multiLearn

toby Escarezethan Faust jacob Mrozekji Mun chris Pattersonanirudh Srinivascalder Thami

The Problem

• In 2008, the national average ratio of students to computers was about 3.8

• Teachers have difficulty gauging student performance over time

• Parents would like to know how their kids are doing more regularly

Introducing multiLearn

• Educational program• Originally developed for use in India

o Allows 4 students to use a computer

• No way to view statistics…

Target Users

• Teachers in Seattle schoolso Internet connected computerso ~3.8 to 1 ratio (students to computers)

 • 4th - 5th grade students

o Experienced with computers• Seattle parents

o Home internet access

Built based on feedback

• Online access is essential • Feedback is more important than grading• Info provided by current systems can be overwhelming• Current online feedback from games is not reliable• Teacher want to see whole class stats

o Problems the whole class are missing

Related Work

•MultiMouse (~2006)–Allowing computer to recognize different users•Metamouse (~2009)–Legacy computer programs•Mouse Mischief (~2010)–add-in for Microsoft PowerPoint 2007, 2010–Simple short-term score page•“One Mouse per Child”

Related Work

•Student Response System–“Clicker” price–Increase engagement and motivation–Presenting data: Historical Report, Comparison Report–25.1% of teachers use response to adjust instruction (The Effect of SRS… 2007)

What we’ve accomplished so far

• Web Application o Implementation 

PHP, Javascript, & MySQLo Teacher interface

Teacher class list Overall class statistics Individual student view

 o Data conversion & DB management

Teacher Interface

• Class viewo Add classeso View class listo View Individual

Classes o Add Studentso View Overall Stats

Teacher Interface

• Overall Statisticso Class Percentages

Color codedo Student Table

Sortableo Student Graph

Color coded

Teacher Interface

• Individual Studento Ability to add comments for himself/herself, the

parent, or the studento Allows parents to gain an insight into how their child

is doing, and allows teachers to communicate easily to the childs parents

o Students can see what they could work on and what they are doing well

Teacher Interface

Data Conversion & DB management

•Client Side Application uses SQLite, Web Application

uses MySQL •PHP script converts SQLite file into MySQL tables that are automatically updated in our database

•MySQL database can be created with a PHP script. •Allows for the database to be modular and easily deployed

Changes from original plan

• Graphs

Then: Now:

Changes from original plan

• Database Schemao New types of questions called for new schemao Much of the data was going unused

Exact problem not important Type of problem important

o More work done client side Quicker, less complicated queries

Changes from original plan

• Rewriting multiLearn o Given buggy code

Crashed when certain pin numbers were typedo Poorly documented

~5 lines of comments total No documentation of Windows API usage

Compiling 32 vs 64 bit systemso Written for .NET 3.5

Not supported by most computers Used unreliable ADO database calls

What we’ve accomplished so far

• Client applicationo  Implementation:

C# and SQLite 

o multiLearn 

o Error Handling Degrades gracefully if computer is disconnected from internet

  o Automated data upload & download

Arhitecture - PrinciplesArchitecture - Principles

• Components should be as general (reusable) as possible

• It should be easy to modify the program to add new types of questions

• Export summary data instead of detailed data for every questiono We’ve reduced the number of SQL rows to

merge as well as the complexity of server-side queries

• Documentation is not optional!

• What we wantedo Client Application

Curriculum assessment tool Data stored in SQLite database Automated data upload

o Web Application Displays statistics Accepts upload of usage data Allows teachers to customize what kinds of questions are

asked Makes it easy to deploy these customizations to many

classroom computers instantly

Architecture - The Big Picture

"The Big Picture"

About that rewrite:• More coding than

expected• But worthwhile because

we could customize every aspect of the applicationo Added gameso Exporting of summary

datao Automatic

uploading/downloading of user data

o Control over what questions are selected Previously done by AI

Usage

Prototype Demonstration

What’s Left - Server Side

 • Parent and Student access

 • Refining the interface

 • Additional graphs & charts

 • State/National Standards

What’s Left - Client Side

• Support for proxieso Many schools use these to implement content filtering

• Add additional types of questions• Add additional teacher customization

o Teacher customizable parent/student views

• Ensure it is fun for students

Timeline for remainder of quarter

• Additional functionality (Week 9)o Parent/student logino Use of MultiSpell datao Printing

• Paper/poster (Week 10)