Development Of Educational Software Research Articles

A Model-Driven Approach to Developing Scalable Educational Software for Adaptive Learning Environments

This research presents a model-driven approach to the development of scalable educational software tailored to adaptive learning environments. With the increasing demand for personalized education, adaptive learning systems play a crucial role in meeting diverse student needs by adjusting instructional content dynamically. This paper proposes a software engineering framework that integrates model-driven development (MDD) techniques with scalability principles, allowing for the efficient design and implementation of educational applications that can handle varying workloads and user demands. The framework emphasizes modular architecture, reusability, and flexibility to ensure that software can evolve with emerging educational requirements. Key components include the design of a learning content management system (LCMS) and the application of adaptive algorithms to personalize learning pathways. Additionally, this study explores the integration of cloud technologies to enhance the scalability and performance of educational platforms. A prototype system was developed and tested in a controlled environment, showing significant improvements in scalability, system performance, and student engagement compared to traditional static e-learning platforms. The results indicate that the model-driven approach not only improves software development efficiency but also offers a robust solution for creating adaptive educational systems that can scale to meet the growing needs of learners and institutions. This research contributes to the field of educational software development by providing a systematic methodology for building scalable and adaptive learning environments using advanced software engineering techniques.

Development of educational software for stainless steel selection and evaluating usability using the System Usability Scale (SUS)

Development of educational software for stainless steel selection and evaluating usability using the System Usability Scale (SUS)

Product managers in software startups: A grounded theory

Context:Defining and designing a software product is not merely a technical endeavor, but also a socio-technical journey. As such, its success is associated with human-related aspects, such as the value users perceive. To handle this issue, the product manager role has become more evident in software-intensive companies. A unique, challenging context for these professionals is constituted by software startups, emerging companies developing novel solutions looking for sustainable and scalable business models. Objective:This study aims to describe the role of product managers in the context of software startups. Method:We performed a Socio-Technical Grounded Theory study using data from blog posts and interviews. Results:The results describe the product manager as a multidisciplinary, general role, not only guiding the product by developing its vision but also as a connector that emerges in a growing company, enabling communication of software development with other areas, mainly business and user experience. The professional performing this role has a background in one of these areas but a broad knowledge and understanding of key concepts of the other areas is needed. We also describe how differences of this role to other lead roles are perceived in practice. Conclusions:Our findings represent several implications for research, such as better understanding of the role transformation in growing software startups, practice, e.g., identifying the points to which a professional migrating to this role should pay attention, and the education of future software developers, by suggesting the inclusion of related topics in the education and training of future software engineers.

Design and development of educational software on the principles and methods of protection against dental radiographic radiation and its effect on the learning rate of dental students

Design and development of educational software on the principles and methods of protection against dental radiographic radiation and its effect on the learning rate of dental students

The Impact of Large Language Models on Programming Education and Student Learning Outcomes

Recent advancements in Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Copilot have led to their integration into various educational domains, including software development education. Regular use of LLMs in the learning process is still not well-researched; thus, this paper intends to fill this gap. The paper explores the nuanced impact of informal LLM usage on undergraduate students’ learning outcomes in software development education, focusing on React applications. We carefully designed an experiment involving thirty-two participants over ten weeks where we examined unrestricted but not specifically encouraged LLM use and their correlation with student performance. Our results reveal a significant negative correlation between increased LLM reliance for critical thinking-intensive tasks such as code generation and debugging and lower final grades. Furthermore, a downward trend in final grades is observed with increased average LLM use across all tasks. However, the correlation between the use of LLMs for seeking additional explanations and final grades was not as strong, indicating that LLMs may serve better as a supplementary learning tool. These findings highlight the importance of balancing LLM integration with the cultivation of independent problem-solving skills in programming education.

Exploring Agile Methodology in Developing a Web-Based Result Computation and Transcript System: A Case Study of Federal Polytechnic Ukana

In today's rapidly changing technological landscape, there is a great demand for efficient, adaptable, and responsive software development methodologies. This article examines how agile methodology was used in practice to create a web-based transcript and result computation system for Polytechnic Ukana. Agile methodology, which is renowned for its incremental and iterative approach, was used to increase flexibility, foster better teamwork, and produce a workable product on schedule. The article describes the goals and requirements of the project, including how Scrum was chosen as the agile framework and what stages it went through in implementation. Along with the roles and responsibilities of the development team, the planning, execution, and review processes for sprints are highlighted. The team demonstrated flexibility in responding to evolving needs, effective problem-solving, and sustained stakeholder engagement through a sequence of sprint cycles. The system was deployed on schedule, fulfilling all requirements and substantially boosting the accuracy and efficiency of the institution's transcript generation and result computation. This is proof that the project was successful. This case study provides a useful manual for implementing agile approaches for comparable educational software development projects.

GAME-BASED LEARNING: A REVOLUTION IN THE TEACHING OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

This study explores the profound influence of Gamified education on the enhancement of programming abilities and strategic cognition, with a specific focus on the real-time strategy massively multiplayer online game "Screeps." The research had 50 participants who already had expertise in JavaScript programming. The objective was to evaluate the impact of "Screeps" on coding skill and strategic decision-making. The study used a thorough methodology that included assessments before and after the game. It examined several facets, including programming proficiency, strategic cognition, game involvement, scripting intricacy, community participation, and real-time adaptation. The study's results indicate that "Screeps" offers an engaging and difficult environment, successfully improving participants' skill in JavaScript programming and strategic thinking. The participants, who had prior knowledge of JavaScript programming, were fully engaged in the MMO environment, where their coding proficiency and strategic cognition were comprehensively assessed. The pre- and post-game evaluations enabled a sophisticated comprehension of the influence of "Screeps" on the enhancement of players' skills. The study revealed enhancements in coding proficiency and strategic cognition, highlighting the effectiveness of Gamified education in promoting essential abilities in software development. The captivating and demanding character of "Screeps" was specifically acknowledged, highlighting its potential as a powerful instrument for honing and implementing coding expertise in a dynamic professional environment. The study focuses on quantifying different aspects, such as the complexity of scripting, interaction within the community, and the ability to adapt in real-time. This approach offers a comprehensive perspective on how game-based learning, specifically through "Screeps," can contribute to the diverse field of software development education. The immersive aspect of the MMO not only catered to individual learning requirements but also functioned as a strategic tool for promoting teamwork, a highly esteemed talent in the software development sector. Keywords: Game-Based Learning, Software Development Education, JavaScript Programming Skills, Strategic Thinking in Gaming Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) games, Screeps.

Generative Artificial Intelligence Assistants in Software Development Education: A Vision for Integrating Generative Artificial Intelligence Into Educational Practice, Not Instinctively Defending Against It

Generative Artificial Intelligence Assistants in Software Development Education: A Vision for Integrating Generative Artificial Intelligence Into Educational Practice, Not Instinctively Defending Against It

Gamification as a methodology to enhance analytical and sustainable engagement on social media

This research examines the impact of gamification on the development of critical thinking skills to counter misinformation, focusing specifically on students’ roles as developers of educational software. Involving 107 university students, this study employs an experimental pretest–posttest methodology. An educational Escape Room was implemented, and its influence on critical and digital competencies was scrutinized. The procedure comprised three stages: pretest measurement, formative intervention, and posttest evaluation. A comparative analysis of the scores for the questions highlights a pressing need to enhance media and digital literacy. The findings reveal a predominance of responses indicating improvements in source verification and fact-checking. However, no significant differences were observed in the pre and post responses (0.607 > 0.05), leading to the conclusion that the implementation of a technological training program does not significantly contribute to acquiring skills for identifying falsehoods and deceptions on the internet. In conclusion, the study underscores the necessity to develop effective strategies to address misinformation and recognizes gamification as a motivating educational tool.

Generating a Template for an Educational Software Development Methodology for Novice Computing Undergraduates: An Integrative Review

Aim/Purpose: The teaching of appropriate problem-solving techniques to novice learners in undergraduate software development education is often poorly defined when compared to the delivery of programming techniques. Given the global need for qualified designers of information technology, the purpose of this research is to produce a foundational template for an educational software development methodology grounded in the established literature. This template can be used by third-level educators and researchers to develop robust educational methodologies to cultivate structured problem solving and software development habits in their students while systematically teaching the intricacies of software creation. Background: While software development methodologies are a standard approach to structured and traceable problem solving in commercial software development, educational methodologies for inexperienced learners remain a neglected area of research due to their assumption of prior programming knowledge. This research aims to address this deficit by conducting an integrative review to produce a template for such a methodology. Methodology: An integrative review was conducted on the key components of Teaching Software Development Education, Problem Solving, Threshold Concepts, and Computational Thinking. Systematic reviews were conducted on Computational Thinking and Software Development Education by employing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) process. Narrative reviews were conducted on Problem Solving and Threshold Concepts. Contribution: This research provides a comprehensive analysis of problem solving, software development education, computational thinking, and threshold concepts in computing in the context of undergraduate software development education. It also synthesizes review findings from these four areas and combines them to form a research-based foundational template methodology for use by educators and researchers interested in software development undergraduate education. Findings: This review identifies seven skills and four concepts required by novice learners. The skills include the ability to perform abstraction, data representation, decomposition, evaluation, mental modeling, pattern recognition, and writing algorithms. The concepts include state and sequential flow, non-sequential flow control, modularity, and object interaction. The teaching of these skills and concepts is combined into a spiral learning framework and is joined by four development stages to guide software problem solving: understanding the problem, breaking into tasks, designing, coding, testing, and integrating, and final evaluation and reflection. This produces the principal finding, which is a research-based foundational template for educational software development methodologies. Recommendations for Practitioners: Focusing introductory undergraduate computing courses on a programming syllabus without giving adequate support to problem solving may hinder students in their attainment of development skills. Therefore, providing a structured methodology is necessary as it equips students with essential problem-solving skills and ensures they develop good development practices from the start, which is crucial to ensuring undergraduate success in their studies and beyond. Recommendation for Researchers: The creation of educational software development methodologies with tool support is an under-researched area in undergraduate education. The template produced by this research can serve as a foundational conceptual model for researchers to create concrete tools to better support computing undergraduates. Impact on Society: Improving the educational value and experience of software development undergraduates is crucial for society once they graduate. They drive innovation and economic growth by creating new technologies, improving efficiency in various industries, and solving complex problems. Future Research: Future research should concentrate on using the template produced by this research to create a concrete educational methodology adapted to suit a specific programming paradigm, with an associated learning tool that can be used with first-year computing undergraduates.

Utilizing Artificial Intelligence Technology to Construct an Online Learning Monitoring and Student Behavior Tracking Model

The study advocates an innovative approach to designing software design and development curricula, integrating real-time industry adjustments, project-centric learning, and an adaptive methodology facilitated by AI integration. The primary goal is to redefine the roles of educators, learners, and AI tools to cultivate collaborative learning environments. In the implementation phase, a meticulously crafted course outline, aligned with the outlined principles, is deployed, capturing every facet of students' learning experiences through real-time data collection. Rigorous comparative analyses will assess learning outcomes and the effectiveness of AI integration, with feedback mechanisms involving students, faculty, and industry professionals facilitating timely adjustments. This research contributes to the academic discourse on impactful teaching methodologies in software design and establishes a systematic framework for continual enhancement. Future research initiatives encompass delving into advanced AI tools, continual alignment with industry requirements, and embracing emerging technologies to expand the horizons of software design and development education.

A CASE environment for Project-based Course to learn a sustainable software development

In the context of contemporary software development education, project-based courses have gained prominence as effective pedagogical tools. This methodology empowers students to cultivate practical skills by engaging in real-world projects. However, integrating sustainable software development practices into such courses often remains a challenge such as the need to set up new technologies for each semester, making it hard to ensure consistent and disciplined development. To address this gap, this research introduces Agilearn, the conception of a Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) environment tailored explicitly for project-based courses with a strong focus on promoting sustainability. It is expected to enhance the learning experience by offering a collaborative platform that automates tasks and establishes a standardized agile environment for students. This paper presents the requirements analysis, the course design to implement Agilearn, the architecture of Agilearn, and a case study to implement Agilearn.

ALL: Supporting Experiential Accessibility Education and Inclusive Software Development

Creating accessible software is imperative for making software inclusive for all users.Unfortunately, the topic of accessibility is frequently excluded from computing education, leading to scenarios where students are unaware of either how to develop accessible software or see the need to create it. To address this challenge, we have created a set of educational labs that are systematically designed to not only inform students about fundamental topics in producing accessible software but also demonstrate its importance. Over the previous year, these labs were included in several Computer Science 2 offerings at the Rochester Institute of Technology, comprising a total of 500 student participants. This article discusses instructional observations from these offerings, some of which include the following: (i) many of the research findings from previous efforts remain true with the larger, more diverse evaluation; (ii) our created material and format reduced students’ belief that creating accessible software was difficult in relation to the baseline,; (iii) we observed that our created material and format benefited student opinion that creating accessible software is important, and (iv) computing majors may not be uniformly impacted by experiential educational accessibility material. The educational labs are publicly available on the project website (https://all.rit.edu).

Retracted: Agile Teaching Framework for Music Education Software Development Curriculum Based on Deep Learning

Retracted: Agile Teaching Framework for Music Education Software Development Curriculum Based on Deep Learning

THE ACCEPTANCE OF AN EDUCATIONAL INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT TO LEARN PROGRAMMING FUNDAMENTALS

Programming is an important course for any IT or engineering-related course. However, previous research shows that students face difficulties in learning programming due to its abstract concepts. This study aims to evaluate the acceptance of a developed Integrated Development Environment (IDE), namely C-SOLVIS which is a web-based application that specifically intends to facilitate the teaching and learning of the C programming fundamentals in Malaysian tertiary education. The C-SOLVIS integrates problem-solving into a program development environment for the C language. The goal is to guide the users in problem-solving and help them write C programs based on problem-solving algorithms. The Rapid Application Development (RAD) Model was employed in the C-SOLVIS development process. Based on this model, the requirement planning phase was carried out through the triangulation technique by applying qualitative approaches comprising a literature review supported by semi-structured interviews, document reviews, and content validation by expert programming lecturers. Subsequently, the design of the application was accomplished through the iterative prototyping process which was then followed by the application construction. Then, the C-SOLVIS is deployed to be used by several programming lecturers to evaluate its usability by adopting a quantitative method using the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire. The study has discovered several suitable techniques and designs for the problem-solving and program development environment. For the problem-solving environment, the Computational Thinking (CT) concepts were applied which were supported by the Input-Process-Output (IPO) Model through Scientific Instructions and Inquiries. Meanwhile, the program development environment was designed and developed based on frame-based programming using a set of developed Code Patterns. The C-SOLVIS evaluation using the SUS instrument has yielded a SUS mean score of 86.07. This score is interpreted by SUS as an A grade that indicates C-SOLVIS as a highly usable application and thus is accepted for C programming learning. Hence, the development process of the C-SOLVIS can be used as a guideline for educational software development, especially in the field of programming education.

A study on educational software development through gamification in guitar education

This study aims to develop educational software for the instrument (guitar) training course through gamification. The study was carried out by basing on the design and development research method and the processes included in the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation phases of the method are considered as the sub-problems of the study. In each phase, interview techniques were used and the participants were determined according to the requirements of the phases. The results reveal that students find the education with traditional methods in instrument education boring and therefore their motivation is low. As a result of the studies carried out to offer solutions to the existing problems related to motivation in instrument (guitar) education, a mobile application called Gitarist was developed and the application was revealed as a product. In the implementation phase, it was concluded that the application developed through gamification techniques had motivation-enhancing effects on students. In line with the results, some suggestions were made for technology-supported studies to be carried out in the future.As a result of the studies carried out in line with the requirements of the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation phases, the final version of the mobile application called Gitarist was formed and the application was revealed as a product.

Collaborative Working Spheres for Global Software Development Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An International Experience

This paper presents our experience implementing Collaborative Working Spheres (CWS) in the context of an international undergraduate course on Global Software Development (GSD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many universities around the world increased their efforts in creating educational alternatives for adequately addressing the educational challenges that this pandemic has introduced. A particular case is the training of software skilled graduates to work in globally distributed environments because learning this topic requires a lot of practical work when student motivation could have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, providing highly practical GSD courses during a pandemic is a challenging task for many of these universities. It is against this backdrop that we have developed an educational tool to provide CWS, enabling undergraduate students to acquire practical experience in GSD and improve their communication and teamworking skills, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. An international empirical evaluation was conducted involving students and teachers from seven universities in different countries around the world. The obtained results showed that our approach can make a significant contribution to the development of practical projects on undergraduate GSD courses with students developing their knowledge and social skills associated with this topic. The data collected on the teachers’ perceptions suggested that our approach could also be useful in introducing the GSD approach at undergraduate level when social distancing is in place.

The effect of the software of the principles of setting up surgical tables on the knowledge and practical skills of the students of operating room technology

Background: Traditional teaching and learning methods are losing their effectiveness due to the advancement of communication technology and science in the new century. Therefore, educational software development can improve medical and paramedical students’ learning in modern medical education. The current study was conducted to investigate the effect of software on the principles of surgical table setting on the learning and practical skills of the students of operating room technology. Methods: A semi-experimental study was conducted using a census method among 57 operating room students who met the inclusion criteria. The students were divided into two groups, intervention, and control. The two groups were pre-tested before the intervention to assess their knowledge and practical skills. Additionally, the control group was regularly trained, and the intervention group was provided with educational software simultaneously with routine training. A post-test was given to both groups at the end of the semester. The data were analyzed by SPSS 22 using the descriptive and inferential statistical indicators of paired t test and Mann-Whitney test. Results: The results of this study showed that the intervention group and the control group did not differ significantly in any of the demographic parameters (P<0.05). Considering the normality of the data, comparing the level of knowledge and practical skills of the operating room technology students before and after the intervention in both groups using paired t-test showed that the level of knowledge and practical skills in the intervention group increased significantly (P>0.001). Conclusion: According to the results of this study, educational methods in conjunction with the appropriate software can effectively increase students’ awareness of operating room technology and help improve their practical skills. Therefore, educational aid software is a useful tool to be used during internship courses as an effective method of training operating room students.

Developing a mobile educational application prototype

Problem. Over the past few decades, the use of information and computer technology has expanded exponentially. In many fields of activity during this period, various software tools were integrated, and some of the fields were almost completely automated. For educational software development, it is crucial to correctly and accurately identify needs, draw up requirements, and consider the necessary simplicity, creating a concise and understandable program structure. Goal. The purpose of this work is to identify the needs of application users, formulate requirements for the application, create a program model, draw up its structure, determine the means that will be used for its implementation and compose a description of the main set of methods necessary for the function-analysis of a developing application. Methodology. Analytical research methods, requirements elicitation, application structuring using UML diagrams, and teaching software development methods. Results. An analysis of the needs of users of the learning application for young children was carried out, the requirements were collected and traced, and the program's application control structure and the static structure of the program were drawn up. The means for the implementation of the program were selected and described, and the implementation of the program was described. Originality. Requirements, structure, and approach to creating an application are based on the analysis of children's knowledge levels and needs. Practical value. Such software can be adapted for different knowledge levels and various topics unrelated to children's education.

Proposal for the Development of Educational Software for Elementary School Students in Eastern Yucatan, Mexico

Proposal for the Development of Educational Software for Elementary School Students in Eastern Yucatan, Mexico