Automated analysis of e-learning web applications

In our paper we are exploring the use of formal methods for testing and verification of interactive e-learning web applications. These programs can be highly interactive and are often used for knowledge assessment and on-line tutoring purposes. They are written in web standard languages and executed in client browsers. Even simpler web applications can have various different interaction scenarios which makes them hard to test reliably. Therefore, we are using formal methods tools such as SPIN model checker and its Promela language to improve web application testing process. We create semi-automatically Promela process models from web application source code, and run their simulations, as well as verification using SPIN. Using these techniques, we want to identify flaws in web application design, and find and visualize all interaction scenarios using finite state automata. We will present use case example based on tutoring web application from our e-learning system used on our course Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering.