Software Support Tools
testing and immediate results, as well
Software Supports tools are available
for supporting teachers’ and students’
work. Each of them has unique and
powerful features. Thus, teachers
should choose them for their qualities
and benefits they bring in the
classroom and not because of its
availability. Despite of their
uniqueness, they offer the same kinds
of benefits as below:
o Improved efficiency and
productivity
o Improved appearance of
product
o Better accuracy and timeliness
of information
o More support for interaction
and sharing
In brief, the tools are ‘nice to have’ in
the classroom for they can engage,
motivate and extend the way the users
think, act and feel.
Types of Software Support Tools
• Data Collection and Analysis
Tools
• Materials Generators
• Graphics Tools
• Planning and Organizing Tools
• Research and Reference Tools
• Content-area Tools
Data Collection and Analysis Tools
i. Overview
Data collection and analysis tools are a
group of tools that help in keeping
track of and analyzing students’
performance, monitoring student and
class progress, providing a medium for
as serving as a basis for further actions
taken by a teacher to assist students’
learning. These tools include
Electronic Gradebooks, Statistical
Packages, Student Information
Systems, Computer-based Testing
System and Student Response System.
ii. Student Response Systems
This software is also known as
personal response systems, clickers, or
classroom response systems. Student
Response Systems provide students
with a combination of handheld
hardware and software that allow each
student to electronically respond to the
classroom questions simultaneously.
On top of that, the teacher can
immediately get the results of the
students’ responses which have been
summarized by the system. The types
of questions programmed in this
system range from multiple choice
items, yes or no items to rank order
items.

iii. The Learning Theories Involved
Student Response Systems
display immediate results of the
students’ responses. At this point,
teacher will be able to provide instant
feedback for their comprehension
checks. This advantage is comparable
to the learning theory proposes by
Gagne, which is The Conditions of
Learning. From the nine events of
instruction, its second phase,
”Acquisition and Performance”, states
that learning process can be supported
through the presentation of stimulus
material, providing learner guidance,
eliciting performance and giving
feedback. In this situation, the
questions given serve as the stimulus,
cues for retrieval given by teacher are
the guidance, responses from the
students represent eliciting
performance, and establishing
reinforcement serves as the feedback.
Besides, these systems give
every student an equal opportunity to
respond to the questions given. Due to
this, teacher can generate interaction in
the classroom by getting the students
to generally talk about what they have
answered. This is equivalent with the
Social Constructivism which proposes
that learners’ learning process is a
process of making sense through
interaction with their social
environment.
Moreover, these systems can
promote collaborative learning. This is
possible through group exercises that
encourage discussion, or it might be
through quizzes. Based on the Theory
of Constructivism, the most suitable
model for teaching-learning is through
the cooperative and collaborative
model. Hence, students can still benefit
and learn from each other by using
these systems.
iv. Sample products
• Hyper Interactive Teaching
Technology
• Classroom Performance
System
• Turning Point
• Qwizdom Interactive Learning
System
References:
Mok Soon Sang.(2006). A Primary
Education Course in Mathematics
for Post Graduate Diploma
(K.P.L.I.). Selangor:Kumpulan
Budiman Sdn. Bhd.
Student Response System.(March
1,2004). Retrieved January
28,2010 from http://tltgroup.
wordpress.com/low-threshold-
applications/37- student-
response- system/
Patsula, P.J. (1999). Applying
Learning
Theories to Online Instructional
Design. Retrieved January 28,
2010 from http://www.patsula.com
/webbasedlearning/tutorial1/
learning_theories_full_version.
html