By: Tracie SpencerBoise State University, 2014

Instructional Softwarefor

Family and Consumer Science

Definition: “Software functions provide exercises in which students work example items, usually one at a time, and receive feedback on their correctness” (Roblyer & Doering, 2013).

Drill & Practice

Examples: Flashcards, Charts, Branching Drills, Extensive feedback activities

Relative advantage: Students can use the software to quiz each other on the covered topics, it saves a lot on printing costs, and students can access them from home, without losing them.

Example of Drill & Practice in FCS:Quizlet. Quizlet contains flashcards in multiple FCS including equivalents and nutrition.

Definition: “An entire instructional sequence on a topic” (Roblyer & Doering, 2013). It is instruction that builds on concepts and gives corrective feedback immediately. It needs to be interactive.

Tutorials

Relative advantage: It is colorful and presented in a story format that will help students to remember longer. There is also a chance for them to practice what they learned at the end of the tutorial. Students have access to it all the time.

I created the Gallonland tutorial to help my students remember kitchen equivalents.

Definition: “A computerized model of a real or imagined system that is designed to teach how the system works” (Roblyer & Doering, 2013). It can teach how to do something or teach about something.

Simulations

Relative advantage: Simulations make topics come to life. It is easy for students to see how the things they have been learning about work together in a real life situation. Students can access them at all times.

From Seed to Feed - site I created as a virtual field trip into the process of growing potatoes. (I live in Idaho) Floor Planner - requires students to use principles and elements of design to design rooms. They can move furniture around and change color schemes until they find create a working design. Moneytopia - simulates real life. Make changes to a budget as different life events happen i.e. marriage, children, or stock crashes.

Definition: “Add game-like rules and/or competition to learning activities” (Roblyer & Doering, 2013).

Instructional Games

Relative advantage: These make reviewing content fun and exciting. Students often see them as rewards. They can also access the games at home for further practice and fun!

Quia.com contains several different game options for educational topics. i.e. Jeopardy and Hangman

Financial Soccer is a really fun game covering financial topics

Definition: “Focus on fostering component skills in or approaches o general problem-solving ability, or provide opportunities to practice solving various kinds of content-area problems” (Roblyer & Doering, 2013). Requires cognitive skills to solve a problem.

Problem-Solving Software

Relative advantage: This gives students the opportunity of seeing the effects of their choices in different financial situations without really having to be in those situations. They have to use what they have learned to make the best possible decisions.

Gen-i-revolution -program gives real world problems for students to solve. Teacher can track progress through each of the tasks as students make their way through the program.

The committee for a Responsible Federal Budget -a software for students to look different areas for possible budget cuts in the US government’s budget. Students have to weigh advantages and disadvantages of each cut. They can submit their “plan” to be combined with all others who have participated to see how it compares.