Week 3 Instructional Software for 21st Century Teaching

Software is a written computer program function. The instructional software is designed to teach or help a student, academically. According to Roblyer and Doering (2012), there are five basic types of instructional software: drill and practice, tutorial, simulation, instructional game, and problem solving. The functions of instructional software are tailored to facilitate cognitive and academic growth, in all academic disciples. The following is a description of 5 types of instructional software, along with an example of a program designed to execute the functional style:

Drill-and-Practice Software Functions - Educational software that incorporates the concepts of drills and practice is similar to flashcards, but with more features. Software that uses drills to enhance learning uses repetition to help students learn the material. For example, sstudents work through example after example until mastery is achieved. Some programs use repetition, allowing students to practice until the material is learned or memorized. Drills and practice are a form of objectivist learning and is excellent for students to prepare for tests and/or learn concepts that are simple or even sometimes complicated, but require memorization of the material. (Roblyer and Doering, 2012).

Quizlet.com is an instructional software programs that allows the students or the teacher to design their own digital flashcards online. http://quizlet.com/.

• · Sample software for drill-and practice: Vocabulary Practice by Brainpop: http://www.brainpopest.com

Instructional Game Software - Software that has games-like rules and implements competition in learning concepts. There a numerous benefits of using instructional game software in the classroom. It makes learning fun, instead of being dry and boring. It also makes learning more engaging and motivational students love to compete and win, and this is why so many love educational games. One major negative of using gaming software in the classroom is that sometimes it creates chaos. I'm all for letting students interact with each other, but many times it does more harm than good. One must gauge the classroom environment before implementing many types of gaming software. Schoolforge.net offers a wide variety of games in different content areas (See link below)

• · Sample software for Instructional Game Software: https://schoolforge.net/education-software/educational-games

Simulation- Educational software simulates the "live" learning experience for students. Examples of the types of learning environments to be simulated are a chemistry experiment, operation of an automobile or airplane, or biology or medical procedures. Students use simulations in place of the live experience usually in advance of the simulated activity. The use of simulations saves money and replaces activities that might be not practical or may be even dangerous until the student learns the activity. Simulations usually allow many different students the opportunity to participate in the simulated activity an unlimited number of times in order to master the activity before participating with the actual activity they are learning. One example of simulation software would be something geared towards the stock market where students could learn to buy and sell stocks. (See link below).

•  Sample software for simulation: http://www.smg2000.org/

Problem Solving- Educational software that provides an environment to allow students recalling information, sequencing, analyzing, organizing, predicting outcomes, and formulating ideas is probably classified as problem solving educational software (Roblyer and Doering, 2012). An example would be EM solution Arithmetic which helps students learn problem solving skills and grasping math concepts (See link below).

• ·         Sample software for Problem Solving: http://www.emteachline.com/eng/fc10.htm

Tutorials- Educational software designed for entire instructional program topic. Students who access and complete tutorials should learn everything about the subject that might otherwise be taught in a classroom by a teacher. Tutorial allow students to move to the next topic after mastering a section, or keep the student in the current section if they have not mastered the material. Tutorials are more objectivist than constructivist learning since students have little or no input into what is taught. Tutorials are difficult and expensive to develop, which explain why developers choose tutorials less than other types of educational software to develop. Tutorials should use a comprehensive approach to instruction and simulate a real classroom experience to teach students the entire learning goals of a subject.

 

•  · Sample software for tutorials: Trigonometry Challenge by ETCAI: http://www.etcal.com/page 10.html

Integrated Learning Systems (ILSs) are systems that offer computer-based instruction and other resources to support instruction, along with summary reports of student progress through the instruction; all are provided through network or online sources (Roblyer and Doering, 2010). The ILS is designed to provide a "one-stop" learning activity for students and teachers. One tool that I would use for this is SuccessMaker which can be used to help students develop and practice reading and math skills (See link below).

• · Sample software of ILS can be found here http://www.pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PSZkAe