A Cloud-Based Multi-functional e-Meeting System by Flash-Based Multimedia Technology for Higher Education on the WebELS System

With the recent advances of ICT technologies, teaching methodologies in higher education are changing from the traditional classroom-based methodology to the so-called Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Implementing an effective virtual classroom system, requires understanding the characteristics and the activities in higher education, in terms of characterized self-learning, group meetings and discussion. A cloud-based multi-functional e-Meeting system is an essential feature to fulfil the former demands, hence allowing effective academic activities. In this paper, we discuss the design and implementation of a multi-functional e-Meeting system that based on cloud-computing built on the Web-based e-Learning System (WebELS) platform. Using Flash-based multimedia technology, it is possible to conduct on-line meetings and lectures through the Internet. Specifically, the proposed system offers important features, such as on-line presentations, on-line annotations, video conferencing, and chat massaging systems, which are the basic components for an effective virtual classroom methodology in higher education. Uploading various documents was presented for enabling a rich multimedia content. The design concerns non-IT users, and low bandwidth Internet users, such as in the developing countries.