Chapter Seven
Focus Question
What are intelligent tutoring systems and how can students
and teachers use them successfully?
-Intelligent tutoring systems are powerful new software
programs that promote inquiry learning by students through computer responses
to student actions. This tool can be used successfully when a teacher notices a
student struggling in a certain area. This source of technology is basically
replacing the human tutor, a computer-based tutor can provide children with the
structured practice they need to become better academic learners and test
takers.
Summary
Chapter seven starts off by giving us an understanding of
computers and software. It’s important to know that computers consist of hardware’s
and software’s. Hardware is the basic machinery and circuitry of a computer and
the software is what tells a computer’s hardware to perform specific functions.
Almost all computers now come with the Standard Software Applications. These
applications are what make all of our lives easier. Some examples of these
software applications are: word processing, electronic databases, spreadsheets,
web-browsing software, communications software, presentation software, and
specialization software. Each of these software programs has their own
individual tasks that benefit the user. It can be a challenge choosing
educational software to install on classroom computers. Teachers need to make
sure that the child is controlling the activities and not the other way around.
Also teachers need to be aware that the software does not promote
competition, stereotyping or violence. Finally, teachers want the game to favor
some kind of long-term thinking over quick reactions. These are all very
important factors when choosing in class software programs. Bloom’s taxonomy is
another way to evaluate educational software. Blooms taxonomy assesses the
extent to which a particular program encourages higher order thinking by
students. The original list of Blooms taxonomy consisted of: knowledge,
comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. It had now
been revised to: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating,
and creating. If teachers are still having a hard time choosing software there
are numerous educational organizations that have online resources that assist
teachers in selecting software. Examples for a couple of them are: Educational
software preview guide, Entertainment software rating board, EvaluTech, and
stopbadware.org.
Students are now turning towards expressing and organizing
themselves through using visual thinking and concept mapping software. There
are students who do not find brainstorming on paper an inspiring way to evoke
ideas or solve problems. Students sometimes find their handwriting too messy,
or either too confining or time consuming.
Programs such as inspiration eliminate these problems for students.
Chapter seven finishes off focusing on intelligent tutoring systems.
Intelligent tutoring systems are powerful new software programs that promote
inquiry learning by students through computer responses to student actions.
Because the system is computerized, information can be gathered and presented
almost instantaneously so adults and students can see how learning is
progressing at any time. These systems are starting to positively impact
students, therefore we might see more of these incorporated in the classrooms
in the near future!
This is a fun video that gives examples of Blooms Taxonomgy from the show Seinfeld.
Tech Tool Link
-The tech tool link I checked out was "Scratch". Scratch is
on online web page for elementary school students to create their own online
games. I could see this program being incorporated into student-center
philosophy classrooms. Although this web-page isn’t necessarily educational, it
could be something offered to students during a free time. On the webpage, kids
are able to download the program to create the games or they are able to select
already programed games. The site is very easy to navigate through and is well
organized for easy access for young children.
APA
Lifelong Kindergraden Group. (n.d.). Scratch . http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/Jonny303/2112151
Gaming is a potential new tool for not only reinforcing learning, but also for motivating students and teaching such concepts as strategic thinking, problem-solving, sequencing, etc. There is definitely much potential and I hope you explore that as you continue the path in teacher preparation!
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