Design and Evaluation of Cloud-Based Students Data Management System Usability

Abstract

Cloud Computing Technology provides computing centers, providing an infrastructure for services [4]. services over Internet Protocol (IP), such as virtual private However, it is not necessary to incur administrative and networks (VPN), servers, storage, applications and hosting maintenance costs while moving the IT infrastructure into services needed by organizations and educational institutions. the Cloud computing [5]. Furthermore, today, there is In educational and learning institutions, this technology helps users (i.e., students, instructors, researchers, and administrators) to perform their tasks effectively with less cost and utilize the services that available by cloud-based applications offered by cloud service providers. This study is aimed to develop and evaluate a Student Data Management System (SDMS) in terms of system usability based on cloud database as a service (DaaS) to provide the necessary information to improve educational performance management in Yemen. This pilot study was conducted in five Language and Computer Institutes in Aden city of Yemen. The usability testing of this system was carried out on 45 teachers andadministrative staff as the participants of this study. The results showed that 95.8 % of the participants agree to use SDMS frequently, 95.5% agree that SDMS was easy to learn and 95.6% participants agree that SDMS was easy to use. In the final result of SDMS usability evaluation, a mean usability score of 83.6 was reported, this score indicates an excellent evaluation from the respondents based on the SUS score evaluation by Bangor et al. (2008), In other words there was a significant success of using cloud computing technology in terms of managing and storing of student’s data to improve educational performance management in developing countries that facing severe strains on the national economy such as Yemen.