1. Jump Start Advanced Preschool
Instructional CD Review
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Basilio, Alyssa Marie July 27, 2009
10837027
Educational versus Entertainment Value
Our software was Jump Start Advanced Preschool. Basically, the educational
software was designed to prepare children ages 2 to 4 for school. Preschool students
have yet to learn the alphabets, numbers, shapes, music and arts and this program offers
to teach them all in a fun and interactive way. It makes use of different learning styles
for the student to comprehend efficiently. The various elements of media were smoothly
integrated in the software to suit the child’s learning capabilities. Audio and visual media
work together to make the child understand thoroughly the concepts of the lesson thru
hearing and for the child to interpret the topic in his/her own way thru visuals. Another
good thing about this software was that it doesn’t make the user bored as there were tons
of fun and exciting activities to educate and entertain the child. It delivers the lesson in a
form of a game to keep the young minds motivated to learn. What amusing in the game
was that you have to choose a pet (turtle, frog, dog, etc) to take care of and thru playing
the different activities you have a chance to earn rewards to give your pets. The program
also has this assessment test where the child’s performance was being put to test, all the
topics were being ask there and it determines what areas had the child mastered on or the
areas they needed to improve. As you can see there’s a balance of educational and
entertainment value in this software. The two values work together successfully to
supplement the child’s learning needs. In every activity of the game, something
intellectual was being integrated. So I can’t say that this software was more of an
educational thing or vice-versa. There’s good balance between the two.
Localized Version of the Application
The good thing about this application is that it’s so flexible that it can easily be
adapted in our country. All is needed is to alter the language of the program into Filipino
and change the application’s theme to Filipino-like for example, changing the characters
of the software to our native animals in order to have a Filipino version of the
application. The application, I can say, is well designed. It’s user-friendly and easy to
use. The program is very suitable for young Filipino learners because the lessons being
taught in this software is just the same stuff learned in class. The game is systematic;
users can easily navigate the application as there are help options to aid them. The rules
of the activity are clearly stated. However, my suggestion to make this software be better
is to provide subtitles for the instruction incase the computer speakers don’t work. It’s
because the program rely solely on the audio element in delivering the instructions.
Another suggestion is to give punishment whenever the user’s answer is incorrect to
discourage the learner to do it again.