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Building Educational Simulations Using KSA Open Data

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Building Educational Simulations Using KSA Open Data WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on ENVIRONMENT and DEVELOPMENT Patricia Marybelle Davies, DOI: 10.37394/232015.2020.16.83 Phil Weir, Sarah Byrne Building Educational Simulations Using KSA Open Data PATRICIA MARYBELLE DAVIES College of Sciences and Human Studies Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University Al Khobar KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA PHIL WEIR, SARAH BYRNE Flax & Teal Limited Farset Labs, Belfast Northern Ireland UNITED KINGDOM Abstract: - This paper reports on the development of ORP-Sandstorms, an open-source, web-based simulation which provides students with virtual experiences of the impact of global natural disasters, such as earthquakes and sandstorms. The project is a collaboration between an open-software developer and an educational technology researcher. The simulation utilizes a number of open datasets, including those available in the Saudi Open Data portal, to estimate the impact of such natural events on familiar local landmarks. Open data allows contextualiza- tion of abstract concepts in a local setting, to enable students to relate more easily. Understanding the impacts and benefits of this contextualization in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) context will form a core component of the present educational research. The KSA open data is crucial for testing adaptability to new regions and com- munities. A key outcome of this work is documenting the adaptability achievements and challenges of taking the established OurRagingPlanet platform, developed mainly from Northern Ireland datasets, and leveraging novel uses of KSA open data to re-contextualize ORP-Sandstorms for KSA students. Key-Words: - educational simulations, KSA open data, Arabic translations, Weblate, gaze detection, text tagging Received: September 28, 2020. Revised: October 29, 2020. Accepted: November 20, 2020. Published: December 8, 2020. 1 Introduction tions, and mobile phone use, which form part of the daily lives of their citizens. Over the past two decades, games and simulations The web application, ORP-Sandstorms, features have been used in education and business to enhance custom tools and interactive maps that allow users learning [1]. A simulation is a dynamic, valid, simpli- to apply basic simulations to their local area. It uti- fied scenario representing reality that is implemented lizes open data to provide more realistic estimates of electronically [2]. Unlike games, simulations do not the impact natural disasters can have on familiar local involve competition. The benefits of simulations in- landmarks within the coverage area. Part of the appli- clude that they allow users to encounter problem sit- cation simulates sandstorms as they occur on the Ara- uations, formulate decisions and take actions, expe- bian Peninsula, and is developed using datasets from rience the results, and then modify their behaviour the data.gov.uk portal relevant to Northern Ireland, in- without risking harm. Open data—digital content that cluding railways stations, sports fields and elevation is freely available, and can be modified and shared by data. The other simulations utilize KSA Open Data. anyone for any purpose [3]—is central to the data- based fourth industrial revolution. Typically pro- vided by governments and public organizations, open 2 Purpose data facilitates transparency and deeper interaction The purpose of the work reported in this paper is re- with stakeholders, and also helps realize social and search into and the development of ORP-Sandstorms, economic value. Open government data is perhaps a web-based educational simulation designed to pro- the most important form of open data. These are mote understanding of natural disasters and their im- generated through constant interactions and activities, pact. Schools and colleges within the Kingdom of including internet communications, banking transac- Saudi Arabia (KSA) and in the United Kingdom (UK) E-ISSN: 2224-3496 802 Volume 16, 2020 WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on ENVIRONMENT and DEVELOPMENT Patricia Marybelle Davies, DOI: 10.37394/232015.2020.16.83 Phil Weir, Sarah Byrne will use ORP-sandstorms to access simulations of nat- ize learning while furthering social science research. ural events different from those they encounter lo- cally. Specifically, KSA students will experience 3 Background storm surges while students in the UK will simulate For a number of decades, simulations have been uti- sandstorms. The aim is to develop in these learners an lized for finding solutions to real-world problems in understanding of the natural world and empathy for areas such as medicine and aviation, where it is not other cultures, in addition to critical thinking skills possible to rehearse due to logistical challenges, dan- and a need for resilience. Through the simulations, ger, or high costs [8, 9]. It was not until the 1970s and students will learn to relate to natural disasters hap- 1980s that simulations began to take advantage of dig- pening elsewhere, thereby developing deeper under- ital technologies and have increasingly relied on them standings of some of the ideas, customs, and social to provide learners with a more flexible real world- behaviours of people living in other regions. Addi- view, increased access, and detailed feedback. Their tionally, ORP-Sandstorms highlights the physical ba- advantages for learners include making it possible to sis and limitations of such events, thus making it an achieve specific learning objectives through repeti- excellent tool for teaching students about geological tion and practice without risk or harm, and facilitat- events in a holistic manner. ing a trial-and-error approach, often without penalty. The simulations are technical components of an Outcomes can be measured using validated scoring empirical research project by the same name designed systems. These scores, combined with reflective ex- to test the effectiveness of simulation tools on modern ercises [10], can serve as feedback for a formative as- network-based platforms that support learning with sessment cycle of repeated performance practice and technology. The research also aims to collect and an- improvement [11] in skills development exercises. alyze data examining how and why ORP-Sandstorms The Open Government Initiative was started un- could extend learners’ understandings of the natural der President Barack Obama in January 2009 [12]. world and of other cultures beyond what they would The rationale underpinning the initiative centers on typically see in television or online news reports. This the fact that technology has grown at a rapid pace is an attempt to further pedagogical understandings over the past two decades and this has changed the of immersive virtual reality educational applications amounts of, and ways in which, we share informa- which, as Bower and Jong [4] suggest, lag behind tion. So too has the demand for transparency by gov- their technological developments. The expected out- ernments about how they create legislation and make come of the empirical research is a pedagogical model policy decisions. As a result, the US created Open and enabling tools for the design and integration of Government Data—first, to make freely available to simulation software that supports learning [5, 6, 7]. the general public information that is being used to In addition, the simulations are aimed at enabling stu- represent them; second, to enable the private sector to dents to empathize with the experiences and concerns utilize this data for the common good. Many govern- of their contemporaries around the world, with a fo- ments around the world have since established similar cus on educating the students in the UK about the en- datasets. There are now open data indices measuring vironmental challenges experienced by people living the readiness, implementation and emerging impact in KSA and vice versa. of an open government data portal. The segment of the software available to KSA The Open Data movement is a very significant and students will simulate disasters such as volcanoes potentially powerful emerging force. Endorsed by the and storm surges, which typically do not occur in father of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners–Lee, KSA, happening locally. The other segment, avail- open data make available data acquired publicly— able to UK students, will include simulations of local, regional and national—in formats that allow di- sandstorms—a regular occurrence in KSA, yet un- rect software manipulation for different purposes in- common in the UK—happening within their local cluding, mapping, cross-tabulation, and visualization. community. The interface is tailored to simplify use The idea of public and private data being made pub- by students and teachers. ORP-Sandstorms will en- licly available digitally and accessible via the Web, is able quick set-up and minimize in-classroom prepa- a drive towards increased transparency that allows for ration time. The learning resource will be accessi- an enhanced data-driven citizen or public engagement ble internally and externally, to facilitate use in les- in policy and other analysis and assessment. It does son plans for delivering relevant parts of the National not matter if this data is collected directly—for ex- Curriculum in schools in both countries. Therefore, ample, during a census—or as secondary output from the research project goes beyond the technical aspects other sources such as statistics relating to hospitaliza- of software development. It facilitates international tion, accidents and crime. collaboration between academics and technology ex- Part
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