Educational Software

How was the educational software for your child developed? Do you even know? Are there different parameters for adult educational software development? In the "Pioneer Days" of software development there was a lot of innovation, but little structure or planning. People had a great idea, they wrote a program, and either marketed it themselves or found a company to do it. As you can imagine, most of them went down to flaming defeat.

However, a few companies grew and thrived. The Learning Company released Reader Rabbit way back in 1989, and it's still being sold today, though in a version much expanded from the 1989 program.

The Learning Company's main educational competitor in those days was Broderbund, which funded software development and released titles like Galactic Empire and Apple Panic. However, Broderbund soon turned its attention to productivity software for adults, and focused on programs like Print Shop and Family Tree Maker.

Today there are literally thousands of educational software titles available. They're released by powerhouse companies like Microsoft as well as individual developers on a shoestring budget.

With a larger company like Microsoft, you're buying their experience and developmental expertise along with the software. They've successfully developed programs before and know what works. They have a staff of educational professionals in-house, or can send the program out for testing and review. But they're large and slow, and sometimes by the time they get through all the bureaucracy, the time for the software has passed.

Smaller companies and even individual developers are much more nimble and can respond easier to market needs. Especially if you're in a niche market or looking for something specific (software for home schooling or for a child with a disability) an educational software program from a smaller entity may fit the bill.

Be sure someone from that market developed, advised, or evaluated the product. Also, look at the age ranges specified for the user. If the program is recommended for ages 5-9, your high school student is unlikely to use it.

What does the software say it will do for your student? Is there any evidence to back this up? No matter what it states, is this what you want the software to do for your child?

Is there some sort of system to keep track of the student's progress? Is there feedback for the student while he or she is using the software? This is very important because, without some sort of progress indicator, it will be hard to tell if or when the student has "grown out of" the current program.

Today's field of educational software is immense. Gone are the days when you only had two choices. But because so much has been developed, selecting educational software can take some time, thought and effort.

Outline what you want and use some of the evaluation tools out there, and you're likely to find a program that works like it was developed just for you or your child.