Computer applications for the classroom: a review

For most educators, especially those who teach computing or other technical subjects, changes to existing software applications are a common occurrence. However, for educators who are just entering the workforce or being encouraged to update their teaching activities to include new applications, the task of finding an appropriate application for a subject or grade level can be daunting. Educators are constantly exposed to new technologies and updates to applications already in use in their classrooms. This paper offers a review and discussion of options that may help with the selection problem. The discussion is not intended to be exhaustive but rather to provide a starting point in the discussion of applications currently being used by educators today. Every application can look 'cool' or 'fun' at a conference; however, knowing the concepts it supports and whether it will work with one's current hardware and software resources is critical in making new adoption decisions. As an aid to this, the discussion in this paper offers several conceptual distinctions that may be useful, as well as information about the platforms that best support the different applications.