Problem+Scenario



Problem Scenario AndersonG_M4_A2.doc Integrating Technology into Classroom Curriculum E6805 June 1, 2011 Dr. Jaclyn Gerstein

Selecting Instructional Software for Curriculum Enhancement is a challenging task due to the huge volume of available software. It’s important for educators to select software that fits the school’s equipment. Educational software is quite expensive and support resources may not always be included in the software purchase price. Site licenses may be required for student’s use which could limit access to the software. Therefore, it’s important to evaluate the school’s objectives and purchase research-based educational software to fit those objectives (Bruce, 2000). Below is a chart of various educational software programs and companies. The chart shows the title, source, author, price, and publication year of various educational software programs.

DreamBox Learning K-2 Math is a web-based, self-paced, adaptive, interactive math education program, for young students. || DreamBox Learning Management Team ~ Jessie Wooley-Wilson CEO & President || DreamBox Learning, Inc. || $5,000 yearly K-3 unlimited number of students or $20 yearly per student 24/7 access || April 2, 2008 || Education City is an award-winning online teaching and learning resource mapped to individual state academic standards for elementary students in Language Arts, Math, Science, and Spanish Math. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Education City || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Education City, Ltd. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">$469 per subject areas in grades K-5 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">1999 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Created for K-5 learners, Kidspiration® develops thinking, literacy and numeracy skills using proven visual learning principles. In reading and writing, Kidspiration strengthens word recognition, vocabulary, comprehension and written expression. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Inspiration Software, Inc. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Inspiration Software, Inc. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">$895 for 20 computer license || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">January 2001 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Assessment tools to measure student’s knowledge and skills. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Questionmark Corporation || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Questionmark Computing Ltd. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">30 day free trial unspecified price || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">1995 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Renaissance Learning is a leading provider of technology-based school improvement and student assessment programs for K12 schools. Such programs include <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Accelerated Reading, Accelerated Math, Star Reading, Star Early Literacy, etc. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Washington Learning Source || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Renaissance Learning, Inc. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Call for a quote of specific needs || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">1985 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Grade-based educational software. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Includes such programs as Reader Rabbit, The ClueFinders, Treasure Mountain, Carmen Sandiego, etc. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Houghton Mifflin Harcourt || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Ann McCormick, Leslie Grimm, and Teri Perl || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">$19.99 and up || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">April 28, 1992 || ** All software references are listed on the enclosed reference page. **  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The software selections above are based on learner’s individual needs because the programs lend itself to differentiation, collaborative learning, and interest-based performance learning. The student’s takes an active role in their education. The students make real-life connections to what they are learning. The software programs allow the students to construct their own thinking. Also, the software programs are student-centered and not teacher-centered. Software programs like the ones listed above foster constructivist learning. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Each of the software programs in the chart above has its strengths and weaknesses. The Venn diagram below analyzes the Learning Company Reader’s Rabbit Program and the Renaissance Learning Accelerated Program.
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Title ** || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Source ** || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Author ** || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Price ** || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Publication Year ** ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">DreamBox Learning **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">EducationCity.com **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Kidspiration **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">QuestionMark **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Renaissance Learning **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Learning Company **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Reader Rabbit v/s Accelerated Reader

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Phonics Skills Manages and monitors <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Consonant Sounds Reading software student’s reading progress <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Sounding Words Great Values Leveled title lists <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Reading Aloud Well-known programs Reading comprehension <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Listening Skills Comprehension program <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Colorful Graphics Individualized Accelerates reading growth <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Builds early learning skills Instant results Improve Reading Skills

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The benefits of Renaissance Learning Software over the Learning Company are significant. The Renaissance software program includes something for all learners. It offers reading practice for students at all achievement levels. It offer a huge collection of books to choose from. It motivates the students to read more and take quizzes on the books they have read. Instant quiz results are available to students and teachers. Numerous students and parent’s report are available upon request. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Some suggestions for integrating software programs into the classroom learning environment may be to provide professional software training for teachers. Allow teachers the needed time to learn the programs. Software trainer should model the program with teachers through hands-on methods. The teacher will model the use of the software programs to the students. Using the software programs, the students will practice the taught concepts and skills. The students will be assessed and instant feedback should be given to remediate, accelerate or enhance learning. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Peer Group Discussion: ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Christopher, Robert, and I discussed various educational software programs (some of the ones listed above) and ways to implement them into a classroom. Professional learning is needed for successful implementation of unknown educational software programs. We talked about the huge volume of software programs and how difficult it is to keep up with the latest technology trends because they change so quickly. The majority of the programs are marketed very well and its difficult to know which programs actually do what they claim to do. Also, we talked about educational funding being tight and how hard it is sometimes for school districts to replace old software programs.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">References: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Bruce, H. (2000). A Guide to Selecting Educational Software. Retrieved on May 31, 2011 from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED234774&ERICExtSearch <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Dreambox. (2011) Intelligent Adaptive Learning That Transforms the Way Students <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Engage With Math. Retrieved on May 31, 2011 from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">EducationCity.com. (2011). Put the Fun in Learning with Education City. Retrieved on May 31, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">2011 from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. (2011). The Learning Company. Retrieved on May 31, 2011 from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|https://thelearningcompany.com] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Inspiration Software. Inc. (2011). Kidspiration. Retrieved on May 31, 2011 from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Knowledge Adventure. (2010). The Leader in Educational Games. Retrieved on May 31, 2011 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Questionmark. (2011). Questionmark: Getting Results. Retrieved on May 31, 2011 from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|https://www.questionmark.com] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Renaissance Learning. (2011). Renaissance Learning:Advanced technology for Data-Driven <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Schools. Retrieved on May 31, 2011 from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">SuperKids. (2011). Educational Software Review. Retrieved on May 31, 2011 from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]