Week 3

Over the years research has shown that computer software offers many avenues for valuable teaching aids and supplements.  Instructional software are computer programs created to help the student understand the material being taught.  There are five different types of instructional software:  drill and practice, tutorial, simulation, instructional game, and problem solving.

Drill and Practice
This type of instructional software provides students with practice, usually one problem at a time, with answer feedback.  Drill and practice activities can aid in the transferring of new skills and information into long-term memory.  Four types of drill functions include flash card activities, chart activities, branching drills, and extensive feedback activities.  This method can be used to supplement or even replace printed worksheets or pencil and paper exercises.  Another advantage of drill and practice is used for test preparation.  An example of Drill and Practice software is AdaptedMind.

http://adaptedmind.com/

Tutorial
This type of instructional software provides the student with an all-encompassing lesson, complete with step-by-step instruction along with drill-and-practice activities.  A prerequisite for using a tutorial is being able to read.  Tutorials are a good choice for instruction when remediation on a skill is needed or when advanced students are ready to move forward.  An example of Tutorial software is an option at Coolmath4kids.

http://www.coolmath4kids.com/0-arithmetic-help-lessons-practice.html

Simulation
Simulations are realistic or imaginary models that provide an example of how something works.  Simulations differ from drills and practice and tutorials in that students choose which project to complete and the sequence of events.  The benefits of simulations include compressing time, slowing of time, student involvement, safe experimentation for less money, the impossible becoming possible, repeating experiments with different variables, and complex processes becoming observable.  An example of Simulation software is  found at Educational Simulations.

http://www.techtrekers.com/sim.htm

Instructional Game
Instructional games connect gaming, entertainment, and education for the purpose of fun and adequate instruction.  Instructional games differ from drill-and-practice activities in that the games have sets of rules, competition, and engaging formats.  A popular example of an Instructional Game is FunBrain.

http://www.funbrain.com/

Problem-Solving
The final type of instructional software provides challenges for the students to encourage them to investigate the topic further.  Problem-solving software also helps to strengthen the student's ability to solve problems while giving them ample opportunities for practice.  An example of Problem-Solving is MathStories.

http://www.mathstories.com/