Relative Advantage of Instructional Software

I learned to type in Typing class at Gresham Union High School in 1984.  The classroom was filled with small desks and chairs, and on each desk sat a heavy, black electric typewriter without any letters or numbers on the keys.  Next to each typewriter sat a stack of white paper, which we used for typing on.  While we sat in our chairs in the proper position, the teacher would say loudly “F F F space J J J space…”.  We hit each key as she spoke.  That classroom and keyboard teaching method no longer exists. 

Typewriters have been replaced by computer keyboards, sometimes covered with a special cover so the numbers and letters cannot be seen.  Now teachers use Instructional Software designed to teach students as young as kindergarten to type by touch. There are several types of Instructional Software that can, when used appropriately, enhance learning for all students in all grade levels and subjects (Roblyer and Doering, 2013).   The following are Instructional Software types:

·         Tutorials provide very precise instruction on skills.  Tutorials come very close to replacing a teacher as the instructions are normally detailed and step-by-step. For example, keyboarding tutorials demonstrate proper posture and hand position for keyboarding.  However, teachers should not completely rely on the tutorial and continue to monitor and reinforce those skills.

·         Drill & Practice software helps teach students to keyboard (an important hard skill) through exercises which provide for drill and practice.

·         Games can also be used to help teach skills. Students have fun learning and practicing new skills in a fun environment which offers rewards for achieving new levels. Some games are designed to be played individually where students compete with themselves. Others provide competition with others, while some are designed to be played in teams.

·         Simulations provide virtual environments where students can learn skills through performance, experiment, dissection, and testing ideas. Simulation environments can vary in detail from somewhat realistic (dissecting a frog) to very realistic (as in a flight simulator). Simulations can also speed up or slow down time which is valuable in that things that normally couldn’t be seen by the naked eye, are now in plain sight.

·         Problem-Solving software offers an environment where students have the opportunity to create solutions for complicated problems.  In the process, students are learning valuable problem-solving skills which can cross over all school subjects.

The Relative Advantages to using Instructional Software include:

• ·         Motivating students to learn through providing interactive learning environments.
• ·         Providing instant feedback.
• ·         Students can advance at their own pace.
• ·         Fosters exploration.
• ·         Saving teacher time
• ·         Teaching cooperative group working skills (as in team games or simulations)

To see further examples of Instructional Software and their relative advantages, please view presentation above.

References

Roblyer, M., & Doering, A. (2013). Integration Educational Technology into Teaching (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.