Editing Educational software (section)

==Categories of educational software==

===Courseware===
"Courseware" is a term that combines the words 'course' with 'software'.<ref>{{Citation |last=Lee |first=Jae Mu |title=Courseware Learning |date=2012 |work=Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning |pages=823–826 |editor-last=Seel |editor-first=Norbert M. |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1428-6_535|publisher=Springer US}}</ref> It was originally used to describe additional educational material intended as kits for teachers or trainers or as tutorials for students, usually packaged for use with a computer. The term's meaning and usage has expanded and can refer to the entire course and any additional material when used in reference an online or 'computer formatted' classroom. Many companies are using the term to describe the entire "package" consisting of one 'class' or 'course' bundled together with the various lessons, tests, and other material needed. The courseware itself can be in different formats: some are only available online, such as Web pages, while others can be downloaded as PDF files or other types of document. Many forms of [[educational technology]] are now covered by the term ''courseware''. Most leading educational companies solicit or include courseware with their training packages.

===Classroom aids===
{{See also|Interactive whiteboard}}
Some educational software is designed for use in school classrooms. Typically such software may be projected onto a large whiteboard at the front of the class and/or run simultaneously on a network of desktop computers in a classroom. The most notable are SMART Boards that use [[Smart Technologies|SMART Notebook]] to interact with the board which allows the use of pens to digitally draw on the board. This type of software is often called [[classroom management]] software. While teachers often choose to use educational software from other categories in their [[software suite|IT suites]] (e.g. reference works, children's software), a whole category of educational software has grown up specifically intended to assist classroom teaching. 'Wordshark', for example, was first released in the mid nineties with multi-sensory games to support students learning to read and spell. Branding has been less strong in this category than in those oriented towards home users. Software titles are often very specialized and produced by various manufacturers, including many established educational book publishers.

===Assessment software===

With the impact of [[environmental damage]] and the need for institutions to become "[[paperless]]",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=97874&page=1 |title=ABC News October 7: School Tries to Go Paperless |publisher=ABC News |date= 2006-01-07|access-date=2012-12-06}}</ref> more educational institutions are seeking alternative ways of assessment and testing, which has always traditionally been known to use up vasts amount of paper. ''Assessment software'' refers to software with a primary purpose of assessing and testing students in a virtual environment.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Online Assessment Tools for Teachers & Student {{!}} Online Assessment Software|url=https://www.iitms.co.in/products/online-assessment-software/|access-date=2022-02-25|website=www.iitms.co.in}}</ref> Assessment software allows students to complete tests and examinations using a computer, usually networked. The software then scores each test transcript and outputs results for each student. Assessment software is available in various delivery methods, the most popular being self-hosted software, online software and hand-held voting systems. [[Proprietary software]] and [[open-source software]] systems are available. While technically falling into the ''Courseware'' category (see above), Skill evaluation lab is an example for [[Computer-based assessment]] software with PPA-2 (Plan, Prove, Assess) methodology to create and conduct computer based online examination. [[Moodle]] is an example of open-source software with an assessment component that is gaining popularity. QST Online<ref>{{cite web | url=https://sourceforge.net/projects/qstonline/ | title=Quiz/Survey/Test Online | date=9 December 2023 }}</ref> a dedicated, complete, very large scale, open source exam/assessment solution is also growing in adoption. It's ability to import/export/convert questions to common/standard formats is a feature that other open source platforms do not offer. Many find this more preferable then locking into one vendors format. Other popular international assessment systems include [[Google Classroom]], [[Blackboard Learn]], [[EvaluNet]] and ''XT''.

===Reference software===
{{Main|Reference software}}
Many publishers of print [[dictionary|dictionaries]] and [[encyclopedia]]s have been involved in the production of educational reference software since the mid-1990s. They were joined in the reference software market by both startup companies and established software publishers, most notably [[Microsoft]].

The first commercial reference software products were reformulations of existing content into [[CD-ROM]] editions, often supplemented with new [[multimedia]] content, including compressed video and sound. More recent products made use of internet technologies, to supplement CD-ROM products, then, more recently, to replace them entirely.

[[Wikipedia]] and its offspins (such as [[Wiktionary]]) marked a new departure in educational reference software. Previously, encyclopedias and dictionaries had compiled their contents on the basis of invited and closed teams of specialists. The [[Wiki]] concept has allowed for the development of collaborative reference works through open cooperation incorporating experts and non-experts.

===Custom platforms===
Some manufacturers regarded normal [[personal computer]]s as an inappropriate [[Computing platform|platform]] for learning software for younger children and produced custom child-friendly pieces of hardware instead. The hardware and software is generally combined into a single product, such as a child laptop-lookalike. The laptop keyboard for younger children follows an alphabetic order and the [[QWERTY]] order for the older ones.  The most well-known example are [[LeapFrog Enterprises|LeapFrog]] products. These include imaginatively designed [[handheld game console|hand-held console]]s with a variety of pluggable educational [[ROM cartridge|game cartridges]] and book-like electronic devices into which a variety of [[electronic book]]s can be loaded. These products are more portable than [[laptop]] computers, but have a much more limited range of purposes, concentrating on [[literacy]].

While mainstream operating systems are designed for general usages, and are more or less customized for education only by the application sets added to them, a variety of software manufacturers, especially [[Linux distribution]]s, have sought to provide integrated platforms for specifically education.

===Corporate training and tertiary education===
Earlier educational software for the important corporate and tertiary education markets was designed to run on a single [[desktop computer]] (or an equivalent user device). In the years immediately following 2000, planners decided to switch to [[Server (computing)|server]]-based [[Application software|applications]] with a high degree of [[standardization]]. This means that educational software runs primarily on servers which may be hundreds or thousands of miles from the actual user. The user only receives tiny pieces of a learning module or test, fed over the internet one by one. The server software decides on what learning material to distribute, collects results and displays progress to teaching staff. Another way of expressing this change is to say that educational software morphed into an online educational service. US Governmental endorsements and approval systems ensured the rapid switch to the new way of managing and distributing learning material. [[McDonald's]] also experimented with this via the [[Nintendo DS]] software ''[[eCrew Development Program]]''.

See also:
* [[Educational technology]]
* [[SCORM]]
* [[Virtual learning environment]], LMS ([[learning management system]])
* [[Training Management System]]
* [[Web-based training]]

===Specific educational purposes===
[[File:ChineseTap.jpg|thumb|right|140px|Educational software for learning [[Standard Chinese]] using [[Pinyin]].]]

There are highly specific niche markets for educational software, including:
* teacher tools and classroom management software
(remote control and monitoring software, filetransfer software, document camera and presenter, free tools,...)
* Driving test software
* [[Interactive geometry software]]
* Language learning software
* Mind Mapping Software which provides a focal point for discussion, helps make classes more interactive, and assists students with studying, essays and projects.
* Designing and printing of [[paper model|card models]] for use in education – e.g. [[Designer Castles]] for [[BBC Micro]] and [[Acorn Archimedes]] platforms<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Drage|first=Chris|date= September 1991|title= Design for learning |magazine= BBC Acorn User|publisher=Redwood Publishing|issn=0263-7456|issue=110|pages= 110–111}}</ref>
* Note-taking ([[Comparison of note-taking software]])
* Software for enabling simulated dissection of human and animal bodies (used in medical and veterinary college courses)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ramsites.net/~kungae/deck.pdf |title=April Kung, "The Case for Educational Software in the Life Sciences" (2004) |access-date=2012-12-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130706160726/http://ramsites.net/~kungae/deck.pdf |archive-date=2013-07-06 |url-status=usurped}}</ref>
* [[Spelling]] tutor software
* Typing tutors
* Reading Instruction
* Medical and healthcare educational software

=== Video games and gamification ===
Video games can be used to teach a user technology literacy or more about a subject. Some operating systems and mobile phones have these features. A notable example is [[Microsoft Solitaire]], which was developed to familiarize users with the use of [[graphical user interface]]s, especially the [[Computer mouse|mouse]] and the [[drag-and-drop]] technique. ''[[Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing]]'' is a largely known program with built in mini-games to keep the user entertained while improving their typing skills.

[[Gamification]] is the use of game design elements in nongame contexts and has been shown to be effective in motivating behavior change. By seeing game elements as "motivational affordances," and formalizing the relationship between these elements and motivational affordances.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Buckley |first1=Jim |last2=DeWille |first2=Tabea |last3=Exton |first3=Chris |last4=Exton |first4=Geraldine |last5=Murray |first5=Liam |title=A Gamification–Motivation Design Framework for Educational Software Developers |journal=Journal of Educational Technology Systems |date=20 June 2018 |volume=47 |issue=1 |pages=101–127 |doi=10.1177/0047239518783153|hdl=10344/6911 |doi-access=free |hdl-access=free }}</ref> Classcraft is a software tool used by teachers that has gaming elements alongside an educational goal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Classcraft - Relationships are everything. |url=https://www.classcraft.com/ |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=Classcraft}}</ref> [[Tovertafel]] is a games console designed for [[remedial education]] and counter-acting the effects of [[dementia]].