| Software evaluation | |
| Identification of software (title, publisher or URL, author), system requirements (processor, RAM, HDD, peripherals, OS) | The title of this piece of software is 'Larry's Master The Mouse' and it is published by Lawrence Goetz (who is also the author). It's address is http://garbo.uwasa.fi/windows/educgames.html which brings up a list of games (this one is lmmouse.zip). A normal, standard IBM compatible computer with approximately 3MB of space available on the hard-drive, approximately 2MB of random-access memory, Windows 95 and connections to the internet (registration only gives you a password so that the whole game can be played and this still means you have to download it from the internet) is all that is needed for this software - and a mouse of course. A printer is also optional if you want or need to print a registration form. |
| Value judgement (price/registration fee versus educational worth), ease of use (your own impression, what features made it easy to use, how was it to install) | The registration fee is $5 for 1 computer, $4 each for 2 to 9 computers, $3 each for 10 to 24 computers, $2.50 each for 25 to 49 computers, $2 each for 50 to 99 computers, $1.50 each for 100 to 199 computers, $1 each for 200 to 500 computers and $500 for the first 500 computers and $0.25 for each computer after that for 500 or more computers. This proves that it is definitely the sort of program for use in school type situations and the price is very reasonable because using the mouse is absolutely essential when using most computers. The program is extremely easy to use with menus to tell you exactly what to do on every screen without exception. The extensive help documentation also provided would almost never be used unless someone needed to have a registration form, etc. Every operation that is performed on the program is extremely basic and even the most incompetent computer user would not find it very hard to use. Also the installation off the internet was very easy (once you found it) with a very basic installation process. |
| Documentation accompanying (operating instructions, help system, student worksheets), Framework nature (to what degree does the program permit you to change content etc) | Larry's Master The Mouse is a program designed to allow you to learn to use the mouse. There are various exercises to teach the movements of the mouse, clicking, and double clicking. As well as games to allow you to play with the mouse and further allow you to practice. You control the menus by the number keys. To quit the menu or part of the program you are at, you press the Esc key. All you really have to do is follow the on screen help messages which guide you through the program. The program for the most part, is self-explanatory. The program is made up of four parts: learning the mouse functions, testing youself on the mouse functions, playing with the mouse functions you've learned and the bonuses, note: you need to register in order to use these. As mentioned above it is very easy to use and so the thorough help documentation would rarely be used even though it is there. The program has a very set framework that cannot be changed to my knowledge. There are the exercises mentioned above and unfortunately with this game, once you have masterd everything on it, it's value would somewhat decrease for that person. |
| Description of operation of software, illustrated with screen-shots. Quality of web-pages, including appropriate backgrounds. | The operation of the software is documented fully above. The program is very visually orientated especially in the movement, clicking and double-clicking and dragging and dropping exercises. In each of these exercises, objects move when the correct operation is performed (eg. a parachutist falls out of the sky and a racing car zooms up the screen, etc) and in the dragging and dropping exercise you even pick up pennies with a hand that you control by the mouse and put them in a piggy bank. The whole program is very well presented and is perfect for young children to use. |
| Keen observation of someone else using the software, ideally from the target student group, highlighting differences between your expectations and the student's responses. | I witnessed a grade three student using the software and there were the obvious differences between my expectations and the student's responses. It is all very easy when someone with experience uses such a program and almost becomes boring after a while, but for a grade three student with little to no experience using a mouse is quite a bit harder than I expected it would be. He moved the mouse a lot slower than I expected him to as if he was scared to move it too fast because the pointer would fall off the screen (this is of some benefit however in the dragging and dropping game because if you move your hand too fast you drop the pennies) and before clicking and double-clicking on an object he seemed to want to get exactly onto the middle of the object before pushing the button (there is nothing wrong with this either as some icons on computers that need to be clicked and double-clicked on are very small). But in general he responded basically how I expected he would and got a great deal of enjoyment out of it while at the same time learning new things on a conputer. |