1.  Educational Software An overview and application of the various uses of computer software in an educational context by Nathan Freel

2.  Overview 1. Importance of Educational Software 2. Administrative Software 3. Academic Software

3.  Importance of Educational Software

4. Importance of Computer Literacy  Today’s daily activities use more and more computers to simplify daily tasks  Computers are becoming increasingly powerful tools for the classroom, so teachers should be familiar with technology  Educators should have the knowledge and ability to use computers and technology efficiently in the classroom

5. Choosing Good Software  The textbook and this webpage, http://www.businessknowhow.com/manage/software.htm, offer great criteria for selecting software, but these three guidelines are great for initial consideration: http://www.businessknowhow.com/manage/software.htm 1. Features—Does the software accomplish expected tasks? 2. Reliability/Support—Are there solutions for future issues? 3. Training—Is the interface easy to learn?

6. Types of Software Licenses  Proprietary Software—software that can be purchased  Freeware and Open Source—software that is free to all  Shareware—software that allows users to “try out” software and gives users the option to purchase it or not  Site license—allows software on multiple machines

7. NETST Standards  1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity: Educational software is a powerful tool for designing great learning atmospheres, whether it’s simplifying management tasks or sparking interest in educational topics.  2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments: More tests today are implementing technology to improve results. Software can create powerful opportunities for unique learning scenarios.

8. NETST Standards  3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning: Today’s technology allow teachers to communicate better, to track progress better, and to provide students with the tools necessary to learn effectively in and out of the classroom.  4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility: Technology offers plenty of power, but teachers have an opportunity to demonstrate the proper use of software and teach basic online skills such as having “netiquette.”

9. NETST Standards  5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership Technology is constantly changing and evolving. Teachers are expected to stay up-to-date with current trends and implement technologies and make better and effective use of software.

10.  Administrative Software 1. Productivity Software 2. Integrated Productivity Packages 3. Classroom Management Software

11. Word Processing Software  Document preparation and editing: inserting/deleting text, text selection and enhancement, word wrap and formatting, spelling and grammar tools, copy, cut, paste, and undo  Desktop Publishing: “WYSIWYG” displays, Graphics and Clip Art, Tables and Columns, Autoformats, Word Art  Archiving and Printing

12. Word Processing Software  Ready-Made Word-Processing Tools  Templates—quickly design new documents with set formats  Wizards—walk-throughs that help you get to an out-come  Macros—repetitive sequences that simplify work

13. Word Processing Software  LibreOffice Writer  Apple Pages  Microsoft Word  Google Docs  WordPad

14. Electronic Spreadsheets  Great for data manipulation: data organizers, budgets, grade trackers, and charts or diagrams  Power of Formulas, Functions, and What-If scenarios

15. Electronic Spreadsheets  LibreOffice Calc  Google Spreadsheets  Microsoft Office Excel  Apple iWork Numbers  Lotus 1-2-3

16. Database Management Software  Organization: can be shared across a school network  Sorting: arrange records (information) in nearly any way  Querying: search for records that match certain conditions  Reports: make presentable charts or diagrams of records

17. Database Management Software  Microsoft Office Access  OpenOffice.org Base  Oracle

18. Presentation Software  Displays multimedia (pictures, videos, websites, etc.)  Great templates create appealing slideshows  Printing options create convenient handouts  Animations and transitions add interest to presentations  Display options can give the presenter view to his notes

19. Presentation Software  OpenOffice Impress  Microsoft PowerPoint  Prezi  Google Docs  Apple Keynote

20. Email Software  Microsoft Office Outlook  IBM Lotus Notes  Thunderbird  Apple Mail  Gmail  Yahoo! Mail

21. Integrated Productivity Software  Simplicity—a similar interface and shared features along with an all-in-one installer reduce some software hassles  Cost-effectiveness—often cheaper when purchased as a package, as opposed to buying each program individually  Less training required

22. Integrated Productivity Packages  Google Docs  Microsoft Office  iWork

23. Classroom Management Software  Assessment Software  Classroom Management Software  Curriculum Management Software  District Management Software  Grading Software

24.  Academic Software

25. Desktop Publishing  Adobe InDesign  Microsoft Publisher  Pages

26. Graphics Software  Photo Editing (Rasterized) software—edit and touch up photos by manipulating individual pixels  Illustration (Vector) Software—uses linear shapes to create pictures that can be expanded to an infinite size  Imaging Software—Edits pictures that have been scanned  Optical Character Recognition (OCR) converts a picture of text into actual text characters

27. Graphics Software  Paint  Adobe Illustrator  Adobe Photoshop  Inkscape  Microsoft Office Document Imaging  SimpleOCR

28. Multimedia Software  Audacity  Windows Movie Maker  iMovie  Garageband  iTunes  Quicktime  VLC

29. Reference Software  Microsoft Encarta  World Book Encyclopedia  Google Earth  Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate  WhiteSmoke  Stellarium

30. Authoring Software  Microsoft FrontPage  Adobe Dreamweaver

31. Games Software  Tutorials Software—usually used when presenting new material or just learning new concepts  Drill-and-Practice Software—reinforces previously presented content  Educational Games—Present and review instructional content

32. Games Software  Mathblaster  Reader Rabbit  ClueFinders  KidPix  Zoombinis

33. Other Types of Software  Simulations  Special Needs Software  Integrated Learning Systems (like integrated productivity packages)  Problem-solving software  Brainstorming/Concept- Mapping software  Academic Databases: online collections of reliable resources  Content-specific software

34. Conclusion  As educators, it’s important to utilize the various software programs and what their intended purposes are for  Administrative Software is great for professional work and managing the classroom, especially with productivity software  Other repurposed or specifically designed software allows students and teachers to accomplish specific tasks with much flexibility and many options to choose from