In addition to increased engagement and excitement, the use of instructional software allows teachers to individualize instruction for each student and provide remediation, if necessary. Students can choose activities that meet their needs and revisit skills that might not yet be secure. They may also work with instructional software that provides opportunities for enrichment. Many of these resources can be accessed outside of school. Teachers have the ability to monitor student progress with websites such as SumDog, Spelling City, and RAZ-Kids. Using the reports that can be generated on these sites, teachers can adjust instruction for each student.
To see if the use of instructional software (or other tech tools might be right for you and your students, use this Checklist for Evaluating Tech Tools, Apps, Software, and Hardware found on TechPudding. While usability, cost, and putting the user first are all addressed, I find the suggestion of paying attention to word of mouth an important one. I find a great deal of wonderful items to share with my students after visiting various teacher message boards or checking my Twitter feed.
References:
Chan, S. (2011, April 4). Checklist for Evaluating Tech Tools, Apps, Software, and Hardware. TechPudding. Retrieved from http://techpudding.com/2011/04/04/checklist-for-evaluating-technology-software-and-applications/
Roblyer, M.D. and Doerling, A.H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th Ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
*As a side note, this was my first time using Prezi. I had always looked at it as something that was too complicated for me to figure out. I avoided it...chose Google Presentation and PowerPoint as my presentation methods of choice. I decided now was the time to figure this Prezi thing out, and I am so glad I did!