Week7

Week7

This Weeks blog entry is about the different types of software and files that can be utilized in the classroom. Technology is everywhere in todays school and thus it uses various software for students and teachers to use. It also uses files to help keep our work organized and be more efficient. There are many different types of files and each file corresponds with a certain software application.

There are different types of software including drill and practice, problem solving, creative, tutorial, simulation, image editing and draw and paint. In drill and practice students answer questions or perform an activity, they are given instant feedback. This helps students correct their mistakes if they miss it so as to help them learn the right answer immediately. Problem solving software encourages students to solve problems on previously learned content. Creative software requires students to think outside the box in order to figure out problems and discover new information.

Tutorial software teaches students how to do a certain task, answer specific problems and teach new skills. This is one piece of software that I would use in my class because it would provide students with something visual to look at. I can have students watch a YouTube video that shows them how to perform certain exercises and they can perform and execute the exercises in my PE class. Students will be able to perform the various exercises and correctly name the muscle that it works.

Simulation software enables students to experience something with out having to actually experience it. Image editing software lets the user create, edit and enhance digital images. You can completely redo images in order to facilitate your needs as a student or a teacher. Draw and point software lets users create new images or modify images. Users can also modify images from other sources to fit their needs for the photo. This can be a great way to incorporate technology into an art class as well.    

We also learned about various software tools in our technology explorations. One such resource that I liked was the history pin site. It lets users see images from a different time and lets students compare present images of the same place. It is an interesting way for students to take a look into the past and see what it was like. I also liked the calculator sites because they offer a new way for students to execute mathematical operations in an audible and manipulative format.