Viability Of Software Tools In Education: Impacts, Challenges, And Benefits

Research Questions

Discuss about the Viability of Software Tools.

In the area of the modern education system, alternative learning has become necessary, which can be obtained by the use of the innovative tools of the computer software in the schools for education purpose. In the field of education and learning, this product is utilized to help instructors to screen understudies' exercises. Learning with innovation has ended up fundamental in today's schools. Throughout the whole world, governments, other training institutes, scientists, schools, other educators and guardians are now considering technology as one of the important part of educating the students. Computers and digital boards are currently using in schools and this has changed the way of education. Portable devices such as computers, projectors and other electronic gadgets are using for learning purpose in the schools and the whole system is being more interesting day by day.  

Based on this scenario, the present research project will be regarding the viability of the software tools for supporting the students in the Saudi schools. This project will be conducted by the use of the secondary data. Mostly the research work will be the review of the available literature in the area of the selected research topic. This will be PhD project needed to be completed within the time period of three years.

The main research question of the project is: what are the impacts of the software tools in education in the Saudi schools? In this context the sub questions of the research project are:

What are the different types of software tools available for learning in the schools?

What are the different types of software tools currently using in the Saudi schools for education?

What are the potential challenges faced by the Saudi Schools for using the software tools?

What are the benefits of using the software tools for education in the Saudi schools?

The main aim of the research project is to find out the viability of the software tools for education in the Saudi schools. The objectives of the study are derived from the sub questions defined in the above section:

• To understand the different type of software tools available for the assisting the students in education
• To understand the different types of software tools that are currently using for assisting the students in the Saudi schools
• To understand the benefits of the software tools using in the Saudi schools for assisting the students
• To understand the potential challenges faced by the Saudi schools in the area of the usage of the software tools

At present, the usage of the software tools and internet technology has gained a high priority in the area of the education. Mixed learning techniques can advance the reconciliation of multi-modular, multi-channel and multi-source realizing which incorporates on the web and conventional taking in; this helps learners create and enhance their learning self-sufficiency and to self-figure out how to best suit their learning style, way of life and work style (Al?Qahtani & Higgins 2013).

Aims and Objectives of the Project

In the recent few years, innovative use of the information technology in education has faced huge updates. These new updates have opened some new doors to the area of education in the schools. The software and hardware tools of the information technology are helping the students for learning new things in interesting way and they are able to find different types of alternative solutions for one topic. The web interfaces those gadgets and associates understudies to each other in the classroom, through the school and around the globe (Asiri  et al. 2012).

In a traditional education system, one teacher gives lessons to all the students. There may be problem with the delivery of the lessons as the way of communicating may not be suitable for all types of students.  In this context, digital technology of the information technology is helping the students to have the lesions in audio visual format and they can also store the lessons. This is helping them to learn the lessons with more focus. Computers and digital boards are currently using in schools and this has changed the way of education. (Al-Khowaiter, Dwivedi & Williams 2015). This section analyzes what educators may do to bolster understudy learning through applications and asset devices, paying little mind to the gadget. It concentrates on those instruments that are important and utilized as a part of the elementary school environment, with a specific accentuation on the Saudi Arabian setting (Almarabeh, Rajab & Majdalawi 2016).

Learning with innovation has ended up fundamental in today's schools. Throughout the whole world, governments, other training institutes, scientists, schools, other educators and guardians are now considering technology as one of the important part of educating the students.. In Saudi Arabia, it is recognized that advances in innovation have an impact in transit individuals make, share, utilize and create data in the public eye, and that youngsters should be exceptionally talented in their utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) (Yaghoobi & Razmjoo 2016).

Building up understudies' information and aptitudes identified with ICT in the school years gives an essential establishing to sometime down the road. It likewise gives value of chance, paying little respect to foundation. General social discourse and the well known press have a tendency to make speculations regarding youngsters, their entrance to and utilization of innovation (FernáNdez-LóPez  et al. 2013). Late writing have tested these presumptions and recognize that, despite the fact that understudies today may have been naturally introduced to an innovatively rich world, they may not be energetic and skilful clients of innovation (Hasanain,  Vallmuur & Clark 2015). Promote, there is acknowledgment that only giving access to innovation is insufficient. Significant advancement of innovation based learning and aptitudes is critical for all understudies, with a specific end goal to maintain a strategic distance from a wonder known as the 'second-level computerized separate', whereby individuals have radically separated abilities, which thusly impact how individuals take an interest in the public eye. The need to keep pace with society and get ready understudies for their parts in the public eye are only two motivations to utilize innovation in training (Alghamdi & Higgins 2015). Teachers and scientists indicate the capability of innovation to build inspiration and engagement of learners, provide food for various learning styles and enhance learning results. When we discuss innovation in educating and taking in, "incorporation" is frequently utilized. Integrating innovation into the educational programs happened through a worry that we may have been educating about and instructing how to utilize innovation yet not tending to how understudies can apply innovation related learning and abilities. To address this issue, there was a move to incorporate innovation into every key learning range (Alresheed, Leask & Raiker 2015).

Significance of the Project

In the field of education and learning, this product is utilized to help instructors to screen understudies' exercises. In particular terms, e-learning is construct not just with respect to appropriated learning, internet learning, virtual learning, electronic or organized adapting additionally on testing and assessing the best input, intercession and the connection of a few stages in e-learning situations between the teacher and learner (Hein  et al. 2015).

Enthusiasm for e-learning is on an upward pattern especially for those as of now in all day work and quick to proceed with their instruction as well as expert preparing. The rate of organizations wanting to give e-learning backing to their staff has ascended from 38.5% in 2007 to 51% in 2011. Whether the method of conveyance would be on the web or disconnected, synchronous or non concurrent through standalone or arranged PCs or other electronic gadgets, learning would be conveyed utilizing electronic gadgets. Instructor understudy connection with the assistance of electronic media and application apparatuses is named as the idea of e-learning (Robertson & Al-Zahrani 2012).

Most of the software applications for the learning purpose are developed on web 2.0 tools. The social media applications such as Twitter, Slide Share, Picasa, Media wiki are used for the education purpose also (Yaghoobi & Razmjoo 2016).

In the area of the modern education system, alternative learning has become necessary. In the context of the schools, the text books that are used are not sufficient to provide the required support to the students regarding the alternative learning style. The internet technology has brought a lot of advantages for getting extra study materials for learning a topic from different aspects. This increases the ability of critical thinking of the students (Hasanain, Vallmuur  & Clark 2015).

The method of the research study will be designed by following the realism research philosophy. The research approach of the project will be the deductive approach. Using the realism research philosophy, the insight meaning of the prewritten research papers and journals will be understood and then the present scenario of the Saudi schools regarding the software tools for supporting the students will be compared with the findings of the literature review. This will help to understand the ultimate viability of the software tools using for supporting the students in their education in the Saudi schools. 

The research work will be conducted through the collection and analysis of the secondary data available in the area of the use of the software tools for supporting the students in the Saudi schools. In order to collect the secondary data for the research study, the research papers of the previous researchers needed to be collected. The type of the research project will be the literature review regarding the use of the software tools in the area of the education in the Saudi schools. Most of the information will be available in the electronic format. In this context, the online library and other web resources will be helpful. The initial understanding of the research problem and scope will also be understood by the use of the secondary data sources. In order to conduct the research study, it is necessary to read the data sources carefully and understand the insight meanings of the statements given by the previous researchers.

The whole timeframe of three years will be subdivided into 9 quarters (3 in each year). The research project will be completed by following the timeline given below:

References:

Alghamdi, A. & Higgins, S., 2015. Investigating how teachers in primary schools in Saudi Arabia were trained to use interactive whiteboards and what their training needs were. International Journal of Technical Research and Applications, Special Issue, 30, pp.1-10.

Al-Khowaiter, W.A., Dwivedi, Y.K. & Williams, M.D., 2015. Examining the Role of Social Influence, Usefulness and Ease of Use for Determining the Mandatory Use of a Human Resource Information System in the Context of Saudi Ministries. International Journal of Electronic Government Research (IJEGR), 11(3), pp.24-42.

Almarabeh, T., Rajab, L. & Majdalawi, Y.K., 2016. Awareness and Usage of Computer and Internet among Medical Faculties’ Students at the University of Jordan. Journal of Software Engineering and Applications, 9(05), p.147.

Al?Qahtani, A.A. & Higgins, S.E., 2013. Effects of traditional, blended and e?learning on students' achievement in higher education. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 29(3), pp.220-234.

Alresheed, S., Leask, M. & Raiker, A., 2015. Integrating Computer-Assisted Language Learning in Saudi Schools: A Change Model. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology-TOJET, 14(4), pp.69-77.

Asiri, M.J.S., bt Mahmud, R., Bakar, K.A. & bin Mohd Ayub, A.F., 2012. Factors influencing the use of learning management system in Saudi Arabian higher education: A theoretical framework. Higher Education Studies, 2(2), p.125.

FernáNdez-LóPez, Á., RodríGuez-FóRtiz, M.J., RodríGuez-Almendros, M.L. and MartíNez-Segura, M.J., 2013. Mobile learning technology based on iOS devices to support students with special education needs. Computers & Education, 61, pp.77-90.

Hasanain, R.A., Vallmuur, K. & Clark, M., 2015. Electronic Medical Record Systems in Saudi Arabia: Knowledge and Preferences of Healthcare Professionals. Journal of Health Informatics in Developing Countries, 9(1).

Hein, S., Tan, M., Aljughaiman, A. & Grigorenko, E.L., 2015. Gender differences and school influences with respect to three indicators of general intelligence: Evidence from Saudi Arabia. Journal of Educational Psychology, 107(2), p.486.

Robertson, M. & Al-Zahrani, A., 2012. Self-efficacy and ICT integration into initial teacher education in Saudi Arabia: Matching policy with practice. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 28(7), pp.1136-1151.

Yaghoobi, M. & Razmjoo, S.A., 2016. The potentiality of computer-assisted instruction towards ameliorating Iranian EFL learners' reading level. Computers in Human Behavior, 59, pp.108-114.