August 1994 — Features

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Educational Effectiveness of Computer Software

A longer time span, at least 40-50 minutes, is also required to get much educational value out of a program. Thus, in a less than perfect setting, not much of the intended learning can usually be accomplished. Teachers can go a long way toward remedying this situation. First, they must read the package's documentation and implement the software as intended. If, for example, the program is designed to integrate into a curriculum in which teacher instruction and small-group participation is the norm, do not place it in a study hall in which no teacher/mentor is present and student interaction is discouraged. For designers, it is also not enough to embed attractive characteristics in the software because these can easily become diversions from the real goals. Educational objectives cannot be met using "glossy packaging" alone. And it sells short the capacity of computers to aid learning. A software program, however, can be designed to store in memory, for later retrieval, all moves made. It could prompt each individual student according to her record of past behavior, for example, then ask questions or give hints -- something that even a very attentive teacher cannot do. Children, left on their own and wanting basically to have fun, will naturally divert their attention to the features that appeal to them most and thus bypass many of the program's learning opportunities.
Until software designers are certain of what features do both -- attract children and teach -- they should adopt the pedagogical methods that teachers use in a hands-on environment or for manipulatives: Remind students of what the goal is and point out inconsistencies in students' actions. While integrating those techniques, designers should avoid the most uninteresting method -- lecture. Designers can also make the program "behave" as a teacher, rather than counting on teachers being present in the room. If educational software can assume a teacher's role and still be motivating to children, it would accomplish something dearly needed: Specific attention provided to each child, immediate feedback and individual guidance.