Welcome to the Help section of Punctuation Made Easy. The purpose of this section is to provide you with information about all the major features of this CD-ROM.
The information is grouped into six sections. They are:
1. Overview
2. Explanation Board
3. Logging In
4. TeacherΓÇÖs Section
5. Test & Scores
6. Troubleshooting
To access any of these sections simply click on the tab above.
The information within these sections is presented in the form of questions followed by answers.
Versions of this help are available on the CD-ROM as .txt and .rtf documents. They can be opened and printed out as a permanent paper reference.
Overview
What is Punctuation Made Easy?
Punctuation Made Easy is an educational CD-ROM designed to enhance the teaching and learning of basic skills in punctuation. Punctuation Made Easy uses a childrenΓÇÖs TV show format to present students with lucid explanations of the main areas of punctuation, interactive exercises to monitor understanding and exciting games to enhance motivation. The disc also provides teachers with powerful, but simple-to-use tools to diagnose, track and report on student knowledge and progress.
Punctuation Made Easy has been designed to combine the best features of interactive CD-ROMs with the structured courseware and reporting associated with managed learning systems.
As such, Punctuation Made Easy combines a structured step-by-step set of tutorials on the basics of punctuation, with flexible access to any area on the CD-ROM.
The "flow" of the CD-ROM encourages the user to work through the explanations or tutorials in a systematic way before moving on to another area. However, users are provided with the freedom to explore any area of the CD-ROM they wish.
Who is it for?
Punctuation Made Easy is designed for students between the ages of 10 and 14, or indeed anyone who is interested in mastering the basics of punctuation.
What are the main features of the CD-ROM?
The main features of the CD-ROM are as follows:
┬╖ A childrenΓÇÖs TV show format, hosted by two enthusiastic and appealing cartoon characters: Mike McGee and Gale Rio
┬╖ Lucid explanations of all the main areas of punctuation, combining narration with high quality animations to get across key points
┬╖ A pretesting system to facilitate differentiated instruction
┬╖ An extensive range of interactive exercises to test knowledge and consolidate understanding
┬╖ Customised feedback in response to user choices and actions
┬╖ A TeacherΓÇÖs Section with powerful, easy-to-use tools for diagnostic reporting, progress tracking and Teacher-Student reviews
┬╖ Rich multimedia CD-ROM resource ideal for independent learning
┬╖ Extremely easy to set up and use
What areas of punctuation does the CD-ROM cover?
The CD-ROM povides extensive coverage of the basics of punctuation.
The areas covered on the CD-ROM are as follows:
Apostrophes
1. Contractions
2. Possession
3. Plural Nouns
4. Possessive Pronouns
Brackets, Hyphens & Dashes
1. Brackets
2. Hyphens
3. Dashes
Capital Letters & Full Stops
1. Ending a Sentence
2. Abbreviations
3. Beginning Sentences
4. Proper Nouns
Commas
1. Lists
2. With Full Stops
3. Apposition
Semicolons & Colons
1. Separating Clauses
2. Semicolons in Lists
3. Introducing Lists
Speech Marks
1. Direct Speech
2. Inside Punctuation
3. Dialogue
Question Marks & Exclamation Marks
1. Question Words
2. Direct Questions
3. Indirect Questions
4. Exclamation Marks
5. Short Expressions
How do I access the explanations, exercises and other features of the disc?
All the content, features and functionality of the disc can be accessed by using the Navigation Bar at the bottom of the screen. The Navigation Bar is always available. There are six buttons on the Navigation Bar. They are:
1. Exit -- allows the user to quit the CD-ROM at any point
2. Volume -- allows the user to adjust the audio levels
3. Log In -- allows the user to tell the system who he/she is, which in turn allows the system to track his/her progress
4. Explanations -- allows the user to gain direct access to all the explanations on the CD-ROM
5. Test -- where students can take tests which in turn form the basis of the softwareΓÇÖs progress tracking system
6. Scores -- provides students with a straightforward visual representation of their scores as they progress through the areas of punctuation on the CD-ROM
What sort of computer do I need to be able to run the CD-ROM?
Punctuation Made Easy has been designed to run on computers with comparatively modest specifications. For example, the CD-ROM will run on any Windows PC with a 486/66 processor and 8MB of system RAM. On the Macintosh platform, it will run on any Mac with an ΓÇÿ040 processor or better. However, the performance of the CD-ROM greatly improves as the specification of the computer improves.
Explanation Board
What is the Explanation Board?
The Explanation Board is the main instructional area of the CD-ROM. Mike McGee provides lucid explanations of all the main areas of punctuation from the Explanation Board.
From the Main Menu you can select any area of punctuation, and Mike will lead you through all the major points associated with that area.
MikeΓÇÖs explanations are punctuated with interactive exercises, and Mike constantly provides customised feedback in response to user interaction.
What areas of punctuation are covered?
Punctuation Made Easy covers the following areas:
Apostrophes
1. Contractions
2. Possession
3. Plural Nouns
4. Possessive Pronouns
Brackets, Hyphens & Dashes
1. Brackets
2. Hyphens
3. Dashes
Capital Letters & Full Stops
1. Ending a Sentence
2. Abbreviations
3. Beginning Sentences
4. Proper Nouns
Commas
1. Lists
2. With Full Stops
3. Apposition
Semicolons & Colons
1. Separating Clauses
2. Semicolons in Lists
3. Introducing Lists
Speech Marks
1. Direct Speech
2. Inside Punctuation
3. Dialogue
Question Marks & Exclamation Marks
1. Question Words
2. Direct Questions
3. Indirect Questions
4. Exclamation Marks
5. Short Expressions
How do I access a topic?
Mike McGeeΓÇÖs explanations of the basics of grammar can be accessed in two ways:
The first way is from the Main Menu of the MikeΓÇÖs Explanation Board. Select the area you are interested in by clicking on the appropriate button on MikeΓÇÖs board.
The second way is by clicking on the ΓÇÿExplanationsΓÇÖ button on the Navigation Bar. This will bring up a pull-up menu which can be used to access any area of grammar directly.
What happens when I select a topic from MikeΓÇÖs Explanation Board?
Once you have selected a topic from MikeΓÇÖs Explanation board, you will first of all be presented with a set of diagnostic pretests. These pretests are designed to establish what you already know about the area in question.
Once you have completed the pretest, the system will determine which areas you already understand well and highlight the areas that you appear not to fully understand. You will then automatically be presented with an explanatory tutorial covering the first section that you do not appear to understand fully.
The explanatory tutorial is followed by an interactive exercise. This exercise is designed to test your understanding of the section you have just covered in the explanatory tutorial. Once you have completed the exercise, Mike will tell you if your answers are right or wrong and he will explain why.
If you completed the exercise successfully you will automatically be taken to the next available section within the given area. But if you were not successful in getting the interactive exercise correct, Mike will present you with another interactive exercise which will again test your understanding of the points covered in the explanatory tutorial. If again you are unsuccessful Mike will explain why, but rather than dwell on the section he will move on. The computer, however, will flag this as a topic that you do not appear to have understood fully.
Do I have to do the pretests every time I want to go into an area?
No. If you access an area via the ΓÇÿExplanationsΓÇÖ pull-up menu on the Navigation Bar you will be brought directly to the explanatory tutorial of your choice.
Can I jump around within an explanatory tutorial?
Yes. It is possible to skip over explanations by using the control panel buttons (Rewind, Pause, Forward) in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. Using the control panel you can skip forward and backwards in MikeΓÇÖs explanations. You can also pause and replay what Mike says at any point.
Can I access explanations quickly without having to go back to the Explanation Board menu?
Yes, absolutely. By using the ΓÇÿExplanationsΓÇÖ pull-up menu the user can access any of the explanations on the CD-ROM directly.
Logging In
What is the purpose of logging in?
By logging in, the computer can track your selections and progress through the CD-ROM. Once you have logged in, the program will track what you do at the computer. If you choose to exit the program while you are in the middle of an explanation, for example, you will be asked if you wish to save your position in the program so that you can return immediately to the same place the next time you log in.
Remember: you must log in at the start of each session at the computer. If you do not, then there will no record of your selections and progress at the computer.
How do I log in?
To log in, simply click on the ΓÇÿLog InΓÇÖ button on the Navigation Bar in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. The ΓÇÿLog InΓÇÖ pop-up window will appear. If this is your first time to use the software, click on the ΓÇÿNew NameΓÇÖ button. Then, type your name in the box provided and click on the ΓÇÿBoyΓÇÖ or ΓÇÿGirlΓÇÖ button, as appropriate. Finally, click on the ΓÇÿLog InΓÇÖ button.
If you have logged in before, simply select your name from the list of names and then click on the ΓÇÿLog InΓÇÖ button. If you chose to save your position on the last occasion you left an explanation, you will be asked if you wish to resume at this point.
Once you have logged in, your name will appear in the box in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
Can groups log in as well as individuals?
Yes. If Punctuation Made Easy is going to be used by a group of students, then it is possible to log in as a group. Click on the ΓÇÿLog InΓÇÖ button on the Navigation Bar. When the ΓÇÿLog InΓÇÖ pop-up window appears, click on the Group tab in the top right-hand corner of the ΓÇÿLog InΓÇÖ window.
If this is the groupΓÇÖs first time to use the software, click on the ΓÇÿNew GroupΓÇÖ button. Then type in the name of the first group member and click on the ΓÇÿEnter NameΓÇÖ button. The personΓÇÖs name will appear in the Group MemberΓÇÖs box. Repeat the process for each group member. Then click on the ΓÇÿLog InΓÇÖ button. The group will be automatically allocated a group number for identification purposes. This number will appear in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
If the group has logged in before, the members simply need to select the group number from the list and then click on the ΓÇÿLog InΓÇÖ button.
How do I know who is logged in?
It is always possible to know the name of the person or group currently logged in by looking at the display panel in the top right hand corner of the screen.
What if I have to stop in the middle of an explanatory tutorial? Can I save my place?
Yes, absolutely. Once you have logged in, the program will track what you do at the computer. If you choose to exit the program, for example, you will be asked if you wish to save your position in the program so that you can return immediately to the same place the next time you log in.
TeacherΓÇÖs Section
What is the TeacherΓÇÖs Section?
The TeacherΓÇÖs Section is an area of the CD-ROM designed to provide teachers with a powerful, easy-to-use set of tools to diagnose, track and report on student knowledge and progress.
Access to the TeacherΓÇÖs Section is password protected.
The TeacherΓÇÖs section is made up of three areas:
┬╖ Diagnostics, which allows teachers to diagnose student knowledge and identify areas of weakness
┬╖ Progress, which allows teachers to track student progress against a baseline
┬╖ Teacher-Student Reviews, which allows teachers to review the interactive exercises on the disc in a one-to-one environment
How do I access the TeacherΓÇÖs Section?
To access the TeacherΓÇÖs Section, simply click on the ΓÇÿTeacherΓÇÖs SectionΓÇÖ button on the Navigation Bar at the bottom of the screen. This will bring up the Password box. Type the password into this box and click on the ΓÇÿSubmitΓÇÖ button.
What happens when I access the TeacherΓÇÖs Section?
On accessing the TeacherΓÇÖs Section the teacher will be brought into the Diagnostics section, where the teacher can view the scores of all the individual students who have logged in to the system. The first thing the teacher will see is a columnar chart which provides an overview of student performance.
By clicking on the ΓÇÿGroupΓÇÖ tab the teacher can access a similar looking chart of all the groups who have logged in to the system.
Scores are presented, by default, as percentages, but the teacher can view student scores as fractions simply by clicking on the ΓÇÿView as FractionsΓÇÖ button.
The Individual Overview and Group Overview screens are designed to provide teachers with an immediate overview of a whole classΓÇÖ scores.
If a student has not yet attempted an area of punctuation, the space for the score will be marked with an ΓÇÿXΓÇÖ.
How do I move around the TeacherΓÇÖs section?
The various features of the TeacherΓÇÖs Section can be accessed by clicking on the tab buttons at the top of the screen or by clicking on the various buttons that are available.
What is the Diagnostics section?
The Diagnostics section is designed to enable teachers to identify areas of student strength and weakness. Once individual students or groups of students have logged on to the system, their performance through the discΓÇÖs pretests and interactive exercises is tracked, and their scores are displayed for the teacher in the form of a class chart. This chart lists all the students who have logged in to the system and their scores in the different areas of punctuation. If a student has not attempted an area yet, it will be marked with an ΓÇÿXΓÇÖ.
Scores are presented, by default, as percentages, but the teacher can view student scores as fractions simply by clicking on the ΓÇÿView as FractionsΓÇÖ button.
The Individual and Group Overview screens are designed to provide teachers with an immediate overview of a whole classΓÇÖ scores. However, more detailed information on individual students is also available simply by selecting a student name and then clicking on the ΓÇÿDetailed Individual ReportΓÇÖ button. This report explains in plain English the basis of the studentsΓÇÖ scores and identifies areas of weakness. The system will interpret a student to be weak if he/she gets both of the interactive exercises wrong in any given section.
Can I have a more detailed report on a particular student?
Yes. The Individual Overview chart provides a basic summary of student aptitude. However, if you require more detailed information, this is available by selecting a studentΓÇÖs name and then clicking on the ΓÇÿDetailed Individual ReportΓÇÖ button in the bottom left-hand corner. The detailed individual report explains in plain English the basis of the studentsΓÇÖ scores. It also lists areas of weakness. The system will interpret a student to be weak if he/she gets both of the interactive exercises wrong in any given section.
Can I print out a report or save it to disc?
Yes. An individual report can be printed out by clicking on the ΓÇÿPrintΓÇÖ button in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Alternatively, the report can be saved as a text file by clicking on the ΓÇÿSaveΓÇÖ button.
What is the Progress section?
The Progress section is an area of the TeacherΓÇÖs Section that enables teachers to assess student progress over a period of time. This section is linked directly to the Test section, where students take tests covering all of the main areas of punctuation. When a student takes a test in the Test section for the first time, this first test will automatically become the baseline against which progress is measured. All subsequent tests will generate scores which are compared with the baseline score to assess progress.
Can I change the baseline?
Yes. By clicking on the ΓÇÿSet Last Test As New BaselineΓÇÖ button, you can allocate a new set of test scores as the baseline against which progress will subsequently be measured. You can choose to do this for an individual student or for all students that have logged in.
Can I get more detailed information on a studentΓÇÖs progress?
Yes. The Progress screen provides a summary of a whole classΓÇÖ progress in the form of a columnar chart. If you would prefer a plain English report on the progress of a particular student, simply select the student by clicking on his/her name and then click on the ΓÇÿDetailed Individual ReportΓÇÖ button. This report will list the dates when the student took a test, the scores he/she received and the percentage increase or decrease against the studentΓÇÖs baseline test score.
Can I print out this information?
Yes. The report can be printed out by clicking on the ΓÇÿPrintΓÇÖ button in the bottom left-hand side of the screen.
What is the Teacher-Student Reviews section?
The Teacher-Student Review section is an area of the CD-ROM which allows teachers to sit down with students and review areas of punctuation on a one-to-one basis. In this section teachers can access all the interactive exercises on the CD-ROM. However, it is also possible for teachers to call up any area of punctuation where a specific student encountered difficulties and then sit down to review it with him/her.
Teachers can select any student who has logged in to the system from the ΓÇÿStudentΓÇÖ pull-down menu. Then, in the ΓÇÿAreaΓÇÖ pull-down menu, teachers can view any area of punctuation.
Areas where a student encountered difficulties will be highlighted in red.
Test & Scores
What is the Test section?
The Test section is an area of the CD-ROM where students can take tests. The Test section is linked directly to the Progress section in the TeacherΓÇÖs Section, as test scores are used as the basis for measuring student progress.
How many questions are in each test?
The Test section consists of 20 random but representative sets of questions, covering all of the main areas of punctuation on the disc.
Do I get any feedback in the Test section?
No. The purpose of the Test section is not to teach but simply to test, so there is no feedback. However, at the end of the test you are presented with a list which identifies the questions you got right and the questions you got wrong.
How long does it take to work through a test?
Obviously this will depend on how long the student takes to answer the questions, but usually a test should take no more than about ten minutes to complete.
What is the Scores section?
The Scores section provides students with a bar chart showing their scores in each of the areas of the CD-ROM. The Score Chart displays all of the areas on the disc as well as the Test section.
Troubleshooting
Can I adjust the volume of the audio?
Yes. Click on the ΓÇÿVolumeΓÇÖ button on the Navigation Bar in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen and select the level you require.
Sometimes when I start the disc the screen goes black. Why?
This can only happen if your computer is set to run in 256 colours (8bit) as opposed to thousands of colours (16bit). There are two reasons why this can happen: (1) either because you have inadvertently launched the program twice, or (2) you have inadvertently clicked somewhere on the desktop while the program is loading. In both cases a colour clash is created between the Windows system palette and the more specialised palette used by the program.
To solve the problem you will need to exit the application and then launch it again. To exit the Windows version hold down the ΓÇÿControlΓÇÖ and ΓÇÿF4ΓÇÖ keys at the same time. To exit the Macintosh version hold down the ΓÇÿCommandΓÇÖ (ΓÇÿAppleΓÇÖ) and ΓÇÿQΓÇÖ keys at the same time.
The system hasnΓÇÖt recorded one of my studentΓÇÖs scores. Why?
This is probably because the student was not logged in when he/she worked through an area of the disc.
Should I always get my students to log in?
Yes, absolutely. This is the only way to ensure that the studentsΓÇÖ activities at the computer are recorded. It is probably a good idea to encourage students to get into the habit of logging in each time they go to the computer.
Can I change the password?
Yes. The password can be changed in the Teacher's Section. Please refer to the User's guide for more details.
