I previewed and evaluated the software titled P.J.’s Reading Adventures that is produced by Microsoft. It is a three-story set of interactive set of books including Koi and the Kola Nuts, Paul Bunyan, and How the Leopard Got His Spots. I used two software reviews that I found on the Internet to evaluate this piece of software.

The first evaluation form I utilized was called "SuperKids Educational Software Review". Since it was supposed to be used for SuperKids software, the first portion of the form required personal information regarding the user filling the form out. There was a section to record hardware configuration information, which I thought was a nice feature. Some software runs more efficiently on PC and vice versa. It then goes into product evaluation with a ranking scale of 5-1 with 5 being excellent and 1 unacceptable.

The second evaluation form that I previewed was split into seven sections with each one ranked with letters this time. (A)lways, (S)ome (E)xtent, (N)ever, (N)ot (A)pplicable is the letter ranking used to evaluate the software titles.

The first section ranked is the package itself and if the information included on it accurately represents the software. The second category deals with whether or not the child can use it with little help. The third section looks at if it is design with the child in mind and if they can manipulate and understand the program. The educational value of the program is the fourth section of the form, with whether or not it is entertaining fifth. Design features and its value round out the form.

I personally like the second evaluation form that I used to evaluate the software program. It was more inclusive of elements that I think are important in a software package. It is definitely a nice tool to use in evaluating software. If a teacher utilizes a tool such as an evaluation form to determine why or why not he/she likes a software program, it will be easier to justify to a school board or a curriculum team as to why it does/does not supplement curriculum.

Resources

CSR Software Evaluation Instrument. Children’s software

review[Internet] http://microweb.com/pepsite/Revue/evlauation.htm. [June 9, 2000]

SuperKids Educational Software Review. [Internet] http://www.superkids.com/aweb/pages/reviews/teacher.htm. [June 9, 2000]