Instructional Course Ware

8/9/2019 Instructional Course Ware

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Instructional Courseware

Today, teachers are utilizing computers in their classrooms for more than the basic

productivity tools of word processors, spreadsheets, and databases. A new breed of

software, instructional courseware, may be exactly what you are looking for to

spark students' interest and to teach challenging subjects to your students.

Table of Contents

y Overviewy Types of Coursewarey Characteristicsy Advantagesy Authoring Systems

Overview of Instructional CoursewareSeveral terms have been used in recent years with respect to instructional

courseware, but one that is particularly well suited for our purposes is computer-

assisted (or aided) instruction (CAI). CAI may be used as a supplement for your

instruction or as a complete lesson.With CAI, the computer can assist the teacher

in implementing any or all of the four essential phases of instruction:

y presenting information

y guiding the student

y providing student practice

y assessing student learning

Commercial software vendors release new instructional courseware titles in ever

increasing numbers. As a teacher, you must determine when to implement CAI in

the classroom and what CAI to use. Additionally, you can create your own CAI

with authoring tools that are readily available and relatively easy to use. An

authoring system is a computer program that lets you create instructional software

of your own. In cases where no suitable CAI exists, this may be your only option

to provide your students with instructional courseware.

Types of Courseware

Generally speaking, there are five types of CAI. Each methodology has its ownparticular strengths and are discussed briefly below. The five types are:

y Tutorials

y Drills

y Instructional games

y Simulations

y Tests


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Tutorials

Purpose: Present information and guide the student

Example: This lesson on courseware

Tutorials strive to provide sequenced, interactive material, to the learner. Thelearner is engaged in direct and continual two-way communication with the

computer, i.e., an active participant. A tutorial is ideal for presenting new material,

allowing students to progress at their own pace, and reviewing previously learned

subjects.

You can design a tutorial in linear fashion (like a book) or with branching that

allows students to control the lesson by their choices. Regardless of the type of

design, tutorials should include embedded questions and remediation loops to

ensure learners master material before moving on to more difficult concepts.

Advocates of tutorials suggest that they can facilitate learning better than a teacherbecause of the one-to-one learning. Many tutorials permit students to learn at an

individualized rate. When you choose to incorporate a tutorial into your lesson,

make sure that it matches your objectives, goals, and content. Review of tutorials

prior to using them in class will ensure that they meet your needs. Tutorials are

often combined with other types of computer assisted instruction such as drills.

Drills

Purpose: Provide student practice

Example: Math Blaster; Reader Rabbit

Computer-based drills can take the practice previously found in workbooks and

flash cards to a higher level. When used in conjunction with other computer

assisted instruction, usually a tutorial, drills are not intended to teach new material.

Drills are designed to give students the opportunity to practice what they've already

learned. Some of the arguments for using the drill software is that the software can

determine the proper level of difficulty based on student ability, ensure completion,

provide feedback to mistakes, suggest supplemental activities, and depending on

its' design, record student results. Some drill software lets you incorporate

randomly generated questions, interactive graphics, pacing and time measured

responses, and student progress updates.

Many drills are used in subjects such as mathematics, foreign languages, spelling,

grammar, and vocabulary, but they are suitable for practically all subjects that

require the student to memorize facts.


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Instructional Games

Purpose: Provide student practice and present information

Example: Where in the world is Carmen SanDiego

Instructional games provide students a means to practice previously learnedmaterial or gain new information. But unlike drills, games are competitive by

design, pitting the student against the computer, another player, or t ime.

Instructional games are difficult to design, and all too often, even those which are

professionally designed turn out not to be fun and become another piece of unused

software. Instructional games come in many varieties such as adventure, arcade,

board, card or gambling, combat, logic, role -play, psychomotor, TV quiz, and

word games. Like drills, these can be adapted to any subject that requires repeated

practice.

Simulations

Purpose: Present information, guide the student, and provide student practice

Example: Oregon Trail

Simulations are unique in that they attempt to give the student a chance to

participate in a real-life decision-making situation. They are an effective way of

learning because. they require problem solving and decision making. Also, they

provide a non-threating learning safe environment. Students can easily work in

groups to solve simulation problems. Whole class discussions can assist in helping

students prepare for the simulation and help them understand what happened after

the simulation.

When utilizing simulations, it may be difficult to assess student learning using

traditional evaluation methods. Alternative assessment strategies may be required

to ensure that the objectives of instruction have been fulfilled.

Tests

Purpose: Assess student learning

Example: Graduate Records Examination

Using the computer to construct or administer tests offers the advantages of

automatic scoring, randomly generated test items, testing at students' convenience,

cross reference of test items to learning objectives, and ease of test bank

maintenance. There are numerous testing software packages that can be utilized in

the classroom.

Characteristics


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When choosing or developing instructional courseware for your classroom, it is

imperative that it matches the objec tives of the course. Additionally, "good"

instructional courseware has certain characteristics which you should look for

when designing or selecting the software. Consider the following areas when you

evaluate or design instructional courseware:

y Is the software easy to use?y Do graphics and sound compliment the instruction?

y Are the pretests and post tests appropriate?

y Do tests measure student progress?

y Does the student have adequate control over the lesson?

y Can the learner review previous information?

y Are student scores automatically recorded? Can you access the scores?

y Can the software be used in collaborative groups?

Advantages

CAI has been shown to benefit students in a variety of ways. When CAI is used

appropriately in your classroom, it can:

y Enhance student learning in terms of recall and time spent on instructiony Motivate studentsy Assist in developing teamwork skillsy Provide allowances for the difference in studentsy Facilitate learning transfer to new situations

Documents

Instructional Course Ware