Professional tool

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Definition

  • (In this context) we define a professional tool as a tool that is used in a work context and hat has been mainly developped for it.
  • In education, and in particular in the school system, that kind of software seems to be the most popular category of educational technologies.
  • There may be several interrelated explanations:
    • Such tools are used in the real world and therefor did demonstrate their usefulness within given tasks.
    • Such tools are used in the "real world", therefore augment authenticity and learner motivation
    • Such tools are well suited to support project-oriented learning scenarios, i.e. support activity-based teaching
    • Teachers know how to use them (e.g. they use them to prepare courses or demonstrations).

Different types

  • Office tools (word processors, speadsheets, presentation tools)
  • Internet publication tools like web-pages, CMSs and associated search technology
  • Computer-assisted design tools
  • .....