1. Guidelines for Selecting Computer Software
4/9/2019
Presenter: Karla E. Jones

2. Evaluating Computer Software
Instructional Design
Software Design
Other Criteria
Instructional Design
Well research?
Is is based on sound learning theory
Does it promote skills important for 21st century learners?
Challenging?
Can students create their own pathways to learning
Adaptive
Culturally aware
Appropriate awards
Software Design
Age appropriate graphics
Multimedia elements that promote learning
Ease of use by students
Technically sound
Other Criteria
Pricing
Technical Support
4/9/2019
Presenter: Karla E. Jones

3. Presenter: Karla E. Jones
Content
Instructional Objectives
Purpose of the software
Lessons and instructions should be sequenced
Instructional Objectives, Purpose, and Sequence
The content should match the curriculum
The objectives should be clearly stated
Think about what subject you are teaching and if the skills within the subject match the software
4/9/2019
Presenter: Karla E. Jones

4. Presenter: Karla E. Jones
Instruction
Should follow sound educational techniques and principles
Positive reinforcement
Time spent learning
Performance summaries
Sound techniques and principles
There should be frequent feedback for the skills being taught
Positive reinforcement
The feedback should be effective for both correct and incorrect responses
Time spent learning
The amount of learning should justify the time spent by learners
Performance summaries
Should contain time on task and the results of any assessment
Learning paths and response patterns
Ex: Phonics Alive
Ex: Orchard Software
4/9/2019
Presenter: Karla E. Jones

5. Presenter: Karla E. Jones
Student
“Life of the learner”
Prerequisite skills and learner characteristics should be clearly indicated
Text and audio should be present at a reading level appropriate for users
Life of the Leaner
The software should include examples that are relevant to the learner
Prerequisite Skills
These should be clearly indicated
You don’t want to start your students on a program that they are not ready for
4/9/2019
Presenter: Karla E. Jones

6. Presenter: Karla E. Jones
Operation
User friendly
Manual
Changes to presentation, sequence, or selection of lessons should be explained clearly
User friendly
On screen instructions should be simple, clear, and concise.
Manual
The manual should contain all of the on screen instructions, but with more detail
You shouldn’t have to pick up the manual every time you use the software
Sidebar – some teachers think that good software requires minimum computer skills from the learner. This is not so. Good computer skills is essential to using software. It saves time. More time can be spent on content instead of teaching students how to open and close a program. This goes back to the prerequisite skills.
Changes to Presentation
This should be illustrated in through menu instructions or in the manual
4/9/2019
Presenter: Karla E. Jones

7. Presenter: Karla E. Jones
Design
Color, graphics, animation, and sound
Text
Commands
All of these should maintain the students interest without being distracted.
EX: Web Pages. Teach students the layout of a typical web page
It’s kind of like teaching a child to read. When a student looks at a book for the first time. They don’t know what spaces are and that they separate words and that a punctuation mark is the end of that particular statement. These things must be taught before a child even attempt to read a sentence, even if they can decode words.
Text should be clear. This is accomplished by using the right size, color, and screen
Students should know how to use commands. Ex: ESC
They should know when to type and when to click their mouse.
4/9/2019
Presenter: Karla E. Jones

8. Presenter: Karla E. Jones
Package
Should be easy to integrate into the curriculum
Lesson plans, grouping arrangements, student workbooks, follow-up activities, and projects
Flexibility
Lesson plans, grouping, arrangements, student workbooks
The importance of these items vary from course to course
The needs of the students may be different. You may need a package of software that allows students to move about easily and as they wish.
Other times, you may need software that is more structured
So flexibility is important
4/9/2019
Presenter: Karla E. Jones

9. Presenter: Karla E. Jones
Other Factors
Do a little research by asking other teachers, parents, and students about their favorite software
Ask for a demo
Select items that bring fun and learning together
Decision-making, creating, communicating, and using thinking skills
Several levels of difficulty
Hardware components
Do research, ask for a demo
Never buy software without testing it first.
Some demos are flawed. Ask for a satisfaction guarantee.
I attended a software presentation with for our district. The audience was technology facilitators and the C and I Department……
4/9/2019
Presenter: Karla E. Jones

10. Presenter: Karla E. Jones
References
4/9/2019
Presenter: Karla E. Jones