Last month we covered the whats, whys and hows of a database software for an Institution, now let’s try and find out what sort of a database management software will actually boost your institution. Institutions come in many sizes and scales depending on the type of institution they are. From coaching institutes to a big group of institutions, every organization needs the perfect database software.   Factors influencing the choice of Database software Now, the type of database software adopted by institutions mainly depends on the following factors: Whether the data will be accessed and edited by one or multiple people simultaneously. The number of people and the volume of data you need to share with others, simultaneously. The amount of data to be stored and processed by the database software. The complexity of the data e.g. whether data is images, text, sound, videos, or various other formats. For a large institution where records of thousands of students and teachers need to be managed (or also shared), a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) using the multi-file option is the only viable choice. But before we decide as to which database software is a good fit for educational institutions or your enterprise, let’s ask the most important question every organization/institution forgets to ask before searching for one.   What are my requirements of a Database Software?     The right database software for your institution isn’t going to find it’s way to you by itself and neither is spending needless amounts of money on the wrong database softwares just to eliminate options. The right way to go about choosing a solution for your database management is to ask the right questions. Here are a few questions every institute should be asking before opting for a database software.   What kind of data do we want to store and why we do we want to store it? How important is the relationship with each data set we are trying to store? Is the data being stored dynamic or static? What data do we want organized and how we are going to access it? How much and how do we protect data? Who is going to be accessing this data? Database softwares are more than a handful in the market, but choosing the right one is a very hard decision to make and often many enterprises end up investing in the wrong database management software. Most times when a CRM or an ERP is the right solution instead of a single file database, enterprises tend to choose the cheaper way out to cut costs which in turn affects their processes and efficiency. Don’t make the same mistakes as they do. Bottom Line, in the 21st century there are ample database softwares and database management softwares, start by getting a full understanding of your needs and put together the best system that works for your institution. The post 6 Major Requirements of a Database Software by an Institution appeared first on Fedena Blog.

  The recent years have seen rapid increase in the number of social media platforms. At first, the concern for most teachers was that the social media platforms were nothing but distractions to the education system. According to them, the sites caused the students not to focus on their studies or even get exposed to vices. That line of thinking, however, has changed swiftly, and teachers are focusing on the positive instead of the negative impact of social media. Many teachers are incorporating Social Media Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and many others in their line of work. Consequently, they are enjoying the positive impact of social media.   Some Positive Impacts   First and foremost, the impact of social media becomes real when it gets to class preparation. Every teacher must prepare adequately for their lesson before they present it to a classroom. The groundwork usually involves carrying out enough research on the topic or subject at hand. Traditionally, the teacher had to sift through hard paperback books and journals to get the notes ready. However, thanks to Wikipedia, educational forums and other similar social media platforms the teacher can easily get recent, and accurate information for their lesson.   After the teachers have the notes ready, they need to deliver them to the students. Aiding delivery of lecture notes and lessons is another area in which the positive impact of social media becomes visible. Teachers could use podcasts, webinars, tutorials and educational videos from various social media platforms to deliver their lessons to the students. The social sites make it possible and practical for the teacher to teach a class conveniently even if it is doing so remotely.   A third positive impact of social media sites is that they conveniently help the teacher and students’ interaction. For instance, the lecturer can upload lectures and assignments on a relevant platform and the students on their part, could download the notes or do the assignments and send them back to the teacher for review and evaluation. Besides, if the student has a pressing question he or she could raise it up using the same platform.   Many teachers and scholars tend to write and get their literature works published, in books, journals or even newsletters. Traditionally, getting such works published was not a walk in the park. The platforms that were available were few and costly. If one decided to get a book published, more than 60 percent of the proceeds from the book sales went to the publisher. Due to the impact of social media, however, that has changed. A teacher can now start his or her blog almost at no cost at all and get his or her work published. The published work could form part of the teacher’s contribution to the school library.   Last but not least impact of social media on teachers becomes visible when it is time for admitting students into the school. Most learning institutions delegate the role of reviewing the student’s application essays to the board constituting of teachers. The prospecting students send the application essays using online portals on those particular school’s websites. In case, the application process requires that the students sit an exam, the same social platform provides the means of doing so.   In conclusion, it is safe to state that the impact of social media on teachers, is indeed huge and something that every teacher needs to consider taking up. The post Impact of Social Media on Teachers appeared first on Fedena Blog.

A student software can help pupils to manage their homework without much hassle, mostly when there are deadlines to maintain and lot of additional resources to refer to. There are various types of software for student to help students of 21st century with learning and education. We bring to you, 4 such software for student that’s sure shot assistance to manage homework easily. Software for student to deal with homework are: HwPic Homework Tutor: This software for student allows them to take pictures of homework or task with problem to understand and send it to their teachers and get a feedback within minutes, along with explanation. Available in both Android and iOS, this student software is the right option to manage homework assignment for subjects like maths, chemistry and physics.         WolframAlpha: Very suitable for students of high school, WolframAlpha is one software for student dealing with higher school maths like differential equations and vector calculus. All step-by-step descriptions are available in WolframAlpha which can be downloaded from both Android and iOS.         inClass: inClass is one student software that allows students to mark assignments and tasks in a monthly calendar and receive notifications accordingly. Also available are backup feature that helps data transfer to computer and a note taking device that can be separated with a class name.         Google Apps: When you talk about student software to manage homework, how can you miss the offerings by Google- Google Docs to help students communicate with each other anytime, anywhere with the chat option and also the live document that allows group involvement in a project or assignment. Google Calendar, on the other hand, let students to schedule any assignment and get notified accordingly; whereas, Google Scholar offers good volume of searches on literature and online journals.   The Assignment plugin in Fedena is surely another great software for student option that eases the process of distributing and managing homework and assignments. Teachers can distribute task to students through spreadsheets, docs and images. Students, on the other hand, can upload the finished homework or can even type directly on the text field in Fedena. Use these smart software for student to manage homework and not miss any assignment or task. The post 4 Software for Student to Manage Homework appeared first on Fedena Blog.

    The smart school classroom - Video clips streaming through YouTube, students making presentations with teachers referring to three-dimensional (3-D) images to get across a complex concept. This is no sci-fi novel, but it is the mode of education said to be steadily replacing traditional, chalkboard classrooms in our resource-rich country. One of the most well-known schools in India adopted the shift from being a traditional school to a smart school with a lot of exhilaration. Only to discover that the electricity bills were shooting through the roof. We decided to take a balanced look at what the facts had to say about adopting to the Smart school…   The Smart School System   A similar classroom monologue which, more often than not, triggers a collective yawn among students and the apprehension of a weekly test to fret over, traditional schools have plenty of drawbacks which the smart schools tend to overcome, but due to the lack of infrastructure in India it is becoming increasingly difficult for schools to adapt to being a smart school. Some of the contents of a smart school constitute a library of digital content, an Intranet connecting all the classrooms, state-of-the-art infrastructure for interactive resources for teachers. The teacher decides if the mode of instruction is going to be audio or visual or both. The students with their ideas and questions, set their own track for learning. From primary classes to the senior secondary, teachers can assess students even before the class has ended. Also, with libraries getting IT-enabled, smart cards helping in keeping track of books issued giving the school insights on reading trends among teachers and students alike.   And it doesn’t stop just there. When carried home, the smart school system works as a virtual school, where parents, teachers and students communicate with each other. Using mobiles, tabs, social networking sites and email tools. Teachers can even upload assignments for students, and make important information available for parents to view. Students can use online forums hosted by the school to find community and discuss various activities and clubs they want to be part off. The impact of Smart schools on education is huge and cannot be disregarded.   Smart School Compatibility with the Indian School Infrastructure & Resources   The Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) revolution is acknowledged as the next big thing in India’s primary and secondary education sector. Education technology companies — headed by millennials — are flooding the market with teaching-learning equipment such as interactive display boards, laptops, Learning management software (LMS), school management software (SMS or School ERP), teaching and assessment software, science, maths and language laboratories and countless other products and services. The market for Edtech in India  is estimated at $135 billion by 2020.   But, 52.75 percent of schools in the country do not have electricity, 12 percent of them are single-teacher schools and 42.75 percent do not provide libraries/book banks of any sort.   The 18.7 percent of India’s schools which have introduced computers to their students (Elementary Education in India 2010-11, published by the Delhi-based National University of Educational Planning and Administration), are private schools. With that being said, the biggest hurdle for any smart school in the country is the under utilization of technology and tech resources. The government is now focusing on bridging this divide - between private and government schools - through initiatives such as the Right To Education Act, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.      Verdict on the Smart School   It is clear that smart schools can deliver what they promise. But only if they are supported by a range of very expensive resources and infrastructure. From software to the labs that are equipped to be the learning hubs of the future and adopting schools must be prepared for the ever skyrocketing electricity bills, that is sourced mostly from mainstream power grids. So for now, the cost to nature remains unaccounted for. All though they do seem like a necessity, sustaining smart schools is a huge challenge India will face in the coming years.   The post Is the Smart School concept feasible in the Indian society? appeared first on Fedena Blog.

  Educational software has a lot to offer to learners. In our last article, we have already discussed how education softwares are beneficial to very young learners. Not just young learners, an educational software can create independent learners in students of all sections of an educational institution. Read, why should you use education softwares in your institution.   One of the best thing about the use of educational software is that they definitely make both teaching and learning a lot more interesting than the traditional methods. Say, if you make your students use education softwares for maths, you can surely see an increase in involvement in learning among the students, through fun learning of math concepts. An increased score in maths is the outcome!   When students learn using educational software in a computer or on an iPad, they actually make use of a lot of senses together. It stimulates a lot of thinking and promotes hand-eye coordination, a lot helpful to students to practice good handwriting.   Many educational software includes games and puzzles to help students learn. And these games encourage students solve problems on their own. Thus, a chance of self-confidence among the students increases as they start figuring out things on their own.   Creativity is another major factor promoted with the use of education softwares in schools. This is because, an educational software offer interactive learning which further helps students to explore more; instead of just reading through the pages of a book!   The learning capacity for each student varies to a good extent. And to keep a control on the learning experience of students, education softwares can be the best guide to teachers. An educational software lets each of the students to learn at their own pace, under their own control.  If they are allowed to learn at their own pace and time, students can push their limits to learn things, without feeling down for being unable to do so within set time limits.   Technology is here to stay and is expected to bring about huge changes, as it is doing currently. Educational software is surely one such technology that’s enhancing the learning experience of students.   The post Why Should you Use Education Softwares in your Institution? appeared first on Fedena Blog.

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  The evolution of technology has brought about with it, several benefits the world over. Apart from enhancing efficiency, it has turned the world into a global village and made access to information quite easy. The education sector has also not been left behind in tapping into the deep resource-well of technology. The use of information technology in education has become more than just an option. For effective learning, the education sector stakeholders have found ways of integrating the use of information technology in the everyday learning processes.   Access to learning material   The internet is full of a lot of learning material that the learner can access and use to supplement whatever is provided for in the classroom. There are e-books, revision guides and past examination papers that are available on the world wide web and students can take advantage of these to improve their knowledge base. Learning institutions provide computers and internet that the students can use to this end.   Continuous learning   In the modern world, you don’t have to be in the classroom to learn. Using information technology in education has made it possible for students to keep on learning, irrespective of where they are. Teachers and professors can send assignments to students and they can complete and submit them even without physically stepping into the classrooms and so learning never has to stop. Students can keep on learning even when they are at home. This has greatly enhanced efficiency in the education sector.   Sharing of knowledge   Through online discussion forums, students can share knowledge, engage in intellectual debates and generally learn from one another. Using information technology in education has basically made it possible for students from all over the world to come together and share experiences, the geographical distances notwithstanding. Information technology in education has also made students to develop an appreciation for cultural diversity and in turn, create a more tolerant and unified world.   Using audio and visual material as learning aids   The use of information technology in education has made it possible for tutors to teach students much more easily. By using audio and visual materials, students can develop a better understanding of the topics being taught. It is now much easier to perform demonstrations and put some practical aspect to the theory taught in class. Slow learners therefore have an opportunity to catch up with those who had grasped whatever was initially taught in class.   Distance learning   To adapt to a changing population with unique demands, learning institutions have employed the use of information technology in education to cater for this new demographic. Online courses have enabled most of the employed and young population to go back to class and get second degrees or additional certifications. It is possible to attend a college overseas without even getting out of your home country and at your own convenience.   Proper record keeping   It is possible to keep student records in a more systematic and secure manner using technology. Unlike in the past when records used to be kept manually and there were many cases of lost files, the incorporation of information technology in education has made it possible for safe and proper record keeping. Retrieving of information has therefore become much easier.   The post The Uses Of Information Technology in Education appeared first on Fedena Blog.

  There are numerous advantages to using scheduling software for your school. It’s a great way to produce block scheduling, list scheduling, and other scheduling types, no matter what size your school may be. With an automatic or interactive scheduler, it’s easy to put together a great structure for your school.   Using Scheduling Software to Save Time   Scheduling software is an excellent way to save time. Scheduling all students at once by grade level or individually, you can produce walk-in scheduling, where students will enroll after most scheduling for other students has already been completed. You won’t need to disrupt previously enrolled students this way.   Group Management and Enrollment   In addition, scheduling software allows groups to schedule together. For example, if one group of students are involved in multiple activities, it’s easy to create groups for them and associate your group with each activity instead of having to do this individually. You can also do the same for instructors.   Sub-subjects are another excellent feature of scheduling software. By looking at a hierarchical view of top-level themes with other subjects broken down, you can look at Algebra, Calculus, and Geometry all at the same time. It’s an easy way to get a top down view of all related subjects for each area.   Room Capacity and Time Periods   Room capacity is an important consideration for scheduling software. You’ll need to determine the maximum number of students and instructors that can fit into each room.Say, the defaults for most rooms are 15, and if you schedule more than one group or activity at the same time, the software will alert you by creating a conflict. The capacity of students for each room is limited for each building, so the software won’t let you create a situation where multiple students would be enrolled in a problem scenario.   Flexibility of time periods is also critical in selecting good scheduling software for school. For example, you can define the layout of your schedule by the length of each period, such as half or quarter hours, or even break down by minute-based intervals. This makes scheduling school periods much easier.   Student/Instructor Database Management   Large capacity is another important key to look for in scheduling software. You should be sure your program can accommodate more than 100,000 students in the database, as you’re likely to grow in numbers as your student enrollment goes up. Be sure the system is capable of handling large group of students and organize them adequately without experiencing slowdowns or software hiccups.   You can continue to manage scheduling software by entering student ID number or typing in the first letters of their last name. By doing so, you can gain access to email features for schedules, such as emailing each student their scheduling in grid or line format. You can send these out to individuals or groups, based on homeroom and teacher.   Reporting Features of Scheduling Software   Another important feature of managing scheduling software is to look at basic built-in reports. You’ll need a way to see all the students who have signed up for specific classes by grade or school, and of course have a master list that shows each course offered as well as level, weight, GPA factor, size, and length. It’s helpful to include textbook integration and fees as well. By selecting the option to print details on each student’s schedule, it makes it easier for students — and for you — to see exactly what needs to be done for successful classroom management.   These are just a few basic ways to use scheduling software within the classroom. In addition to easy database management, convenience, flexibility, and reporting, scheduling software offers numerous benefits such as email integration and online views for each student to access their schedule from the comfort of their home.   The post How to Manage Scheduling Software in a School? appeared first on Fedena Blog.

  In our previous journey into the world of Database softwares, we defined what they are and the requirements your institution would have of them. Now, let’s discuss the different types of Database softwares and how they would fit for different institutions/enterprises. Let’s start by first classifying the various database management softwares.   Classification of Database Software:   Operational Database External Database End User Database Distributed Database Data Warehouse Database Analytical Database Hypermedia Database   Operational Database software   Otherwise called as OLTP ( On Line Transaction Processing ) Database software, are used to manage dynamic data in real time. This database software allows you to add, delete and modify the data in your database. Businesses find many uses of such databases, for example, customer relationship management transactions and financial operations. Operational database allows you to gather, enter and retrieve large amounts of data- be it specific or general, for example, legal notices, financial data, personal employee information, call logs etc. They can also be part of the purchasing process for an e-commerce business.   External Database software   An External Database software manages information gathered for use by different individuals or organizations, either via subscription or freely. External databases are accessed online by users to read privately owned data. The Internet Movie Database is one of the examples of an external database.   End user Database software   An end user database software is simply a software which helps store data created by an end user. Examples of such software could include, word processors, spreadsheet managers etc. Any database software which allows the end user to create and manage data comes under this category.   Distributed Database software   A Distributed Database software is a software distributed at various geographical locations. This type of database system works under the control of one central database management system and the storage devices of the distributed database are connected to  different CPUs. A distributed database can reside on LAN, WAN, internet, network servers or extranets. The advantage of distributing the database is the significant improvement in performance of data rates and the advantage of not losing all your data even if one of the locations fails.   Data Warehouse Database software   Data Warehouse is a database software containing a collection of information extracted from various other databases and stored in one place. Data Warehouse can be used by end users or management personnel, primarily for reporting purposes and drawing insights. There are many benefits of using a Data Warehouse, such as retrieval of information from a Data Warehouse doesn’t affect the performance of the operational system. Automatic identification and resolving of inconsistent data, etc are some of the database software’s key advantages.   Analytical Database software   An analytical database software  is used to store data from other databases for data analysis. The data in the analytical database software is edited, filtered and used by analysts of an organization. Businesses worldwide use analytical database softwares for the analysis of employees’ and organization’s performance.   Hypermedia Database software   The purpose of hypermedia database software is to store multimedia web pages. In a hypermedia database, data is stored online and it can be accessed by multiple users at the same time. In addition to the above database types, there can be other types of databases as well. For example, businesses in specific industries will have customized database solutions, targeted at the particular requirements and needs of the business, like Fedena ERP for Schools.   The post Understanding types of Database software and their applications appeared first on Fedena Blog.

A result of feedback by students, the new program is one way for We Can Code IT to demonstrate a commitment to helping students find lucrative jobs in IT related fields. The demand for computer programmers and web developers is immense and growing. There will be 1 million IT jobs in the U.S. by 2020. Junior level developers are in demand and earn an average starting salary of $50,000 in Northeast Ohio. If a student actively seeks work and cannot find a job in IT, they are not obligated to pay We Can Code IT.