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Subject: Помогите пожалуйста перевести, очень надо ed. The Use of Educational Software in the ClassroomIt is no surprise that technology is expanding every minute of every day. That would mean it should not be surprising that computers are becoming part of an everyday classroom. Middle Schools and High Schools have been using computers in a certain classes for years, but is it expected that children in kindergarten through 5th grade will be using computers also? It seems strange to think those children 11 and under are using a computer in the classroom on a daily basis. Yet it is true. Children in Elementary School are learning basic computer skill and putting them to work in order to learn things. Children are learning things from math to art on a computer. Is this necessary for such small children to become overwhelmed with? It is really decided by the child. Certain children learn faster then others. A computer is not an easy thing to learn. It may be believed that putting a child into a class that uses computer software gives them the basic skills needed to understand a computer. But having only nine months in a classroom, how long does it take for the child to catch on to the program? It varies between children. One child may take only a few minutes or hours of instruction of how to use the program, while another child may take days or weeks. This causes problems on the progress of the class. Are we supposed to separate the slow learners? Of course not, if we did that, as they get up to speed they are stuck learning slower. Does this mean that we should not use computer software in the classroom? No, it just means the use of software in the classroom has to be considered with the period of time you have to accomplish what needs to be done. What types of educational software are used? Well although there are many different types of computer software out there it is common that particular ones are chosen.
Harford County Public Schools have been using the program “Kid Pix” often in the past two years. Although this is not the only school system that uses the Kid Pix software, it is an example that is close to home. Kid Pix is made by Broderbund a huge educational/entertainment software maker. Broderbund has also put out some more popular programs for the classroom. Broderbund’s programs include; Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, Math Workshop, and The Logical Journey of the Zoombinis. Kid Pix is a program where a child can take tools in the program and draw. It allows you to use the computer to draw different things with the tools it provides for you. It even has a “firecracker” which erases everything on the page. Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego is a history-based game. It takes a mystery or finding Carmen Sandiego and tests your geography and history skills. The Logical Journey of the Zoombinis “is designed to improve student’s data analysis and logic skills (Huang, 1998 ). All of these programs are good programs for learning skills. After school is out the child may express an interest to use the programs at home. It may be because the child wants to show what he or she learned in school to a parent, or it may be to get more acquainted with the program. There is then the problem of where to obtain the software. The first step is allowing your child to use your home computer.
This may mean a tad bit more of learning for the child. School computers and home use ones may be using different versions of windows, and/or different ways to get into a program. Usually a piece of educational software could be acquired at a local store like Best Buy, Circuit City, or Comp USA. This is not the case all of the time. It is very possible that the software may need to be bought from the website or somewhere on the Internet. Many software programs are readily available at the store. Yet, popular software programs could not be carried yet, or sold out in the store. The software program that is used inside the schools may be an older program that is not in the stores anymore. The next problem with computer software is gender stereotypes. Computer software seems to be geared towards boys. More and more it is being developed for software for girls.
It is also shown that boys will jump into computers. Girls would rather not jump into the computer world because of its appearance of difficulty. On the website www. It was said that "In a study done which looked at how many computer science courses 200 gifted students enrolled in, 90% of the boys chose to take a computer course while only 10% of the girls did so. Since this particular study examined the class choices of gifted students it is fair to assume that lack of ability was most likely not a determining factor when deciding which class to enroll in" (Huang, 1998). This shows the fact that girls are somewhat intimidated by computers and computer classes in general. Although not every situation occurs that the girl actually chooses not to jump right into a computer, it was shown that it does occur. Software needed to be made to make girls find an interest in computers too. Programs that have since then include; The Adventures of Nancy Drew, Let's Talk about Me, and Madeline Series. Not everyone feels good about computer use in the classroom. People do feel that the computer can be used as a learning tool. They also feel that the computer should not be the only thing used. Teachers should not only use the computer. Traditional teaching in the classroom is needed for learning. People feel that over use of the computer will cause children to become to computer dependent. You do not want your child to use a math software so much that when it comes to basic math questions or test in schools they can not do anything in their head without the math software. Kid Pix is drawing software that is fun to use. At the same time you do not feel that if your child were asked to draw an object that they know or have seen they would not be able to do it. Why do teachers choose Kid Pix as a common program used in the classroom? There are multiple explanations behind why it is one of the most popular classroom educational software used. Kid Pix is "one of the most versatile and imaginative software programs available" (Using Kid Pix in the Classroom, n.d.). Children learn the software and learn more about the software as they do different drawings. Kid Pix is a wonderful program that children can love to use. Should it be used all the time? No, it is a better idea that was stated by www. "Educators should use Kid Pix as a classroom resource only when they see that it will enhance their students' skills, interest, or understanding" (Why Pick Kid Pix, n.d.). This shows the exact reason for using Kid Pix software. It should be fun for children to use. It should be a program that is easy to catch on to, easy to use, and something a child can get excited about when they learn something new. It is a learning experience. Kid Pix software should make the child feel like they are teaching themselves. They are making a drawing on a computer and as they use the different tools that Kid Pix has they learn more about the program. Teachers Evaluating Educational Multimedia (TEEM) has been established to evaluate computer software. The purpose of TEEM is to have "teachers try out new software and hardware in the classroom" (Clute, 2003). It was also said in the article, Computers and Education, that "The Learning and Technology Minister, Michael Wills, has called for the creativity of the information technology industry to be applied to developing materials to raise standards in schools" (Clute, 2003). This just proves how important the use of the computer and educational software is in the classroom. It is suggested that software companies can send their products to the Board of Education for testing in the classroom. The best testing would be with the people the software is made for. The TEEM is a useful group of teachers that can decide on what is the best computer software for the classroom. My personal position on computer software in the classroom is a mix. I feel it is a good decision to allow students the opportunity to have computer skills introduced to them early. The more use of the computer children obtain at a young age the more likely they will work with computers later. With technology increasing more and more every day computers are becoming a necessity everywhere. To be computer illiterate is like being unable to do anything. People are dependent on computers, it seems like almost every job has something to do with a computer. Pharmacies run scripts through a computer, stores look up inventory through a computer program, doctors make appointments on a computer, and shipments are tracked on a computer. Where is a computer not used. If someone is completely computer illiterate you know they will learn at the least basic computer skills. Introducing children to the computer early could spark an interest to make the next computer genius. You can never know what will happen when one child becomes inspired by something they learn when they are young. In a way I do not agree with learning the computer so early. I do not feel that young children in Kindergarten and First Grade need to be overwhelmed with learning how to use a computer. It is enough for them to be learning ABC's and 123's. To top it off with computers is too much. Introduction to simple computer skills is okay for an older crowd, like the Fourth and Fifth Graders. To young would take longer to learn and difficulty in learning the computer. I believe it has to be determined exactly how much a class can handle before overwhelming a class plate with computer software also. Is the software that necessary that it has to be used with children that young? A teacher really has to decided the answer. Considering the children in the class should be a deciding factor. In Conclusion, computer software is used in some classrooms. Weather or not it is a good decision to use is determined by the curriculum and the teacher. Certain children will not learn as fast as others will. This needs to be understood when going into the class with children who may learn slower. When using software be prepared to go slow and go over everything the children need to know. Kid Pix is a drawing software that is very common in the elementary classroom. Software programs may be a good idea for use at home. A child in a class using computer software gets basic computer skills needed to use a computer. Educational software is a fun way of learning and can be a good thing to use as a learning tool.
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