Name of package: Chronical Encyclopedia of History
Vendor Name: DK Interactive Learning
Vendor Toll Free Phone Number: 1-800-DKM-M575
Grade Level: 7th and up
Subject-Area: Social Studies
Tutorial: yes
Intel PC/Windows: yes
specification:
Memory Needed: 12MB
Type of Monitor: 640 x 480/256 color
Printer?: n/a
Disk (hard, 3.5, CD): CD
Other-Peripherals:
Instructional Purpose: The primary instructional purpose of this software is to serve as a reference/research tool. While other encyclopedia-type software packages provide information in a traditional "encyclopedia entry" format, the Chronicle Encyclopedia of History presents it in a number of more engaging ways. Users may learn about historical eras while using the "news screens," which provide information in the format of newspaper articles or they may use one of the timelines to get an overview of events occurring at the same time around the world. Users may also access the biography function to research historically important individuals or use the "History in the Making" screens to look at "major historical events or themes, using documentary-style introductions, video clips, spoken narratives, archive sound clips, and animations."
use: I would use this software in a number of ways. First of all, this software provides timelines of both specific events, such at the Revolutionary War, and of eras, which include events happening around the world. Because students often have trouble with putting events in the proper chronological order, I think these time lines will be useful. The software also contains a print/copy feature that allows the user to print either the whole screen (including graphics) or just the text that I will most likely use to make timeline handouts for my students. I will probably also use the print/copy feature to extract biographical information to insert into presentations or to make transparencies. I think this software is also useful in providing background information when introducing a new topic or, as a means of providing students with insight into the social and cultural events occurring during various historical eras. Additionally, I think that it would be easy to create a "scavenger hunt" to be completed using the software that would encourage students to explore what the hot issues of a particular era were.
Objectives Met: yes
Vocabulary Appropriate: yes
Content Accurate: yes
Free of Bias: yes
Learner in Control: yes
Self-Directed: yes
Appropriate Sequencing: yes
Student Record Keeping: no
Disk Crash Safeguard: no
No Distracting Sounds/Visuals: partially
Animation/Sound/Graphics Effective: yes
Uncluttered Screen: partially
Material Clearly Presented: partially
Easy Program to Load: yes
Simple Screen Directions: yes
On-screen Help: yes
Tutorial Manual: yes
Easy Printer Setup: yes
Strengths: This software has several strengths. First of all, I like the fact that doesnât presents history as a bunch of unrelated people, places and events. I especially like the "Current Affairs" and "News in Brief" features for this reason. Secondly, I like the biographical sketches. I like these because in addition to providing information, the user is given a picture and hears the name pronounced, an important feature when working with unfamiliar, hard-to-pronounce names. Finally, I like the print/copy feature. This feature makes it very easy to modify and transfer the information provided into other media such as power point presentations or transparencies.
Weaknesses: As a teacher I find this software useful but would not turn my students loose to use it without direction and supervision. First of all, I think many of my students would have trouble navigating between the screens and may be overwhelmed by all of the information they are given access to at one time. With this in mind, I would probably use the software only in teacher-directed exercises where I can help them focus their attention. Another weakness of the software is that not all of the information is appropriate for a middle school classroom (it probably wouldnât be a problem for high school students). While I donât consider any of what I saw to be obscene, or even PG-13, some of the topics discussed could lead to directions I, for one, donât want to go with middle school students. For example, one of the "Current Affairs" sections discusses the fact that homosexuality was encouraged in ancient Greece and another discusses how popular the nudes painted by Francois Boucher were in the court of Louis XV. (The clip about Boucher also contains a picture of one of his nudes.) While both of these topics are presented within an appropriate historical context and neither of the entries is explicit or vulgar, I think middle school students lack the maturity to view them within the appropriate context. As a result, I think the kids would probably be distracted from contents of the lesson
Recommendation: good
Comments:
Thank you.