoft Access Pros • Not complex • Easy to learn and use Cons • Too simple for what we want to do • Not on provided server May04-06

17. Research Activities Online Documentation • http://www.phpfreaks.com • mySQL users manual • PHP users manual • JavaScript documentation • Microsoft MSDN Reference Library May04-06

18. Detailed Design • Program broken into 3 main pieces • Student side – red pages • Teacher side – tan pages • Administrator side – teal pages • Other main design includes: • Database • Login • Help Pages May04-06

19. Student Functionalities • View of missed assignments • Features: • Archive old/completed assignments • Student’s only inputs are: • Selecting class • Checking box to archive assignment • Access archived assignments May04-06

20. Administrator Functionalities • Add/Remove student or teacher • Add/Remove class • Change password/ permission • Enroll student in class • Features: • Database Management • Example: deletion of student, deletes the student from ALL relevant tables May04-06

21. Administrator (cont.) • Add absent students • Select letter from top of page • Select absent student • Select date absent • Secretary can enter absences May04-06

22. Teacher Functionalities • Add new assignment • Edit assignment • Features: • Able to assign any date to assignment • Can submit plain text • Can submit files • Edit Previous Assignments May04-06

23. Login and Session Management • All users share common login screen • Verification used • Security for user and system • Users cannot type in address to go to specific address • Users only allowed to access their part of application May04-06

24. Database Design May04-06

25. Database Details • References between tables • Rows deleted from tables in specific order • Interesting Details: • Class defined by class name and by specific teacher • Class also associated with a directory for its assignment files • Assignments associated to the specific class May04-06

26. Application Log • Log Entries created for: • Logins and Logouts • Student • View assignment • Archive assignment • Teacher • Create assignment • Edit assignment • Administrator • Add/Remove users • Change password/permission • Add an absent student • Add/Remove class • Enroll student in class • Log only accessible to administrators May04-06

27. Help Files • Each user has help index • Index displays relevant questions • Index links to actual help files • Common help files shared between users May04-06

28. Implementation Activities • First Semester – Completed Prototype of Pages • Second Semester - Actual Implementation • Pages divided among team members by application side • Database Schema created and reviewed • Prototypes converted into HTML • Database tables created and populated • PHP added to pages creating dynamic functionality • Database interaction created using PHP • Session Management added • Logging added to all pages May04-06

29. Testing Activities • During implementation • Basic functionality tests run • Developers created relevant test cases to run • Test pages created to output current data in database and verify correct insertion into tables • Mostly white box testing • Key Testing Completed • Database interaction, session management, output • Testing primary on Windows machines • Extensive testing was not completed May04-06

30. Other Significant Activities • Backup of CVS repository and database • Creation of Virtual Server for backup server May04-06

31. Personal Effort Requirements Bravo, 97.5 Patrick, 105 Marshall, 129 Lamont, 133.5 May04-06

32. Final Project Costs May04-06

33. Schedule May04-06

34. Evaluation of Milestones Importance Status Success User Interface 45% 100% Very Successful Database 20% 100% Very Successful Log File 2% 100% Very Successful Help Document 8% 100% Successful Testing 10% 40% Satisfactory Reporting 15% 95% Very Successful -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Overall 100% 93.3% Successful May04-06

35. Commercialization • Designed specifically for the Ames Community School District • Could be marketed • Additional costs • Server, setup, and installation of software • Price of software would rival any other major software database package • Very small market, due to only one copy of software needed per school district May04-06

36. Additional Work • Adding pictorial login option • Lack of technology • Time requirement • Increase usability for younger students • Using back button from logout screen • Administrator page to change users full name • Extensive testing May04-06

37. Lessons Learned • Went well • Advisor meetings • Team meetings • Not so well • Keeping on schedule • Technical Knowledge • HTML, PHP, and mySQL May04-06

38. Lessons Learned (cont.) • Non-technical Knowledge • Inter-team work • Team work • Time management • Do differently • Get good knowledge of PHP before implementation May04-06

39. Risk Management • Anticipated Risks • Loss of team member • Interpersonal relationships • None encountered • Unanticipated Risks • Lack of accurate documentation of PHP and JavaScript May04-06

40. Closing Summary • Challenge to retrieve assignments • Assignments must be compiled • Solution is to make the assignment available online • Easy to understand and access. • Teacher maintaining and updating May04-06

41. Questions May04-06