Feasibility of adaptive streaming technologies in developing an integrated learning platform

Education system is going through a reform in terms of delivering lectures, with recent studies suggesting that shorter lectures help students to focus on the concepts thoroughly as well as effectively as they are found to be more engaging than the longer ones. However, making it a reality in traditional classroom settings is a big challenge. One possible alternative is to deliver lecture through short, bite-sized chunks of videos over the Internet which the students can access using their own devices at their own time, thus creating a flexible learning environment. This again posts another challenge in terms of its functionalities in bandwidth-scarce situations. This paper conducts a feasibility study of developing such a system, termed integrated learning platform, or iLEAP, by utilising adaptive streaming technology algorithms. iLEAP is intended to host lecture videos as well as discussion forums for students to engage in active discussions among themselves. This paper discusses the methods by which the data size can be reduced so as to enable the platform to work satisfactorily under varying network conditions. Evaluation of some of these techniques is done to show the viability of such a system which can enhance the learning experience of students. The paper concludes with further insights on the possibility of such techniques in other useful areas such as telemedicine.