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Educational software - June '97
Windows 3.1
Age:
12+ years
Skills: Australian high school
List price: $99 per module; $275
complete
From: Memory Banks (03) 9770 1615
Publisher: Memory Banks (03) 9770 1615
System requirements: 386, 640Kb RAM, two
high density floppy drives or one floppy drive, hard
disk. Windows version needs VGA.
Relevance to Australia:
Suitability for schools:
Friendliness:
Multimedia:
Overall value: 
The revamped Personal Tutor maths is the only maths program tailored for the Australian High School Mathematics curriculum Years 7 to 12. For students 12 years and over who are keen to improve their maths and committed to extra time, $150 to $250 depending on the unit, is money well spent.
The Personal Tutor Maths packages are tailored to Maths courses in Victoria, NSW and Queensland. The Year 11 program for example, is based on the NSW 2-Unit Maths and the 2-Unit component of 3-Unit. The software contains step-by-step solutions, exam practise, and a personalised revision program.
The program presents as an interactive text book with 620 questions and worked solutions arranged in the following chapters: Arithmetic; Plane Geometry; Progressions and Series; Linear Functions and Lines; Quadratic Polynomial and Parabola; Algebra; Trigonometry; Real Functions; and Differential Calculus. Select the chapter you want, then the lesson, and proceed to read the instructions and explanations.
The strength of Personal Tutor Maths is that it is a
teaching package. Information is carefully structured and
the program instructs by asking a question, indicating
the relevant information you need to answer and walking
you through the entire solution if you make a mistake.
You can produce a report of your strengths, weaknesses
and progress at every stage of learning.
As the Personal Tutor Maths series requires student
commitment, it would ideally be suited to an enthusiastic
student with an encouraging coach or teacher. Many
Australian high schools employ it because it is tailored
for the high school maths curriculums our kids are trying
to master.
by Linda Bruce
Age:
4-10 years
Skills: Maths and English
List price: $79.95
From: Nightingale Press; sales@2n-education.com.au
Publisher: Nightingale Press; sales@2n-education.com.au
System requirements: Windows 3.1, 486,
8Mb RAM, double-speed CD-ROM drive, 16-bit soundcard,
speakers. Mac: System 7.0, 8Mb RAM, double-speed CD-ROM
drive, 256-colours
Relevance to Australia:
Suitability for schools:
Friendliness:
Multimedia:
Overall value:
Computer Classroom is a series of fine CD-ROMs developed for the Australian primary school curriculum in maths and reading. Level 1 is for four to seven-year-olds, Level 2 for six to eight-year-olds, and Level 3 for seven to nine-year-olds. Each level covers a years work in maths and reading comprehension. Lessons employ best teaching practices and are developed from school curricula and national profiles.
Short interesting modules are tailored for classroom
and home use. They are great to cycle pairs of children
through in the classroom and also ideal at home for
individual students to catch 15 minutes before school.
Australian developed, Computer Classroom contains metric
measures and Australian accents. Many of the exercises
such as those in Level 4 area and angles, though
developed for Year 4 students, could be profitably
practiced by Year 5.
The child, parent or teacher selects lessons and they can
repeat any unit. The program records units completed and
the next time the player returns, they automatically
start from where they left off. Units can be played
sequentially or randomly.
The Computer Classroom series offers comprehensive
activities tailored to the Australian maths and language
curriculum, finely graded steps, choice of topics to
practice, and clear appropriate instructions. At $79.95
per level, they contain great value for school and home.
by Linda Bruce
MathKeys Unlocking Geometry - Volume 2
Transform yourself - become a marine creature on Australia's Great Barrier Reef! As you Explore your beautiful, but dangerous world, learn about your relationships to your fellow reef dwellers and your surroundings. You must quickly learn to tell frined from foe, making split-second decisions, while you try to stay alive! Your goal is to survive, thrive, and earn as many points as you can by making good decisions as you deal with your surroundings and the other creatures on the reef.
Create your own interactive story books with this simple to use program.
This clever little program allows you to design your own tessel tiled pictures.
Guide Sparky the dog to the pick up bones and solve math problems at the same time, while avoiding the clutches of the troggles..
Not too long ago, the Zoombinis enjoyed the good life.But that was before the dreaded Bloats arrived on the scene and took over everything! Finally, fed up and stressed out, the Zoombinis decided to escape and build a new home in a far away land.
And that's where you come in. YOU, trusted guide,are needed to lead the Zoombinis on their journey from Zoombini Isle to a far away land where they'll build a new home. Each area they come to along the way will pose a challenging puzzle to solve.
DOS
Registration: $US29.95
Overall value:
The world is in peril because the Grozzles have stolen numbers from everywhere. Your mother's pay has plummeted to zero, Wall Street is in shambles and you can't call anybody on the phone.
You look out your window and see a Grozzle stealing numbers off your post box. When you point your finger at the Grozzle a large butterfly materialises and slops a bucket of slime on the Grozzles head. The butterfly introduces himself as Benny and he needs your help to regain the numbers and beat the Grozzles.
Math Rescue is a platform game that contains math and learning for seven to 11-year-olds. Once you have answered all the questions, you progress a level. The shareware has a variety of skill levels for addition and subtraction whereas the registered version adds multiplication and division. Each gives you the choice of plain math problems, word problems or both.
In Math Rescue you can play as either a boy or girl. This game is available on this month's PC User Offline CD-ROM or can be downloaded from the link on our SchoolPC Web page at www.schoolpc.acp.com.au It requires a 286SX, 4Mb of RAM and 1.4Mb of hard disk space.
by Alan Hilvert-Bruce
This is a demo version of Museum Madness. The full version has 25 museum exhibits that must be put right!
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All text © 1997 Australian Consolidated Press - PC User Magazine