Teaching Roles for Instructional Software Eric Sharp EDMS 6474

What is Instructional Software?  Instructional software is the term used for computer programs used to deliver instruction or to assist with the delivery of instruction.  Teaching Roles for Instructional Software:  Drill-and-Practice  Tutorial  Simulation  Instructional Game  Problem Solving

Drill-and-Practice Teaching Functions  Exercises in which students work example items and receive feedback on their corrections.  Feedback can range from an “OK” to elaborate displays or verbal explanations.  Some programs will present the next item if answered correctly.

Types of Drill and Practice  Flash card activity  Program responds with either positive or negative feedback  Chart fill-in activities  Receive feedback all at once  Branching drill  Can give feedback before letting students move on to the next level  Extensive feedback activities  Give detailed feedback on why students got the problem wrong

Drill and Practice Benefits  Immediate feedback  Increased motivation  Saving teacher time Limitations  Instructional overuse or misuse  Criticism by constructivists

Drill and Practice Strategies  Supplement and/or replace worksheets and homework excersises  Prepare for tests Guidlines  Set time limits  Use only after teaching the cocepts  Assign individually  Use learning stations

Tutorial Teaching Functions  Software with an entire instructional sequence on a topic, similar to a teacher’s classroom instruction.  Usually expected to be a self-contained instructional unit rather than a supplement to other instruction.  Tutorials are true teaching materials.  Linear tutorials-gives the same instructional sequence of explanation, practice, and feedback to all learners.  Branching tutorials-directs learners along alternate paths depending on how they respond to questions.

Tutorial Software  Well-designed tutorial software programs should meet the following standards:  Extensive interactivity  Thorough user control  Appropriate pedagogy  Adequate answer-judging and feedback capabilities  Appropriate graphics and/or video  Adequate recordkeeping

Tutorial Software Benefits  Immediate private feedback  Time saver  Offers instruction that can stand on its own Limitations  Criticism by constructivists  Lack of well-designed products

Simulation  Computerized model of a real or imagined system that is designed to teach how the system works.  Different from drill and practice and tutorial activities in the teaching structure is built into the package.  Simulations that teach about something:  Physical simulations  Iterative simulations  Simulations that teach how to do something:  Procedural simulations  Situational simulation

Simulations Benefits  Compresses time or slows down processes  Gets students involved  Makes experimentation safe  Makes the impossible possible  Saves money and other resources  Allows repetition with variations  Allows observation of complex processes Limitations  Criticism of virtual lab software  Accuracy of models  Instructional misuse

Instructional Games  Software products that add game-like rules and/or competition to learning activities.  Different then drill and practice or simulation software in that games require a different software function because of their different instructional meaning to students.

Good Instructional Games  Appealing and appropriate formats and activities  Instructional value  Physical dexterity is reasonable  Social, societal, and cultural considerations are adressed

Instructional Games Benefits  Provides fun environment  Provide teachers with opportunities for students to want to play games and still cover curriculum  Make learning more engaging and motivational Limitations  Learning versus having fun  Confusion of game rules and real- life rules  Inefficient learning  Classroom barriers

Problem Solving Functions  Similar to simulations and instructional games, but their main focus is to help teach problem-solving skills.  Two main approaches:  Content-area problem-solving skills  Content-free problem-solving skills

Problem Solving Benefits  Promotes visualization in mathematics problem solving  Improves interest and motivation  Prevents inert knowledge by illustrating situations in which skills apply Limitations  Names versus skills  Software claims versus effectiveness  Lack of skill transfer

Personalized Learning Systems  Computer-based management programs that:  Assess individual student learning needs using complex algorithms and collections of data across students  Provide a customized instructional experience matched to each student  Qualities of that are characteristic of PLSs:  Adaptive assessment  Curriculum matched to Common Core State Standards  Reports on individual and group progress  Multiple learning media

Personalized Learning Systems Benefits  Accurate assessments based on a database of test data across groups  Links progress and curriculum to CCSs  Personalized instructional prescriptions matched to student needs  Summary progress data help meet teacher/district accountability requirements Limitations  No major differences in classrooms using PLSs and traditional materials and methods

Teaching Roles for Instructional Software CharacteristicsBenefits Drill and Practice Presents items for students to answer Gives feedback on correctness Sometimes gives explanation of why answers are incorrect Gives Immediate, private feedback Motivates students to practice Saves the teacher time correcting student work Tutorial Presents an entire instructional sequence Is complete, rather than supplemental, instruction Includes drill-and-practice functions Can be linear or branching Same as drill and practice(immediate private feedback, time savings) Offers instruction that can stand on its own Simulations Models a real or imaginary system Can model physical phenomena, procedures, and hypothetical situations Users can see the impact of their actions Compresses time or slows down processes Gets students involved Makes experimentation safe Makes the impossible possible Saves money and other resources Allows repetition with variations Allows observation of complex processes Instructional Games Adds game-like rules and/or competition to learning activities Possess different instructional meaning to students than drill and practice or simulation software Provides fun environment Provide teachers with opportunities for students to want to play games and still cover curriculum Make learning more engaging and motivational Problem-Solving Software Four types: 1.Tools to help students solve problems 2.Environments that challenge students to create solutions to complex problems 3.Problems to help develop component problem- solving skills (recalling facts) 4.Opportunities for practice in solving content- area problems Challenging activities motivate students to spend more time on the topic Prevents inert knowledge by illustrating situations in which skills apply

References  Roblyer, M. (2015). Integrating educational technology into teaching (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson.