Lesson 14: The Software as an Educational Resource

Lesson 14: The Software as an Educational Resource

           

      There are actually softwares that are intended for educational purposes or as an education resource. However, whenever people think about computers, they are the most likely thinking about the computer machine such as television-like monitor screen, the keyboard to type on, the printer which produces copies of text-and-graphics material, and the computer housing called “the box” which contains the electronic parts and circuits that receives or stores data and directs computer operation. The computer machine or hardware is naturally an attention-getter. In this lesson, two kinds of software are introduced. These are the system software which is the operating system that is found or bundled inside all computer machines and the second one is the application software which contains the system that commands the particular task or solves a particular problem. Microsoft Windows is also introduced in this lesson. Microsoft Windows is also referred to as a program. This is an operating environment between the user and the computer operating system. Windows uses a colorful graphics interface (called GUI-pronounced “gooee”) that can be seen on the computer screen or monitor whenever the computer is turned on.

 The user can work with on-screen pictures (icons) and suggestions (menus) to arrive at the desired software. Windows 95 (now improved with Windows 2003 and 2007) is a software designed for Microsoft Windows. Instructional software can be visited on the Internet or can be bought from software shops or dealers. The teacher through his school should decide on the best computer-based instructional (CBI) materials for the school resource collection. But we must beware since CBIs need much improvement, while web-based educational resources are either extremely good or what is complete garbage.        

In using computer, lots of softwares are being used – some are for entertainment (Farmville), practice (Text Twist), and for instructional (SimCity, Bookworm) as well. Softwares are merely important to a computer because they are the ones to put sense to computer. Softwares are like internet, Microsoft Office, Windows, etc. 

The main concern here is the instructional software and the software which lets us to drill or practice our minds. As a future teacher, I must choose an appropriate and updated type of educational software as a teaching material, because, somehow, the learning is quite interesting if we present this kind of software to the students.