Journal
Post #7
Photo on Google
Focus
Question #2: How can teachers evaluate the different types of
educational software available today?
Making correct decisions is a skill not very common. Daily, since we wake up until we go to bed, we have to make decisions, some more simple, but
others are really important as they will have significant consequences. In fact,
I would put the decision that as teachers we should do about which educational
software use in our classes among these.
It is essential therefore, get to know the differences between
low-quality and high-quality software. I agree completely with what Seymour Papert
wrote in his book "The connected family: Bridging the digital generation
gap" that before deciding which software to buy, every teacher should ask first: “Will the child program the computer or
will the computer program the child?” Unfortunately, still there are some that
leave little room for the students’ creativity because what they do is merely
controlling their activity, teaching them to repeat and reproduce mechanically
and not to think, reason, plan, evaluate and apply learning. Fortunately, we
have valuable help and guidance to choose wisely. There are rubrics and
specialized websites that allow us to evaluate objectively the educational software
considering the following criteria: Teacher support, Content, Assessment, Technical
quality, and Instructional design.
However,
I have only one big "but." According to our textbook for this course, teachers
will commonly find software choices that have been preselected by the district;
even more, in some schools they are not allowed to add their own software to
the school system network and others allow them to add programs after having
gone through a slow and cumbersome process (Page 178). I wonder, if we are the
ones directly and daily in contact with students, we know well the curriculum,
we are responsible for complying the standards, then should not we have
a greater and decisive involvement in the selection of educational software for
an entire school or school system?
Tech
Tool Link: Educational
Software Preview Guide (ESPG)
I consider that this online searchable directory can be very helpful in
locating educational software for a particular curriculum area, grade level,
and hardware. Once selected the software, this website link us to the
publishers and we can request it for preview. Moreover, the fact that it
provides teachers a comprehensive evaluation tool
and a document
on using the evaluation instrument to assess the software, allows a constant
feedback that can facilitate and improve the selection of educational software
by other educators. My only concern is that its preview guide has not been
updated since 2007; therefore, some of its information is obsolete. It is a
pity because with so many responsibilities and demands that we have, being able to
access a reliable website for accurate information about something as important
as educational software would be really a great help to us.
Summary
and personal connection:
This chapter got me thinking about how much teaching has changed since
I was a student to this day. Back then having a good rule, a quality pen, a
notebook with stripes and a comfortable and convenient desk made us feel in
heaven. Now we are able to use a lot of technological aids such as educational
software for problem solving and inquiry learning, skill-learning games,
virtual worlds, etc. Therefore, we need to catch up and make the best effort to
encourage our students to think, create and solve problems. We urgently need
schools that can achieve what so many years ago the pedagogue Jean Piaget said:
“To create men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply
repeating what other generations have done.”
The World is in their hands
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| Photo credit to Signe Cecilie Jochumsen on Google |
References:
Maloy, Robert W., et al. Transforming Learning with New Technologies. Pearson Education, Inc., 2011, (pp. 178-179)
Maloy, Robert W., et al. Transforming Learning with New Technologies. Pearson Education, Inc., 2011, (pp. 178-179)
Unfortunately, teachers don't have all the desired freedoms to do as they believe in the classroom. Especially in recent years, there have been more expectations from both administrators (for standardization) and parents (for individualization). It has been a dilemma sometimes. There are some school districts that are more 'de-centralized' allowing teachers to do what is best for their individual students, but there is still a cost factor.
ReplyDeleteThere are still issues with how you are attributing your images - please remind me next week before class or during break and I will demo for you!