Unit 5: Using Instructional Software in Teaching and Learning
Drill and Practice Activities
The well-designed drill and practice programs should have the following elements:
Control over the presentation rate.
Appropriate feedback for correct answers.
Better reinforcement for correct answers.
Most basic drill and practice functions are often described as a flashcard activity.
Using Drill and Practice Software in Teaching
Immediate feedback
Motivation
Saving teacher time
In place of or supplemental to worksheets and homework
In preparation for tests
Tutorial Activities
Tutorials are used to deliver entire instructional sequences similar to a teacher’s classroom instruction.
Courseware focuses on the acquisition stage of learning.
Tutorials are often categorized as linear and branching (Alessi and Trollip,1991).
A linear tutorial gives its user the same instructional sequence of explanation, practice, and feedback regardless of differences in user performance (IETIT p.89).
Some tutorials have computer-management capabilities. Data collection and management features make tutorials more useful to teachers.
The Elements of Well-Designed Tutorial Programs
Tutorials are geared toward learners who can read fairly well and usually older students or adults.
Extensive interactivity.
Thorough user control.
Appropriate and comprehensive teaching sequences.
Adequate answer-judging and feedback capabilities.
Tutorials (teacher-directed methods) deliver traditional instruction in skills rather than letting students create learning experiences through generative exercises and project development.
Tutorials in Teaching:
Self-paced reviews of instruction
An alternative learning strategy.
Permit instruction when teachers are unavailable.
Simulation Activities
A simulation is a computerized model of a real or imagined system designed to teach how a certain system or a similar one works(IETIT p93).
Simulations differ from tutorial and drill and practice activities because they provide less structured and more learner-directed activities.
Types of Simulations
Physical simulations:
Users manipulate objects
Process simulations:
Usually use for biological simulations
Procedural simulations:
Used for medical or mechanical problems and flight simulators
Situational simulations:
Hypothetical problem situations & reactions to them
Using Simulations in Teaching
Compress time.
Slow down processes.
Get students involved.
Make experimentation safe.
Make the impossible possible.
Save money and other resources.
Repeat with variations.
Make situations controllable.
Supplement or replace lab experiments.
Instructional Games
Games are usually listed as a separate form of courseware because their instructional connotation to students is slightly different. (IETIT p99).
The function of a games is to hold student’s attention or supply a reward for accomplishing other activities.
Types of Games
1.Adventure
2.Arcade
3.Board
4.Cards
5.Combat
6.Logic
7.Role-playing
8.TV quizzes.
9.Word
Instructional Game Issues
Many educators believe that games, especially computer-based ones, are overused and misused (McGinley, 1990).
Others believe that games convince students that they are “escaping from learning,” and games draw attention away from learning.
Problems with Games & their use in Teaching
Other teachers worry that students can become confused about which part of the activity is the game and which part is the skill they are learning.
Difficulty transferring skills to non-game situations.
Teaching with Games:
Replacement for worksheets and exercises
Foster cooperation and group work
As a reward
Problem-Solving Courseware
Synonyms term for problem-solving include: critical thinking, thinking skills, higher level thinking, higher-order cognitive outcomes, reasoning, use of logic, decision making, and inference skills.
Mayes (1992)- “ teaching-sequenced planning to solve problems to high ability learners could interfere with their own effective processing”(p101).
Six Steps to help Teachers Integrate P-S Courseware
Identify problem-solving skills or general capabilities to build or foster:
Solving one or more kinds of content – area problems.
Using a scientific approach to problem solving.
Components of problem solving.
Decide on a series of activities that would help teach the desired skills.
Examine courseware to locate materials that closely match the desired abilities.
Determine where the courseware fits into the teaching sequence.
Demonstrate the courseware and the steps to follow in solving problems.
Build in transfer activities and make students aware of the skills they are using in the courseware (IETIT p103).
Seven Steps for Integrating Problem-Solving Courseware
Allow students sufficient time to explore and interact with the software; provide some structure in the form of directions, goals, a work schedule, and organized times for sharing and discussing results.
Vary the amount of direction and assistance depending on the needs of each student.
Promote a “ reflective learning environment;” let students talk about their work and the methods they use.
Stress thinking processes rather than correct answers.
Point out the relationship of courseware skills and activities to other kinds of problem solving.
Let students work together in pairs or small group.
If assessments are done, use alternatives to traditional paper-and pencil tests (IETIT p105).
Required Instructional Design and Pedagogy
Appropriate teaching strategy, based on best-known methods
Presentations contains nothing that misleads or confuses students
Comments that are not abusive or insulting
Readability at an appropriate level for students
Graphics that are not distracting to learners.
Required for Content
No grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors on the screen
Accurate, up-to date content
No racial or gender stereotypes
Social characteristics exhibiting sensitivity to moral values
Required for User Flexibility
User has some control of movement within the program
User can Can turn off sound, if desired
Required Technical Soundness
Program loads consistently, without error
Program does not break, no matter what the student enters
Drill and Practice Activities
Using Drill and Practice Software in Teaching
Tutorial Activities
The Elements of Well-Designed Tutorial Programs
Tutorials are geared toward learners who can read fairly well and usually older students or adults.
Simulation Activities
Types of Simulations
Users manipulate objects
Usually use for biological simulations
Used for medical or mechanical problems and flight simulators
Hypothetical problem situations & reactions to them
Using Simulations in Teaching
Instructional Games
Types of Games
1.Adventure
2.Arcade
3.Board
4.Cards
5.Combat
6.Logic
7.Role-playing
8.TV quizzes.
9.Word
Instructional Game Issues
Problems with Games & their use in Teaching
Problem-Solving Courseware
Six Steps to help Teachers Integrate P-S Courseware
Seven Steps for Integrating Problem-Solving Courseware
Required Instructional Design and Pedagogy
Required for Content
Required for User Flexibility
Required Technical Soundness
Optional Student Use Criteria
Optional Teacher Use Criteria
Optional Presentation Criteria
Optional Technical Criteria
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