IXL Kindergarten Skills is a software which assist students by building their mathematical solving skills. The software is colourfully attractive and easily navigated through an ‘F’ designed page. Students can explore and practice all the skills relevant to their Zone of Proximal Development. The links allow students, teachers and parents to easily navigate through its various subsections.
The software provides Reports on student’s progress and Awards for their success by tracking the student’s score on each test taken. It also provides information on the State’s Standards of Education, which signifies it’s credibility and allows for Membership to the site. Therefore much information and feedback is provided to the student for gauging their performance and building their confidence.
The software can be classified as one which is based on Drill and Practice and Problem solving. It takes the constructivist approach, of learning by doing, according to Piaget and Vygotsky. The awards, which successful students receive act as a positive reinforcement for increasing the likelihood of students’ continuous success, according to B.F. Skinner’s Operant Conditioning. It is also an individual effort which is geared towards helping students master maths.
The software had time limits, which at times frustrated the student and took away from it’s motivational factor. However, The software had audio (verbal) and visual (written) instructions, which effectively allowed ‘dual coding’ of the instructions. The software also represented it’s instructions very well through symbols and pictures which helped students link the concrete to abstract and gave thorough explanations for given answers when questions were incorrectly answered.
The software is one a Teacher would use as an educational tool, if the objective is to direct students towards automaticity.
Oh, I did a similiar one so I guess we are well informed about IXl. This information was well structured and detailed.
ReplyDeleteyes I agree!...it's either telepathy or i guess the software really drew our attention because of its applicative nature.
ReplyDeleteOk cool, any software that helps me with maths,I am interested in it. Linking the abstract to the concrete should really help in understanding maths. I would definitely explore this software further.
ReplyDeleteThe picture makes this software look very interesting to those at the pre-school level. I agree that it would be very effective to teach them.
ReplyDeletemaybe if i had this in my day i would have done better in mathematics.
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