August 1994 — Features

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Educational Effectiveness of Computer Software

It presents concrete details that allow a learner to move from specific to general, from the concrete to the abstract. General principles of predator/prey relationships and food chains are to be discovered. However this goal is rarely achieved. As this lab is not part of a science class, there is no mandate for a child to learn about fish behavior or their food chain. Only boys use this program. Girls' absence may be explained by the possibility that the gratification offered is not one they enjoy. The program's designers exploit aggressive traits, to the extent that some boys care only about swallowing fish and the accompanying sound effects. This is an example of unfocused experience: It is not a child's intention to learn about food chains and thus no effort is made to focus attention on such details. According to the documentation, one possible way to start this game is with no prior guidance. Children are invited to explore Odell Lake on their own, followed by a regular class session. However, such a sequence is not guaranteed, at OOJH or at other schools. If the goal of the program is to teach about predator/prey relationships, it may only be accidentally achieved. A Particularly Rich Example One educational program that is well known and recognized for its "effectiveness" and success with children is Oregon Trail. This is a history simulation with the goal of introducing children to the life of covered wagon travelers on their way to Oregon across North America in 1848.
During the simulation, students are able to visit and learn the history of forts and other landmarks, and "talk" to others on the trail about their surroundings and different cultures. They must manage with little money and food, raging diseases and bad water. Stopping at any of the forts can replenish supplies, but prices become more expensive as they approach the West since food and other commodities become rarer. In this program, students must bear the full consequences of the decisions they make.