MERN-Learn: A Learning Management System

University of the Punjab

Gujranwala Campus

Project:

MERN-Learn: A Learning Management System

Submitted by:
 Bilal Ahmad BSE212-34
 Hamza Amin BSE212-09

Final Year Project Proposal

Version 1.0

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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MERN-Learn: A Learning Management System

1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 PROJECT TITLE ..................................................................................................................................... 3
1.2 PROJECT OVERVIEW STATEMENT ......................................................................................................... 3
1.4 PROJECT GOALS & OBJECTIVES............................................................................................................ 5
1.5 HIGH-LEVEL SYSTEM COMPONENTS ...................................................................................................... 5
1.6 LIST OF OPTIONAL FUNCTIONAL UNITS ................................................................................................. 5
1.7 EXCLUSIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 5
1.8 APPLICATION ARCHITECTURE .............................................................................................................. 6
1.9 GANTT CHART ...................................................................................................................................... 6
1.10 HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE SPECIFICATION ...................................................................................... 9
1.11 TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES USED WITH REASONING ........................................................................... 9

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MERN-Learn: A Learning Management System

1. Introduction

The Learning Management System (LMS) developed using the MERN stack (MongoDB,
Express.js, React.js, Node.js) aims to provide a comprehensive platform for online
education. This LMS facilitates seamless interaction between students and instructors,
enabling efficient management of courses, quizzes, assignments, and user progress
tracking within a web-based application. Designed to be intuitive, scalable, and secure,
the system includes essential functionalities like user authentication, course management,
assessment tools, and real-time communication, making it suitable for educational
institutions and e-learning providers.

This proposal outlines the goals, objectives, architecture, and implementation plan for the
LMS, detailing how it meets modern learning needs by leveraging a robust tech stack and
user-centered design.

1.1 Project Title

MERN-Learn: A Learning Management System

1.2 Project Overview Statement

This Learning Management System (LMS) is developed using the MERN stack
(MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js) to provide a comprehensive platform for
online education. It enables students and instructors to interact seamlessly through a
web-based interface, offering various features such as course management, quizzes,
grading, and student tracking. This proposal aims to outline the goals, objectives,
system components, and architecture of the LMS project.

Project Overview Statement Template

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 MERN-Learn: A Learning Management System

Project Title: MERN-Learn: A Learning Management System

Group Leader: Hamza Amin
Project Members:
Name Registration # Email Address Signature
Bilal Ahmad BSE21234 bilalkhokhar228@gmail.com

Hamza Amin BSE21209 aahilhami@gmail.com

Project Goal:
To create an intuitive and secure Learning Management System (LMS) using the MERN stack that enhances online
education by streamlining course management, assessments, and communication between students and instructors.

Objectives:
1 Secure User Authentication: Implement role-based access for students and instructors.

2 Course Creation: Enable instructors to easily create and manage courses.

3 Assessment Integration: Allow for the creation and grading of quizzes and assignments.

4 Progress Tracking: Provide dashboards for monitoring student performance.

5 Real-Time Communication: Facilitate messaging and discussion forums.

6 Mobile Accessibility: Ensure the LMS is usable on various devices.

Project Success criteria:

The success of the Learning Management System (LMS) will be measured by achieving an 85% user satisfaction
rate among students and instructors, maintaining 99.9% uptime, and ensuring responses to user actions within two
seconds. A 70% adoption rate within six months and a 75% course completion rate are crucial, alongside
implementing 80% of user feedback within the first year. Additionally, the LMS should support at least 1,000
concurrent users without performance degradation.
Assumptions, Risks and Obstacles:
The development of the Learning Management System (LMS) is based on several assumptions, including user
willingness to adopt the platform and the availability of necessary technology. Risks include potential low user
engagement, technical challenges, data security issues, and budget overruns. Obstacles may arise from resistance to
change, integration difficulties with existing systems, limited resources, and the need for adequate user training.
Proactively addressing these factors will be essential for the successful implementation of the LMS.

Type of project: Development

Target End users:
The Learning Management System (LMS) is aimed at students, instructors, administrators, educational institutions,
and corporate trainers. Students will access courses and track their progress, while instructors manage content and
assessments. Administrators oversee the system, and institutions enhance their online offerings. Corporate trainers
use the LMS for employee training, providing a versatile solution for diverse educational needs.
Development Technology: Object Oriented Structured
Platform: Web based
Suggested Project Supervisor: Prof. Sohaib Alvi
Approved By: Prof. Sohaib Alvi
Date: November 04, 2024

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1.4 Project Goals & Objectives

Goals

 Develop a user-friendly, scalable, and secure LMS platform.

 Facilitate an efficient online learning experience for both instructors and students.
 Integrate core LMS features for effective management of courses, assessments,
and user progress.

Objectives

1. Implement a secure login and user authentication system.

2. Allow instructors to create, edit, and manage courses.
3. Enable students to enroll in and participate in courses.
4. Provide functionality for creating and grading quizzes.
5. Implement a discussion forum for each course.
6. Enable administrators to manage users and monitor system usage.

1.5 High-level system components

1. User Management: Authentication (using JWT), user roles (admin, instructor,
student), and profile management.
2. Course Management: Instructors can create courses, upload content, and manage
students within the course.
3. Quiz & Assignment Module: Instructors can create quizzes and assignments, set
deadlines, and grade submissions.
4. Progress Tracking: Students can view their progress, grades, and course
completion status.
5. Admin Panel: Admin functionalities for user management, monitoring system
performance, and overseeing course content.

1.6 List of optional functional units

1. Real-time Notifications: Implement notifications for new announcements,
assignments, and grades.
2. Chat System: Integrate a chat feature for real-time interaction between students
and instructors.
3. Mobile Responsiveness: Design the platform to be fully responsive and
accessible on mobile devices.
4. AI-based Analytics: Use analytics to track and display learning progress and
engagement levels.
5. Certificate Generation: Automate certificate issuance upon course completion.

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1.7 Exclusions
 Custom Branding: The LMS doesn’t support institution-specific themes or
branding.
 Offline Access: Users need an active internet connection; offline features are not
included.
 AI-Powered Adaptive Learning: Advanced AI for personalized learning
recommendations isn’t implemented.
 Advanced Reporting: Only basic analytics are included; detailed performance
reports aren’t available.
 Multi-Language Support: The LMS is only available in English, with no multi-
language features.
 Automated Grading for Subjective Assignments: Only objective quizzes are
auto-graded; essays require manual grading.
 Gamification: No badges, leaderboards, or other engagement-enhancing
elements.
 Third-Party Integrations (e.g., Video Conferencing): The system lacks native
integration with external tools like Zoom.
 Advanced Security: Basic security features are included, but advanced measures
like multi-factor authentication aren’t available.
 Mobile App: This LMS is web-based only, with no dedicated mobile application.

1.8 Application Architecture

The LMS uses a three-tier architecture: Presentation Layer, Application Layer, and
Database Layer. This structure keeps components modular, scalable, and secure.

1. Presentation Layer (Frontend)

o Technology: React.js, responsible for the user interface.
o Functionality: Displays course content, quizzes, user profiles, and other
interactive elements. It communicates with the backend via RESTful API
calls, ensuring a smooth, responsive user experience.
2. Application Layer (Backend)
o Technology: Node.js with Express.js.
o Functionality: Handles business logic, including user authentication
(JWT-based), authorization, and request processing. It routes API requests
from the frontend, applies necessary security measures, and ensures data
validation.
3. Database Layer
o Technology: MongoDB.
o Functionality: Stores all user data, course information, and assignments.
MongoDB’s flexible schema supports various types of content, and access
is controlled to ensure data security.

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1.9 Gantt chart

A Gantt chart should outline the timeline for each major development phase, including:

 User authentication and role management

 Course creation and management
 Quiz and assignment module development
 Integration of progress tracking and dashboard
 Forum and communication system
 Testing and deployment phas

Task Name Start Date End Date Duration (days)

User Authentication & Role Management 2024-12-01 2024-12-31 30
Course Creation & Management 2025-01-01 2025-01-15 14
Quiz & Assignment Module 2025-01-15 2025-01-29 14
Progress Tracking & Dashboard 2025-02-01 2025-02-15 14
Forum & Communication System 2025-02-15 2025-03-01 14
Real-time Notifications 2025-03-01 2025-03-15 14
Admin Panel Development 2025-03-15 2025-03-29 14
Testing & Bug Fixing 2025-04-01 2025-05-01 30
Deployment 2025-05-01 2025-05-11 10

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1.10 Hardware and Software Specification

 Hardware: Standard development laptop or desktop, recommended with at least 8GB
RAM for efficient testing.
 Software:

 MongoDB: Database management system.

 Express.js and Node.js: Server-side development and API management.
 React.js: Frontend user interface framework.
 Git: Version control for collaborative coding.
 JWT: For secure user authentication.

1.11 Tools and technologies used with reasoning

 MongoDB: Chosen for its document-based, flexible schema structure, making it
suitable for storing unstructured data such as course content and user information.
 Express.js & Node.js: Provides a reliable server and application logic layer that
supports RESTful APIs for seamless data handling.
 React.js: Frontend framework ideal for building a dynamic user interface, enabling
responsive and component-based architecture.
 JWT (JSON Web Token): Ensures secure user authentication and authorization
across various user roles.
 Git: Essential for source code management and version control, facilitating team
collaboration.

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