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Date: Sun, 1 May 1994 21:26:19 -0600
From: [e-mail] (David Lohrentz)
Subject: Edu-Shareware-for-kids.txt



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This is the initial posting of a guide to educational shareware for
children ages 2-12.  A great deal of educational free/shareware for kids is
available on the internet, with more appearing all the time.  However, not
all of it will meet the needs of individual parents and educators.
Moreover, these sources are scattered in various locations.  Parents and
educators could more easily benefit from these freeware and shareware
educational sources if they knew what they were looking for and where to
find it.  The purpose of this guide is to make educational free/shareware
on the internet more accessible by reviewing recommended shareware sources,
and showing where to find them.  I think it should be posted in
/info/software.
--
David Lohrentz
[e-mail]



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          **GUIDE TO CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL SHAREWARE FOR THE MAC**

David Lohrentz
Internet address:  [e-mail]
1 May 1994.

Distribution:  Please share this document with others and feel free to post
it freely.  However, do NOT distribute a modified or incomplete portion of
this document.

Disclaimers: I represent nobody but myself.  I am not responsible for
problems,  damages, or dissatisfaction with software mentioned in this
document.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
  Introduction
  Purpose of this Guide
  Intended Audience for this Guide
  Review Criteria
  Reviews of Recommended shareware
  List of Sources
     Info-mac
     Umich
     Other
     Places to browse
  Bibliography and Resources


INTRODUCTION
This document is a guide to children's educational freeware and shareware
for the Macintosh.  While searching for educational software for my own
children, I discovered the helpful document K-5 Edu. Software Guide
(Info-mac: /info/Software/k-5-ed-software-guide.hqx).  However, this
document only reviews commercial software.  After finding a number of
educational freeware and shareware sources I realized that I ought to share
what I  had found with others.  Thus, I decided to put this guide together.
I realize that this is not an exhaustive list.  If you know of other
sources not listed here or would like to review educational free/shareware
not yet reviewed here, please email your information to me at
[e-mail].

PURPOSE OF THIS GUIDE
A great deal of educational free/shareware for kids is available on the
internet, with more appearing all the time.  However, not all of it will
meet the needs of individual parents and educators.  Moreover, these
sources are scattered in various locations.  Parents and educators could
more easily benefit from these educational sources if they knew what they
were looking for and where to find it.  The purpose of this guide is to
make educational free/shareware on the internet more accessible by
reviewing recommended shareware, and showing where to find it.

INTENDED AUDIENCE FOR THIS GUIDE
This guide is for parents and educators with Macintosh computers who would
like to acquire educational freeware and shareware for children ages 2-12.
The sources in this document will be of use to those with internet access
and the ability to download files from archive sites by ftp.  If you
already have internet access but do not know how to download, decompress or
debinhex files, please ask a friend who is a computer dweeb, read a book on
the internet, or attend a seminar on the internet.  PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL ME
WITH A REQUEST FOR HELP DOWNLOADING OR DE-BINHEXING FILES.  If you do not
have an email account with access to the internet, this document will be of
little use to you.

REVIEW CRITERIA

The user interface for children's educational software should have the
following characteristics:  simple for a child to operate without adult
supervision, quick responses, clear sound where appropriate, color
graphics, and above all should be challenging but lively and entertaining
(K-5 Ed. Software Guide; see sources at end of this document).  Hypercard
stacks which lack color constitute a significant percentage of the
available educational shareware.

Educational software should foster creativity, problem solving, positive
self-esteem, and the "whole language" approach to learning.  Quite frankly,
I am disappointed that so much educational software emphasizes rote memory
and a fragmented approach to learning (for example, memorizing spelling of
words or numbers out of context).  I don't recommend software that merely
strives to assist children to memorize letters, addition or multiplication
tables.

REVIEWS OF RECOMMENDED SHAREWARE:
Listed alphabetically.  I hope to gradually add more reviews.

ANIMALS+SOUND
Info-mac: /app/animals-n-sound.hqx
Target Ages: 1.5-4
freeware/shareware fee: free

Each card in Animals+sound is a picture of an animal which when clicked
moves or makes the appropriate sound.  I recommend this for a young child
new to the Mac, esp. for those with black & white Macs.  My three year old
child learned to use a mouse with this stack, but lost interest after she
became familiar with it.

BETTER U.S. MAP
Umich: /hypercard/education/betterusmap2.0a.cpt.hqx
author:  Terry Spivey, 3809 Blackberry Lane, Lexington, KY 40514-1537
Target Ages: 6-10
freeware/shareware fee: $4
Current versions: demo 2.0a; shareware 2.3b

The main view of B.U.S.M. shows a map of all 50 US states.  In the
registered version, B.U.S.M. speaks the name of the state when clicked and
shows the name of the state and the state nickname on screen.  Option
clicking shows census data and official state birds, songs, etc.  Command
clicking zooms in on the state.  Three quizzes are available in the
registered version.  The online version is a demo; it lacks sound and other
key features available in the shareware version.

CANADA MAP GAME
Info-mac: /Game/canada-map-game-hc.hqx
Target Ages: 8 up
freeware/shareware fee: free

Canada Map game is a geography quiz on the locations of Canadian provinces
and their capitals.  It has two modes, capitals and provinces.  In either
case the player is presented with the Canadian map. Depending on the mode
the game shows the name of a province or capital on the screen and the
player is given two chances to click on the correct province.  After two
mistakes the correct province is hilited.  The lack of sound reduces the
value for early readers.  However, this is a handy tool for learning to
recognize Canadian provinces.

COLORING BOOK
Info-mac: /Game/coloring-book-201.hqx
author: Jim Allison, RR 2, Box 44, East Road, Bennington, VT 05201
Target Ages: 2-8
freeware/shareware fee: $16
Current version: 2.01
online file size: 1,180K

B. Schwomm writes, "Coloring Book [is] the slickest-looking shareware
program around; in fact it is gorgeous. . . . The pictures are very
attractive and contain surprises; for example, when you [color] the door of
the house, a door bell chime [rings].  The most current version has more of
an educational dimension. In one area, it allows you to create pictures out
of geometric shapes."  As the name implies, you need color to appreciate
Coloring Book.  When you send in the shareware fee you choose either (a) an
expanded version with twice as many coloring pages, including the new ones
with the educational dimension, or (b) a small screen version.

INIGO GETS OUT
Umich: /hypercard/education/inigo.sit.hqx
Target Ages: 2-7
freeware/shareware fee: free
Creation date: 1987
online file size: 180K

Inigo is a hypercard stack that will teach a young child to navigate with
the mouse and to explore the unknown.  Inigo, a cat, goes outside and has
exciting adventures, depending on what button is clicked.  Some cards have
multiple options; others have only one path to the next card.  Inigo has
entertainment value, especially the first several times when you have no
idea what lurks behind seemingly safe objects.

KID PIX
Info-mac:  /app/kid-pix.hqx
Target Ages: 2-7
freeware/shareware fee: free
Current version: 1.0,  1/19/90

Before you spend any money for a child's paint program you should take a
look at this early freeware version of Kid Pix.  Author Craig Hickman
writes that his three year old quickly learned to use a commercial paint
program, but got into trouble by clicking on the desktop or randomly
choosing menu items.  Although this version of Kid Pix lacks color and has
a tiny screen size, Hickman has solved the user interface problems.  My
kids really enjoy Kid Pix and manage fine on their own.

LAURA'S LETTERS
Umich: /hypercard/education/letters.sit.hqx
Target Ages:
freeware/shareware fee: free
online file size: 245K

In the opening card of this hypercard stack, Laura's Letters shows all the
letters of the alaphabet, and speaks the name of the letter when it is
clicked.  A second card shows numbers 0-9 and speaks their name when
clicked.  Subsequent cards show words with an appropriate picture and speak
the individual letters in the word when clicked.  This is the best freeware
letter teaching tool I have seen so far.

MY LITTLE KITCHEN
Info-mac: /Game/my-little-kitchen-hc.hqx
online file size: 584K
Target Ages: 3-8
freeware/shareware fee: free

My little kitchen is a hypercard stack full of surprises, including an
Easter Egg hunt.  It will teach a child to explore, and it does have
entertainment value.  The hypercard format will make it seem rather dull
when placed next to slick graphics on a color monitor.  Yet, it does seem
to have real kid appeal.

SOUND MATCH
Info-mac: /game/sound-match-10.hqx
author: Bob Uskali, 1504 Coventry Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60195
Target Ages: 4 up
shareware fee: $5
Current version: 1.0

Sound Match is "like a traditional matching game, except that you hear
sounds rather than see pictures. Many of the sounds are similar to one
another--for example, guitar riffs with different rhythms. . . By playing
this game with my son, I've found that both of us are becoming more
discriminating listeners"  (B. Schwomm.)  Young children may become
frustrated at the difficulty, due to the large number of sounds (24 pairs).
And the computer opponent either chooses randomly (when set to easy
opponent) or remembers everything (challenging opponent).  Still, the
sounds are high quality and the interface is slick.  I recommend Sound
Match.

WORD FIND
Info-mac: /Game/word-find-10.hqx
Target Ages: 6-10
freeware/shareware fee: free
Current version: 1.0

Word Find automates the creation of word find puzzles with the words hidden
among rows and columns of letters.  Word Find provides settings for fonts,
level of difficulty,  show answers, puzzle size, and "teacher mode" so that
a title and name blank can be added.  The interface is simple for an adult,
but difficult for an early reader or Mac novice.  Those who enjoy puzzles
will like Word Find.  Word Find is nearly identical to an older (1989)
freeware puzzle, Word Search (Umich: /game/board/wordsearch.cpt.hqx), which
still works fine on my Mac.


LIST OF SOURCES
=46ollowing is a list of freeware and shareware Macintosh educational
sources, some of which are reviewed above.  Most can be found at one or
both of the two major Macintosh archives, Info-mac and Umich.  The main
archives are often impossible to access because of the large number of
users.  However, these archives have several mirrors with less traffic.  If
you can't log in anonymously, try a different mirror.  Several mirrors are
listed below.  Using gopher to download files also minimizes internet
overload.

SOURCES AT THE INFO-MAC ARCHIVE
Use an info-mac mirror such as:
ftp.hawaii.edu: /mirrors/info-mac
grind.isca.uiowa.edu: /mac/infomac
ftp.funet.fi: /pub/mac/info-mac

/app/animals-n-sound.hqx
/app/kid-pix.hqx
/app/preschool-primer-10-hc.hqx
/Game/alphabet-bee.hqx
/game/andys-letters-10.hqx
/Game/canada-map-game-hc.hqx
/game/coloring-book-201.hqx
/Game/creepin-critter-math-hc.hqx
/Game/find-the-missing-word-12.hqx
/Game/first-lessons-in-math-15.hqx
/Game/first-lessons-of-multiplication-10.hqx
/Game/hungry-frog-counting-eaters-20.hqx
/Game/hungry-frog-equation-eaters-21.hqx
/Game/hungry-frog-integer-eaters-20.hqx
/Game/hungry-frog-ion-eaters-21.hqx
/Game/math-20.hqx
/Game/math-bee-12.hqx
/Game/math-school-12.hqx
/Game/math-stars.hqx
/Game/my-little-kitchen-hc.hqx
/game/sound-match-10.hqx
/Game/talking-spelling-bee-25.hqx
/Game/word-find-10.hqx

SOURCES AT THE UMICH ARCHIVE
Use a mirror such as:
wuarchive.wustl.edu:systems/mac/umich.edu
src.doc.ic.ac.uk:packages/mac/umich

/hypercard/education/alphabet2.02.cpt.hqx
/hypercard/education/betterusmap2.0a.cpt.hqx
/hypercard/education/dinosaurs.sit.hqx
/hypercard/education/erniethebat.sit.hqx
/hypercard/education/inigo.sit.hqx
/hypercard/education/inigobath.sit.hqx
/hypercard/education/fingerspel.sit.hqx
/hypercard/education/letters.sit.hqx
/game/board/wordsearch.cpt.hqx
/misc/astronomy/planetfacts1.6.sit.hqx
/util/organization/timeteacher1.1d1.cpt.hqx

OTHER SOURCES
crab.rutgers.edu:pub/mac/hypercard/storybook.hqx
crab.rutgers.edu:pub/mac/hypercard/louie-toons.hqx
anarres.cs.berkeley.edu:pub/ucblogo/ucblogo.sea
Space Station (a guide to the universe) email to: [e-mail]=
u

PLACES TO BROWSE:
US Department of Education's gopher at gopher.ed.gov
Umich archives:  /hypercard/education

Thanks for reviews and helpful suggestions:  Barbara Shwom and Roger L.
Rainwater.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCES
K-5 Edu. Software Guide
Info-mac: /info/Software/k-5-ed-software-guide.hqx
A guide to commercial software and discussion of issues in selecting
software for children.  Highly recommended.

Goodman, K. S., Bird, L. B., & Goodman, Y. M. (1991). The Whole Language
Catalog. Santa Rosa, CA: American School Publishers.
A guide to the whole language approach to learning.

Doyle, Claire. (1988). Creative Applications of Computer Assisted Reading
and Writing Instruction. Journal of Reading. Dec 1988.
Argues that most software specifically designed to be educational in fact
inhibits creativity and real learning.  Doyle suggests that educators
should make more use of word processors, databases, and spreadsheets which
allow for unstructured, creative learning.  She encourages the following
activities:  writing letters and electronic mail; writing journals; writing
stories; free play with word processing; chain writing with others; using
spreadsheets or databases to categorize objects.

National Home & School Macintosh User Group
"a nonprofit corporation and Apple=AE registered user group with
international membership. The group promotes the entertainment and
educational qualities of the Macintosh=AE by offering support for game
enthusiasts, educators, parents introducing their kids to computers, and
shareware authors seeking convenient distribution of their software
worldwide. The bimonthly disk-based magazine, Home & School Mac=81, publishe=
d
by group, fills a niche that the corporate oriented magazines neglect."
Each issue contains 100-150 pages of reviews and info plus 1200K of newly
released game and educational shareware.  Annual membership:  North America
$15; other $21.
     National Home & School MUG
     Post Office Box 640641
     Kenner, LA 70064  USA
     [e-mail]



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