Studies have shown that educational software is very effective enhancing the quality of teaching and helping students comprehends on a higher level. The software is widely available covering subjects like math, science, language and art. What is educational software? Educational software generally refers to software that can be used by both students and teachers to augment traditional teaching and learning tools. Nowadays, educational software is indispensable in learning environments, as it allows both educators and pupils to make best use of the educational functions of the computer. What are the kinds of educational software? Educational software can be categorized into content-free educational software, and content-rich educational software. Both are very effective teaching and learning tools when used correctly. Content-free software refers to open-ended software products that allow for user creativity. Examples of such software are graphics and word processing programs. Many educational specialists consider it as being more flexible, because it allows teachers and students to generate their own content. This kind of educational software is ideal for more advanced classes, such as creative writing. Teachers have to select educational word processing programs that contain limited menu options (no spell check, for example), while supporting a variety of graphic, font and sound file formats. There is educational word processing software that allows auditory feedback, usually used in schools for challenged students. Other types of content-free software include imaging software and photo sharing software. Content-rich software, on the other hands, refers to commercially-produced educational software that contains multimedia content such as animation, graphics, sound and video. The information contained in this educational software is usually presented in a very structured manner. Other popular forms of content-rich educational software include science-simulation programs and multimedia encyclopedias. |
