*Ba-dum-tss*
I had to pull a Tiffany and make a joke to start things off today.
Our text tells us that "the computer's role in instruction is to serve as a resource for rich learning experiences, giving students the power to influence the depth and direction of their learning" (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008, p. 103).
In this blog post, I will share with you five types of software that can be used in the classroom.
My first example of classroom software is word processing software.
Word processing software lets the user create a text document and type whatever they want to. I use Microsoft Word 2010 and Google Docs, both word processors, daily to write assignments for my classes. This software is for the most part user-friendly. If you know how to use a keyboard, you will be able to master the basics of word processing software. For teachers, word processing software can be used to create lesson plans, tests and quizzes, worksheets, concept maps, and more. For students, the software can be used for its thesaurus function, to write essays and book reports, and to create class newsletters, to name a few things (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008, p. 104-105).
The second type of software is drawing/graphic software.
Drawing or graphic software has many purposes, such as to "make drawing even more pleasurable", to "prepare complex visuals", and "to manipulate digital photos...to make the images more appropriate for a particular purpose" (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008, p. 105-106). Several examples of this software are given in the text, such as KidPix and PhotoDeluxe by Adobe. One way drawing and graphic software can be used by teachers is to illustrate a concept during a lesson, such as the greenhouse effect. A few ways students can use this software are to illustrate a story they have written, to create a rough sketch of an invention, and to simply express themselves.
Presentation software is another type of software used in the classroom.
Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell state that "with the computer connected to a digital projector, it is possible to create colorful and animated slides" (2008, p. 106). Presentation software allows the user to create presentations made up of slides with photos and text on them. Popular presentation software includes PowerPoint by Windows and Keynote by Apple, though there are a few websites for creating presentations that are growing in popularity, such as Prezi. The main way slideshows are used in the classroom is by teachers presenting the main content of a lesson. Slideshows can be used by students to present reports and even to create digital storybooks. This software is great for visual learners but the final product is not very interactive.
A fourth example of classroom software is role-playing or simulation software.
Our text showcases Tom Snyder Productions' Decisions, Decisions software. This software gives the user scenarios in which they have to make a choice about a moral dilemma with the help of their peers. Role-playing or simulation software encourages students to consider real-life problems and lets them ask themselves how they would react in different situations. The software can be used to build teamwork skills and would be a great supplemental tool during social studies.
The last software I will share is graphing calculator and spreadsheet software.
Graphing calculator software allows students "to solve complex mathematical calculations...with increased power and speed" (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008, p. 107). Many computers have this software available for download, but you can also just buy a graphing calculator such as the one above. If you get the software on a computer, though, there is the added bonus of being able to print the graphs you create. Spreadsheets let students "prepare sets of data collected as part of a project" (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2008, p. 107). Teachers can use spreadsheets to keep track of attendance, student or parent contact information, and many other things as well. Students can use spreadsheets to keep track of personal finances, homework assignments, or to keep track of data in a research project.
I hope that you have enjoyed learning about software in the classroom. There are many software options available today, both on computers and on tablets (called applications or apps).
REFERENCES
4th Grade Word Magnet Board. 2004. Web. 20 Jan. 2016.Bruno, Christopher. Graphing Calculator 2. 2003. Web. 21 Jan. 2016.
Dilrosun, Haroen. Graphic, Or Design For Cloths. 2006. Web. 20 Jan. 2016.
Geertsma, Jan Willem. Business Team. Web. 20 Jan. 2016.
Minasi, Elias. Choices. 2002. Web. 21 Jan. 2016.
Nagy, Miroslav. Drums For Music. 2005. Web. 20 Jan. 2016.
Smaldino, S., Lowther, D., & Russell, J. (2008). Exploring 21st Century Learning. In Instructional technology and media for learning (9th ed., p. 103-). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.
This is a great summary of the types of software. It is a reminder of how many resources are available to teachers--often free. You should try Prezi. It is very easy to use and you can sign up for a free account as a student. If you go to the Prezi website, on the right hand side, you will see the link to the educator/student choices and then you can choose free. Prezi will verify your Barclay email and then you can set up an account. It is very easy to use! And fun!
ReplyDeleteAbbey, I think you did such a great job laying it all out for us. I feel like I am pretty well acquainted with the five different types of software and I still feel like I learned something from your blog post. I have never used Prezi but I have heard a lot about it. I am thinking about trying it out this semester with all of these projects that we have. Thank you for being so thorough and so fun!
ReplyDeleteJanyne, I have only used Prezi once or twice for a class presentation (with my classmates' guidance, ha ha). I might try to use it for future classroom presentations though, since we seem to have a lot of them in the ed department :) I am more comfortable using PowerPoint, but I know it is good to move out of my comfort zone fairly often too.
ReplyDeleteMelynda, thank you for your encouragement! I enjoy reading your blog posts as well.
Ahhhhh. Comfort zone and technology--new technologies move into place so quickly that even the most adept can be challenged! :-)
DeleteAbbey, this post is really well thought out, and very well explained! Your work is always easy to understand--and interesting, which is sometimes even more difficult to achieve!
ReplyDeleteI only have one complaint: that pun... ;)