A number of people asked me to say how I evaluate education software for a Tablet PC.
In general, I ask questions for the software to answer. I evaluate education software the same way I evaluate any learning tool, whether an instructional procedure, easy-reading book, a curriculum, achievement test, etc.
I assume educational software offers something to increase learning. Based on that assumption, I try to determine “to learn what?” and “how?” These are generic effectiveness and efficiency questions.
I try to answer questions in order to identify principles and priorities used to say something exists as educational and not some other kind of software. Usually, I must infer answers from the format, sequence, etc. of the presentations of the software.
These questions are in no particular order, yet. I’m working on an evaluation checklist that will order these questions.
What is learned? More technically specific, what process or content code does it claim to show a learner how to use (learn)?
Does it lead to measurable learning?
What criterion is used to assert that learning occurred?
What is counted to claim learning has occurred?
What theory explains “learning?”
Can a learner use it without a manual or external human support?
So what? So a student learns something from the software. What difference does that make in the life of the student?
Your comments will help me clarify points to include in the checklist that might have special interest to you.
