“This is very exciting and you learn a lot about animals,” said the fidgety fourth grader, who was testing the upcoming educational software program at the recent Children’s Multimedia Expo at the Fashion Center in San Francisco. In the game, from LucasArts Entertainment, players help Mortimer the snail fend off evil and rescue animals.
Bryant has just learned that baboons live on the ground. “But they take to the trees at night,” he said excitedly, “because otherwise the lions come and eat them.”
Not everyone is as thrilled with these games as Bryant, but there are new trends in software development that promise more than a quick adrenaline fix.
Warren Buckleitner, publisher of the bimonthly Children’s Software Revue, suggests parents get the most for their money by purchasing software that encourages children to link ideas to solve problems or create projects.
He recommends Fun with Electronics, a new disc that comes with an electronics “workbench,” including diodes, photocells, resistors and light emitting displays that let children build their own radio, siren, burglar alarm, metal detector, intercom and other projects.
Plus, says Buckleitner, because such software offers a new experience each time, it doesn’t quickly wear out.
Another new twist in educational software involves linking CD-ROMs to online services. A new Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia, for example, gives users access to updated information on America Online.
Jason Reinier, an educator with the Bay Area Discovery Museum in San Francisco, applauds online tie-ins, because they can be used as tools by students developing creative projects on their own.
Reinier encourages students and teachers to create their own programs, using tools such as “Digital Chisel,” a multimedia development tool designed specifically for students.
Among encyclopedias, he likes the new disc called Our Times: Multimedia Encyclopedia of the 20th Century, by Vicarious in Redwood City. Next year, Vicarious will allow users to access updated information through an online site.
Carolyn Nickels, a technology resource teacher at James Denman Middle School in San Francisco who also attended the Expo, applauds Our Times for its appeal to teens — computer users often neglected by educational software makers.
“It’s pretty cool,” she said, because “it ties historic events to things kids can relate to — like clothing and car styles. When you’re in the eighth grade, that’s very important.”