--- title: Instructional Software Should Be Exercise, Not Physical Therapy description: "Educators too often treat instructional software as optional \"fill-in-the-gaps,\" instead of as a powerful learning tool for teachers." image: https://2024.mindresearch.org/hs-fs/file-261842458-jpg/images/greenboythinking-resized-600.jpg --- [![](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hs-fs/hubfs/MIND-logo-2018.jpg?width=1701&height=623&name=MIND-logo-2018.jpg)](http://www.mindresearch.org/) [![mind logo](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hubfs/graphics/logos/MIND-logos-color2.svg)](https://www.mindeducation.org/) [![mind white logo](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hubfs/graphics/logos/MIND-logos-white2.svg)](https://www.mindeducation.org/) - [Our Approach](https://2024.mindresearch.org/our-approach) - [Why MIND?](https://2024.mindresearch.org/why-math-education) - [Our Research](https://2024.mindresearch.org/our-research) - [Our Patents](https://2024.mindresearch.org/patents) - [Our Impact](https://2024.mindresearch.org/impact) - [Our Partners](https://2024.mindresearch.org/partners) - [Partner Stories](https://2024.mindresearch.org/partner-stories) - Our Programs - [ST Math](http://www.stmath.com/) - [InsightMath](http://www.insightmath.com/) - [MathMINDs](https://www.mindresearch.org/mathminds) - [Life at MIND](https://2024.mindresearch.org/careers) - Resources - [Blog](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog) - [Math Discourse](https://2024.mindresearch.org/puzzletalks) - [Podcast](https://2024.mindresearch.org/edtech-podcast) - [News](https://2024.mindresearch.org/news) - [Activities](https://2024.mindresearch.org/stem-resources) - [Donate](https://store.mindresearch.org/pages/donate) **Student privacy****:** learn more about our commitment to keeping students safe [Read More](https://www.mindresearch.org/privacy-policy) ![MIND-on-Math_Blog-Header-5](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hs-fs/hubfs/graphics/headers/_blog-headers/MIND-on-Math_Blog-Header-5.png?width=2000&height=667&name=MIND-on-Math_Blog-Header-5.png "MIND-on-Math_Blog-Header-5") Category Community Teaching & Learning Technology & Games Research & Outcomes Neuroscience Celebrations & Successes [![Subscribe](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/237516/a35fb57d-2960-4554-a0f3-e7bb5946fc70.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/237516/a35fb57d-2960-4554-a0f3-e7bb5946fc70) [Teaching & Learning](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/topic/teaching-learning) # Instructional Software Should Be Exercise, Not Physical Therapy By [Andrew Coulson](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/author/andrew-coulson) - - - - - [mailto:?subject=Instructional%20Software%20Should%20Be%20Exercise,%20Not%20Physical%20Therapy&body=Instructional%20Software%20Should%20Be%20Exercise,%20Not%20Physical%20Therapy%20https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/bid/327123/Instructional-Software-Should-Be-Exercise-Not-Physical-Therapy](mailto:?subject=Instructional%20Software%20Should%20Be%20Exercise,%20Not%20Physical%20Therapy&body=Instructional%20Software%20Should%20Be%20Exercise,%20Not%20Physical%20Therapy%20https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/bid/327123/Instructional-Software-Should-Be-Exercise-Not-Physical-Therapy) - Educators too often treat instructional software for students like physical therapy for the injured: You get diagnosed for your specific injury, you undergo a physical therapy regimen, and one day you’re healthy again. ![Boy thinking hard](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hs-fs/file-261842458-jpg/images/greenboythinking-resized-600.jpg?width=268&height=179&name=greenboythinking-resized-600.jpg)So too, digital content is prescribed for students needing remediation for specific areas of weakness diagnosed, until they have practiced those areas of weakness enough to “pass.” **Digital content has been mispositioned as optional**: as a tool for some of the students, some of the curriculum, some of the time. In this view, software serves a role of “cleaning-up” whatever gaps were left unfilled or incomplete after normal teaching. Even with the recent emergence of “blended learning” combining digital content with teaching, this “fill the holes” role for digital content is still prevalent, as evidenced by RFP’s for RTI Tier 2 use. The software, according to this thinking, enables “more” teaching; “more” time on task. But consider: more time with conventional teaching has been tried and doesn’t get game-changing results. By game-changing I mean ensuring that every student understands and gains content mastery and confidence in a subject – like math. This pigeonholing of instructional software as a “clean up” is too limiting. Why then purchase – or develop – instructional software that is fundamental and vital for all students? Fundamental and vital is how we view... textbooks. Lawsuits are filed and won to ensure that every student has a textbook. We’ll know that the pigeonholing is over when the day comes that a lawsuit is filed, fought and won to ensure that every student has effective instructional software. **![Teacher helpign student with ST Math](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hs-fs/file-262332971-jpg/images/teacher_student_ipad.jpg?width=232&height=154&name=teacher_student_ipad.jpg)Instructional software, in the hands of a teacher, makes teaching and learning more powerful** and effective generally throughout the school year, by differentiating to reach every student (including the strongest), engaging and motivating each student at an appropriate level and pace, and providing multiple opportunities for the teacher to assess, diagnose, and consolidate student learning. The future – and appropriate – role of instructional software will be as a **fundamental and vital component of the everyday learning environment**, for every student and every teacher. Instead of physical therapy, it will serve a role more like exercise; like joining a gym and diligently using its facilities and trainers to get in top shape and stay that way. No one gets to “test out” of conditioning. No one gets assigned to work “just on the weaknesses." And everyone comes out stronger. *This post was originally published in [District Administration](http://districtadministration.com/article/instructional-software-should-be-exercise-not-physical-therapy), April 2013.* ![Andrew Coulson](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hubfs/2018_S2/meet-the-team/andrew-coulson-bio-185230-edited.jpg) ### About the Author Andrew R. Coulson, Chief Data Science Officer at MIND Research Institute, chairs MIND Education's Science Research Advisory Board and drives and manages all research at MIND enterprises. This includes all student outcomes evaluations, usage evaluations, research datasets, and research partnering with grants-makers, NGOs, and universities. With a background in high-tech manufacturing engineering, he brings expertise in process engineering, product reliability, quality assurance, and technology transfer to edtech. Coulson holds a bachelor's and master's degree in physics from UCLA. ### Comment #### [Welcome to Sums & Solutions](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/bid/292410/Welcome-to-Sums-Solutions) [How JiJi the Penguin Taught Me Math](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/bid/328732/how-a-penguin-taught-me-math) ### Search Result By: ![feature image](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hubfs/Blog/Images/Inside-our-Minds-logo-teal-800x800.png) [Featured Podcast](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/topic/featured-podcast) ### [Rethinking Attendance in Edtech](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/rethinking-attendance-in-edtech) [Listen Now](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/rethinking-attendance-in-edtech) ##### LATEST PODCAST EPISODES ###### BY MIND RESEARCH INSTITUTE - [Rethinking Attendance in Edtech](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/rethinking-attendance-in-edtech) - [People, Process, and Penguins: Designing Math Experiences](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/people-process-penguins) - [Bridging STEM Gaps with STEMconnector CEO Jo Webber](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/bridging-stem-gaps-with-stemconnector-ceo-jo-webber) - [The EdTech Genome Project: Talking Implementation with Elizabeth Birie](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/edtech-genome-project) - [From Meeting the Moment to Foundational Change](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/from-meeting-the-moment-to-foundational-change) ##### [See all podcasts](https://www.mindresearch.org/edtech-podcast) ## Interested in Contributing? 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