Educational Software

Educational software comes in many formats and is aimed at many different markets. Products range from typing instruction to algebra and language teaching. The main purpose of these programs is either teaching or self-learning. Products have been developed for preschoolers right up to adult education programs and everything in between. Many encyclopaedic programs have also been popular for quite some time including Encarta and the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Internet resources have become more widely available, which has resulted in the development of many free applications. Language teaching software has experienced a rapid boom in recent years, with more and more people preferring to learn a new language from the comfort of their own homes. Software teaching has many advantages over traditional CD or cassette language instruction because many packages allow the learners to record themselves speaking via a microphone, to compare with the native speakers, improving pronunciation and accent. Similarly, additional web resources can be linked to, such as native speaking radio stations or news bulletins to provide a more rounded educational experience.

An excellent resource for opensource (free) educational software is schoolforge.net who provide links to independent organizations that provide software and resources free of charge to individuals and educational institutions. As well as useful education programs like games that teach algebra or language lessons, the site also lists other programs like image manipulation software. Many packages are available for Windows, Linux and Mac OS platforms. Schoolforge is primarily focused on children in primary education, however some of the resources will be useful for older learners as well.

Preschool software has been developed by many large and recognisable names such as Disney and Jumpstart, who utilise favourite children’s characters like Winnie-the-Pooh or Mickey Mouse to make learning fun. This runs along the same premise as shows such as ‘Barney and Friends’ or ‘Sesame Street’, who both have an online presence as well (barney.com, sesameworkshop.org). The BBC also has an online portal developed for preschool children and infants at (bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/). The advantage of these sites is that basic computing skills are also taught through children simply playing the games or completing the activities.

Numerous language-learning packages are available on the market. One of the most popular programs is provided by the Rosetta stone group (rosettastone.com). Their programs are predominantly designed for the adult user, wanting to learn a second language in their spare time from home. The software is designed to improve vocabulary learning and recall, through using real-life examples of the words learned. The speech-analysis tool analyses your pronunciation of new vocabulary in order to make the accent sound more like a native speaker, an invaluable tool. The group also offer online subscriptions of their service at a reduced fee, allowing you to utilise their online resources form any computer with an Internet connection.

The global network academy are involved in the research of- and development of open source tools that enable distance learning. They also host a useful forum where students and adult-learners can discuss their educational aspirations. For more information about the GNA or to visit the forums go to gnacademy.org.