Educational software

Cyber-kids: Educational Software

Computer software, as we know it today, was first used in the early 1940s. Built in 1943, the Type 19 Synthetic Radar Trainer was a flight simulator created to replicate on-board instrument data for pilots in training. This humble program would lay the groundwork for educational curriculums across the United States. The Type 19 was not only the beginning of applicable computer software, it was the precursor to the educational uses of computer programs and software worldwide. The first educational curriculum developed for schools was the product of a joint collaboration between IBM and Stanford University. Although simple programming languages, like BASIC and LOGO, were being taught to doctoral level students as early as 1963, the 1967 release of IBM's project was a failure. Its prohibitive cost of $10,000 was insurmountable for the school districts of the time. The personal computer made its debut in 1975 with the launching of the Altair 8800. This computer changed the perception of educational software entirely by making the dream of computing without a massive mainframe a reality. The introduction of a computer costing approximately $2000, meant schools districts could begin to incorporate computers and educational software into select schools. The subsequent release of the Commodore PET and the Apple II further fueled the demand for computer-based education in schools. During the 1980s and early 1990s, the majority of educational software programs were developed for the Apple II platform. The implementation of superior graphics and sound quality, however, spurred a phenomenal demand for fun and captivating learning games. Additionally, the ascension of the Internet in the mid 1990s opened the market to a larger amount of learning program manufacturers. Whether you owned a PC or a Macintosh, it was easy to be bewildered by the sheer volume of available educational games. The prevalence of educational software has resulted in its inclusion in nearly every grade level of learning. This software is often geared towards making education fun. Amusing characters, vivid colors, and captivating soundtracks have revolutionized these learning games. The fusion of education and fun is what makes educational software so popular. Learning simple arithmetic is now a magical quest or a ride through the cosmos, while reading and writing comprehension are used to decode sacred scrolls that zap attacking goblins. This model of learning has made learning software a seemingly enduring facet of contemporary education.

Without Bunnies Or Hedgehogs

Learning is a fantastic process that is carried out by all of us every day, whether you are 5 or 105. Then why when it comes to educational software, do the majority of programs have these silly pre school graphics? Granted they can be useful for very early learners but those looking to improve their number skills or sentence building can be any age and in my experience of teaching, are put off by this sort of software that is mostly available from the big companies. What is more they tend to go from one extreme to the other, making often too simple software pitched to 4 and 5 year old's and then producing programs that have so many menus and tool bars that the user is left completely bewildered.Let us also not forget that not all learners are children. Many teenagers and adults, often through no fault of their own, need to learn reading, writing and arithmetic. As an example, my own son has ADHD, which many consider a disability but in fact, with the right help, it can be turned into a huge benefit. Attention Deficit Disorder sufferers often have many extraordinary skills but often find conventional studying extremely hard, as they cannot focus for too long. Many are able to multi task at an extremely fast rate, so it is just that their brains are working in a different way to others and it is certainly not because they are deficient in some way. Other special needs people are very versatile in other areas too. For example dyslexics, who can design fantastic architecture or engineering feats but find it harder to understand the written word. We don't all have fit in the same round hole.
So as educational software developers, we have a duty to understand our users and to try and help them in whatever way we can. Often by just listening, a program can be tweaked a little to open it up to new users, who before had no hope of using it. I hope this will inspire educational software authors to look at their products and bear this in mind when developing new ones.

Considered A Key Tool For Your Child's Education

Computers are becoming increasingly ubiquitous. More people than ever own computers and the numbers continue to rise. Children are learning how to use computers at a much earlier age than their parents did. In my own life, my family did not own a computer till I was six while my daughter will be born in a house with three computers.While their teachers will do everything they can to educate your child, your child is one of twenty or thirty kids in the classroom. Ultimately, the burden of educating your child rests on your shoulders. Your home is a great environment to direct your child's learning in fun and creative ways. There are many opportunities to learn in your home.

Educational software on the computer is a valuable tool that will have an enormous impact on your child's learning skills. Beginning reading programs covering phonics will build a solid foundation for the further development of your child's reading skills. Also, its never too early to start with math skills and there are many programs, such as Reader Rabbit's math, that will encourage a thorough knowlege of addition and subtraction.You child needs any educational advantage you can give them. The best advantage you can give them, according to the prevailing research, is to find a way to engage their interest. Children who are interested in the material learn at a faster rate than a child that is unentertained by the learning process. Kids love video games and cartoons, so computer software that combines the two with a postive learning experience can be a tremendous advantage for your child's education. Studies have shown that educational software is very effective at enhancing the quality of teaching and helping students comprehend on a higher level.There are some things to remember when choosing software. First, it has to be easy for your child to operate, especially if you have a small child. When I was six, I hated the keyboard and we didn't have a mouse yet, so I remember how hard it was to use any software that was more complicated than hitting the arrow keys. Luckily, software and computers have evolved but it is still a consideration. Second, make sure it is software that will accomodate the attention span of a five or six year old. They don't have much of an attention span at that age so make sure the software dishes out the education in small doses. If your child gets bored then it doesn't serve much purpose, does it.You should also find software that fits with your child's interests. This shouldn't be a problem, nobody knows your kid as well as you do. As much as I dislike the media tie in programs, Sponge Bob and Spiderman may be the best teachers for the job at hand. It's easier to introduce new ideas and pique their interest if there is something familiar about it. It's sneaky, but it gets the job done.Finally, do some comparison shopping. There are a lot of options and you want to make sure you get the most bang for your buck. Compare the features of the program with what your child is learning in school already. Make sure the program itself is regularly updated and enhanced with new features to make sure it is of the best value. Also, compare competing products to make sure you get the best possible program. While you can't put a price on the importance of your child's education, you can make sure you get a great return on your investment.

Different Types Of Educational Software

Children’s educational software comes in several types. These are especially designed for teaching users the basics of subjects, from reading and math to geography. Educational software is more intended to educate kids and is easy to use for ages of even three. Depending on the aim, educational software might be planned as a classroom help or could be used for home purpose. The most accepted educational software is normally known as edutainment, meaning it is a game in which users play and learn at the same time. Classroom educational software typically educates about the subject matter according to a set of courses tracks students’ growth as they complete sections or levels. As a teaching help, it permits children that might not otherwise have access to a computer to learn while improving basic computer skills, such as mouse and keyboard use, at an early age.
There is as well a huge range of titles and kinds of educational software intended for use at home act as an addition to classroom learning, and even for the reason of comfortable education. Educational software surrounding almost every subject educated in school is broadly available for home use. Similar to classroom plans, many educational software titles considered for home use orbit a child's progress and alter the subject accordingly. There are titles, which severely teach by proven examples and then quiz children on material, and then there are the even more in style edutainment titles, which slot in the subject matter into a game.Educational software stated gaining fame and recognition day by day as an option learning technique in the mid-nineties, and developers have also turn up with more new concepts to gather consumer demands for excellence and interactive educational software. Once intended for use with a home or for the classroom computer, educational software is now even on hand for moveable learning systems. While there are considerably fewer titles on hand for portable learning systems such as the Leapster, there are yet numerous titles varying in age suitability and subject matter that making learning active possible. To get the most out of educational software, spend in titles that have adaptable learning levels to develop with your child and check user reviews for titles, which are both amusing and have replay value.

Educational Software For Children Helps

Recently, a select number of games have generated a great deal of good press with regards to helping children learn fundamental skills. Though conventional wisdom has implored limiting the time children spend interfacing with television or computer screens, and indeed there are some issues revolving around eye strain that should be heeded, it could behoove a child to engage in some amount of interactive, computer-based learning. The tools parents and teacher have at their disposal have multiplied exponentially. There are a number of educational games that can help children develop important skills that are necessary to bloom. A key example includes programs that are geared towards developing reading skills. These games combine the use of phonics with word families, while using colors and music to enhance children's retention. Reading is one of the most important skills a child develops and more and more educational companies are starting to realize this. As a result, there are a slew of games available for young children who are preparing to read.
Another class of educational games parents and educators can explore involves developing fundamental math concepts. Children are given insights into basic addition and subtraction, as well as basic geometry, especially with regards to shapes and their names. As children age and their skills and understanding broaden, these educational games can provide an exciting means of learning about multiplication, division, time, and more. While academics alone are an important factor of every child's educational experience, there are other concepts that are relevant to a child's emotional and mental development. Emotional intellect is important to understanding a child's emotional response to people and situations. The key concepts to be aware of are sharing, honesty, and compassion. Some exceptional software programs and games help reinforced these traits. There are a number of benefits associated with educational software programs and games. Children can learn about basic academic concepts, and progress to more advanced concepts as they develop. Furthermore, children can learn the ramifications of sharing, team work, and responsibility. If you want to enhance the academic and emotional intellect of your child, educational software games can be very rewarding.

Use Educational Software

If you are a parent of growing children than you know the seriousness of the task of teaching and preparing your children for the things they need to know for school and for life. If you desire a mid-life career change you must know that there will be hard work and learning involved. Even if you are a grandmother with extra time and a desire to continue learning new things, you know that your learning will require hard work and time. No matter how young or old you are and regardless of what kind of learning you want to do, consider the use of educational software for all of your learning needs.The ability to use educational software for many kinds of learning is one of the great blessings of our computer driven society. If you are looking for ways to help prepare your children for school or to keep them busy with constructive things, educational software is perfect for you. Kids of all ages love to spend time on the computer, so it will not be long before they begin loving spending hours using their educational software. Some kids will have so much fun on the computer that they will not realize how much they are learning. There is nothing more exciting and relieving for a parent than to see kids enjoying the learning process.
Educational software is also ideal for teens and adults of all ages. There is nothing more convenient than sitting down to learn at your personal computer and having great materials come in package deals. With educational software you do not have to sign up for a class or find time to head to the library. You can simply set aside as little or as much time as you have to continue the lifelong privilege of learning new things.One of the hardest parts about beginning to use educational software is sifting through all of the products that are available. You will find the process less overwhelming if you begin with a clear sense of your learning goals. Knowing the things you hope you or your children will learn makes it much easier to narrow down educational software packages and programs that might be right for you.You can shop for educational software online, in bookstores or in many computer supply stores. Whatever your source, just get your hands on some educational software programs that will teach you and your family to love rather than loathe learning new things.