Electronics

Educational software

Updated: 10 Jan 2010
Educational-software-hero

Introduction

Could educational software programs be the answer to parents' prayers? We take a closer look.

There are plenty of affordable educational software programs around - but are they really worthwhile? We asked parents and teachers to see which titles offered the best educational value - and we got the kids' approval too.

The kids aren't 'alright'

John Hattie

Most children are performing well in school, but a significant minority aren't. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) shows that students "failed" (the modern term is "not achieved") 45 percent of externally assessed NCEA English standards for 2006. They also failed 34 percent of the maths standards. These aren't particularly good numbers.

Professor John Hattie (pictured) from the University of Auckland's Education Faculty says 80 percent of our students are performing at a world first-class level - but 20 percent are struggling well below most other countries, showing a significant need for extra educational assistance outside the classroom.

Selecting a style of learning is difficult because children learn in different ways. Talk to your child's teacher and ask their advice before choosing one of the many computer-based or personal-tutor-based options out there.

Technology for learning

Products trialled

We arranged for 11 families to trial and evaluate 8 educational software programs relevant to the school curriculum. We asked parents and students to rate the educational value and appeal of each. We also had the programs assessed by three teachers to gauge their educational content.

The trialled subjects were maths and English titles for children predominantly aged 8 to 14. These titles are available in stores, through schools or online.

To find out how they fared, see We recommend.

Maths titles trialled:

  • Kid's Maths Quest ($10)
  • Let's Learn Fractions and Decimals ($10)
  • Mathletics - ($99 per year)
  • Numbers Up! 2 Baggin' the Dragon ($38 through Community Software Plan, $60 online)
     

English titles trialled:

  • Braintastic Wordskills ($38 through Community Software Plan, $60 online)
  • Junior 3D Word Builder ($10)
  • Kid's Literary Quest ($10)
  • Kiwi Spelling Force ($38 through Community Software Plan, $60 online)

What we found

Mathematics

Popular maths software program Baggin' the Dragon

Finding the right mix between educational content and keeping students interested was difficult. Programs popular with students were frequently low on educational content, while those popular with teachers were found boring by students.

The favourite among teachers, parents and students was Numbers Up! 2 Baggin' the Dragon. It costs $60 if ordered online, or just $38 through the schools' Community Software Plan.

Parents said Numbers Up! 2 was the program they would most likely recommend to others or purchase themselves.

The students selected Numbers Up! 2 alongside Kid's Maths Quest as their favourites. Not surprisingly, students seemed more interested in entertainment, ease of use, and rewards - rather than educational value. They enjoyed encountering the programs' bad guys, along with moving up to new levels as their skills improved.

Parents noticed their children quickly lost interest with the information-heavy Mathletics and Let's Learn Fractions and Decimals.

Teachers preferred strong educational value and a variety of teaching methods to keep students stimulated. While they rated Let's Learn Fractions and Decimals as the best maths program, they also highly rated Numbers Up! 2 and Mathletics.

Although they're appropriate for the New Zealand curriculum, these programs are predominantly made by Australian companies - so that, for example, Mathletics includes activities that use Australian currency.

English

Kiwi Spelling Force was a firm favourite

Most of these were purely spelling programs.

There was a firm favourite among teachers, parents and students: Kiwi Spelling Force was rated the best by all groups. It costs the same as the top-ranking maths program ($60 if ordered online or $38 through the schools' Community Software Plan).

Some parents wouldn't recommend or purchase any of the English titles in our assessment. But Kiwi Spelling Force was clearly the favourite of most parents - they said they didn't need to encourage their children to use it (miracles do happen), whereas other information-heavy programs like Braintastic Word Skills were a struggle.

Parents also highly rated the program's ease of use and installation.

Overall, students didn't enjoy the English programs as much as the maths programs. Some students said they found Kiwi Spelling Force boring but they felt they'd learned something. 3D Junior Word Builder was considered interesting but light on education.

The teacher liked the educational value of Kiwi Spelling Force and its large database of relevant New Zealand words (including Maori words - although a strong Australian accent is used).

Parents and the teacher also liked the competitive elements and the different levels of difficulty that kept students on their toes.

We recommend

Best in trial - mathematics

Numbers Up! 2 Baggin' the Dragon
Numbers Up! 2 Baggin' the Dragon
  • Price: $38 through Community Software Plan or $60 ordered online.

  • Good points
    Good educational content. Good entertainment. Easily adjustable difficulty levels. Good rewards. Highly rated by parents and teachers.

  • But
    One parent found explanations inadequate.


 

Best in trial - English

Kiwi Spelling Force
Kiwi Spelling Force
  • Price: $38 through Community Software Plan or $60 ordered online.

  • Good points
    New Zealand-relevant educational content. Good variety of games. Highly rated by parents and teachers.

  • But
    Some students found it boring.

Other options for help

Computer based

There's a plethora of educational software programs on the internet. Most online programs let you trial free demonstrations before purchasing. Here are some options:

  • Mathematics.com.au provides tutoring for Years 7 to 12. Rates start at $A297 per year per student.
  • Maths Power (www.mathspower.com.au) has programs from AUD199 per year with a AUD55 registration fee. They also provide a tutor for support.
     

Tutor-based

  • Live-Wire Learning (www.livewirelearning.co.nz) is a New Zealand tutor system available for secondary schools and students. Subjects covered are maths, English, accounting and science. Programmes start from $30 per year.
  • Kip McGrath (www.kipmcgrath.co.nz) has 100 centres offering sessions in English, maths and (in some centres) science for $45 a session. A session is one hour 20 minutes.
  • Kumon (www.kumon.co.nz) is an international provider specialising in maths, English and Japanese. There's an initial enrolment fee of $60, plus $100 per month per subject.
  • NumberWorks (www.numberworks.co.nz) is an international provider of maths and English tuition at around $40 for each one-hour lesson.
  • SPELD (www.speld.org.nz) tutors adults and children, and has a strong emphasis on students who have learning disabilities. The student (or their parents) must enrol first, to join SPELD. Students then undergo testing before one-on-one remedial programmes are undertaken.
  • Straight A's (www.straighta.co.nz) is a small Auckland-based provider. It offers after-school maths and English tuition at $42 for each 75-minute session.

 

Useful websites

  • EdSoft provides online software resources for schools, teachers and parents. They have a wide range of software programs available and include some free-trial software downloads.
  • Te Kete Ipurangi (TKI) offers a variety of resources for schools and teachers, with plenty of freeware titles. Its programs focus on reference rather than games. The website provides discounts for schools as part of the Software for Learning scheme.
  • The Ministry of Education gives parents advice on how they can improve their child's educational development.

Our advice

  • If you're considering extra tuition or education, talk to your child's teacher first.
  • There's no substitute for classroom work and regular school-homework routines. Educational software and tutor programs should be supplements to school learning.
  • Parental help at home is a great way to improve results.
  • A useful educational program must appeal to both parents and children - but must also contain significant educational content. 
  • Most programs have free demos, reviews, and further available information from salespeople or on the company's website. 
  • When it comes to any product requiring big bucks, try before you buy.


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