More than Just Lines on a Map: Best Practices for U.S Bike Routes
Instructional software
1. Instructional Software
Drill and
Simulations
Practice
Empowers teachers
Designed to give or assist with delivery of
instruction or a topic
Instructional
Tutorials Problem
Games
Solving
2. Relative Advantages
Build automaticity Interactive
Gain problem solving skills Provides differentiation
Motivating Puts students in charge
Engaging Saves resources
Self paced Allows repetition
Immediate feedback Makes experiments safe
Provides modeling Entertaining
Time saving Appealing formats
Foster Exploration
3. Drill and Practice
This type of software functions provides students with problems
to work, and immediate feedback is given. A flash card activity
is the most popular drill and practice activity. Questions are pre-
sented one at a time, the student types the answer, and positive
or negative feedback is given. Chart fill-in activities presents
students with several questions on a chart and they receive
feedback all at once. Branching drills moves students to more
difficult questions after they get a number of questions correct.
Extensive feedback programs give more detailed feedback as to
why the problem is wrong.
4. Drill and Practice
This site would be used to
Planet Blaster
assign
a specific skill
that pairs with a common
core standard.
Word Confusion This is a great practice to
determine
the correct use of homonyms
in sentences.
Flash Card Creation Site
5. Tutorials
This software is designed to act like a human. Students should
be able to learn the concept without help. Students usually
need to be able to read as well. Teachers should assign
tutorials individually and use learning stations. Tutorials are
different than other software because they are designed to
be true teaching material. A linear tutorial gives the same
instruction, regardless of ability level. A branching tutorial
directs learners depending on their performance.
6. Tutorials
Congress for Kids
This site teaches
students Use these tutorial
about citizenship and choices
to differentiate
the branches of and provide
government reinforcement for
skills that have not
been mastered yet.
Smart Tutor
7. Simulations
Simulation software models systems to demonstrate
underlying concepts. Students explore and generate
knowledge as they choose tasks. Procedural simulations
teach the steps to perform certain procedures. Situational
simulations ask students to react to hypothetical problem
situations.
8. Simulations
City Creator Foss Web
Use this module to explore
Use this simulation to reinforce
changes from solids to
concepts that were learned
liquids,
during a unit on communities.
liquids to gas, etc.
9. Instructional Games
Game software is designed to increase mo-
tivation. It provides students with a chal-
lenge and opportunity for competition. A drill
and practice or simulation is given game
rules.
10. Instructional Games
Assign specific games that practices
skills
that you are teaching at that given time.
Game Examples This
site has many to choose from. One
example
Educational Freeware has students place pictures of plants in
order to
demonstrate knowledge of growth.
11. Problem Solving Software
This software is directed at
achieving a goal when the Examples
solution is not obvious.
Content-area software
focuses on teaching
content area skills, mainly
in math and science.
Content-free software
focuses on general
problem solving skills and
helps students practice
prerequisite skills.
12. Problem Solving Software
The Effective Detective
This activity focuses
on describing a
character, and using
problem solving
skills
get the computer to
guess who the
student
Is describing.
