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?