Educational Software

any schools find themselves in the brink of implementing new, or updating outdated educational software to better accommodate well-rounded and formative curriculum that involves parent, student and teacher. Many industries are becoming increasingly wired, taking advantage of the technological advances that can improve their day-to-day business, and education is no different.

 

Collaborative Learning Inc. recognized the importance of educational software in the changing educational landscape in 1999 when it created and released Curriculum Mapper™, the first and easiest to use educational software for curriculum mapping. The organization has since released other educational software such as StandardsScore™ and Instruction Planner.

 

There are several important implications to be considered when implementing new educational software within a school or district. They are as follows:

 

1. Specific educational goals and a vision of learning through technology
   1. Many schools that are considering adapting some type of educational software will first establish what students need to learn, and how educational software can promote these learning goals. Often times, schools will assign technology planning team who will develop goals, expectations and criteria for student learning based on national and state standards.
2. Ongoing professional development
   1. To overcome the technological gap some teachers experience if they are not used to educational software in the classroom, professional development should always be utilized to ensure that each teacher is familiar with educational software and technology measures so that they can be used to their full advantage.
3. Structural changes in the school day
   1. Sometimes when implementing new educational software in a school or district, structural changes to the school day will be implemented to better accommodate a new method of teaching and learning.
4. A robust technical infrastructure and technical support
   1. Increased use of educational software in the classroom will create a need for adequate technical support. This support will be especially important at first while teachers are still "learning the ropes" of the new technology. If concerns are addressed early there is less possibility that teachers will become frustrated and give up on their new educational software.
5. Ongoing evaluation
   1. As with all new processes, there must be time set aside for evaluation of the new educational software, so that implementation and use can be tweaked to ensure that it is fulfilling student, teacher, school, and district needs. Educational software can be an important tool in the classroom. Goldman, Cole and Syer (1990) note that "at its best, technology can facilitate deep exploration and integration of information, high-level thinking, and profound engagement by allowing students to design, explore, experiment, access information, and model complex phenomena."

 

Margarate Honey et. al. (2005) proffer the following insight into technology, such as educational software, in the classroom: "When educators use the accumulating knowledge regarding the circumstances under which technology supports the broad definition of student achievement, they will be able to make informed choices about what technologies will best meet the particular needs of specific schools or districts. They also will be able to ensure that teachers, parents, students, and community members understand what role technology is playing in a school or district and how its impact is being evaluated. Finally, they will be able to justify the investments made in technology."

 

Curriculum Mapper™ allows schools and teachers to create and document master planned curriculum and link all parts of the curriculum to standards, an increasingly important need as more districts adapt to state and federal standards. Curriculum Mapper™ also allows teachers to use educational software to document instruction within the classroom to measure which standards are being taught and when. Curriculum Mapper™ gives teachers a line of vision into what goes on in other teacher's classrooms, allowing for teacher collaboration and sharing of best practices through curriculum maps. Using educational software for curriculum mapping also equips new teachers with the tools to immediately know what has worked historically in a classroom, so they can start using best practices from day one.

 

StandardsScore™ is a standards-based, web-based assessment solution that allows teachers to easily link any worksheet, classroom activity, quiz or test straight to standards. With educational software like StandardsScore™, teachers’ daily authentic assessment of students becomes formative standards-based assessment. Using educational software allows teachers to show what was taught and learned within a curriculum, giving districts a big picture look into what is working in a classroom, and parents a specific look into their child’s position within the learning process. Educational software can also be used to pinpoint problems in the classroom. StandardsScore™ plainly documents where specific students are struggling, allowing for differentiated instruction within the classroom.

 

References:

 

Honey, Margaret. "Critical Issue: Using Technology to Improve Student Achievement." 1999. Learning Point Associates. 18 Mar. 2009

 

"Standards-Based Instruction." Professional Development for Teachers. Duval Public Schools. 18 Mar. 2009

A Comprehensive Curriculum
Improvement Suite

 

 

The Original, Easiest-to-Use
Curriculum Mapping Software

 

 

A Standards-Based
Assessment Software

 

 

An Instruction
Planning Software