Five Types of Instructional Software

Technology is a key component in today's society.  So its inclusion into schools is a necessity to facilitate the education of the tomorrow's workforce.  There are five main types of instructional software used in classrooms.  The first is drill and practice is a directed teaching strategy that gives students the opportunity to answer questions and get immediate feedback.  Drill and practice technologies include items such as Quizlet, and online flash card study program. Another type of instructional software is the tutorial.  This type of software is a self contained unit that acts as a teacher or tutor to the student.  The software gives the student all the instructional activities, information, and practice that are fundamental to learning the material.  An example of a tutorial would be the popular Khan Academy.  The next type of instructional software is the simulation.  These are often models of various real life problems and experiences that help teach the students through demonstration.  A great science simulation site is PhET.   Probably the most used type of instructional software is the instructional game.  This type of software is much the same as drill and practice but the students are more motivated to participate because the aspects of fun and competition are often involved.  Jeopardy Labs is an example of an instructional game.  Finally, there is problem solving.  This instructional strategy is what every teacher should be using on a daily basis, simply because this type of mental capability is how all humans process information and problems/solutions.  This type of instructional software is relevant because it gives students the opportunity to learn problem-solving skills they will need to answer the problems of the future that, as of now, do not even exist.  An example of problem-solving technology can be seen here.