This document discusses a study of National Tsing Hua University's (NTHU) adoption of a cloud-based solution for its OpenCourseWare (OCW) system. The cloud-based platform allows OCW content to be accessed across different devices and provides video files in multiple formats for compatibility. Analysis of platform usage found that it was most accessed from Apple devices like iPads and iPhones in Taiwan. The cloud-based solution improved workflow efficiency and supported ubiquitous learning by allowing content to be accessed anywhere on varied devices.

1. A cloud-based solution for
OpenCourseWare to meet the need
of cross-platform learning
behaviors via various devices in
the ubiquitous environment
Hui-Chun, Hung
Institute of Information Systems and Applications, National Tsing Hua University
Shelley Shuw-Ching Young
Institute of Learning Sciences, National Tsing Hua University

2. Outline

3. New technologies and new
opportunities
The Open Educational Resources (OER)
movement is driven by rapidly changing
information and communication technologies.
In the ubiquitous learning environment
 educational audiences should feel free to choose
or switch their learning devices based on their
personal needs and different environments.

4. New technologies and new
opportunities
 The rise of new handheld technologies, such as smart-
phone, iPad, tablet PC, notebook…, requires new mobile
learning behaviors:
 multi-touch screen with zoom-in & out function, different
operating systems, lack of keyboard and mouse…..
 The content of conventional OCE might not be
compatible with mobile devices.
 This study aims to apply the cloud-based solution for
OpenCourseWare system to meet the need of learning
via various devices.

5. OCW of National Tsing Hua University
 National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) launched the
OpenCourseWare (OCW) project using Moodle platform in 2008.
 To enlarge educational audiences and extend the reach of OCW,
NTHU updated the system with the cloud-based solution in 2010.

6. OCW of National Tsing Hua University
 The NTHU OCW adopted the cloud-based platform

7. OCW of National Tsing Hua University
 The OCW files were created in various formats suitable for
different devices.
 The videos published in multiple formats can ensure
the accessibility of learners with different devices.

8. Method
 This study used web metrics tool -the Google Analytics
(GA)- as the primary research instrument to discover the
user’s perspectives with different devices.
 This study interviewed with the production team of NTHU
OCW, including faculties, instructors, and teaching
assistants, to understand the process of preparing
learning materials in the initial moodle version and
updated cloud-based version.

9. Results

10. A flexible and efficient way to publish
the video course
 The cloud-based solution is more flexible and efficient
than moodle version.
 Save 30% working hours
Moodle-based NTHU OCW (2008) Cloud-based NTHU OCW(2010)
The working hours in the production progress (producing a 3hours lecture video)

11. A platform to match the users’ needs
with various devices
 In the course, NTHU OCW provides five video formats to
match the end users’ needs with various devices.
 flv (HQ), flv (LQ), wmv, mp4 (HQ), mp4 (LQ)

12. A platform to match with the end users’
needs with various devices
 The platform supports several different operation
systems and devices.
 Learner can feel free to choose or switch their devices
iPhone (iOS) Android phone

13. A platform to match with the end users’
needs with various devices
iPad(iOS) Android Pad

14. Top 20 Mobile Device Info Visits percentagel
1 Apple iPad 5,154 39.32%
2 Apple iPhone 2,486 18.97%
3 (not set) 1,298 9.90%
4 SonyEricsson LT15i Xperia Arc 602 4.59%
5 Samsung GT-I9100 Galaxy S II 449 3.43%
6 Apple iPod Touch 241 1.84%
7 SonyEricsson LT26i Xperia Arc HD 197 1.50%
8 Samsung GT-N7000 Galaxy Note 176 1.34%
9 HTC Desire HD 154 1.17%
10 Samsung GT-I9300 Galaxy SIII 107 0.82%
11 Samsung GT-I9300 Galaxy S3 85 0.65%
12 HTC S710E Incredible S 83 0.63%
13 HTC Wildfire S 78 0.60%
14
HTC SensationXE Beats Z715e
Sensation
77 0.59%
15 HTC Desire 66 0.50%
16 HTC 001HT Desire HD SoftBank 64 0.49%
17 Asus Eee Pad TF201 Transformer Prime 61 0.47%
18 HTC Sensation Sensation 57 0.43%
19 HTC S510e Desire S 52 0.40%
20 Google Nexus 7 49 0.37%
Top 20 Country / Territory Visits percentage
1 Taiwan 11,217 85.58%
2 China 519 3.96%
3 Malaysia 379 2.89%
4 Hong Kong 304 2.32%
5 United States 262 2.00%
6 (not set) 106 0.81%
7 Singapore 44 0.34%
8 South Korea 41 0.31%
9 Macau 35 0.27%
10 Canada 28 0.21%
11 Japan 27 0.21%
12 Sweden 23 0.18%
13 Australia 21 0.16%
14 United Kingdom 21 0.16%
15 Germany 18 0.14%
16 France 16 0.12%
17 New Zealand 7 0.05%
18 Indonesia 5 0.04%
19 Switzerland 4 0.03%
20 Thailand 4 0.03%
Any
Devices
Anywhere

15. The stable growth of the number of visits via
mobile devices
The stable growth of the number of visits via
mobile devices

16. Conclusion
 We expect the NTHU OCW was perceived to be a
usable, useful and desirable tool to support video
learning and also for gaining new contextual and cultural
knowledge.
 The result indicates that
 (1) The cloud-based platform can provide a flexible and
efficient workflow for publishing open educational video
resource
 (2) The cloud-based solution provides a greater
accessibility for different mobile devices.

17. Thank you

18. NTHU OCW Cloud-based system
Web Server
NASDatabase
Scheduling
Cloud Computing
(Transcoding)
command
uplaod
read/write
read/write