Name:
June 16, 2005

(1) General Software Review. In this activity you will be reviewing software that you would find useful in your roll as a teacher. Note, this is a review of software, not websites. Websites can be used only if they have a high level of interactivity and animation such as those at ExploreLearning.com. Although we have software on our local servers, much of it is antiquated, and students are best served by downloading freeware and shareware.
  • Review five or more pieces of educational software. You are free to choose any piece of software that is of value either for instructional, administrative, or professional purposes. You must have hands-on experience with the software... watching someone's software review is not sufficient.
  • Write a paragraph describing each program and your professional opinion of its usefulness in education.
  • At least one of your titles should be freeware or shareware that you have downloaded from the Internet.
  • Include a screen capture from the software.
  • Choose the best one from among these 5 for the formal software review/presentation.

Title / Review /

Screen Capture

1 / Textenz / This software calculates frequencies of words, phrases or word forms in a given text. Basically it counts words that you type in. It would be useful for beginning readers and writers. It would encourage literacy. I could use this software when I am teaching my 8th grade class to write a summary. This software has a special component for summaries, where it counts the number of words and even if phrases are repeated. It identifies if certain words or phrases that are overused – thus the writer can improve on their writing style. I could also use this software when evaluating the readability of textbooks as well as written work that students submit. Though this software has its uses I doubt I will be using it very frequently. I could use it as a peer review tool in my classroom.
2 / Grammar Slammer / Similar to the Windows Grammar help – but more sophisticated. I would only use it for my personal use and not for my classroom. I used this to check spelling of the sentence that I wrote in this column.
3 / Crossword Compiler /
This software is similar to puzzlemaker.
It does the same – my snapshot demonstrates this.
I would use this software in my classroom. I could personalize a crossword and give it as part of a quiz.
4 / Word web / This software helps build vocabulary. If you write a word down ( I wrote my name) it finds all kinds of matches. It gave me too many matches but I did not find this useful. What I found useful about this software is that if one is not sure of the spellings one can use @or * or ? and put the letters one is sure of to come up with matches. To quote directly from the software:
Use * to stand for any number of letters, ? for one unknown letter, @ for any vowel or # for a consonant. You can also search for letter groups, punctuation-sensitive searches and powerful general regular expression search. The huge 230 000+ word database is searched very quickly.
5 / Smart
draw
Mind
Map / Though this is business software, it has many tools that I can use in my classroom. From concept maps to timelines, character analysis to book reports to even calendar charts to make homework logs, this software can help in creating lessons and keeping things organized.
The snapshot is of a character analysis between Darcy and Elizabeth in pride and Prejudice. This shows visually the relationship between characters in a story.
(2) Formal Software Review. In this activity you will be reviewing software that you would find useful in your roll as a teacher. Note, this is a review of software, not websites. Websites can be used only if they have a high level of interactivity and animation such as those at ExploreLearning.com. Although we have software on our local servers, much of it is antiquated, and students are best served by downloading freeware and shareware.
  • Select one software product for formal review and presentation to the class. Write reviews for each according to the format guidelines provided on the following page. Post you selection.

Title: Smartdraw

(1) Description of Program: This is a business graphics software that helps the user put out his ideas in the forms of charts, flow diagrams and decision trees.

(2) Basic Information: Software used for making diagrams, charts, flows and maps. Other features that this software offers besides charts and mapping is visual book reports, character analysis etc is that an educator can make homework logs, , timetables etc.

(3) Target Population: Targeted mostly for businesses but useful for personal use too. Especially useful to the educator.

(4) Content Goals: Content goals are to help the viewer to visually see what the subject is about and to be able to understand the subject under discussion in a short time. Words can go on but visuals get the message across quicker.

(5) Process Goals: Even a beginner can use it quickly, unlike other graphics one does not need to remember shortcuts. It is very user-friendly.

(6) Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan that uses Smartdraw software

Teacher’s NameFatema BaldiwalaClass/Period: 12th Grade English

Unit: Pride and PrejudiceDate: In future – 4 weeks total time period

Objectives: Student’s will use smartdraw software to:

  • understand how characters viewed marriage during the Regency period,
  • timeline of events during the course of the novel,
  • map concepts for final essay on the subject of in Pride and Prejudice,
  • write a letter to Jane Austin

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Materials Needed: Smartdraw software, novel, CD recording of the novel, pen and paper.

California Content Standards:

Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text

3.2 Analyze the way in which the theme or meaning of a selection represents a view or comment on life, using textual evidence to support the claim.

3.3 Analyze the ways in which irony, tone, mood, the author's style, and the "sound" of language achieve specific rhetorical or aesthetic purposes or both.

2.0 Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)

2.2 Write responses to literature: a. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the significant ideas in works or passages. b. Analyze the use of imagery, language, universal themes, and unique aspects of the text. c. Support important ideas and viewpoints through accurate and detailed references to the text and to other works. d. Demonstrate an understanding of the author's use of stylistic devices and an appreciation of the effects created. e. Identify and assess the impact of perceived ambiguities, nuances, and complexities within the text.

Activities:

Teacher Procedures / Student Responsibilities
Introduce to timeline software
Mini-Lesson on character and their relationships. Especially how characters,Charlotte Lucas, Lady Catherine, the three younger Misses Bennett. viewed marriage during the Regency period
Teacher tells students to brainstorm for final essay. Topic of essay is irony.
Teacher tells students they will write a letter to Jane Austin telling her what parts of the novel they found similar to present society. / Using smartdraw timeline software student will draw a timeline of the events in Pride and Prejudice
Students will use smartdraw character analysis software to analyze how different people of that time viewed marriage.
Students use smartdraw concept mapping to show all the places irony is used in Pride and Prejudice.
Students use smartdraw letter writing template to create a humorous letter to Jane Austin pointing out similarities in today’s society with that of the one she lived in.

Evaluation: Timeline Points:10

Character analysisPoints: 10

Essay mappingPoints: 05

Letter to Jane AustinPoints: 10

Evaluation of Lesson Effectiveness: Thanks to Smartdraw I have beautiful graphics to hang on my classroom wall depicting student work.

(7) Summary: This is a wonderful tool to have. I can make handouts, get my students to make timelines, analyze character etc and all this I can show visually. Once students have done all this I can hang up their work in the classroom. Not only for making visual graphics but also to keep the heavy workload and myself, organized I can use this tool. I would definitely use it in the classroom.

(3) Formal Presentation of Software: One or two sessions will be scheduled for formal software review. During these sessions you will present your software in small groups or to the class using network sharing software such as Apple Remote Desktop. Once you have decided on software to review, post your decision on the newsgroup as specified in class or on the web-page. first-come, first-served.
  • Make a presentation of your software using the following guidelines Each presentation must be limited to 15 minutes.
  • Your presentations should stress how this software can be used effectively in the curriculum.
  • Do not spend time discussing mechanics (menu structure, etc.) nor shortcomings
  • Illustrate how the software can be used to enhance instruction.
  • Provide your peers with a "hands-on experiences" lesson if at all possible.

I did not present in class – I was still learning, but I am hooked on computers.

I would present the smartdraw software. They sent me a link to how to use it and it is simply a great tool to have. Cuts paperwork in half. Also very good looking. One can make wonderful charts, handouts etc with this tool. When the day dawns when every student will have their own computer in class then this is great software to use.

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