Chapter 4 response

This chapter was easier for me to understand because it dealt with information I am more familiar with using: wordprocessing, spreadsheets, and databases. In fact I have used all three of these software tools in the last week. The software tool that I use most and in the chapter it made reference to it was the most used software in education is word processing. I recently went through the National Board process and I can not even imagine what writing all of those papers would have been like without Microsoft Word. The option years ago would have been to do this with pen or pencil. I used this software tool to make corrections, to insert text, check spelling...this list could go on and on. I know even in our lower grades we have a word processing software tool called MaxWrite which is just like Microsoft word but more user friendly for young kids. As I think about this I realize that the range of people and the uses vary so much but is accessible for everyone.
I do think that it is important for young children to use pen and pencil so I do not think wordprocessing should take the place of handwriting. I thought the chart on page 124 about the review of word processing in education was very good. I thought it was very interesting that according to the studies done the quality and quanity of writing improved with the use of word processing.
One of the things that is difficult with word processing is teaching the students all the "shortcuts" or components of this software tool. I know I have relied on students to show other students how to insert pictures, cut and paste, change font size, check spelling and so on. I know they do not have to learn it all at once but all the components of wordprocessing are so important that there is no way to decide which one should be taught first.
I think one sentence in this section that helps an educator understand the importance of word processing is "A teacher can use it (word processing) to support any kind of directed instruction or constructivist activity." To me this means in every learning activity you could use word processing.

Chapter 3 reading

This chapter was about instructional software. I found the chart on page 78 of the textbook very informative. I like the way the chart showed the functions of the instructional software. I know there is different software but I had never thought about the functions in the terms they used: drill and practice, tutorial, simulation, instructional game, and problem solving. I also thought that the way the chapter discussed the functions of the instructional software was good. I like that it had criteria for selecting good instructional software and benefits from each software function. I think teachers and technology specialist in the schools need to think about the function that software will serve when purchasing it. I thought the criteria checklist was a useful tool for educators to use when looking at the functions and benefit of software. I thought the simulation software is probably one that we do not use enough. As I was thinking about this I thought of all the things we could show students through simulation instructional software that we cannot possibly show them in reality. I would be very interested to see how much instructional software is purchased for schools. I feel like at my school teachers do not use as much software because of all the things available through the internet. I know of great free websites that meet the software functions that were listed in this chapter. Software can be very expensive so if teachers can find websites with free activities, games, or information why would anyone spend a lot of money for software?