Educational software development

Educational software development and Maintenance in J2EE

Educational software

In 2000 SoloSoft received a request to work on online educational platform for one of the technology companies in US.

The total project took 3 years. Based on best-in-class industry practices, the system combines the benefits of a unified search for learning resources with the power of user-generated content to provide a powerful engine for formal and informal learning.

It is used for blended learning combining real-time classroom, e-meeting, and Web seminar experiences and offers extended lab support, enabling training administrators to schedule, create, and launch virtual labs for hands-on application training and exercises. Virtual labs are ideal for bolstering training effectiveness and knowledge retention by enabling students to practice at their own pace what they learn in a virtual class.

The developed educational software leverages an open and advanced technology platform based on J2EE and Web Services standards for further cost-of-ownership advantages. It includes a wide range of features designed to meet enterprise-class standards for security, scalability, redundancy, and performance.

Features of the developed educational software

• Complete learning and content management solutions that provide tools for administrators to build a corporate university to handle large learner population and complex organizational structures, and for learners to increase skills and knowledge and manage career growth
• Blended learning, including the use of real-time learning tool, delivers cost-effective and high-impact learning
• Combined formal and informal learning such as communities of practice to provide learning just-in-time
• Learning tools and features that integrate with common applications learners already use on a daily basis, such as email and web portals
• Integrated learning and performance to align learning to an organization's strategic goals
• Reporting helps analyze the effectiveness of corporate university programs

In 2003, the training courses were launched in a number of schools and colleges in the US.

Learners are able to easily sort and filter search results in multiple ways and based on a wide variety of criteria and preferences. Filters get smarter, faster, and more personalized over time as users add more individual search preferences. And contributing their own knowledge is fast and easy with a simple, one-click contribution interface.

The application provides a single portal to find all of customers' learning assets - from courses to certifications and from Web sites to wikis.

The learning program includes instructor-led classroom training, self-paced Web-based training, real-time or asynchronous virtual classes, informal job aids, and more. It brings users together in a highly interactive environment that provides an experience equal to that of in-person sessions.

The system empowers training administrators and learners alike with smart new tools to personalize the learning experience.
Administrators can enable personalization in a variety of combinations.
For example, you can automatically recommend:

• A course on leadership to someone who registers for a course on team building
• A Web developer community to someone who adds an HTML course to their learning plan
• The Java Community to someone who completes the Java Developer Certification

Benefits of the educational software platform

• Align learning and development activities with strategic business objectives
• Create enterprise wide efficiencies for learning and development
• Lower compliance risk by rapidly responding to audit requests
• Eliminate redundant learning management systems
• Eliminate up-front investment in hardware, software and dev team and engineering process set up
• Take advantage of best practices captured from the most admired organizations in the world
• Accelerate critical business initiatives and lower operational costs by shifting training online (eliminate costs associated with travel and telecommunication and reach geographically distributed customers faster)

Technologies

ASP, J2EE, XML/XSL/XSD, COM+, C++, MS SQL 2000, Oracle 9i