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What are the different types of educational software?
Educational software tends to be predominantly skill focused or knowledge focused. Skill focused programs are going to be in such areas as reading, mathematics, visual arts, or creative writing and the knowledge based programs are going to be in areas such as history, geography, or specific areas of science.
Skill Programs
The skill focused programs give learners practice in skills they have already started to acquire through their classroom experience (i.e. Carmen Sandiego Math Detective or Kid Pix Deluxe). There are some programs that also teach concepts and principles as well as provide the practice and re-enforcement to ensure that the skill is being acquired.
Knowledge Programs
Knowledge programs typically provide a learning focused project that kids will enjoy. For instance Pinball Science teaches many of the basic principles of physics through building your own pinball machines that will fully operate when you have completed your construction work. Digital Field Trip To The Rain Forest is an imaginative, visually rich exploratory journey in nature that teaches basic biology.
All the good knowledge based programs have an index of the learning material in the program, so they can be used as a reference tools as well. One of the most impressive indexes we have seen built into a game is in Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Another good example of this is to be found in My First Amazing World Explorer.
Early Learning
Early learning programs generally are for kids in the 3 to 6 age range. These programs are both skill and knowledge focused and tend to explore the basics such as letters, matching and numbers as well as help develop children's thinking skills. (i.e. Curious George or Winnie The Pooh Preschool). There are also skill specific early learning programs (i.e. Arthur's Reading Games or Stuart Little: His Adventures In Numberland) that focus on teaching basic skill and knowledge elements.
What children will get from programs for this age range is also some fundamental skills in understanding how to operate a software program, how to understand and follow instructions, and the ability to entertain themselves through their own interaction with the program. Seeing something happen as a result of something you did can be an absolutely exhilarating experience for a child at this age.
Multi-Subject By Grade
Another type of program is what can be called the Multi-Subject by Grade programs. These programs offer a variety of both skill and knowledge focused learning and testing by the grade level. The Reader Rabbit, JumpStart and Cluefinders series are all grade based (see the Software Guide). These programs typically exercise their skills and test their knowledge in at least 8 or 9 different areas and typically have hundreds of exercises built into them.
Thinking and Problem Solving
Thinking and Problem Solving programs develop different types of logical thinking processes as well as encourage creative thinking in solving a problem or creating some form of construction (i.e. drawing a picture or making a building). All the best software programs we have seen in this area (I Spy, Reader Rabbit Thinking Adventures or the Zoombinis Logical Journey) go beyond most non-computer games in providing depth and breadth of content that engage the child.
Music & Creativity
There are a number of exceptionally good programs that teach the basics of music. Music Ace turns music notation reading and learning the principles of rhythm and timing into very entertaining games. Piano Suite is a real powerhouse of a program that will take a motivated learner from novice to a level of proficiency equivalent to grade 4 or 5 conservatory. For kids into art and design, Orly Draw A Story or the Disney Magic Artist are great programs to try out.
Simulation Learning
Simulation Learning is where you have a chance to examine a subject area (such as running a theme park), make a whole bunch of choices and then run the simulation which will show what happens as result of your choices. Based on what occurs you try other things or change things and see what happens then.
The power of simulation learning with computer software is the rich and interesting complexity that can be presented and explored, as well as the continuous iteration of building things, making choices and seeing what happens. The player quickly learns that every action has a reaction.
SIM City, for example, allows you to build and manage your own city. Who would think that this would be interesting for kids, yet this has been one of the most successful programs in the world of software. Roller Coaster Tycoon is of comparable high quality. Pit Droids, though not as well known, is an ingenious game that develops your mathematical mind.
These are some of the basic characteristics of good educational software. It is important to recognize that educational software complements the teaching/learning experience and is not a substitute for teacher and/or parental guidance. As a parent, your interest and involvement with your child in the education experience is going to be critical to your child's interest in learning.
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Guide to First Class Learning Software
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