Submitted by Maie Hussein Idris

For the module EEL880

Date2003

Introduction: -

Software programs are one of the most developed techniques of using computer services.

In the Sudan, as it is consider from poor countries around the world, in spite of that, using computers take wide place inside it, in companies, laboratories, hospitals, and also in schools.

Using computer in schools facilitate learning for example, subjects which are not available to find books around it, this encourage the students to solve their problems without allow to these problems stand against continuing learning.

Alphabet, prodused by ARC MEDIA INC is designed to give child ahead start in school with help from Dally_Doo, the friendly dinosaur.

In alphabet, Dolly _Doo teaches pre schoolers the concept of matching, sorting, searching, finding and counting, using the alphabet.  In the program there are: -

   Narration, music, and animation

   Primer and the alphabet.

   Easy_ to_ use drag and drop features.

   I spy game to sharpen observations skills.

The program was tested on 15 girls and boys from international ideal school in Khartoum.

The questions asked by evaluator were: -

1-Is using educational software encourages students in learning?

2-Is the mount of information achieved from every lesson suit the students needs from language?

3- the ambiguity of instructions, leads children to use guessing in order to understand the application.

4-Is the appearance of the program is good?

Background: -

The program (alphabets) is one of the basic branches of English language, is designed for children at age of 4-6 yeas old.

The program introduces many sections, in which children have to acquire certain skills, the program introduced by along introduction to show the instructions of the program.

 The first section is under the title

Lessons: - Here children have to knew some skills about alphabets, pronunciations, and words beginning with the same letter.

Second section is about

Sorting: - In sorting, children must not mix big and small letters at all. The child has to drag the letters into lower cases bags.

Third section is about

Match: - In match, children have to pick off the letter from tree and drag them into place under the tree, then spell the word.

Fourth section is about

Search: - Here, children have to search under picture on certain boxes, and find the letter that they can see on the screen.

Fifth section is about

Find: -Children has to find the right place in alphabets cars, and then they drag the cars onto the train tracks, in alphabetical order.

Sixth section is about

Cont: -Here, children have to count the numbers of flags with the same letter on the screen.

The last section is about

I spy: - To spy is to spot objects that match the colored letter on the screen.

 

             There are many things, which encourage me to choose this program to make this evaluation .We knew that, alphabets considered as the base of English language, and when we are going to teach this language, we will begin with alphabets, so for its importance, and benefits, both in leading children to knew more about language, such as reading, writing listening, and speaking.

            This program, formatively, I’m confident on its benefits for younger children.

But when I began to watch the CD, I discover that we may waste our time in watching it. Because, firstly, beginners already knew nothing about language, letters, or pronunciations, and when we introduce such program, the student think that we are going to teach the bases of alphabets. But really, the program is not more than narration of letters, as a result of this, the child feels frustrated, even though he knew little about alphabets.

Secondly, for old learners, those studied alphabets, also became frustrated, because the program doesn’t introduce new skills or ideas.

So, here we are in situation to make our judgments around this program so as to collect the greatest benefits that we can achieve from.

      

Literature survey

What makes good educational software

According to Hannafin and Peck this program tested to measure its values in the Educational field.

Cosmetic adequacy

Cosmetic adequacy refers to the appropriate use of colors, sound, and motion of the CD –ROM.

The program could be cosmetically adequate according to Hanephin and Peck use of screen space is effective, it is important to present neatly organized information 

An overall strategy for consistent screen design is to define functional areas for program (Grabinger, 1993;Heins, 1984).

The consistent and effective protocol for the various frames in the lessons. The frame should be designed to aid in the location of essential information (Hannafin and Peck1988).

Frame menu is a split-screen method .the advantage of the frame menu is that learners always see the options and structure, thus providing a good sense of orientation (Alessi and Trollip, 2001).

The information presented free of crowding and cramming, when a frame is crammed with information, it can be very difficult for the student to sort it out.

   Also to knew how the program cosmetically adequate, we have to knew the appropriate procedures for evaluating student input been provided.

Designers must assure that techniques that permit a reasonable and appropriate range of responses.

The lesson must display information accurately. The accuracy of display is relevant to both cosmetic and program adequacy.

The lesson components have to be located systematically and logically. Program procedures should be labeled for easy identification. (Henaphin and Peck1988).

Technical adequacy

 

This refers to extent which CAI lesson or the users can easily execute any program.

According to Hannifin and Peck (1988) the following is primary concern of evaluation of technical adequacy: there should be logic in the lesson this concern manner in which execution is consistently with the kind of lesson input, output and control prescribed besides that the lesson must perform free from loops, and it should be self starting require minimal disk handling moreover the lesson should, simplify program requirement. Care must be taken to make subsequence identification interpretation and debugging as easy as possibility and it has become necessary to imbed

Protection so security must include sufficiently for both students and disk itself .the designer must ensure that UN authorized cannot access on other individual data this can be accomplished with password and careful management of the disk also there must be good backup procedure.

 According to Alessi and Trollip (1991) the program should keep permanent record of learner's performance for the instructor, and to allow the learner to carry on from where he or she left of, also program record and file should be secure from tempering and accident delete especially when it operate on the network and access to any one.                  

 

 Curriculum adequacy

According to (wholeben, 1982), the most factors affecting the long-term acceptability of a lesson is the degree to which the lesson procedures, activities, and formats are consistent with accepted standards.

The lesson can be curriculum adequated, when it is consistent with other related lessons, it is advisable to examine the features that have been popular an effective in existing lessons.

The lesson procedures should be consistent with the expectations of users. Users expectations are shaped over time through exposure to the procedures of various lessons. The teacher and user preferences have been included. Teachers and users do not always prefer options that are most effectively. They do not always learn best from the kind of instruction though to match their individual styles.

Could the lesson be used as abases for additional related lesson development? Lesson designs and procedures should provide the possibility for expansion

 

 

Pedagogical adequacy

Is the extent to which the lesson provides the necessary supports and features to accomplish the objectives at hand? Pedagogical adequacy includes four main parts; design of the lesson, lesson procedures; efficiency of the lesson and clarity. The principal components of pedagogical adequacy are as follow first, the clarity of the directions to students, without effective direction, student can feel aimlessly during a lesson they become discouraged or frustrated. Lessons must provide clear guidance to users, both in term of the ongoing directions and the methods for exercising lesson options. The consistence of lesson with the outcomes specified in the objectives. Instructional activities and test questions for the same lesson are inconsistent. So as to consider a lesson to be instructionally valid, the objectives, lesson activities, and assessment questions must be aligned. Ease to follow the instructional sequence to maintain learner attention in an effective way. The lesson must move logically from frame to frame, and section to section .on other hand, student will be forced to expand considerable effort to make sense of the lesson. Lesson free from vague and ambiguous text. Text that is vague or ambiguous or term that can be interpreted in many ways. The readily of lesson to be understood and ease of techniques exist for conveying information, they should be used. Logic basic design of the lesson, including the components and features of well-designed lesson. Designer may make erroneous assumptions about the best way to teach. The lesson should distribute emphasis according to the importance of the different parts and section s lesson sometimes do not provide enough emphasis on the most important aspects complicating the task of sorting through the lesson. Important aspects of lesson

The lessons that simply require the pressing of a key to continue the lesson do not provide a meaningful level of interaction. Lessons should encourage and require the learner to process instruction actively; to produce responses, to verify comprehension, to strengthen learning of lesson information, concepts, and skills.

What are the aspects to consider for good teaching of English: -

The main theories of teaching can be divided into three realms: -

·        Teaching is the process of transmission of ideas: -

Lecturers of this ilk, tend to see their task as transmitting their own knowledge, or the information from textbooks into minds of students. In such cases, good teacher needs only to know his /her subject well, and to communicate effectively that knowledge to an audience of students. Failure to learn is the fault of lazy,

      Unprepared or incapable students. This is an extreme case of teacher cent red           learning.

• Teaching is an exercise in organizing student activity: -

This is amore student friendly approach in which teachers appear to be more interested in student learning. Learning is believed to be the result of the effective management of resources and student activity and more flexible teaching techniques. This considered as a middle of the road, teacher cent red approach.

 

·        The teacher nurtures and facilitate student learning: -

 

CBE support different pedagogical roles for teachers. Some CBE are designed to place teachers in the role of facilitator, other programs are designed to support the more traditional didactic role of an instructor as “the teacher”.

The didactic roles of teachers, are well-established .A quarter century ago, Carroll (1968) told us “By far the largest amount of teaching activity in educational setting involves telling things to students”.

Where teacher exposition is an appropriate instructional strategy, CBE can be designed to support, reinforce, and extend teacher presentations.

Evaluation methodology: -

This is summative and dynamic evaluation because the researcher wants to know the out comes of the program while the program is working.

 

The level of Kirkpatrick that we are addressing is Reaction level.

Before running the CD, students have their own ideas, and attitudes toward computer, English, and material it self “alphabets”, they mightn’t interesting in using computer

But, when I run it they changed their ideas about it. So, here we are measuring their reaction before displaying the material and after displaying it. 

Young children at 4 to 6 years old, they felt surprise when they watch the CD, but they seemed interesting.  Here, they have incorrigible attitudes toward implicating this program. Older children at age of 8 to ten years old, we are going to measure their feeling when they invited to watch the material and their feeling after they had finished watching the CD.

In the reaction of children, they have different attitudes toward both, computer and material, these attitudes changed before and after watching the material.

Perspective: -

 My research perspective is qualitative and quantitative approach.

Quantitative approach used by questioning large group of children, they are thirty children, and they have to show their personal evaluation by answering questions about the material. This followed by group of teachers to show their ideas about the material. Here, we are depending on the amount of results collected from students and teachers.

Qualitative approach is used by asking students and collects their answers individually. This was followed by collecting ideas of teachers, also individually. Here what we mean, is to appreciate individual ideas, so, if one student said that he is not interesting in using computer in his studying, we have to put this in our consideration.

Quantitative and qualitative approaches depended on individual and grouper attitudes

Helped me to show the effectiveness and ineffectiveness of the program.  

Target population: -

The program “alphabets”, for children at age of 4 to 6 years old, was designed for children in an ideal schools, because, English language never taught except or till fifth classes .To evaluate this program, I chose the International Ideal School .

This ideal school was financed by complete lab of computer, it contained ten modern computers, and they teach computer subject from first class, or after kindergarten 2, this made application of the program easily.

Students were selected according to their age, and nationality, I tend to choose Arabian and specially Sudanese. Tow groups of thirty children were selected; first one contained ten students, at age of 4-6 years old, as beginners, they are male and female.

 Three students have computers at homes, and they tend to play games on it.

The second group, contained twenty children, at age of 8-10 years old, they are both male and female, all of them speaking English as the second language, they studied English from 4years old, and they speaking English well. Twelve of them having computers at homes. This school is one branch of international schools, it costs tow south ands $ in a year, so the majority is from high economical status. The courses students used to learn, force them to study all branches of skills, and have continuous evaluation.

This completed environment, culturally economically, and well-designed schools encourages application of this program, which requires the certain design of schools.

 Those previous children reflects bright picture for the future of using computer in learning, to go step by step with the quick technological requirements of the present century.

 

Research matrix

Instrument       Question	Questionnaire	Observation	Interview	Subject expert
Using educational software in teaching encourages students in learning language.	ü	ü
The amount of information achieved from every lesson doesn’t suit students’ needs from language.	ü
The ambiguity of instruction, leads children to use guessing in order to understand the applications	ü	ü
Is the appearance of the program is good.			ü

Instrument 1: -Questionnaire

It designed for children at age of 4-six years old, as beginners, and age of 8-10 years old, as skilled in English base “alphabets”. I choose tow groups, from girls and boys, they are 15 children, and all of them speak English as second language.

Children have to watch the CD, then, they have to check on the questions either with YES or NO.

This instrument is used to measure children performance on both using computer and

Their ability in language. Also, this instrument showed me their real attitudes towards

English, computer, and the material it self.

 

Instrument 2: - Observation

In observation, with assistance of tow teachers, I observed performance of children and see to what extent they are interesting in using computer, and did they interesting in watching the material it self.

Observation shows us their behavior towards the instruction difficulty problem, and what did they do to solve these problems.

Through this instrument, we can also observe their feeling while they are working in computer.

I tend to use observation, because children sometimes omit their real attitudes, and didn’t give the facts that we want to measure.

Instrument 3: - Interview

Subject expert English language teacher

Here we are trying to show the expert’s point of view towards using this material. One teacher commented that she has never found an instructional tool that was as effective as the CD-room to teach skills. In this side I asked the English teacher some questions about the validity of using CDs in education. They are as follow: the usage of words and its selection does it suite younger children or not, and do you think this material motivate children to study more about English and obtain computer’s skills. Then she has been asked about the completeness of material’s components, and does the material depends on feedback and to what extent. Lastly, she has been asked if this ideal way of teaching.

Instrument 4-interview teacher expert in computer

In this side, I tend to show the material for the expert and to tell me how its instructions are suitable for younger children .the teacher has been asked about the selection of colors, screen layout, application and sound media. Lastly he comments that the most important obstacle which face children is the difficulty of instruction to run the CD and watch its parts.

 

Research method: -

At the area of my research, with the assistants of the headmistress of the international school, Iexplained that, this unique program depends on using computer in learning which surprise teacher at all.

Ichosed my target population from both girls and boys.

First, Imade learners feel relax, because Iam not familiar to them, I told them that I have very interesting play I want them to watch after that I asked them some questions related to the software alphabet, for example do you know how to put alphabet in order, how to match letters in big and small, and so on.

AfterIhad run the CD I began with assistance of two teachers to observe students, how did they treated computer, keyboard, and did they surprised /interesting from the program.

Learners after finished watching CDItold them that they have to answer the questions, I put them in two lines and I began to say the questions one by one and the students have to answer individually their answer were collected down.

After students finish their evaluation, I asked one teacher in English department,

Also, she began to watch the CD and she has been asked about the program it self, and how can it be functional in teaching, the teacher has been asked about the selection of words, its choice and how it can suits children’s understanding.

Finally, teacher observation round the program, encourage to applicate the program for all subjects in schools, which enhances using computer in learning as new direction in education in Sudan and all over the world.

Validity and reliability

The researcher makes the questionnaire it gave the results that suit the result collected by the other instruments such as interview and observation, so the results that collected are supported by the other instrument that shows the demanded results.

 Findings

In this section the findings will be discussed in the sequence in which they answer the research questions. The most important results will be presented first, followed by other results that support or contradict the findings.

Using educational software in teaching encourages students in learning language.

The instrument that yielded the best information to answer this question was questionnaire that

v     80% of children like to watch CD

v     86% of children never feel boring with computer.

v     73% of children like to watch educational games.

v     60% of them like to use CD in learning their lessons

These supports by the observation that yield children are interesting in watching computer.

It was found that, using computer in teaching facilitates learning and encourages children in their studying.

The amount of information achieved from every lesson

 Doesn’t suit students’ needs from language.

The instrument that yielded the best information to answer this question was questionnaire it was found that:

v     100% of children know alphabet

v     40% of children get new information from the CD.

v     66% of children expect to know more about language.

It was found that, this program is limited in its sources and the skill is less than what students needs.

 

 

 

 

The ambiguity of instruction, leads children to use guessing in order to understand the applications.

The instrument that yielded the best information to answer this question was observation .few of students can run the CD independently, and few of them can understand the application easily.

This support by the questionnaire, it was found that

v     100% of the students found the application is so long to understand.

It was found that, the instruction doesn’t suits children’s age and ability

 

 

 

Is the appearance of the program is good.

The instrument that yielded the best information to answer this question was interview

We found that most of student’s answers showed that the color is good and the text is clear and the animation is nice and help them to understand the program

It was found that the program is good at the side of color, animation, and sound.

Conclusions

When the above findings are considered the following conclusions can be made.

Does the program cosmetically adequate?

According to Hannafin and Peck for the program to be cosmetically adequate

If the use of screen space is effective .The consistent and effective protocol for the various frames in the lesson. The frame should be designed to aid in the location of essential information .The information presented free of crowding and cramming. The lesson must display information accurately. Finally the lesson components have to be located systematically and logically, and program procedures should be labeled for easy identification.

Putting together the following findings and the following literature, it can be concluded that the program is cosmetically adequated.

Does the program technical adequate?

The program could be technical adequated according to Hannaphin and peck when lessons are logic, this concern manners in which executions is consistently with the kind of lesson input, out put and control prescribed besides that the lesson must perform free from loop. Also care must be taken to make subsequence identification and interpretation.

Putting together the following findings and the following literature, it can be concluded that the program technically un adequate

Does the program curriculum adequate?

The lesson can be curriculum adequate when it is consistent with other related lessons

The lesson procedures should be consistent with the expectations of users. Also lesson designs and procedures should provide the possibility for expansion.

Putting together the following findings and the following literature, it can be concluded that students are not interesting in the material it self and they expect to find more and more skills and new information so this program from the side of curriculum is not adequated.

Does the program pedagogically adequate?

According to Hannafin and peck the program can be pedagogically adequated when lesson provide the necessary supports and features to accomplish the objectives at hand.

The design of lesson, lesson procedure, efficiency of the lesson and clarity and the principal components of pedagogical adequacy. The clarity of direction for the students.

Putting together the following findings and the following literature, it can be concluded that the program is not acceptable from the student but teacher noticed that it was good for children

Recommendations

Based the table below shows the recommendations that arise from the conclusions above.

From the table we can see that the most important conclusions relate to …

Conclusion	Recommendation
The program cosmetically adequate	·        Children attracted by nice colors and noisy sounds, we have to put this in our consideration as designers ·        We must avoid using frightened sounds. ·        Using suitable colors for the kind of lessons
The program technically un adequate	Easy direction facilitates using computer We must avoid tedious applications Easy menus gives quick feedback
The program curriculum is not adequate	The program must feed students needs and satisfies it
The program pedagogically suitable for children	The materials must suit children age and standards.

From the above table it can be seen that the most important recommendations related to Technical and curriculum adequacy.

 

References

q       Hannafin, M.J., & Peck, K. (1988). The design, development and evaluation of educational software. New York, NY: Macmillan.

q       Grabinger, R.S., (1993). Computer screen designs: viewer judgment.

Educational technology research and development, 41.

q       Hiens, S.M. (1984). Screen design strategies for computer-assisted instruction. Bedford, MA: Digital Press.

q       Stephen M.Alessi, Stanley R.Trollip (2001) Multimedia for Learning: Methods and Development.Needham Heights-Apearson Education company. Gould Street.

q       Kirkpatrick, D.L. (1996) evaluating training program .San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.

q       http://www.siast.sk.ca/science/evaluation/results.htm

q       http://florey.biosci.ua.edu.au/html/bc208/theory.htm

q       http://www.educationau.edu.au/archieves/cp/reeves.htm