Reviews+Template

Complete your software reviews using the following criteria

INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE REVIEWS

1. CITATION AND GENERAL INFORMATION • Title • Author • Publisher (provide a link to the web site if possible) • Copyright Date • Platform (Macintosh, Wintel) • Peripherals (keyboards, microphones, etc.) • Grade/Age (Early Childhood Early Elementary, Late Elementary, Junior HS/Middle School, High School, Adult) • Type of Class (e.g., General Music, Band, Orchestra, Choir, Theory, History, etc.)

2. TEACHER SUPPORT • Documentation (Binder, Booklet, Included on media, On Internet, Instructional Manual) • Objectives • Lesson plans • Sample screens • Resource information • Reproducible student pages • Student booklets • Other

3. INSTRUCTIONAL CONTENT • Specific Musical Content • National Music Standards that could be addressed through this software

4. INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN AND PEDAGOGICAL SOUNDNESS

• Teaching strategy appropriate for student level and is based on best-known methods? • Presentation on screen contains nothing that misleads or confuses students? • Readability and difficulty at an appropriate level for students who will use it? • Graphics fulfill important purpose (motivation, information) and not distracting to learners? • User normally has some control of movement within the program (can go from screen to screen at desired rate; can read text at desired rate; can exit program when desired)? • Program Structure? o Drill and Practice o Tutorial o Instructional Game o Simulation o Discovery o Problem Solving • Sequence of Materials (Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor)? • Pace of Instruction (Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor)? • Quality of Interaction (Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor)? • Motivation for Students (Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor)?
 * High degree of control over presentation rate (unless the method is timed review)
 * Appropriate feedback for correct answers (none, if timed; not elaborate or time consuming)
 * Feedback is more reinforcing for correct than for incorrect responses
 * High degree of interactivity (not just reading information)
 * High degree of user control (forward and backward movement, branching upon request)
 * Comprehensive teaching sequence so instruction is self-contained and standalone
 * Adequate answer-judging capabilities for student-constructed answers to questions
 * Low quotient of violence or combat-type activities
 * Amount of physical dexterity required appropriate to students who will use it
 * Appropriate degree of fidelity (accurate depiction of system being modeled)
 * Good documentation available on how program works.

Definitions:

• Drill-and-Practice: Content already taught. Reviews basic facts and terminology. Variety of questions in varied formats. Question-answer drills repeated as necessary. • Tutorial: Presentation of new information. Teaches concepts and principles. Provides remedial instruction. • Gaming: Competitive. Drill-and-practice in a motivational format. Individual or small group. • Simulation: Approximates real-life situations. Based on realistic models. Individual or small group. • Discovery: Inquiry into database. Inductive approach. Trial and error. Tests hypotheses. • Problem Solving: Defines problem. States hypotheses. Examines data. Generates solution.

5. RECORD KEEPING • Hall of Fame? • Student Records?

6. OVERALL EVALUATION • Text summary • Rating -- 1 to 4 stars (* poor, **fair,** * good, excellent)

7. REVIEWERS NAME AND DATE OF REVIEW (XX/XX/200X)

To complete your review

1. Choose one instructional software applications (commercial, shareware and/or freeware for Macintosh and/or Wintel platforms) that have not previously been reviewed in the wiki. Choose one additional instructional software application that has been reviewed in the wiki that you would like to edit and update. Email Dr. Bauer your choices (either one at a time or both at once) to be sure you are not duplicating what someone else is doing - first come, first served! 2. Logon to http://muedtech.wikispaces.com/. From this page, click "Make a New Page" on the left. Name your new page the title of the software you are reviewing (e.g., Music Ace). Then, review the software using the criteria above. Follow the general outline above and use the headings provided so that all reviews have a similar format. Use complete sentences in describing the information pertinent to each heading. Tag all of your pages as music, instructional, software.