Instructional Software in Elementary Schools

EdTech 541 Ron Gardiner

Introduction
Schools use many software applications every day. There is software to help manage student information, software to increase productivity, and software to help with instruction. Instructional software, that is software students use to increase learning, is divided into five types:
Drill and Practice Tutorial Simulation Instructional Games Problem Solving

Drill and Practice

Students work on exercises one at a time Feedback is given after a question is answered
Feedback varies from correct or incorrect to detailed explanations

Types of drill and practice include

virtual flash cards Fill-in activities Branching activities
The program adjusts the difficulty level of the questions based on the users responses

Drill and Practice

Relative Advantage:
Help students gain automaticity Provide immediate feedback ease the burden of grading papers by teachers Can assist in classroom management be being incorporated into classroom centers

Drill and Practice

Example: IXL Learning
http://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/addition-input-output-tables-up-to-three-digits

Tutorials
Designed to teach a lesson comparable teacher-created lesson on the same topic
. . . tutorials are true teaching materials. Gagne et al (1981) said that good tutorial software should address all nine instructional events," (Robley & Doering, 2012).

Tutorials can either be linear branching.

Branching tutorials adjust level the instruction based on user responses

Tutorials
Relative Advantage:
A complete instructional package
Contain drill and practice activities and provide immediate feedback. Branching tutorials automatically review areas of difficulty Able to provide amore individualized, self-paced lesson Can be used in the absence of a teacher
To activate prior knowledge Acquire background information To remediate For students who are ahead of classroom pace

Tutorials
Example: Math Foundation
http://www.mathfoundation.com/math_tutorial.html

Simulations
Learning through experience is at the heart of simulations
Teach about something Teach how to do something

Manipulate on-screen objects to learn a process or perform an experiment Observe processes at a faster or slower rate Review processes steps to see how variables affect an outcome How-to simulations can be procedural or situational.
Procedural teach the sequence of steps required to perform task. Situational help learners adapt and change to solving problems, and making choices that lead to the best result

Simulations
Relative Advantage:
Safety
Dangerous materials or in inaccessible locations are simulated

Time can be sped up or slowed down Review and redo

Segments can be revisited and the result of using variables can be observed.

Students like simulations Accepted by constructivists.

Users employ critical thinking skills and learn about the subtleties of process or situations

Simulations
Example: The Layered Earth
http://www.layeredearth.com/content/rock-cycle

Click the picture or the hyperlink. The demo opens in a new window.

Instructional Games
Instructional games take advantage of students desire to have fun. High-interest activities with game rules Allow for competition Many formats
Adventure Role playing Simulations

Used as drill and practice activities Games need to be checked for educational value
Developmentally appropriate Respectful of gender and diversity Do not promote violence

Instructional Games
Relative Advantage:

Fun, motivational, and engaging

http://www.abcya.com/letter_blocks.htm

Example: ABCya

Problem Solving

Designed to help students hone problem solving skills Help them achieve a goal when the solution is not obvious Content-area problem skills General problem-solving skills Works along side problem-solving processes
Big Six Polyas Four Step Process Various tools used to solve problems Multiple attempts possible

Problem Solving
Relative Advantage:
Highly visual and challenging format Motivational to keep students engaged Students identify and make meaningful connections to the skills required to solve problems

Problem Solving
Example: Learn4Good Cone Flip: http://www.learn4good.com/kidsgames/puzzle/problemsolvinggame.htm

Click the image or the link to open in a new window

References
Berkowitz , R. E. (n.d.). Big6 introduction. [0]. Retrieved from http://www.indiana.edu/~video /stream/launchflash.html?folder=slisal&filename=nquir03.m4v Educational simulations. In (2011). Educational Simulations. Retrieved from http://www.creativeteachingsite.com/edusims.html Instructional strategies online. (2009). Retrieved from http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/strats/simul/index.html Keesee, G. S. (2011). Educational games. Retrieved from http://teachinglearningresources.pbworks.com/w/page/35130965/Educational%20Game Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/online-simulations-classroom Polya's four step problem solving process . (n.d.). Retrieved from http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~dccathcart/MathReasoning/Polya.html Prensky, M. (2000). Digital game-based learning. McGraw-Hill Companies. Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/prensky - digital game-based learning-ch5.pdf Robley, M. D., & Doering, A. H. (2012). Integrating educational technology into teaching. (6 ed.). Prentice Hall. Taylor, D. (n.d.). The advantages of instructional software in classroom setting. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/info_8408148_advantages-instructional-software-classroom-setting.html