Third Educational Software Blog

The website ( http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/grammer/grammer_tutorial.htm) this blog focuses on is one which uses tutorial instruction to teach learners. The site is therefore constructed using a directed strategy and acts like a human tutor by providing all the information and instructional activities a learner needs to master a topic: information summaries, explanation, practice routines, feedback and assessment (Roblyer, 2006).

This software focuses on grammar development and punctuation and is recommended for young learners. The pictures and colours used on the home page are bright and interesting and will capture a child's attention.

The Grammar Tutorial introduces nouns verbs and adjectives using interactive pictures and attractive sounds. Here, information summaries and explanation are used. The other games on the page provide practice routines, feedback and assessment.

The verb game tests knowledge of verbs by having students whack a robot with the verb with a mallet like a popular arcade game.

In the adjective game, players are required to select an adjective by clicking on a spider to feed it with a fly.

In the game, Noun Explorer, the noun is selected by clicking on a fish to

feed it with a worm.

Another game is presented on the page and that is the Comma Chameleon game. Here the student has to select a comma or other part of speech, then select the place in a sentence where the comma goes. This game provides practice, feedback and assessment of the usage of the parts of speech.

the game is available online and so combines the advantage of convenience with its tutorial advantages. However, there is no print option on the page and so the disadvantage of teachers not being able to present the work in the classroom presents itself.

Overall, the software is fun and easy to use and will provide valuable instruction to young learners, especially those who are just in the process of learning about parts of speech and punctuation.

Teachers may find it useful to issue this as review homework for those students with a computer at home or may use it as a means of review while integrating technology into education, in the classroom.

There are innumerable tutorial websites available for use. Two of these sites were discussed at:

alexiyya.blogspot.com and shomarihector.blogspot.com

Educational Software Blog 2

Website: www.earobics.com/gamegoo/gooey.html

This website immediately grabs the attention of users due to the bright colours and fun audio enhancement found on the home page. It has levels of instruction for beginners, intermediate students and advanced students involving games from "alphabet bears" and "poetry pickle" . The software is of the instructional game type and so follows a directed teaching strategy. This means that it increases learner motivation by adding game rules to drills or simulations (Roblyer, 2006).

It is software that is available online and so students have access to it with out paying a fee. It is therefore very useful in the computer laboratories in school. It would provide valuable instruction as a lesson of both computer usage and the development of different concepts. The disadvantage of the site is that it does not have a printable section so it is not appropriate for use in the classroom unless the classes are all equipped with computers. There are resources for parents, teachers and kids and so involves all those individuals needed for a student's learning process.

Overall the website appears to be fun and highly interactive and one that will engage learners and allow them to have fun while learning.

There is more available information on the Earobics program to be found at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU_3lKNx4EU

In my search for educational software I was overwhelmed by the amount of things available to help children learn. On the website www.yourchildlearns.com/map-puzzles.htm, I found something that interested me greatly and I am an adult.

The website was created by Owl and Mouse Educational Software and on the page the link above directs you to, there are free online interactive maps which provides instruction on countries , continents, states, capitals borders etc. The picture above is an example of one such map.

What really grabbed my attention was the bright, pretty colours used on the maps and I know this will also attract children's attention. Also, the maps are for all over the world so there is information there relevant to Caribbean classrooms.

Computers and the internet are not yet readily available in all schools but the option provided to print the maps is also very useful to teachers. Also besides links to other software provided by Owl and Mouse, on the right of the webpage are numerous links to other other maps available.

Overall, the website provides software that is easy and convenient to use, will be highly interesting to students and will provide fun while learning in the classroom for both teacher and student.

The software represented in this site has a drill and practice function. It provides puzzles and questions and after completion of these, the user recieves feedback on the work done. The feed back is not so detailed that the software can be confused with tutorial software but it is sufficient to guide the learner on a path to progressive learning. It is important to note that this software is not to introduce new concepts but rather to reinforce ones already taught. This does not mean that it does not present opportunites for learning, while playing with a map of the United States for example, I came to realise that Texas is the largest continental state. It is really up to the user to take from this software what they will.

This software is an example of directed instruction and follows the philosophy that learning takes place when knowledge is transmitted to people and they store it in their minds (Roblyer, M.D. , 2009, p.35). Some of the learning theories supported by this software are the information-proceesing and cognitive- behavioral theories. According to Roblyer (2009) information-pocessing instruction must provide the right kind of application and sufficient practice to ensure encoding, retention and recall and cognitinve-behavioral instruction must provide events to support the type of learning: students must demonstrate they have learned prerequisite skills. These two objectives are adequately supportd by the software and so will be especially applicable to those teachers who hold the directed instruction or objectivism as their own philosophy of teaching.

Other examples of drill and practice websites are:

www.schoolforge.net as discussed in the blog: www.alexiyya.blogspot.com and www.macroworks.com.au as discussed in the blog: www.shomarihector.blogspot.com

Where Would I Be Lyrics -Smokie Norful Lyrics -

Where Would I Be Lyrics -Smokie Norful Lyrics -: "What kind of God can make the morsels of snow, fall from a gray sky
What kind of God can weave the tapestry of a rainbow, and sketch it into a we sky
It's no wonder how he can do, every little thing he does for me
If it hadn't been for you, where would I be?

What kind of God can give you a vision, and create a skyscraper tall
What kind of God can use the pattern of color, and give it a name like fall
It's no wonder how he can do, every little thing he does for me
If it hadn't been for you, where would I be?

I'd be at the bottom when you told me there's a place at the top for me
I'd be on the back side when you showed me there's a place in the front I should be
I'd be on the outside looking in when, you've prepared me a table for kings
If it hadn't been for you, where would I be?

What kind of God can take my fragile and wounded heart, fill it with unconditional love
What kind of God can take away my guilt and shame, and give me grace to rise above
It's no wonder how he can do, every little thing he does for me
If it hadn't been for you, where would I be?

I'd be at the bottom when you told me there's a place at the top for me
I'd be on the back side when you showed me there's a place in the front I should be
I'd be on the outside looking in, when you've prepared me a table for kings
If it hadn't been for you, where would I be? (Repeat 2x)

Just like a ship without a sail, without you"

Upon the creation of a new blog, I realise the opportunity to see exactly how many mistakes I have made. Why am I doing this again?