Case Study
RRC Polytech Interactive LMS Development
Carpentry Program · LMS Development · Interactive Learning
During a four-month co-op while completing my Full Stack Web Development program, I helped transform existing Carpentry course materials into more interactive, web-based learning experiences within RRC Polytech's LMS.
Project Overview
Bringing Carpentry course content online
During my four-month co-op at RRC Polytech, I worked alongside another co-op student to help modernize online learning materials for the Carpentry program.
Much of the existing course content was provided through PDFs and traditional exercises. Our work involved converting this material into HTML-based lessons that could be viewed directly within the LMS and developing interactive activities that students could complete as they moved through the course.
Working within an existing LMS meant we had to find practical ways to improve the learning experience while working within the platform's technical limitations.
The Challenge
What needed to be improved
PDF-Based Lessons
Much of the existing textbook and lesson content was provided as PDF documents.
Paper-Based Activities
Exercises designed for paper needed to be adapted into activities that worked online.
Limited Interactivity
Standard LMS functionality didn't support every type of learning activity the course required.
Separate Learning Materials
There was an opportunity to bring lessons, videos, questions, and activities together within the course content.
Platform Constraints
New functionality had to work within the limitations of the existing LMS.
My Contribution
Developing within an existing LMS
I worked alongside another co-op student to convert existing Carpentry course material into web-based content and build interactive learning activities within the LMS.
My work included developing activities with HTML, CSS and JavaScript, creating dynamic SVG graphics, embedding interactive elements into lessons, and building exercises that could generate different questions for repeated practice.
I also gained experience using Python for automation during the project. My co-op partner introduced me to how useful Python could be for repetitive tasks and showed me how to run scripts that used logic to help convert the existing PDF content. That became an important introduction to using automation as part of my development workflow.
The goal was to give Pinessee Exteriors a more professional website while making it easier for potential customers to learn about the company and get in touch.
How This Looks in Practice
What I contributed to
HTML Course Content
Helped convert existing PDF-based Carpentry lessons into structured web content within the LMS.
Interactive Activities
Developed custom exercises that allowed students to practise course concepts directly online.
Video & Quiz Integration
Helped integrate learning content, videos, and interactive questions within lessons.
Dynamic Practice Activities
Built activities capable of generating different questions for repeated practice.
Dynamic SVG Graphics
Used SVG and custom code to create visuals that changed based on generated scenarios.
Project Results
A more interactive way to work through course material
Web-Based Lessons
Helped move course content from standalone PDFs into structured HTML lessons.
Integrated Activities
Exercises could appear directly alongside the material students were learning.
Repeatable Practice
Dynamic activities allowed students to work through different versions of a problem.
Interactive Visuals
Some activities generated changing diagrams rather than relying on static images.
Expanded LMS Functionality
Custom development allowed us to create learning experiences beyond the LMS's standard tools.
Why This Project Stands Out
Learning to build within constraints
This co-op was one of my first opportunities to apply my development skills to a real educational environment.
Rather than building a new platform from scratch, I had to learn how to work within an existing LMS and use custom development to extend what it could do. I built interactive activities, worked with dynamic SVG graphics, helped convert existing course material into web-based lessons, and learned how automation could make repetitive development work more efficient.
The experience gave me practical exposure to solving real problems with code while collaborating with another developer and working within the constraints of an existing system.
The Final Product
See the activities in action
A selection of interactive learning activities I developed during my co-op with RRC Polytech's Carpentry program.
