Intelligent e-Learning systems - An intelligent approach to flexible learning methodologies

The evolution of the educational industry from adoption of classroom training methods to e-learning systems has been remarkable and has satisfied its purpose of existence. However, it has not been able to address issues faced by students who do not want to be constricted with a set pattern of progress. Hence, an Intelligent e-Leaming Systems (IeLS) framework that facilitates flexibility and maximum learners' satisfaction, was developed. The framework consists of a presentation component, a data mining component, a business logic component, a content management component and a database component. The data mining component uses techniques such as association rule discovery and conceptual clustering to generate recommendations for students, course coordinators as well as the institute. This framework was implemented using PHP and MySQL with various components such as registration, entry test, tutorials, guest-book and bulletin boards. This system allows flexibility in terms of choice of learning path, change in direction of learning path and change of learning approach. In this paper we discuss the role that such an intelligent e-Leaming system plays in satisfying the diverse needs of students.