Instructional Software

for Classroom Use

Prepared by:
Jianne Mei Q. Ventura & Nova B. Naol
 Drill-and-Practice Software
Selecting
◦ Control Over the Drill-and-Practice.
◦ Answer Judging
◦ Gives appropriate feedback
Benefits
◦ Immediate Feedback
◦ Motivation
◦ Saving Teacher Time
Limitations and Problems
◦ Perceived Misuse
◦ Criticism by Constructiveness
 Tutorial Software
Selecting
◦ Extensive Interactivity
◦ Thorough user control
◦ Appropriate Pedagogy
◦ Adequate Answer-Judging and Feedback Capabilities
◦ Appropriate Graphics
◦ Adequate record keeping
Benefits
◦ Immediate Feedback
◦ Motivation
◦ Saving Teacher Time
Limitations and Problems
◦ Criticism by Constructivism
◦ Lack of Good Products
◦ Reflect only one instructional Approach
 Simulation Software
Selecting
This is a realistic and accurate representation of a
system. Clear set of directions must be present in the
software; models a real or imaginary system. Can
model physical phenomena, procedures and
hypothetical situations. The impact of actions must be
clearly seen.
Benefits
◦ Compress time
◦ Slow down processes
◦ Get students involved
◦ Make experimentation safe
◦ Make the impossible possible
◦ Save money and other resources
◦ Allow repetition with variations
◦ Allow observation of complex process
Limitations and problems
◦ Criticism of virtual lab software
◦ Accuracy of models
◦ Misuse of simulations
 Instructional Games

Selecting
◦ Appealing formats and activities
◦ Instructional value
◦ Physical dexterity is reasonable
◦ Social, societal and cultural considerations
Benefits
◦ Games are more interesting than traditional instruction
(Randel et al., 1992)
◦ Retention of information is longer
◦ Assists teachers to get students to focus on the topic
◦ Makes learning more engaging and motivational(Ash,
2011;Corbett, 2010;Squire, 2005)
Limitations and problems
◦ Learning versus Having Fun
◦ Confusion of game rules and real-life rules
◦ Inefficient learning
◦ Classroom barriers
 Problem Solving Software
Selecting
The teachers should see to it that the software should be
able to develop the skills of the students in solving various
kinds of content-area problems.
Benefits
◦ Promotes visualization in mathematics problem solving
◦ Fosters better understanding in visualization of abstract
concepts
◦ Improves interest and motivation in doing problem-solving
activities. This will allow students to become more active
and impulsive problem solvers
Limitations and problems
◦ Effectiveness of problem-solving software
◦ Suitability in learning strategy of students
 Software Support Tools

Advantages:
◦ Improved efficiency and productivity
◦ Enhanced product appearance
◦ More precise and aptness of information
◦ More support for collaboration
 Software Support Tool Categories

1. Materials generators
2. Data collection and analysis tools
3. Graphics tools
4. Planning and organizing tools
5. Research and reference tools
6. Content-arear tools
Material Generators
Allow creation of documents, web pages, tests & various
lessons and activities.
Example Software Tool Purposes and Benefits
Desktop Publishing Software
• Microsoft Publisher For creating letterheads,
http://office.microsoft.com brochures, flyers/
• Adobe InDesign and PageMaker posters, newsletter,
http://adobe.com newspapers and books
• Quark Express
http://www.quark.com
Web Page Design Software For creating, editing and
• Adobe Dreamweaver updating web pages and
http://adobe.com websites for project work
• Microsoft WebMatrix display and information
http://www.microsoft.com dissemination of lessons
with links like Webquests.
Whiteboard Activity Software For creating of lesson
• Notebook (for use with Smart presentations and
Boards) activities that students
http://smarttech.com can interact with.
• ActivStudio or ActivInspire (for use
with Prometheus Boards)
http://www.prometheanworld.com
Test and Rubric Generators
• Exam View Learning Series For creating of tests and
http://www.einstruction.com test item banks,
• Test Creator administer tests online;
http://www.centronsoftware.com
• Wondershare Quiz Creator Teachers may create or
http://www.sameshow.com adopt rubrics for rating
• EasyTestMaker students’ projects and
http://www.easytestmaker.com other performance
• Rubistar (use program of pre- assessments.
made rubrics)
http://www.rubistar.4teachers.org
• Rubric Builder
http://www.rubricbuilder.on.ca
• Rubric Maker
http://recipes.teach4learning.com

Worksheet and Puzzle Generators

• Crossword Puzzle Maker For creating of puzzle
http://armordpenguin.com activities and worksheet
• Worksheet Works to improve students’
http://www.worksheetworks.com skills.
• Quia Web
http://www.quia.com
Graphic Document Makers For creating of certificates
• Print Shop Deluxe for awards and recognition,
http://www.borderbund.com flyers, cards and other
• Smart Draw artistic and decorated
http://www.smartdraw.com documents.
PDF and forms makers For creating of document in
• Adobe Acrobat Pro Portable Document
http://adobe.com Format(PDF) and creating
• PDF Maker Pilot forms that can be
http://www.colorpilot.com accomplished online.
• Cute PDF
http://www.cutepdf.com
• FormArtist Professional
http://www.quask.com
Data Collection and Analysis Tools
Collect data from students; support decision making;
analyze data from experiments and research.
Example Software Tool Purposes and Benefits
Database Software For storing of
• FileMaker information that can
http://www.filemaker.com be accessed and
• Quickbase located easily by
http://quickbase.intuit.com typing only the key
• Microsoft Access words.
http://office.Microsoft.com/en-
us/access
Electronic Gradebooks For keeping track of
• PinnacleGrade Gradebook students’ record and
http://www.globalscholar.com computation of students’
• Teacher Planet listing of many grades.
gradebook packages
http://www.gradebooks4teachers.com
Statistical Packages For data calculations
• SPSS which produces
http://www/spss.com descriptive & inferential
• SAS analysis that are needed
http://www.sas.com in researches. Can be
• Analyse-it used by teachers in
http://www.analyse-it.com teaching statistical
procedure.
• XLStat
http://www.xlstat.com
• NCSS
http://www.ncss.com
• Stata
http://www.stata.com
Online Survey Tools For designing and
• SurveyMonkey implementation of
http://www.surveymonkey.com surveys and
• Zoomerang questionnaires which
http://zoomerang.com can be used by both
teachers and students.
Student Information System For keeping track of student, class
• PowerSchool and school data that would
http://www.pearsonschoolsystem eventually help in making
s.com decisions. Basically, the system
• Pinnacle SIS can:
http://www.globalscholar.com • Track and report students’
• Tyler SIS attendance
http://www.tylertech.com/solution • Keep records on student
s-products/school-solutions demographic data
• QuickSchools • Create class scheduling
http://www.quickschools.com • Track and report on test scores
and achievement by objective
• Inform parents of their child’s
grades and attendance via online
Computerized-Based Testing
Systems This is also known as
• ExamBuilder computer-assisted
http://exambuilder.com testing. This system
• Easy Test allows students to take
http://www.easyteach.com/easytes tests via online or on-
t.html screen computer which
• Computer Test 2.0 provide results
http://www.cubeapps.com afterwards.
Student Response Systems or This is also called as
Clickers personal response systems
• Student Response Solutions or classroom response
http://www.turningtechnologies.com systems. This allows
• Smart Response teachers to display a
http://smarttech.com question which can be
simultaneously answered
• ActiVote, ActivExpression,
by students and results can
ActivEngage be seen by the teacher
http://www.prometheanworld.com immediately. This system
• iRespond enhances students’
http://www.irespond.com engagement in class
instruction.
Graphics Tools
Allow teachers and students to enhance the illustrations to be
placed in documents(flyers, brochures, newsletter and the like)
and web pages.
Example Software Tool Purposes and Benefits
Draw/Paint Programs Used to create own graphics
• Adobe Illustrator to be inserted into the
http://www.adobe.com documents or web pages.
• CorelDraw
http://www.corel.com
• KidPix
http://www.broderbund.co
m
Image Editing Software Use to modify, enhance
• Adobe Photoshop and format photos to be
http://www.adobe.com inserted into the
• ACDSee Pro Photo Manager documents and web
http://www.directron.com pages.
Charting/Graphing Software Used to create charts
• SmartDraw and graphs to illustrate
http://www.smartdraw.com the data entries.
http://www.webopedia.com/
• The Graph Club 2.0
http://www.tomsynder.com
• List of plotting/graphing Software
http://e.Wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_infor
mation_graphics_software
Media Collection
• Graphics for Teachers Clip Art, Photo,
http://www.teachingheart.net Animation, Sound,
• Microsoft Media Collections Video and Font
http://office.Microsoft.com/en-us/images Collections add design
• Istock Photos to the documents and
http://www.istockphoto.com presentations which
• Digital Sound Factory (musical instruments) make the output more
http://www.digitalsoundfactory.com professional and
• Flaming Text artistic in appearance.
http://www.adobe.com/type/collections.html
• Adobe Fonts Collection
http://www.adobe.com/type/collection.html
• Animation Factory
http://www.animationfactory.com
Planning and Organizing Tools
Allow teachers and students to organize ideas and plan
lessons and class schedules.
Example Software Tool Purposes and Benefits
Outlining and Concept Helps students to develop their
Mapping Software writing skills to accomplish well
• Inspiration written reports, short stories and
http://www.inspiration.com other writing skills
• Kidspiration
http://www.inspiration.com/Kidspi Concept mapping software helps
ration an individual to explore and
• SmartDraw outline ideas to properly outline
http://www.smartdraw.com his/her thoughts in writing the
intended output.
Lesson Planners Guides teachers in
• PlanbookEdu preparing lesson plans
http://planbookedu.com and activities in a
• ILessonPlan standard format.
http://ilessonplan.com
• MyLessonPlanner
http://mylessonplanner.com
Scheduling, Calendar & Time Management Tools Help teachers and
• FileBuzz Teacher Calendar Software students to plan their
http://www.filebuzz.com/Educational/1.html activities and events
http://www.webopedia.com daily,weekly/monthly.
• Reel Logix Calendar Software This reminds the users
http://www.thecalendarplanner.com of the events, duties
• Easy Schedule Maker and responsibilities to
http://www.patrena.com be accomplished.
Research and Reference Tools
Assists teachers & students in doing their research work.

Example Software Tool Purposes and Benefits

Online Encyclopedia Helps both teachers and
• Encyclopedia Britannica students in finding facts and
http://www.britannica.com information in accomplishing
• Encyclopedia.com their assignments, projects
http://www.encyclopedia.com and researches.
Online Atlases & Mapping Tools Helps users to know more
• World Atlas about local, national, world
http://www.worldatlas.com/atlas/worl & celestial geography which
d.html are needed in their learning.
• Rand McNally
http://www.randmcnally.com
• Mapquest
http://www.mapquest.com
• The National Map (geological)
http://nationalmap.gov
• Atlas of the Universe
http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com
• Google Maps
http://maps.google.com
Online Dictionaries and Thesauruses Helps teachers and
• Technology words: Webopedia students to widen their
http://www.webopedia.com vocabulary
• Any words/thesaurus: Merriam-
Webster
http://www.merraim-webster.com
• Any words/thesaurus: Dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com
Content Area Tools
Assists teachers and students in enriching their knowledge in
specialized content area, such as reading, math, science,
computer, art, music, language, social studies, drawing and
technology education.

Example Software Tool Purposes and Benefits

CAD Systems
• AutoCAD Helps student in creating
http://usa.autodesk.com models of buildings, houses,
• Alibre cars and other structures.
http://www.alibre.com
Music Editors, Sequences and Help students in developing
MIDI Tools their own musical piece and
• iLike and Garageband compositions.
http://www.ilike.com
• Listing of MIDI products
http://www.midi.org
Reading Tools Help teachers to select
• Readability calculation software stories that may be related to
http://www.readabilityformulas. the topic they will be
com teaching. students’
• Accelerated Reader (AR) motivation in reading would
http://www.renlearn.com/ar likely improve and have
reading fro enjoyment.
Microcomputer-based Labs Also known as probe ware. Assists
(MBL), Calculator-based teachers and students in
labs (CBL) AND Graphing accomplishing their experiments
Calculators that might need measuring of light,
• Vernier LabQuest temperature, voltage and speed.
http://www.Vernier.com
Graphing calculators help in
illustrating equations in graphs.

Calculator-based labs allow

connection of probes or sensors to
a graphing calculator rather than
to a computer.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
and Global Positions Systems (GPS)
• ARCView GIS
http://www.esri.com/software/arcview GIS allows the
• GPS curriculum users to study
http://www.educaching.com geographic
• Magellan GPS locations.
http://www.magellangps.com
• Garmin GPS
http://www.garmin.com
Online Foreign Language Dictionaries
& Language Translators
• Listing of foreign language dictionaries Allow users to
http://www.foreignword.com understand other
• WorldLingo foreign languages by
http://www.worldlingo.com looking up its
• Babylon9 meaning and
http://translation.Babylon.com translation to their
local language.