August 1994 — Features

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Educational Effectiveness of Computer Software

Students at OOJH are provided with some very good educational software. Our focus is on the way the programs are being used. Popular Programs and Why During the school's three lunch periods, students can come to the main lab to play educational games for 20 minutes instead of going to study hall. Observations of students were conducted in this lab during the lunch hours as they interacted with a particular package. A few students were chosen for in-depth interviews on a voluntary basis. Each lunch period, different grade-level students attended but, consistently, most were males. Students were left on their own, except for the presence of a lab supervisor, whose sole function was to distribute software and maintain orderly conduct in the lab. From our own observations and those of lab supervisors, games used during the free lunch periods divide into the following five categories: Games girls like most (frequently played): Jeopardy, Fraction Muncher, Number Muncher, Game Show and Word Challenge. Games girls like less (played some times): Shifty Sam, Carmen Sandiego, Dazzle Draw and Oregon Trail. Games girls don't like (never played): Paper Plane Pilot, Wood Car Rally, Microzines and Odell Lake. Games boys like most: Jeopardy, Oregon Trail, Carmen Sandiego, Odell Lake and Fraction Muncher. Games boys don't like: Game Show and Word Challenge.
It was noticed that students did not want to venture onto new software, as their time was limited. When they came to the lab for the first time, they usually played games recommended by their friends. Software documentation indicated that many programs were designed for a classroom environment with trained teacher guidance, which was not the case during these lunch periods. A supervisor was there to answer basic inquiries from students, however, she was not prepared for all questions.