Drill and Practice- Drill and practice "provide exercises in which students work example items and receive feedback on their correctness" (pg. 81). www.BrainPop.com is a great site that I use for science lessons. After watching a short video on a specific topic students can complete a quiz, play a game and learn more about the topic. I use Brain Pop to introduce new lessons, review topics before a test, and as a center rotation during instructional time. Drill and practice is an excellent way to give student practice using isolated skills without using on-paper exercises.
Tutorial- Used as self-contained instruction, tutorial instructional software is "a sequence of instruction on a specific topic, similar to the teacher's instructional objective" (pg. 86). Sometimes confused with drill and practice, tutorial are categorized as linear tutorial (same instructional sequence regardless of performance differences) and branching tutorial (complexity ranges due to the needs of the student). Tutorials are self paced, provide alternate learning strategies and are helpful when teachers are not unavailable. Spelling City (http://www.spellingcity.com/) uses tutorial lessons, games, and assessments to help students improve their skills and comprehension in the areas of vocabulary, spelling and writing.
Simulation-Simulation, more often used in the field of science, is a "computerized model of a real or imagined system that is designed to teach how a system work" (pg. 90). Simulation can teach students about something (physical, interactive) or teach students how to do something (procedural, situational). Simulations make the impossible possible, gets students involved, saves money and resources and allow observation of complex processes.
http://www.billsclimatelab.org/ is great sight that can be used when presenting lesson on weather. This site was a great source on climate science games and simulations from Bill Nye the Science Guy. My students really enjoyed this!
Problem Solving- Problem solving software "focuses on fostering component skills or approaches to practice solving content area problems" (pg. 99). Mainly used in math, problem solving software promotes visualization, improves student interest and motivation and prevents inert knowledge; however, problem solving software may not provide exact meanings and ineffective due to students only playing games, without learning or the transfer of knowledge/skills). To help my ELL students with homework, http://www.webmath.com/ is an excellent site that allows students to choose from various math topics and receive self-help when they need assistance with problem solving.
Instructional Games and Integrated Learning Systems- Instructional games "designed to increase motivation by adding game rules to a learning activity" (pg. 94) are often a component of integrated learning systems which are "networked or online systems that provide computer-based instruction, along with tracking and reporting on student progress" (pg. 102). District often use ISL because of their alignment with state and national adapted standards as well as accountability, due to the fact that instructional games provide learning as well as fun due to "game rules, elements of competition or challenge and entertaining formats" (pg. 95). My students enjoy spending time on Think Through Math (www.thinkthroughmath.com). The students spend time in the computer lab twice a week to complete "pathways" (lessons based on students' ZPD- zone of proximal development). The students go through mini lessons, watch a teaching model of the skill, receive step-by-step instructional walk-through steps of the skill, play games using taught strategies and finally assessments on the lesson to determine their understanding of the skill (path). The students receive points from using the strategies when playing the games, which they use to design their aviator character, donate their points the charities or receive prizes. I find this program to be a great instructional software tool to remediate and enrich skills and motivate the students as well.
Technology is constantly changing therefore it is important that instructional software and tools, adapt and meet the needs of the students, providing them with the best learning possible.
Reference
Roblyer, M.D. & Doering, A.H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching 6th edition. Columbus, Ohio: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Simulation-Simulation, more often used in the field of science, is a "computerized model of a real or imagined system that is designed to teach how a system work" (pg. 90). Simulation can teach students about something (physical, interactive) or teach students how to do something (procedural, situational). Simulations make the impossible possible, gets students involved, saves money and resources and allow observation of complex processes.
http://www.billsclimatelab.org/ is great sight that can be used when presenting lesson on weather. This site was a great source on climate science games and simulations from Bill Nye the Science Guy. My students really enjoyed this!
Problem Solving- Problem solving software "focuses on fostering component skills or approaches to practice solving content area problems" (pg. 99). Mainly used in math, problem solving software promotes visualization, improves student interest and motivation and prevents inert knowledge; however, problem solving software may not provide exact meanings and ineffective due to students only playing games, without learning or the transfer of knowledge/skills). To help my ELL students with homework, http://www.webmath.com/ is an excellent site that allows students to choose from various math topics and receive self-help when they need assistance with problem solving.
Instructional Games and Integrated Learning Systems- Instructional games "designed to increase motivation by adding game rules to a learning activity" (pg. 94) are often a component of integrated learning systems which are "networked or online systems that provide computer-based instruction, along with tracking and reporting on student progress" (pg. 102). District often use ISL because of their alignment with state and national adapted standards as well as accountability, due to the fact that instructional games provide learning as well as fun due to "game rules, elements of competition or challenge and entertaining formats" (pg. 95). My students enjoy spending time on Think Through Math (www.thinkthroughmath.com). The students spend time in the computer lab twice a week to complete "pathways" (lessons based on students' ZPD- zone of proximal development). The students go through mini lessons, watch a teaching model of the skill, receive step-by-step instructional walk-through steps of the skill, play games using taught strategies and finally assessments on the lesson to determine their understanding of the skill (path). The students receive points from using the strategies when playing the games, which they use to design their aviator character, donate their points the charities or receive prizes. I find this program to be a great instructional software tool to remediate and enrich skills and motivate the students as well.
Technology is constantly changing therefore it is important that instructional software and tools, adapt and meet the needs of the students, providing them with the best learning possible.
Reference
Roblyer, M.D. & Doering, A.H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching 6th edition. Columbus, Ohio: Merrill Prentice Hall.
“@howellwright: Instructional Software Should Be Exercise, Not Physical Therapy http://t.co/PmDWhajr0B” #ED5059413UWA
— ✏ReGina LaTrese (@ginalatrese) June 26, 2013
I live that thought that it should be exercise! I think is one reason for many teachers reluctance to incorporate technology in large quantities. Many feel that it somehow replaces their role as an instructor instead of viewing it as a tool to facilitate.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Becky. Many teachers are reluctant to use technology because of that, but I also think that many teachers are reluctanct because they don't feel sure of themselves when using technology. This is especially true with the older teachers. They have taught so many years without it, so they have a hard time changing their routine.
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