Using Software for Nature Study In Your Homeschool

Nature study is one of those areas where using a software program on a computer, or sitting with a boring textbook just does not get the job done. Many parents live in big cities, or cramped communities where it is next to impossible to get "out in nature", and really go exploring and get into nature. I am not talking about the park, or the local playground. I am talking about searching through the woods looking for native birds or wildlife. Unfortunately for these parents, except for the occasional excursion, vacation, or camping trip, they have to resort to some sort of nature study software in their homeschool. Hopefully, the software they choose is richly detailed, with many pictures and multimedia. The pictures should be full size, color photographs of the nature you are studying, for example volcanoes, or toucans. If you are studying birds, the software should include sound files of their distinctive whistles, and perhaps videos of them doing their courtship dance. Of course, getting out into nature is still the best way to learn about it, but for those who don't have access to volcanoes, or toucans, they should get the best software they have available for bringing the nature into your home, and onto your computer. Some of the big auction websites have this type of software available for sale from their users, and are some of the best places to get nature study homeschool software cheaply.

Software for Homeschools Using Macs

These days, many more people are using Apple Macintosh computers and software in their homeschool. Apple makes their systems very easy to use, and children seem to "get" them easier and quicker than pc's. But sometimes, it can be hard to find software for certain subjects for Mac. Or the best software available is only available on Windows. In these cases, you could use a program on your (newer, intel-based) Mac called VMWare Fusion. This will allow you to run Windows programs within your Mac environment, seamlessly and at full speed. This could also give you the option of running any other Windows software you might need, not just your homeschool software. The software can be configured such that the software program you are going to run shows up as a regular Mac icon, you simply double click, and the application is launched, almost completely without realizing it is running in a Windows environment. VMWare Fusion makes your Mac the best of both worlds, and opens up the possibilities of what software you can run.

When To Use Software In Your Homeschool

You may be wondering, "When is the best time to use software in my homeschool?". Should I exclusively use software for teaching my children, or should teach what I know myself well, and use software or dvd's for the rest? These are questions every parent homeschooling their children will eventually ask themselves. Usually some guilt comes into play because some parents feel they are letting their children down by just letting them use the computer for learning rather than "teaching" them themselves, even the parent may be bad at that subject.

Using software for homeschooling can be effective, as long as the software is high quality and really geared toward teaching the child the subject matter. Some software is so boring or dull, that the child sees it as a major chore to have to sit and watch or use. High quality homeschool software should engage the child and really complement the teaching you are already doing. But it is acceptable to use software in your homeschool where you feel it is most appropriate and beneficial.

Use Microsoft Software For Your Homeschool

Microsoft Excel could be put to good use in your homeschool, for everything from tracking grades to teaching math formulas. For teaching math formulas, Excel makes it easy to visualize variables and functions and the results that are produced. You can plug your variables into column “A” and then your formulas into column “B” and see the results in column “C”. When changing column “A”, you can immediately see the effect this has on the calculations of the formula. You can also double click on the bottom right corner of the cell to have Excel automatically apply a pattern on the cells below it. So, you can quickly fill a column with the numbers 1 through 10, or only odds, or various other patterns. This can be helpful for getting your child to see a pattern emerge in a formula. Or you can use the results and create a graph, which changes as you change the variables column. This can help children quickly see how a graph is related to functions. Microsoft Excel could be an important piece of software for your homeschool.

Software For Your Homeschool Should Be Interactive

If you are considering software for use in your homeschool, you should keep in mind that interactive software is much more engaging for children than programs that simply present text on a screen, or feature a droning teacher at a chalkboard on a video. Interactive, exciting software packages can keep your child’s attention longer, and help him to engage with the concepts being taught easier.

Some experts say that hearing, seeing and doing are the most effective way to learn and remember concepts. Interactive software can do all three of these things at the same, and therefore could be a big boost to your child’s learning. So, when you are evaluating the software packages that are out there, remember to consider how interactive it is an important feature. It may be the difference in whether your child truly learns a subject or simply makes it through the lessons, not remembering anything.

Choosing Comprehensive Homeschool Software

When you are choosing software for your homeschool, remember to consider other aspects besides the cost of the software package you are considering. Something you might want to consider, “Is the software I am considering for a particular subject comprehensive in that subject?”.

When I say is the software program comprehensive in a subject, it means does this particular program only focus on a narrow slice of the subject or does it try to incorporate other related areas from the same subject in its learning schedule. For example, you are considering a software package on grammar. Does the program cover just verbs and verb tenses, or does it also practice sentence structure while learning the verbs. If you are considering math software, does the software only cover algebra, or does it draw on some geometry, or even include a few lessons on matrices. Having comprehensive software can be beneficial to making your child’s learning more well rounded.

Learning Homeschool Software Features

After you have chosen a software package for use in your homeschool, you may find that it requires a bigger learning curve than you initially thought. Let's say you chose to start using the new version of Microsoft Office as your grade keeping software for your homeschool work. The new version of Office has many, many new features and these can be overwhelming when trying to get started. For example, there used to be a normal menu bar that was standard in all Microsoft products. This has been replaced by a new menu system called “the ribbon”, which is pictured below.


These types of features can be difficult to learn and implement effectively in your homeschool. Here are some suggestions for making the process easier:

-Follow online tutorials from the maker of the homeschool software you chose. Microsoft for example has many online videos and articles on how to use their products. If the product you are considering does not have much helpful information, you might want to consider a different software package.

-Take a training class at your local community college. In the case of Microsoft Office, many community colleges offer continuing education that is very affordable with flexible schedules.

-You and your homeschooler work through a training manual or online tutorial. This is an effective way to learn, the buddy system. Not only does this help you learn the homeschool software, but it teaches your children at the same time. You may pick up a concept easier, or they may see something you missed. Working together may save time and frustration if your child is the one that will eventually be the one using the software.

-Work with other homeschool parents and students in your area. Someone else may already be familiar with the software you are using, or their children may already be proficient in the use of the software. Utilize these resources and make new friends in the process. Make it a way for the friends child to earn a little side money while benefiting you.

Of course, it is best to evaluate any homeschool software package before you purchase it. But even after evaluation, you may still face a learning curve to get the most out of any software package you end up using. Consider some of the ways listed to get up speed much quicker, and have fun doing so. This is the essence of homeschooling, learning directly by using and personalized training.

Evaluate Any Homeschool Software Program First

All of the homeschool software programs I have mentioned before would work for tracking grades or assignments, and would fill the simple needs of most homeschooling parents. If you need something more robust, you might want to look into homeschool software that is more advanced, or more specialized. Those software programs come with a bigger price tag though, and a bigger learning curve. It would be important to consider and evaluate any homeschool software program using a review website or by talking to other homeschoolers, before spending a lot of money and purchasing something that might not fit well in your homeschool.

Homeschool Software for Mac Users

Another homeschool software program similar to Excel, but for Mac users is Numbers, made by Apple. Some of the best homeschool software packages are on the Mac. Numbers is very similar to Excel in its capabilities, and could be considered to be easier to work with. It is more graphical in nature, and easier for someone who is interested in the final presentation to make sense of, since that is where its focus is. Numbers could be used in your homeschool for tracking grades, or teaching your child about formulas and graphs. Its graphing functions are very nicely laid out and easy to use. Your child could use it as a computer enhanced learning tool when working on charts or graphs for their math curriculum. Its file format is not as widely supported, but you can export to many different formats that the people you are sharing with can accept.

Using Office As Your Homeschool Software

Many people use the Microsoft Office suite of products as their homeschool software for tracking assignments and grades. In the Office suite is a program called Excel. Excel is a software program that is good at keeping lists, and organizing rows of information. I can create an excel spreadsheet with multiple columns, perhaps a column for date, assignment, subject, grade, etc. I can then save the excel spreadsheet for future reference, or print it to show to the child or to homeschool administrators (required in some states). Excel is a great piece of homeschool software because it is so easy to use and is almost ubiquitous. I can share the files it creates via email or export them to all kinds of other file formats.

Homeschool Software Program for Tracking Grades and Assignments

The scenario is the same in most homeschools: I assign my child learning material to work on, and I need to have a system for tracking their assignments and grades in order to give them valuable feedback on the learning process. Is there a homeschool software program that can help me with this?
I will discuss several homeschool software options that you could use in your homeschool:

Microsoft Office

iWork Numbers

Google Docs

Specialized or custom homeschool software bundles

Choosing Homeschool Software

If you are homeschooling your child, you know how difficult it is to keep up with everything in the learning process. You have to research books, reading material, curriculum, study guides. Part of that process is evaluating homeschool software programs. When choosing homeschool material, you have to be conscious of what value the material provides. You have to ask the same questions about your homeschool software:

Does my homeschool software help my child learn?

Does my homeschool software help me teach my child?

Is my homeschool software worth the money I am spending on it?

What kind of homeschool software do I need?

These are important questions you must ask when evaluating the software that is available to the homeschool market. This blog will discuss and help you determine what type of software you need for homeschooling, in all its various areas, from managing the learning time to organizing your reading list to keeping your grades.

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