Administrative

1
Administrative Academic Software

• Objectives

• At the end of this lesson, you should be able to
• Describe the differences between administrative
  and academic software
• Identify how key administrative software packages
  can help them be more effective and efficient in
  professional responsibilities
• Explain how the major types of administrative
  software can be used to enhance the learning
  environment

2
Administrative Academic Software

• Objectives

• Describe the differences between administrative
  and academic software
• Identify how key administrative software packages
  can help them be more effective and efficient in
  professional responsibilities
• Explain how the major types of administrative
  software can be used to enhance the learning
  environment

3
Administrative Academic Software

• Objectives

• Describe how key learning theory frameworks are
  related to the use of software in teaching and
  learning
• Review and evaluate software packages so that
  technology acquisitions will appropriately meet
  teaching and learning needs
• Describe the major categories of academic
  software and their application in teaching and
  learning

4
Administrative Academic Software

• Objectives

• Define academic software and describe the key
  features and use of each type in teaching and
  learning including
• Authoring Software
• Presentation Software
• Desktop Publishing
• Graphics Programs
• Tutorials and Drill and Practice Programs
• Educational Gaming and Simulation Software
• Integrated Learning Systems

5
Administrative Academic Software

• Administrative software - Software used to
  perform professional tasks that may also be
  adapted for instructional use
• Academic software - Software used specifically
  for teaching and learning
• Software may be commercial off the shelf,
  custom created, freeware (freely distributed via
  the Net) or shareware (sharable but with a small
  fee for continued use)

6
Administrative Academic Software
Software Acquisition

• In addition to the actual cost of the software,
  other costs may be associated with its
  acquisition
• Costs to upgrade machines to run the software
• Costs to install and maintain the software
• Costs of time and labor to learn to use the
  software and input data into it
• It is important to carefully review software
  before selecting it to minimize costs

7
Productivity Software
Administrative Academic Software

• Software that assists in completing tasks
• Usually includes
• Word processing
• Spreadsheets
• Data Base Management
• Presentation Software
• Can be purchased individually or in a suite of
  bundled software (e.g. Office XP)

8
Administrative Academic Software
Productivity Software

• Schools often purchase site licenses that allow
  them to use the acquired software on all machines
  in the school
• Typically, productivity software is offered to
  teachers and staff via a school network
• Teachers often adapt and use productivity
  software for educational purposes

9
Word Processing
Administrative Academic Software

• Most commonly used computer software
• In addition to entering, editing, and printing,
  word processors can
• Spell and grammar check
• Enhance the appearance of text
• Add graphic and word art images
• Arrange layout of text and graphic elements
• Add elements from other software
• Offer choices of layout styles

10
Administrative Academic Software
Word Processing

• Include desktop publishing capabilities to
  manipulate the layout of text and other graphic
  objects on a page
• Desktop publishing capabilities include
• WYSIWYG displays
• Addition and manipulation of graphics
• Table and column features
• Auto-formatting

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Administrative Academic Software
Word Processing

• All word processors archive (save) and print hard
  copy
• Most include templates of ready-made document
  styles
• Some include Wizards, automated software within
  the word processor, that will build a customized
  document based on your inputted needs

12
Administrative Academic Software
Electronic Spreadsheets

• Spreadsheets organize, calculate, and chart
  numeric data
• Spreadsheets are very accurate and data is easily
  formatted for readability
• Formulas for precise calculation can be inputted
  by the user or functions (built-in formulas) can
  be selected
• What-if analyses can be used to compare possible
  outcomes

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Administrative Academic Software
Electronic Spreadsheets

• Charts and graphs can be easily generated from
  data entered into the spreadsheet
• Spreadsheets also offer templates for commonly
  used forms
• Macros (previously saved sets of commands) can be
  used to facilitate complex worksheet processes

14
Administrative Academic Software
Spreadsheets in the Classroom

• Teachers can use spreadsheets to
• Create a customized grade book
• Maintain a school, department, or club budget
• Create chart and graph visuals
• For academic activities such as analysis of
  experiment data, and graphing numeric data from
  content taught in class

15
Administrative Academic Software
Data Base Management Systems - DBMS

• DBMS organizes, maintains, and retrieves data
• DBMS software
• Creates and uses a data hierarchy including
  fields, records, files, and data bases
• Conducts queries that find records that match
  targeted criteria
• Creates customizable reports of files or queries

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Administrative Academic Software
DBMS in the Classroom

• Educators can use DBMS software to
• Maintain inventories
• Create and maintain student information
• Develop a mailing list of parents, community
  members, or educational resources
• Create student activities such as creating and
  maintaining records for science class, developing
  community data for social studies, or making a
  class practice test data base

17
Administrative Academic Software
Presentation Software

• Presentation software prepares sequenced
  electronic slides for display to a large group
• Slides may contain text, graphics, sound,
  animation, or video
• Between slides, transitions and bullet special
  effects can be added for interest
• Presentation templates make professionally
  looking presentations easy

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Administrative Academic Software
Presentation Software

• Presentations can be printed out as audience
  handouts to share or for note taking
• Individual slides can be printed with a color
  printer on transparency film to create
  professional looking transparency
• Presentations can be added to a Web site for
  on-line access

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Administrative Academic Software
Presentation Software in the Classroom

• Educators can use presentation software to create
  professional looking, organized class or school
  presentations
• Presentation software can also be adapted as an
  academic activity such as student reports via
  presentation, group projects with a class or
  school wide presentation as an outcome, or
  digital yearbook on CD

20
Administrative Academic Software
Integrated Software

• Productivity software that contains an
  abbreviated form of the four common applications
  is called integrated software
• Each productivity tool is present but some
  features found in stand-alone packages are
  omitted
• Integrated software, though less powerful, offers
  all applications usually at a lower price

21
Administrative Academic Software
School/Class Management Software

• Software that assists educators in accomplishing
  classroom or school administrative tasks
• Classroom tasks assisted by software include
• Attendance and Grade book
• Seating Chart
• Portfolio Assessment
• Computer lab management software
• etc

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Administrative Academic Software
School/Class Management Software

• School or District level tasks assisted by
  software include
• Attendance
• Grade books accessible by parents
• State reporting
• Careful evaluation is important because of
• Acquisition, installation and support costs
• Training costs to prepare staff to use it

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Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Software that supports and enriches teaching and
  learning
• May include commercial or teacher-made software
• Costs (including acquisition, installation and
  training) vary so it is important to carefully
  review and evaluate academic software
• Range from adapted business tools to software
  created exclusively for learning

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Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Authoring Systems
• Software that assists teachers in creating their
  own instructional software
• Vary in the type of hardware necessary to run
  them and the type of operating system interface
  they can be used with
• Hypermedia authoring systems help teachers create
  electronic cards that teach specific concepts
  and are linked together for navigation

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Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Authoring Systems
• Multimedia authoring systems
• - Can create a range of multimedia software from
  simple to sophisticated
• - Teachers can make reviews, tutorials, and
  lessons that can be used as stand-alone software
• Web authoring systems help teachers create
  multimedia software that can be used on a web site

26
Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Desktop Publishing
• Lets users electronically design and layout pages
• Elements that can be created and arranged include
  text, word art, and graphic objects
• May include web authoring component
• Useful for creating handouts, flyers,
  newsletters, transparency masters, etc.

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Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Graphics Software
• Software that lets you create, capture, and/or
  manipulate electronic images
• Most productivity software includes libraries of
  prepared graphic images called clipart
• Graphics software enables you to include images
  beyond those included in the clipart libraries of
  many programs

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Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Paint Programs
• Software that creates and manipulates digital
  pictures
• Includes tools such as pens and brushes to mimic
  real-world artists tools
• Can be used for simple enhancements or to create
  high-end digital artwork

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Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Draw Programs
• Software that creates and manipulates digital
  drawings
• Uses layered, arranged objects to create
  sophisticated drawings rather than electronic
  artist tools
• Can be used to create drawings, add objects that
  emphasize points, or create collages

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Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Imaging Software
• Turns hard copy into digital images and/or edits
  existing digital images
• Typically used and sold with scanners and digital
  cameras
• Some scanner imaging software can convert hard
  copy into a word processed document
• Photo-styling software edits and manipulates
  scanned photos or those from a digital camera

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Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Reference Software
• Digital version of reference materials including
  encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauruses,
  atlases, etc
• Usually on CD
• Often stored in a hypermedia format that includes
  text, sound, animation, video, and graphics that
  can be navigated via links

32
Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Tutorials Software
• Present new material in an instructional sequence
• May be linear or use a hypermedia format
• Typically provides feedback
• Lets students proceed at their own rate
• Not very interactive
• May contain classroom management components that
  report student progress

33
Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Drill Practice Software
• Reinforce existing skills rather than teach new
  material
• Usually linear sequence that presents key points
  and then asks review questions
• Provides feedback and further review
• Sometimes called drill kill because of its
  repetitive nature

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Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Educational Games
• Presents or reviews content in a game format
• Educational adventures let students solve
  mysteries and explore by applying knowledge
• Board/Card Game simulations superimpose content
  on traditional games
• Video games add content to arcade style games
• Some controversy exists as to whether gaming
  overwhelms instruction

35
Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Simulations
• Presents a virtual model of an environment or
  experience that can be used to practice in
• Examples include flying an airplane or conducting
  a chemical experiment
• Provides a safe way to experience potentially
  unsafe conditions
• Advantage over real experiences is the
  opportunity to adjust speed and reply

36
Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Special Needs Software
• Sometimes used with assistive hardware, special
  needs software provides support for learners with
  special needs
• Readers read scanned or computer text aloud for
  sight impaired students
• Speech synthesizers can turn the spoken word into
  computer text
• Multimedia software can be targeted to specific
  learning disabilities

37
Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Integrated Learning Systems
• Fully integrated hardware and software systems
  that provide instruction and/or remediation
  addressed to target objectives
• May include tutorials, drill and practice, and
  classroom management
• Usually sold as a bundle with all necessary
  equipment, software, training, and support
• May be difficult for teachers to fully implement
  in classroom settings

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Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Problem Solving Software
• Helps students acquire and practice problem
  solving
• May be content-oriented or content-neutral
• Offers opportunities to learn by doing, test
  hypotheses, discover strategies to solve problems
• Often used in math and science to test concepts
  taught

39
Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI)
• Originally drill and practice but now CAI refers
  to any software that tutors, reviews, and/or
  provides feedback
• Not to be confused with Computer Managed
  Instruction (CMI) that also provides classroom
  management
• May adjust content level based on correctness of
  student responses

40
Administrative Academic Software
Academic Software

• Brainstorming / Concept Mapping
• Allows learners to visually develop ideas and
  concepts and create connections among them
• Generates visual digital maps of a brainstorming
  session
• Lets students add ideas, edit them, organize them
  in relation to others, and see the completed
  cohesive whole concept

41
Administrative Academic Software
Software in Teaching and Learning

• Administrative software can make tasks easier and
  teachers more productive
• Teachers should be prepared to provide input on
  the administrative software best for them
• Although demanding in terms of time, it is
  important for teachers to be familiar with
  software options

42
Administrative Academic Software
Software in Teaching and Learning

• So many choices that teachers must make careful
  decisions
• Review and evaluation a critical step before
  acquisition
• Software should address objectives and support
  and enhance teaching and/or learning to be used