Article on evaluating educational software

It then describes how particular influences and contexts have led one group of evaluators from the educational community to develop a context, interactions, attitudes and outcomes CIAO! The application of this model is illustrated by case studies from a recent evaluation project and related research.

The paper concludes with a discussion of the issues raised for both communities by this model for evaluation. Most users should sign in with their email address. If you originally registered with a username please use that to sign in. To purchase short term access, please sign in to your Oxford Academic account above.

Don't already have an Oxford Academic account? Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Sign In or Create an Account. Sign In. Advanced Search. Search Menu. Article Navigation. Close mobile search navigation Article Navigation.

Select Format Select format. Permissions Icon Permissions. Abstract Teachers need to be able to evaluate predictively educational software so that they can make decisions about what software to purchase and how to use software in classrooms.

Issue Section:. You do not currently have access to this article. Download all slides. Sign in Don't already have an Oxford Academic account? You could not be signed in.

Sign In Forgot password? Don't have an account? Sign in via your Institution Sign in. Purchase Subscription prices and ordering for this journal Short-term Access To purchase short term access, please sign in to your Oxford Academic account above. View Metrics. Email alerts Article activity alert.

When you evaluate educational software for your child with LD, several components must be taken into consideration:. This is not an easy task for parents, who continually are faced with less and less time in which to do more and more. Just because a piece of software is reliable and easy to use does not necessarily indicate that it is of high educational value or that it meets the learning needs of a child with a learning disability.

Many educators agree that while software has become more technically mature and active, it is seriously lacking in educational relevance.

There are more tens of thousands of educational titles available, with hundreds being added yearly. With more than a thousand programs available for a single subject area, it is nearly impossible for parents to sort through to see if a particular piece of software has been evaluated. Software reviews and software evaluations have been around since computers were first introduced into schools.

While many journals or education-oriented magazines publish software reviews, there can be problems with the rigor and consistency of the content. Commercial magazines are supported by advertising from the very companies that publish the software under review. This may produce a conflict of interest that creates a hesitancy to view the products under review with a critical eye.

Typically a reviewer has never used the software with a targeted user group — for example, students with learning disabilities — nor is the reviewer even familiar with the learning characteristics of the targeted group. You will want to consider the following important features when assessing a piece of educational software:. Through your evaluation efforts, you may also become a more determined advocate for high-quality software for students with learning disabilities.

Please enter a valid email address. Thank you for signing up!