Educational Software

The week we have learned about educational software and file management.  These are two important concepts to consider when you become a teacher.  Teachers have many choices when it come to software in the classroom to further student learning.  The seven types of softwares are: drill-and-practice, problem solving, creative/critical thinking, tutorials, simulations, image editing, and draw/paint.  One of the softwares that I will be using in my own classroom is simulation.

Simulation allows students to experience things that they would never be able to experience, whether it is past or future. One of the main simulations that I thought of when I read about this was Oregon Trail, which was also listed in the reading.  I remember playing this game when I was in elementary school and I loved it.  This game is all about helping with reading skills and problem solving. Using limited funds, players must equip their wagon with the necessities needed to survive on the trail at a fast pace.  If the player does not think ahead, eventually members on the wagon will die of thirst, hunger, fever, or other conditions.  I remember that I would always lose a wheel or something else off my wagon.  This game also allows you to go hunting, talk to Indians, and discover useful wilderness knowledge that the student would never get to do or know before have this. 

I will use this simulation in my classroom.  I feel that it gives students something fun, yet something educational to learn from.  There are many different ways to teach your students, but sometimes games such as this can teach concepts that schools might not be able to teach.  These type of games can encourage students to think differently.  One of the website that we read said that students are not interested in reading about someone or something from years ago, but a game has certain goals that causes players to have more motivation to achieve goals, most students are learning and they don't even realize it. These are just some of the few reason why I will be using simulation in my classroom.