A comparison of the educational potential of professional cloud-based and free, standalone desktop-based subtitling tools

There are two main types of subtitling systems on the market, standalone desktop-based systems and cloud-based systems. Both types can be free or proprietary. The use of cloud-based technology for educational purposes is on the rise, with non-professional desktop-based systems still being used often, as they are mostly free of charge and offer similar features. This study investigates the educational potential of these types of systems, desktop-based vs. cloud-based and free vs. proprietary, to show whether there is a significant difference in their role in subtitling education at university level. A questionnaire was conducted among two groups of students who used one or the other of the above-mentioned systems. The study primarily focused on the perceived level of skill acquisition and the satisfaction with software functions. Desktop-based and cloud-based systems have proved to be similarly useful in subtitling education with few differences in skill acquisition, which depend on whether the software is free or proprietary. Educational implications are discussed based on the findings.