Instructional Software

Week 4 – Instructional Software 

This week the focus was on instructional software. Instructional software is defined as “a general term for computer programs designed specifically to deliver instruction or assist with the delivery of instruction on a topic” (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p.77). In this chapter several types of instructional software were mentioned. The types of software mentioned were drill and practice, tutorial, simulation, instructional game, and problem solving (Roblyer &Doering, 2013, p.78-79). Each software function helps teachers help students learn in different ways.
 Drill and Practice
“Drill and practice software functions provides exercises in which students work example items, usually one at a time, and receive feedback on their correctness” (Roblyer &Doering, 2013, p.81). Students need the immediate feedback so they won’t continue to remember wrong answers. A drill and practice software I have used in my class is www.starfall.com. The activities allow the students to practice math, reading, and phonics skills that have been taught. The starfall site is used weekly in my class for review. Each student will have an opportunity to go to the site during centers.
 Tutorial 
“Tutorial software is an entire instructional sequence on a topic, similar to a teacher’s classroom instruction” (Roblyer &Doering, 2013, p.86). Tutorial software is built to make the student feel as if the teacher was teaching. Tutorial software gives students help that includes one or more activities to check the comprehension of the student. “Tutorials are categorized as linear or branching. The linear tutorial gives the same instructional sequence of explanation, practice, and feedback to all learners regardless of differences in performance” (Roblyer &Doering, 2013, p.87). “Branching directs learners along alternate paths depending on how they respond to questions and weather they show mastery of certain parts of the material” (Roblyer &Doering, 2013, p.87). A type of tutorial software I have used is http://www.spellingcity.com. This program has free components as well as full site access for a price. This site helps students read and spell words. This is a site used weekly in my class to help with spelling words for the weekly test. The students will listen to the words as well as spell them from the site. We also review the definitions of the words for better comprehension. This site helps my struggling readers better prepare for the weekly test.
Simulation 
“Simulation is a computerized model of a real or imagined system that is designed to teach how the system works” (Roblyer &Doering, 2013, p.90). There are two types of simulations. There are the simulations that teach about something which are the physical and iterative simulations, and the simulations that teach how to do something which are the procedural and situational simulations. Simulation software I could use in my class is http://primarygames.com. The games on this site allow students to feel as though they are really taking part in this real life experience. It brings the outside world into the classroom. Students will be able to play games of different professions in the classroom.
 Instructional Games
"Instructional games are games that add game-like rules /or competition to learning activities" (Roblyer &Doering, 2013, p.94). Instructional games are a little different because they promote the challenge of competition and winning. The software used in my class is http://www.fun4thebrain.com. The games allow the students to practice addition, subtraction. The quick feedback helps the students recognize what they doing wrong and it pushes them to get correct answers. On these particular games if the student doesn’t answer enough right answers they are unable to play the video game portion of the drill. These games really engage the students because they are so eager to begin playing the video part. The class will play fun4thebrain after a fact family has been taught to continue review of the concept.
Problem-Solving
 “Problem-solving software functions may focus on fostering component skill and approaches to general problem-solving ability, or provide opportunities to practice solving various kinds of content-area problems” (Roblyer &Doering, 2013, p.99). I would like to use http://www.pbskids.com.The games will help my students utilize the three important parts of the software acknowledging their goal, mental activity, and processing the information. There are games on the site that can help review reading and science skills that have been taught.
Integrated Learning Systems
 “Integrated learning systems are networked or on-line systems that provide both computer- based instructions and track and report on student progress” (Roblyer &Doering, 2013, p.102). At my old school we used the Scott Foresman Reading Street reading series. With that series we would use the http://www.pearsonsuccessnet.com which would consist of test and activities to track student progress. The students would take their weekly reading test on this site. The site gave the students immediate feedback after the test was complete. This site truly helped the teachers to see what needed to be retaught. The site graphed the progress of each child for each test that was taken.
Using instructional software in the classroom is a useful tool. It allows the teacher to help the students in an engaging fun way. The different software allows students to work and understand concepts on their own individual levels.