Project
Title: Interactive
Computer-based Training
Sponsor
Company: Strawberry
Fields, Inc.
Summary:
Strawberry
Fields, Inc. (SFI) is a rapidly growing State College based human services/support
organization. SFI requires all new employees to go through a training
program and all current employees must undergo training on an annual basis.
Under the old system, SFI kept all training materials in paper filled binders
and did all grading by hand. With the growing number of employees,
this system is putting a great burden on the training coordinator.
What they wanted was a way to automate the training/testing system in order
to improve efficiency. In order to meet these demands, our design
team created a web-based training system. Now all training materials
are accessible online via any conventional web browser. This allows
for greater convenience for the trainee. Also, most tests are offered
online and can be graded automatically. The results of all training
sessions are stored long term in a database accessible to the training
coordinator. All of this results in greater efficiency and easier
use for all parties involved.
Sponsor:
Cynthia L. Polinski Frost
Course:
CSE 430W, Fall 2001
Faculty
Coach: Dennis
F. Dunn
Project
Team: Robert Camacho - Scott
Saxton - Jeffrey M. Tomsak - Jeremy Walsh
Strawberry Fields, Inc.
(SFI) had a training and testing system that was based on paper and videotapes.
This process included reading through numerous books, taking tedious written
exams, and reviewing test results with a SFI representative. SFI
wanted our team to change these materials to a web-based format, and provide
an online method of going through the training materials and administering
and grading the tests.
The
SFI organization will benefit from the web-based application by making
the testing, grading, and review process more systematic. The SFI
testing representative will no longer have to work through confusing answer
sheets to evaluate the exam results. One of the features of our application
is to grade, report, and record the test results. During the review
process the SFI testing representative can now pull the records from the
web page and go through the exam results with each trainee.
The
web-based application will benefit the new employees at SFI directly by
making the test taking and review process more exciting, clearer, and quicker.
Once the trainee finishes studying and taking the exam online, the application
grades and reports the results. The results show a detailed list
of what questions the trainee missed and where to locate the area of information
for each missed question.
Application
Requirements
What
follows is a list of the functional requirements of the training/testing
system designed for Strawberry Fields, Inc. The purpose of the functional
requirements is to define specifically what the system must achieve functionally
if it is to satisfy the needs of SFI. These requirements were created before
the implementation of the system and were meant as a sort of road map to
guide the design and implementation. In other words, implementation
issues were not defined here. The functional requirements only describe
"what" the system must do to achieve its goals. The notation below
lists the functional requirements in no particular order. Any existing
sub requirements are listed below the main requirement as R1.1, R1.2, etc.
Access to materials
R1)
The system shall allow trainees to access by computer all training materials
except videos. This training material includes all text and all illustrations
currently studied by trainees.
R1.1)
Trainees will be able to view and study the material electronically, therefore
eliminating the need to keep hard copy of the materials.
R1.2)
The system must be flexible to allow trainees to skip to those modules
of the training system they are currently working on.
Ability to test
R2)
The system shall allow the trainees to take the training exams by computer.
R2.1)
Trainees will be able to view and answer several types of questions for
the test they are currently taking. These types of questions include
multiple-choice, true/false, as well as questions which require written
answers.
R2.2)
Tests with multiple-choice or true/false type questions will be graded
automatically, with results of the test available immediately to the trainee.
R2.3)
Tests which require written or otherwise subjective answers which must
be graded by hand will be sent to the training coordinator for grading.
Keep statistics
R3)
The system shall keep statistics on system usage, recording all relevant
activity and allowing for access to this information.
R3.1)
The system shall be able to identify which users are on the system, as
well as whether they are studying, testing, or reviewing statistics.
R3.2)
The system will record the amount of time spent on the system by all users.
R3.3)
The system will record the date when tests were taken, as well as the results
of those tests.
R3.4)
The system will record which modules a trainee still needs to complete
and will update this information automatically when a test is completed
successfully.
R3.5)
The system shall allow for different access privileges based on whether
the user is a trainee or a system administrator. While trainee access
will be limited, administrators will have total access to all information.
R3.5.1)
Trainees will be able to view their grades on the exams as well as the
amount of time they have spent in each training module.
R3.5.2)
System administrators will have access to the results of all exams for
all trainees as well as system usage statistics for all trainees.
Also, administrators must have the ability to update exam results after
grading and update the lists of modules trainees must complete.
Allow for modifications
R4)
The system shall allow for modifications to existing materials.
R4.1)
The system administrator will be able to add, delete, or edit existing
training materials.
R4.2)
The system administrator will be able to add, delete, or edit existing
exams.
R4.3)
Documentation will be provided with the system which will explain to the
administrator how to modify the training and testing materials.
R4.4)
The system shall be simple enough to modify that the administrator will
be able to do it if he/she understands the documentation. In other
words, no outside training or help shall be needed.
R4.5)
The administrator will be able to add new users to the record keeping system,
delete old users, and edit existing records.
Be secure
R5)
The system shall be secure enough so that only employees of Strawberry
Fields, Inc. have access to the training system, and only system administrators
have access to privileged materials.
Good performance
R6)
The system shall have the throughput and response time capability to efficiently
and conveniently handle all users who need access to the system.
R6.1)
The system shall be able to handle at least 20 simultaneous users.
This target was chosen because the facilities at Strawberry Fields, Inc.
can currently handle about 10 simultaneous users, and one of the stakeholder
needs is that the new system should be able to withstand growth within
the company. A training system with double the capacity could support
double the amount of employees, allowing plenty of room for future growth
within the organization.
R6.2)
The system shall respond with access to training materials, exams, or records,
within 1 minute of the request of such materials. This provides a specific
goal for designers to achieve with respect to response time while ensuring
that users do not wait excessively long.
Solution
The
scope of this project was to computerize training material, administration
of tests, and review process employee test records.
Our
objective was to provide a system that would reduce the amount of time
spent by supervisors evaluating and grading trainee performance. Our objective
was also to create a system to accomplish these tasks that was both fast,
and easy to use.
The
baseline effort was to create a system to both administer and grade the
multiple choice tests. Grading is immediate, and the system stores this
information in an effective manner. Our effort also converted as much of
the training materials to electronic form as possible.
In
addition to the baseline effort, we intended to provide means of storing
statistics about usage and test scores. An administrative section for the
purpose of adding users, changing tests, adding materials, and looking
up trainee information was also provided.
The
training and testing system is web based. All user information, tests,
and statistics are stored in a database file. A web application has been
created to interface with the data stored in the database. All training
materials were also converted into HTML format for viewing via the web.
To
complete this project the following tasks were required. Their current
test materials including graphics were collected, sorted, scanned, and
transferred into HTML format. Test forms were entered into a Microsoft
Access Database file. Next the team developed the layout and design
of the web application. The next phase of the project included the
setup and testing of the web server, including IIS Server, Microsoft Access
Database, and Microsoft Visual InterDev. Once the web server was
setup the team designed the four main modules which are: authentication,
testing, statistics, and administration. As each module was created
it was tested to ensure functionality. After all modules and training
materials access system have been completed the team performed exhaustive
tests of the entire system. When the testing was completed the project
team assisted SFI in transferring the system to a production class web
server provided by SFI. To complete the project SFI was instructed
on how to use and maintain the system.
SFI
has been provided the functional web-application training and testing system.
The software consists of all html, asp, and mdb files necessary for the
system to run. A permanent copy of the original software was provided on
a CD-ROM. Documentation was also be provided which outlines the use and
administration of the system. The design team instructed SFI on how
to use and maintain the system. The design team also assisted SFI
in migrating the system to a production class web server.
Screen
Shots of the Administration and User Modules
Here
are some screen shots of the training/testing system that was designed
for Strawberry Fields, Inc.
This page was created on December 3, 2001 by the SFI design team.
