Reflection Ch. 4

Chapter 4 Reflection: page 92 of Integrating Computer Technology into the Classroom


1.) Determining which type of software to include in a lesson would be determined by the nature of the lesson.  As the question indicates, there is a very large number of different types of software that exists.  Depending on what the lesson is aiming to accomplish, the software that is included should be one that allows these goals to be reached easier.  For instance, if I am teaching a Government class and my lesson plan is centered on the Bill of Rights, I may want to integrate a Drill-and-Practice type software program.  This type of program, according to Morrison and Lowther (2010), assesses information that has already been presented.  Although the text says that this type is mostly found with Language Arts or Mathematics, it could work just fine with this lesson if it was, perhaps, a matching game of the First 10 Amendments.


2.) In today's classroom it is becoming more and more necessary for young students to become tech-savvy.  Fourth-graders can benefit from programs such as spreadsheets to keep better track of their grades or even after school activities.  If a teacher assigned a class project that involved presentations, video editing may benefit the students to capture the most relevant information from various sources or even tape and edit their own movie.  If the technology is there and is easily used by students, then it should be made available to them.

3.) To improve on state test, students can use various types of software.  For instance, they can improve righting skills through the use of software like MS Word.  Students can also gain a wide range of knowledge about various topics that may be on such tests through Research Software or Communication Software.  This would include searching through academic websites or participating relevant blogs.  Then students can access practice test, which would be a form of problem-solving software, to see where they stand before taking state test.