Competitive Design of Web-Based Courses in Engineering Education - Web-Based Engineering Education: Critical Design and Effective Tools - page 136

characteristics for web-course optimization in
relation to TF 1 are: time required integrating new
tools, cost required integrating new tools, time
required adding new files and number of file
formats allowed.
With D , in Figure 2, as well as in Figures 3, 4
and 5 is denoted the degree of difficulty to solve
performance characteristics. The rank of D is
given on a five-point Likart scale (from 1 “less
difficulty” to 5 “very high difficulty”). Difficulty
is seen from organizational and financial points
of view. With respect to D , for the target-function
TF 1 , innovation should be mainly directed to-
wards the performance characteristic PC 4 [ TF 1 ]
(time required integrating new tools). Accord-
ing to the results in Figure 2, no “performance
characteristic-oriented innovation” is specially
required because only positive correlations exist
between performance characteristics (see step 4
of the methodology). With respect to the current
state of technological progress, “target-oriented
innovation” (see step 5 of the methodology) should
be mainly directed towards PC 5 [ TF 1 ] (cost required
integrating new tools).
Thus, with respect to PC 4 [ TF 1 ], the mini-
problem which necessitates innovation could be
formulated as: (a) to reduce the time for integrating
new tools by involving low costs; and (b) to reduce
the time for integrating new tools by involving
low efforts. In TRIZ-language, this problem shows
like: time [9] versus amount of substance [26];
and time [9] versus energy spent by moving ob-
jects [19] (Altshuller, 2000). Numbers in brackets
show the position of the generic parameters in
the “TRIZ table of generic parameters causing
conflicts” (Altshuller, 2000). For the first set of
generic conflicts, the following generic directions
of intervention are recommended by TRIZ: use
the resonance frequency [18], replace a continu-
ous action with an impulse (and if it necessary
use pauses between impulses to introduce ad-
ditional actions) [19], replace “solid” parts with
“fluidic” parts [29], enrich the “atmosphere”
with supplementary components [38]. Numbers

in brackets show the position of the directions
of intervention in the “TRIZ table of inventive
vectors” (Altshuller, 2000). For the second set
of generic conflicts, the following generic direc-
tions of intervention are recommended by TRIZ:
compensate a certain “weight” with forces com-
ing from the external environment [8], make the
system more dynamic (with components able to
change their position, with higher mobility and
interchangeability, with capacities of automatic
adjustments) [15], change the degree of flexibility
or density or volume [35], enrich the “atmosphere”
with supplementary components [38].
In accordance with the above recommended
directions of innovation, a possible solution of the
web-based course to meet the major scalability
requirements is the following: materials can be
prepared in any format (e.g. .ppt, .pdf, .doc, .xls,
.jpg, .cdr, .avi, etc.)-principle 18; students can
download files from a repository system (e.g.
Moodle)-principle 19; students can open any
file on their computers (alternatively, the file can
be displayed on a screen by means of a multi-
media projector)-principle 35; multiple modes
of communication are ensured (e.g. off-line via
e-mails; on-line via Skype, Yahoo messenger,
etc.)-principle 29; web-cameras are used for
visual contact-principle 38; alternatively, for a
better interaction with the classroom, a video-
conference system replaces the communication
on web messenger systems and web-cameras-in
this respect, two video cameras are used: one
camera broadcasts person(s) A (e.g. the teacher)
and displays the image that the other camera
broadcasts; the other camera broadcasts person(s)
B (e.g. the students) while displaying image re-
ceived from the place where person(s) A is(are)
located-principle 38; teacher can handle remotely
each camera-principle 8; both teacher and student
have to have direct internet connections and real
IP addresses (a broadband internet connection is
recommended)-principle 15; teacher works on his/
her tablet PC, which has to have a direct internet
access-principle 38; teacher uses a remote desktop