What Software?

1.       There are so many types of software; how do I know which ones to include in my lessons?

While there are many different types of software, there are only five basic types that are being used in classrooms today: productivity, research, communication, problem-solving, and educational software.  To know which software that would be the most beneficial in your lessons, you would need to explore each one and see how it could be applied within the lesson.  Keep in mind that different lessons will fit better with different software and that sometimes more than one type of software could be used.  For example: I plan on teaching middle grades mathematics, therefore as I research the various types of software, I ask myself how would I use this tool to teach a math lesson?  I have experimented with shapes in Microsoft Word as well as Geometers Sketchpad, each of which has their advantages as well as disadvantages.  Microsoft Word/Excel is familiar and easy to use, however the shape manipulation and equation tools are not as sophisticated as Geometers Sketchpad.  I also have to take into consideration the age and skill level of my students.  Geometers Sketchpad can be slightly tricky to correctly construct and calculate shapes and equations, whereas Microsoft Word/Excel is much easier to navigate for a beginner.  Overall, I plan on incorporating both forms of technology, but in different ways and for different lessons.  Choosing software should be based on the lesson and whether or not using it would benefit the students by helping them to learn, the software is a learning aid, not a teacher (Morrison-Lowther, pg. 93-25).

2.       I understand why students should use educational software and the Internet, but why should my fourth-grade students learn to use spreadsheet, database, or video editing software?

Spreadsheet software allow students to make visual representations of information such as graphs, younger students can look at these graphs and better see the relationship between sets of information, they can look for patterns.  By using this software, they will increase their analytical skills.  Just as younger students enjoy books with pictures, it is easier for them to recognize trends in information when it is depicted by a graph or picture (Morrison-Lowther, pg. 95).

3.       How can student use of different types of software help improve scores on the state tests?

There is software today that has been designed to target specific areas, this software can be used to help increase low test scores in certain areas.  By identifying weak areas, software today can be used to strengthen the students understanding in those specific areas and by doing this it will help to raise test scores on the state standardized tests (Morrison-Lowther, pg. 119).

References

Morrison, G. R., ), G. R. M., & Lowther, D. L. (2010). Integrating computer technology into the classroom, skills for the 21st century. (Fourth ed.). Allyn & Bacon.

Image Location:

http://technologytune.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Application-Software.jpg