THERE ARE SO MANY TYPES OF SOFTWARE; HOW DO I KNOW WHICH ONES TO INCLUDE IN MY LESSONS?
There are 5 categories of software used in today's classrooms, productivity, research, communication, problem-solving, and educational software. As we learned in Chapter 2, NTeQ: Designing an Integrated Lesson, computers are only a part of our leasson plan, and should be used as tools to increase learning. Once you've specified your objective, you can begin to see how computers fit into your lesson and decide on what type of software best suits your needs.
In some situations there may be a need for multiple software use. Productivity software, which covers word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, database, mapping/planning, drawing/painting, audio/video editing, and authoring will more then likely be a helpful tool in most lessons.
Word processing software is a tool that you use almost every day for multiple purposes and is the most standard requirement for papers, homework, presentations, etc. It's rare that a teacher will even except a hand written assignment anymore. Word processing easily fits into any style of teaching, beacuse its primary function is to enhance the writing process by automating many of the tedious tasks associated with using paper and pencil. In early grades, this may still be a skill to be learned and may be an instructional lesson in itself, but using word processing software is one of the most important skills to have.
In a 4th grade class, students might be studying health and wellness and might be required to create a nutrition plan and presentation based on the information they are learning. Presentation software could be a good tool to use when showing the class their nutrition plan. This tool would allow students to get creative with the information they are showing. They may be required to create a pie chart or graph showing the percentage of different types of foods they should eat daily. Using spreadsheet software, students could enter there researched data and create the charts needed. After the charts are complete they could be included in the presentation being created with the presentation software. Students could also spice up their presentation with pictures and music, as well as recorded audio, narrorating their presentation.
As you can see, productivity software can be used in many different ways and in most lesson plans. It is easy to implement multiple forms of productivity software into a lesson and by using this software, students are not only gaining the ability to use this software but also making the learning process more fun and effective.
The second form of software is Research software. Research software contains a wide variety of resources formatted for use on the Web. In todays society, most of the research we do is done online through browsers, search engines, and small downloadable software applications called plug-ins. In many classrooms, daily lessons can be shown through overhead projectors connected to a laptop computer. As a teacher you can personalize your browser page to be specific to your class agenda with helpful links, archives or highlighted dates and information. Your browser is your initial access to the web such as Internet Explorer or Safari. Within every browser there are selected search engines, the primary type of software tools used to assist you in locating specific sites. Google and Yahoo are two extremely common search engines. Search engines work by taking keywords and phrases and generating lists of internet based resources containing these words. You can break your search down into more specific searches throguh advanced search tools and by specifying your needs such as video, web, images, etc. When attempting to view video or audio links, plug-in software is sometimes needed. This type of software usually has to be downloaded onto your computer. Coomon plug-ins are Acrobat Reader, Quick Time or Real Audio. Research Software is a key tool in any classroom and in many lessons because it offers students a library of knowledge at there finger tips just by accessing the web. The interenet is full of fun, interative, knowledge and kids should be given plenty of opportunity and direction to use this type of tool.
The third form of software is Communication Software. Communication Software has become a staple in most peoples daily lives and has allowed society to stay in constant contact on a global level. Emails, discussion boards, podcasts, social media sites, instant messaging and listserves are tools we often use to communicate more so then face to face contact in this generation. The idea of writing a letter is almost prehistoric due to the simplicity and speed of communication software and meetings or instructional classes don't have to be attended in person with the ease of podcasts, online classes and online chat. With communication software advancing daily buisness is happening faster, we are more efficient, and as teachers, we have access to information and live speakers, as well as video and presentations that we would otherwise never have access to.
Podcasts are popular means of sharing digital multimedia files over the internet. These files can include audio, video, images, PDF, and text and can even be real-time. Due to the expansive collection of podcasts on the web, podcasts are great tools for teachers to use in the classroom. It is fairly easy to find podcasts on most subjects and as shown in the links I have attached below, there are many sites created specifically for educators where you can find these.
These sites offer ideas and examples of using podcasts for an educational purpose. They include podcast programs created by students, podcasting tutorials, and resources. The variety of podcasts shown here are appropriate for a variety of different ages ranging from k-12 and into college and beyond.
Apple Podcasting in Education: http://www.apple.com/education/podcasting/
The Educational Podcast Network: http://epnweb.org/
Audio and Video Podcast from National Geographic: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/mobile/
Technology News Podcasts for Teachers: http://nausetschools.org/podcasts.htm
Podcast Directory for Educators, Schools and Colleges: http://recap.ltd.uk/podcasting/index.php
The fourth form of software is Problem Solving Software which include fun and intriguing situations requiring the use of higher-order thinking skills to acheive the intended outcome. Many problem-solving programs are game-like, while others involve real-world simulation. If you spend a day or two around any young adolescent you will find that hand help devices such as Nintendo DS, game boxes such as Wii and computer programs involving problem solving software are the popular trends and are the desired way to spend an afternoon. As a teacher, problem-solving software could be a fun and interactive way to challenge and reward students. For example, Age of Empires III deals with the conquest and colonization of the Americas. Taking on the role of a European power, desperate to grab land and resources, helps students understand the motivation and planning behind invasion and consequences. This could be used in a history class. Another example might be SuperKids Software a series of programs that focus on developing or exercising critical thinking skills by the user, rather than a specific academic discipline. I personally believe that this type of software should be used in moderation.
The fifth form of software is Educational Software, consisting of drill and practice software, tutorials, integrated learning systems, process tools, and testing software. Features of educational software include providing new content, practice, feedback, performance-based tracking over time, and data input beyond answering questions. Integrated learning systems are an effective tool, providing students adaptive instruction by branching them to activities based on their ability and performance, while drill and practice activities give give students immediate feedback. Tutorial software typically includes text, narration, video, and imagery to teach targeted information to students, while process tools provide questions and prompting to guide students through specific steps required to complete a process. Lastly is testing software, which has become increasingly more popular and valuable in schools since the No Child Left Behind Act was passed in 2001. This software ranges from targeting very specific content to grade-level subject areas. In every classroom teachers need a way to test and evaluate students progress. There are many forms of testing software available and it is impotant to pick one you can count on.
In some situations there may be a need for multiple software use. Productivity software, which covers word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, database, mapping/planning, drawing/painting, audio/video editing, and authoring will more then likely be a helpful tool in most lessons.
Word processing software is a tool that you use almost every day for multiple purposes and is the most standard requirement for papers, homework, presentations, etc. It's rare that a teacher will even except a hand written assignment anymore. Word processing easily fits into any style of teaching, beacuse its primary function is to enhance the writing process by automating many of the tedious tasks associated with using paper and pencil. In early grades, this may still be a skill to be learned and may be an instructional lesson in itself, but using word processing software is one of the most important skills to have.
In a 4th grade class, students might be studying health and wellness and might be required to create a nutrition plan and presentation based on the information they are learning. Presentation software could be a good tool to use when showing the class their nutrition plan. This tool would allow students to get creative with the information they are showing. They may be required to create a pie chart or graph showing the percentage of different types of foods they should eat daily. Using spreadsheet software, students could enter there researched data and create the charts needed. After the charts are complete they could be included in the presentation being created with the presentation software. Students could also spice up their presentation with pictures and music, as well as recorded audio, narrorating their presentation.
As you can see, productivity software can be used in many different ways and in most lesson plans. It is easy to implement multiple forms of productivity software into a lesson and by using this software, students are not only gaining the ability to use this software but also making the learning process more fun and effective.
The second form of software is Research software. Research software contains a wide variety of resources formatted for use on the Web. In todays society, most of the research we do is done online through browsers, search engines, and small downloadable software applications called plug-ins. In many classrooms, daily lessons can be shown through overhead projectors connected to a laptop computer. As a teacher you can personalize your browser page to be specific to your class agenda with helpful links, archives or highlighted dates and information. Your browser is your initial access to the web such as Internet Explorer or Safari. Within every browser there are selected search engines, the primary type of software tools used to assist you in locating specific sites. Google and Yahoo are two extremely common search engines. Search engines work by taking keywords and phrases and generating lists of internet based resources containing these words. You can break your search down into more specific searches throguh advanced search tools and by specifying your needs such as video, web, images, etc. When attempting to view video or audio links, plug-in software is sometimes needed. This type of software usually has to be downloaded onto your computer. Coomon plug-ins are Acrobat Reader, Quick Time or Real Audio. Research Software is a key tool in any classroom and in many lessons because it offers students a library of knowledge at there finger tips just by accessing the web. The interenet is full of fun, interative, knowledge and kids should be given plenty of opportunity and direction to use this type of tool.
The third form of software is Communication Software. Communication Software has become a staple in most peoples daily lives and has allowed society to stay in constant contact on a global level. Emails, discussion boards, podcasts, social media sites, instant messaging and listserves are tools we often use to communicate more so then face to face contact in this generation. The idea of writing a letter is almost prehistoric due to the simplicity and speed of communication software and meetings or instructional classes don't have to be attended in person with the ease of podcasts, online classes and online chat. With communication software advancing daily buisness is happening faster, we are more efficient, and as teachers, we have access to information and live speakers, as well as video and presentations that we would otherwise never have access to.
Podcasts are popular means of sharing digital multimedia files over the internet. These files can include audio, video, images, PDF, and text and can even be real-time. Due to the expansive collection of podcasts on the web, podcasts are great tools for teachers to use in the classroom. It is fairly easy to find podcasts on most subjects and as shown in the links I have attached below, there are many sites created specifically for educators where you can find these.
These sites offer ideas and examples of using podcasts for an educational purpose. They include podcast programs created by students, podcasting tutorials, and resources. The variety of podcasts shown here are appropriate for a variety of different ages ranging from k-12 and into college and beyond.
Apple Podcasting in Education: http://www.apple.com/education/podcasting/
The Educational Podcast Network: http://epnweb.org/
Audio and Video Podcast from National Geographic: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/mobile/
Technology News Podcasts for Teachers: http://nausetschools.org/podcasts.htm
Podcast Directory for Educators, Schools and Colleges: http://recap.ltd.uk/podcasting/index.php
The fourth form of software is Problem Solving Software which include fun and intriguing situations requiring the use of higher-order thinking skills to acheive the intended outcome. Many problem-solving programs are game-like, while others involve real-world simulation. If you spend a day or two around any young adolescent you will find that hand help devices such as Nintendo DS, game boxes such as Wii and computer programs involving problem solving software are the popular trends and are the desired way to spend an afternoon. As a teacher, problem-solving software could be a fun and interactive way to challenge and reward students. For example, Age of Empires III deals with the conquest and colonization of the Americas. Taking on the role of a European power, desperate to grab land and resources, helps students understand the motivation and planning behind invasion and consequences. This could be used in a history class. Another example might be SuperKids Software a series of programs that focus on developing or exercising critical thinking skills by the user, rather than a specific academic discipline. I personally believe that this type of software should be used in moderation.
The fifth form of software is Educational Software, consisting of drill and practice software, tutorials, integrated learning systems, process tools, and testing software. Features of educational software include providing new content, practice, feedback, performance-based tracking over time, and data input beyond answering questions. Integrated learning systems are an effective tool, providing students adaptive instruction by branching them to activities based on their ability and performance, while drill and practice activities give give students immediate feedback. Tutorial software typically includes text, narration, video, and imagery to teach targeted information to students, while process tools provide questions and prompting to guide students through specific steps required to complete a process. Lastly is testing software, which has become increasingly more popular and valuable in schools since the No Child Left Behind Act was passed in 2001. This software ranges from targeting very specific content to grade-level subject areas. In every classroom teachers need a way to test and evaluate students progress. There are many forms of testing software available and it is impotant to pick one you can count on.
I UNDERSTAND WHY STUDENTS SHOULD USE EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE AND THE INTERNET, BUT WHY SHOULD MY FOURTH GRADE STUDENTS LEARN TO USE SPREADSHEET, DATABASE, OR VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE?
The use of productivity software should be taught at a very young age as it is a valuable tool for all students in many subject areas. Spreadsheets can be used in elementary education to assist students in math and can also be used to organize information into visual charts, and graphs as they study. Through the ability to perform calculation and create graphs students can begin to understand and visualize common patterns and trends in the information they find. After creating a spreadsheet, and collecting information, it can be stored in a database. As stated in the book, this could be a wonderful tool to use for fourth graders when learning the 50 states, their flowers, animals, birds, and populations. Once this information is in a database and sperated into fields, students can pull querys based on the information and find similarities amongst the 50 states. How many states have the same state bird? What state has the lowest population? What state has the highest population? Not only are students learning how to use these tools when learning spreadsheets and databases but also creating ways to learn information that every student learns at a fourth grade level just in a more efficient way.
As for digital audio editing, a fourth grade student could have a lot of fun with this tool. Sounds and songs and poems and writings are commonly shared around this age. When I was younger I made up songs about all types of things and even sang my regular sentences at times. Writing poems were an effective way of relaying my emotions and creativity. In fourth grade children are begining to understand their personalities and learning how to express themselves. I loved to explore and hike and see what I'd find outside when I was younger. In a school setting, digital audio editing could be used as a tool for students to collect information for a presentation. Maybe a student wants to read a poem he/she wrote about a river they were researching in science class. This could be a creative way to open a powerpoint presentation about the animal life found in the rivers natural setting. As the presentation continued and the student discussed the animals they found, they could add animal sounds to be heard as the pictures of the animals are shown. The student could even record his or her own voice to narrorate their presentation. Digital audio editing is a fun tool to use to explore sound and enhance learning.
The use of productivity software should be taught at a very young age as it is a valuable tool for all students in many subject areas. Spreadsheets can be used in elementary education to assist students in math and can also be used to organize information into visual charts, and graphs as they study. Through the ability to perform calculation and create graphs students can begin to understand and visualize common patterns and trends in the information they find. After creating a spreadsheet, and collecting information, it can be stored in a database. As stated in the book, this could be a wonderful tool to use for fourth graders when learning the 50 states, their flowers, animals, birds, and populations. Once this information is in a database and sperated into fields, students can pull querys based on the information and find similarities amongst the 50 states. How many states have the same state bird? What state has the lowest population? What state has the highest population? Not only are students learning how to use these tools when learning spreadsheets and databases but also creating ways to learn information that every student learns at a fourth grade level just in a more efficient way.
As for digital audio editing, a fourth grade student could have a lot of fun with this tool. Sounds and songs and poems and writings are commonly shared around this age. When I was younger I made up songs about all types of things and even sang my regular sentences at times. Writing poems were an effective way of relaying my emotions and creativity. In fourth grade children are begining to understand their personalities and learning how to express themselves. I loved to explore and hike and see what I'd find outside when I was younger. In a school setting, digital audio editing could be used as a tool for students to collect information for a presentation. Maybe a student wants to read a poem he/she wrote about a river they were researching in science class. This could be a creative way to open a powerpoint presentation about the animal life found in the rivers natural setting. As the presentation continued and the student discussed the animals they found, they could add animal sounds to be heard as the pictures of the animals are shown. The student could even record his or her own voice to narrorate their presentation. Digital audio editing is a fun tool to use to explore sound and enhance learning.
HOW CAN STUDENT USE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOFTWARE HELP IMPROVE SCORES ON STATE TESTS?
State testing is an important topic in our school sytems and incredibly important to focus on. As teachers we want to be able to give our students every available tool they can have to assist with this. In the software we have studied in chapter 4, there are multiple forms that could assist with improving test scores such as research software. If given guided instruction and key topics to research, students can use the internet to study topics necessary for state tests. Communication software can also be used for this purpose. Through discussion boards, blogs, wikipedia, podcasts and other forms of communication software, students could gather information needed for testing. There are problem solving software out there as well specific to the information needed for testing as well as educational software. If students are given clear instruction about what is needing to be studied for state tests, almost all of the software we covered in chapter four could be used to improve scores.
State testing is an important topic in our school sytems and incredibly important to focus on. As teachers we want to be able to give our students every available tool they can have to assist with this. In the software we have studied in chapter 4, there are multiple forms that could assist with improving test scores such as research software. If given guided instruction and key topics to research, students can use the internet to study topics necessary for state tests. Communication software can also be used for this purpose. Through discussion boards, blogs, wikipedia, podcasts and other forms of communication software, students could gather information needed for testing. There are problem solving software out there as well specific to the information needed for testing as well as educational software. If students are given clear instruction about what is needing to be studied for state tests, almost all of the software we covered in chapter four could be used to improve scores.
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