Introduction to Educational Software

1. Introduction to Educational Software C. Candace Chou University of St. Thomas

2. Drill and Practice • Programs present materials to be learned through repetition • The cycle: • An item is selected. • The item is displayed. • The learner responds. • The program judges the response. • The learner receives feedback about the response. • Examples: • Flashcard Queuing, games, vocabulary exercises, etc.

3. Advantages and disadvantages of Drill and Practice • Advantages • Competition (against other learners, the computer, oneself, the clock) • Cooperative learning (team effort) • Multiple modes and display variety • Goal setting and scoring • Reinforcement of basic skills • Immediate feedback • Disadvantages • Drill and kill (from overuse)

4. Tutorials • Tutorials present materials that has been previously taught or present new materials learned in an individual setting. • Difference between tutorials and drills • Tutorials offer more than questions and feedback. • In tutorials, learners gain new concept in similar fashion of learning from a teacher • Types • Linear tutorials provide the same instructional sequence of explanation, practice, and feedback to all learners regardless individual differences. • Branching tutorials direct students to certain lesson or parts of a lesson according to students responses to pretests or posttests.

5. Advantages and Disadvantages of Tutorials • Advantages • Provide learner control • Motivation (alternative learning strategies) • Self-paced reviews of instruction • Instruction when teachers are unavailable • Disadvantages • Difficult to design • Expensive to develop • Unavailable in many topic areas

6. Simulations • Simulation is a computerized model of a real or imagined system designed to teach how a system works • Difference from other programs • Learners must create their own sequence (including learning tasks and order ) for using simulations • Types • Those that teach about something (Physical & Iterative) • Those that teach how to do something (Procedural & Situational) • (Roblyer, 2002)

7. Advantages and Disadvantages of Simulations • Advantages • Motivation • Transfer of learning • Efficiency • Flexibility • Disadvantages • Concerns over accuracy

8. Instructional Games • Instructional games are courseware whose function is to increase motivation by adding game rules to leaning activities. • Types • Adventure and role-playing games • Business games • Board games • Combat games • Logic games and puzzles • Word games • Characteristics: goals, rules, fantasy, challenge, fantasy, safety

9. Issues in Instructional Games • Conflict between educational goals and the characteristics of games • Efficiency of learning in games • Disagreement about whether games are intrinsic or extrinsic motivators • Educator’s negative beliefs about games

10. Evaluation Guidelines for Educational Software I 1. Documentation • Is the manual included? • Are the instructions clear and easy to read? • Are goals and objectives clearly stated? • Are suggested lesson plans or activities included? • Are other resource materials included?

11. Evaluation Guidelines for Educational Software II 2. Ease of Use • Is minimum knowledge needed to run the program? • Are potential errors trapped? • Is text easily readable on the monitor screen? • Can the user skip on-screen direction? • Can the student use the program without teacher intervention?

12. Evaluation Guidelines for Educational Software III 3. Content • Is the content appropriate to the curriculum? • Is the content accurate? • Is the content free of age, gender, and ethnic bias or discrimination? • Is the presentation of the information interesting and does it encourage a high degree of student involvement? • Is the content free of grammar and punctuation error? • In a simulation, is the content realistic?

13. Evaluation Guidelines for Educational Software VI 4. Performance • Does the program reach its stated goal? • Is the goal worthwhile? • Does the program follow sound educational techniques? • Does the program make proper and effective use of graphics and sound? • Does the program present appropriate reinforcement for correct replies? • Does the program handle incorrect responses appropriately?

14. Evaluation Guidelines for Educational Software V 5. Versatility • Can the program be used in a variety of ways? • Can the user control the rate of presentations? • Can the user control the sequence of the lesson? • Can the user control the level of difficulty? • Can the user review previous information? • Can the user enter and exit at various points? • In a tutorial, is the user tested and placed at the proper entry level? • In a simulation, can the instructor change random and control factors?

15. Evaluation Guidelines for Educational Software VI 6. Data Collection • Is the program’s data collection and management system easy to use? • Can student data be summarized in tables and charts? • Is the student’s privacy and data security ensured? • (from Forcier and Descy, 2002) • 7. Technical requirements • Are the required platform, operating system, peripherals (mic, headphones, printer, Internet) specified? • Are the text, graphic, video and audio presentations clear?

16. Seven Steps to Software Selection • Analyze needs • Specify requirements • Identify promising software • Read relevant reviews • Preview software • Make recommendations • Get post-use feedback • (from Komoski, 1995)

17. Software Evaluation Procedure • Identify needs • Locate titles • Complete hands-on reviews • Collect student reviews • (from Roblyer, 2002)

18. Overview of a Model for Design and Development I • Development Methodology • Pre-production • Create storyboards with review cycles to establish adherence to technical and instructional standards • Production • Create and assemble media elements according to the storyboards and course-development standards

19. Design and Development II • Post-production and quality review • Perform technical reviews, debug, and test the programmed lessons for a adherence to the storyboards and programming standards. • Delivery or implementation

20. Design and Development • Phase 1 - Planning • Define the scope • Identify learner characteristics • Establish the constraints • Cost the project • Produce a planning document • Produce a style manual • Determine and collect resources • Conduct initial brainstorming • Define the look and feel • Obtain client sign-off

21. Design and Development • Phase II - Design • Develop initial content ideas • Conduct task and concept analysis • Do a preliminary program description • Prepare a prototype • Create flowcharts and storyboards • Prepare scripts • Obtain client sign-off

22. Design and Development • Phase III - Development • Prepare the text • Write program code • Create the graphics • Produce audio and video • Assemble the pieces • Prepare support materials • Do an alpha test (done by the design/develop team) • Make revisions • Do a beta test (by the client) • Make final revisions • Validate the program (from Allessi & Trollip, 2001)

23. References • Alessi & Trollip, (2001). Multimedia for Learning • Forcier & Descy (2002). The computer as an Educational Tool: Productivity and Problem Solving • Golebiewski, M. Evaluating Software • Komoski (1995). Seven steps to responsible software selection. • Roblyer (2002), Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching