Drill and Tutorial Software

Chapter 3 was full of information that I needed to hear about. It really broke down the differences between drill and tutorial software. All this time I think I've been guilty of lumping them into one category. The chapter provided two reasons that people confuse the two categories. One reason is that people take the feedback given from drill software as tutorial explanations. Another is people confuse the purpose of drill-and-practice activities with tutoring. I think I've been giving a lot of drill-and-practice software by mistaking it for tutorials. I'm glad I found this out early in my career. Learning this will help me decipher between the two.

Chapter 3 provided some criteria for selecting good tutorial software.

• Good tutorial software should offer extensive interactivity. The tutorials should allow students to give frequent responses to questions.
• Good tutorial software should allow thorough user control. Students should be able t o control the rate that text appears. It should allow flexibility to review explanations, examples, and sequences of instruction.
• It should include appropriate pedagogy. The program should compare to a te2chers instruction of the topic. It should cover the topic the same as you would teach it.
• Good tutorial software should give adequate answers and feedback. It should accept correct answers and possible variations. This allows children more than one way to get an answer.
• Appropriate graphics are needed. They should relate to the activity and not interfer with instruction.
• Good tutorials provide recordkeeping. Teachers should be able to monitor student progress.

I was very impressed with the tips given on how to choose software. I feel that these are some simple rules that every teacher should try and follow. I can see how using them would make me much more effective. :0)