Rating: (1-5)
Relevance
to objectives: 3.5 This program says it will develope
early-learning
skills but I don't see exactly where. I thought that the anchor setting,
and the cloud setting (refering to gravity applied on the picture) was
an interesting idea, but no explanation went along with it.
Provides
practice of relevant skills: 2.5. For toddlers this program
is exciting and colorful, but it is more of a coloring book come to life
than anything else. It doesn't seem to offer much educationally.
Likely to
arouse/maintain interest: 4.0 Toddlers will be interesting
in this program for a while. There are numerous objects to click
on and color in and each one makes a different sound. The kids will
enjoys playing with the animals and hearing the sounds as they move things
around.
Likely to
be comprehended clearly: 3.0 The program doesn't have
much to comprehend. If a parent of teacher showed the student the
difference in the "anchor" setting apposed the the "cloud" setting and
the student saw that things sunk or floated, he might gain a little from
this. I don't think that a toddler would have a problem using this
program.
Technical
quality (durable, attractive): 4.0 The program is definately
colorful, and interesting to play with. It offers different setting
in which animals and objects are in, and the user can click on clocks that
make noise, or open chests. The attractivness of this is great.
I would have loved it as a child.
Game: Winning
dependent on player actions (rather than chance): This doesn't really
apply to this program. There is no game being played to win or lose,
simply playing with objects on the screen.
Simulation:
Validity of game model (realistic, accurate depiction): 3
For a toddler I feel the program is realistic enough. For example
if you drop something over a chest, that objects dissapears as if it fell
into the chest. There are many other similiar things which are
realistic.
The program is for toddlers and there are all animals acting like people
in each picture.
Evidence
of effectiveness (e.g. field-test results): No evidence of Field
Test Results were found.
Clear directions
for play: 5 The directions are self explanatory. There
isn't too much to the program. You can either clik on something with
the mouse, or if you are coloring, click on a color and then and object
and it will be that color. I don't think anyone will have a problem
explaining this program to a toddler.
Effectiveness
of debriefing: This also doesn't apply to this particular program.
Their is nothing to be debriefed about.
Strong Points: The program is a colorful
and exciting peice of software for a child to explore and play with.
It interacts with sounds and movement of objects on the screen as the child
clicks on it. It not only offers the child to play with a scene,
but it also has a coloring book for the child to color in pictures.
The program is also very easy to understand and user friendly. It
seems like a good program to get a child interested in using computers.
Weak Points: Although the program is
intersting,
it doesn't really offer that much educationally. Small amounts of
science and reading are applied, but the child could easily use the program
just as a toy and ignore the educational aspects. I felt as if the
program could have offered a little more text or even reading to the student
of the scenerio and what was happening.
Reviewer: Jonathan M. Cervoni
Position: Undergraduate at SUNY Potsdam
Date: 9/22/98
Computer System Reviewed on: Macintosh
PowerPC 6500/250, 32mb ram.