Why, What and How of Instructional Software

for Middle School English/Language Arts Classes

(Sixth Grade)

Drill and practice:

• Research Reference:
• Roblyer states, “Drill-and-practice software functions are exercises in which students work example items usually one at a time and receive feedback on their correctness” (79).
• 
  Purpose:
  Students benefit from practicing writing, grammar, vocabulary, and reading skills, which gives them greater fluency in these modes of expression.
•  
• Relative Advantage:
  While drill and practice is often referred to as “drill and kill” for its repetitive nature (Roblyer, 80), finding engaging ways for students to practice tools can be an added and engaging way to accomplish this much needed practice for students to master them.
• Examples:
• Quizlet or StudyBlue: According to Tucker (168), digital flashcards can assist with the study of vocabulary, as is called for in the Common Core State Standards (Tucker, 162). According to the standards, “These tools enhance the study of vocabulary, particularly Academic Vocabulary (English) that prepares students to access concepts at a deeper level” (Key Shifts).
  
• Duolingo is a useful application for learning any language. It would particularly beneficial for English Language Learners who need to practice language conventions, vocabulary and other
  

Tutorials

• Research Reference:
• According to Roblyer (83), “Tutorial software is an entire instructional sequence on a topic, similar to a teacher’s classroom instruction.”
  
• Purpose:
  Tutorials can take the place of a class, such as in a flipped classroom (Roblyer 86). Additionally, they allow for students who need to review information more, with additional repetitions to master information, to do so independently.
• Relative Advantage:
  Tutorials are beneficial for students as they allow for repetition, practice and review of key concepts. In addition, the complete series of concepts or skills are provided in a tutorial, allowing students to master material in an independant and self-directed way.
• Examples:
• English Grammar 101 provides instruction on topics of grammar, including parts of speech, nouns, pronouns, etc. These lessons also allow for student practice.
  
• Screencastify  and Snagit are screencasting tools that allows teachers to record instructions for students. Students can also record and present to their peers, which could serve as tutorials after they have been curated.
  
  iTunesU and Podcasts are two Apple apps that provide access to a variety of lessons and tutorials. You can use them to search for classes or apps both students and teachers can review to learn or review material.
  
  YouTube playlists and playlists lessons can be created and curated to provide tutorials on a particular topic.
• Simulations
  
• Research Reference:
  Roblyer explains (87), “A simulation is a computerized model of a real or imagined system that is designed to teach how the system works.”
  
• Purpose:
• Simulations provide a connection with the real world, if only in an abstract or reconstructed way.  The simulation allows students to explore how something works.
• Relative Advantage:
• Looking at a system from the outside in provides students with more perspective on how it works. Also, simulations can be visually appealing and engaging to students, due to their connections to the real world.
  
• Examples:
• Visuwords is an online visual dictionary that connects words and word parts, as well as displays alternate meanings in a visual network.
  
  The Sports Network 2 requires students to simulate what a sportscast would be like, writing and reporting a sporting event. This engaging program does connect to the real world.

Instructional Games

• Research Reference:
• “Instructional games are software products that add game-like rules and/or competition to learning activities” according to Roblyer (92).
  
• Purpose:
• Instructional games provide engagement, problem-solving, storytelling and inquiry opportunities to students.
• Relative Advantage:
• Students have significant experience playing digital games. They are motivating and engaging. New titles are created and published regularly in this burgeoning field.
• Examples:
• Educational game creator Glasslab’s Argument Wars prompts students to work through an argument on the Supreme Court. While this is advertised as a Social Studies game, the engagement of the game coupled with the focus on elements of an argument make it appropriate for English/Language Arts as well.
  
• Telltale Games is creating an interactive fiction game for Minecraft.  Farber provides resources and support for instructional games in his Edutopia article.

Problem-Solving Software:

• Research Reference:
  Roblyer states (97) that “Problem-solving software functions may focus on fostering component skills  in or approaches to general problem solving ability or provide opportunities to practice general problem-solving ability or provide opportunities to practice solving various kinds of content-area problems.”
• 
  Purpose:
• According to Roblyer (97), “problem solving formats should be interesting and challenging, and software should have a clear link to developing  a specific problem-solving ability.”
• Relative Advantage:
• Problem-solving software allows students to explore and solve complex problems without the cost of failure in the real world. In fact, students will persist in tasks to solve a problem in a well-designed problem solving program. Thus they will build on one of the 4 Cs of the 21st Century Skills and develop endurance in dealing with difficult and challenging problems.
• Examples:
• Minecraft.edu is an example of Problem-Solving software which students must persist in order to create worlds representing an idea to learn. Collaboration with other students s often needed as well which further benefits students’ learning.
• The Problem Site has links to a variety of problem solving puzzles and games for both English and Mathematics.

Works Cited

Farber, M. (2015, April 14). Interactive Fiction in the Classroom. Retrieved January 29, 2016, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/interactive-fiction-in-the-classroom-matthew-farber

Key Shifts in English Language Arts. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2016, from http://www.corestandards.org/other-resources/key-shifts-in-english-language-arts/

Roblyer, M. (2016). INTEGRATING EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY INTO TEACHING (7TH ED.). Massachusetts: Pearson.

Tucker, C. R. (2016). Creatively teach the common core literacy standards with technology: Grades 6-12. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.