Web Services for Virtual Simulation

Abstract

Great development in distance learning has been made in the last two decades facilitated by the rapid evolution of technology, the huge development of computer networks and the large use of internet and personal computers. The World Wide Web with its different web services offers learners and teachers’ new ways of learning and teaching; students can study at their own pace and perform practical tasks remotely. We, at the University of Bordj Bou Arreridj, are involved in the eSience (rESeau maghrébIn de laboratoirEs à distance) project which aims to link three elabs around the Maghreb countries namely Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The project is coordinated by the University of Bordeaux 1, France with the participation of many European partners. These elabs will propose practical and theoretical teaching units that will be part of their degree program. In this paper we present our university’s platform architecture, focusing on the web interface. First we introduce the service broker, which allows students to communicate and use the various platforms of the network. Second we present the simulation server and give an example of its usage.