Indentification of software:
The software that shall be evaluated within the following assignment is 'Rapid type'.
Rapid type is a CD Rom touch typing program.
It is produced by - Shep.Omini Dobson Systems Incorporated.
Address : 3485 Ruffin Rd.
San Diego, Califonia,
92123
United States of America.
System requirements:
Rapid type can be used on IBM and Macintosh computers and the CD program costs around $65 for the single CD.
The program requires the peripheral of a:
The program can run with or without the following peripherals:
Value judgement:
The cost of Rapid type is very reasonable I believe, especially in relation to the educational worth that a classroom would gain from it. The program teaches touch typing and the correct use of the keypad to people of any age, those with no experience of keyboards, two finger typists or those who want to increase their existing typing skills. Therefore it is a program that children can progress through. The Rapid type program is easy and fun, and claims that even a beginner can be touch typing in only 10 hours. Children would through using the program be able to interact with the colourful graphics and icons that also accompany it. For these also add interest for those learning to touch type, the program aims to teach the user the alphabetic and numeric keyboard. The language used is simplistic and the touch typing lessons are sequential in order for the user to choose the suitable level for their needs. For the program designs the lessons around the user, therefore it monitors the speed and accuracy of every key stroke and the hesitancy between keystrokes, then tailors the course material accordingly.
Children are given a detailed progress report that can be saved onto a disk
or the hard drive, this helps them to move through the course in the shortest
possible time, doing only the minimal number of exercises. Rapid type has been
specifically desiged to run in educational institutions and caters for all
standards and abilitis. The program is set up so as to teach one person at a
time. The software in relation to the cost is extremly economical and is an
invaluable resourse for any classroom.
Personal impressions:
The Rapid type program is both easy to install and to use. The installation process could easily be undertaken by those with prior experience, especially if using it on an IBM Windows 95. For this installation process is virtually done for you, I personally placed the CD Rom into the tower, then went under start - run, I then typed in D:/Rapidtype, the computer then asked me a series of installation questions which were easily answered and the installation icon appeared and I clicked on that and got it going.
I personally am a fairly average typist so thought this program would be a bit daunting to use but instead found it really enjoyable. The program contains easy to read instructions and illustrations which are extremly helpful, they give you a step by step guide of how to use its different functions. The section at the beginning of the program called 'alter features' is also a good idea, as this allows you to alter at any time the settings and difficulty that you have set. The lessons are tailored to your specific needs, so you just enter in your capabilities and the program designs a course around you. The picture of the keyboard that is displayed on the screen once the lessons have been designed for you, I thought was very useful. For the program states clearly the letters or numbers that you will be learning to type, and the keyboard shows you where they are and also highlights it for you to also find and copy. The program also has a picture of your right and left hands so as to also illustrate what finger should be used to type which key. The words and sentences (once you progress up to them) are appropriate and pertinant information and not just nonsense drills, which I thought was an extremly worth while characteristic. The uncluttered, clear screen layout allows you to focus on the line or words to be typed. Unnecessary graphics and music have been avoided so as not to interfer with the learning process. The progress reports that the program gives you through out your lessons come in the form of encouraging comments and useful tips on how to improve your typing skills. A graph is also devised of your speed and accuracy so as to further illustrate your progress.
Beacause the program is designed around you, and lessons are structured around your speed and accuracy and from the goals you choose, it continually and automatically varies, this, therefore keeps the you challenged and avoids boredom. Rapid type along with the typing lessons also give you a run down on the correct posture that a typist needs to have aswell as the correct hand / finger postions to use. The program has been designed to accomodate people from all age groups and typing abilities, therefore can be enjoyed by all age groups.
Accompanying documentation:
The CD Rom program has an accompanying booklet that contains detailed
instructions and information on how to install and run the program, rational of
the program; that is 'teaches touch typing and the correct use of the keyboard
to people of any age'. The program also offers net worked schools a net wok
master disk, aswell as student manuals, an instructors guide and other
educational aids which are part of the Rapid type training system.
Framework:
The content of the program can be changed within the structure of the
program's options. Alterations can be made in the framework of the program under
the 'alter features' icon, this allows the user to change and adapt the lesson
to their ability and needs. For example; the pause period, line ending, spacing,
test exercises - difficulty, and the course length and goal speed. The framework
can be set up so as it focuses on either learning keyboard skills, or on
learning the numeric key pad. The program can also be altered so as it focuses
on upper case or lower case letters.
Description of the operation of the sorftware
The program begins once it has been succesfully installed, with a menu tile.
Contained on this is the choices that the user is given in order to tailor the
correct typing lesson for their particular needs. For example; the user can
select from either learning the keyboard in eight lessons, or focus on keyboard
speed and accuracy, or view their previous typing results or print out their
tying results. The other section that users can choose to do is to learn the
keypad in eight lessons, or focus on keypad speed and accuracy or view their
typing results or to print these out. Once the user has specified on what they
wish to focus on they are then asked to enter their name, and to give their
target typing speed, from which they want to work in. In the learning the
keyboard / keypad section, a picture of a keyboard / keypad is illustrated on
the screen, so as to familiarise the user. Below the keyboard / keypad is a
picture of a right and left hand with the letters printed on them that the
lesson will be focusing on. For example; if the user has specified that they are
only a beginner then they will start out by learning the ten basic keys on the
keyboard, that is asdf and ;lkj, therefore the correct finger that should type
that key will be shown by the hand below. From using these as a guide the typing
lessons then commence. The user is given a series of leter, words or sentences
(depending on their ability) to copy and type out in the space provided. Of
course the lessons differ depending on the taget typing goal and ability of the
user. The program gives continual comments on the users progress, aswell as
encouraging comments on how to improve their typing skills. For example; it
tells the user not to stop in a mistake is made, as this will teach the user to
be hesitant in their typing. The program also keeps reminding the user of the
correct posture and finger postions that a typist should have.
Observation of students using the software
In evaluating the program I asked my 11 year old brother Rohan Sawers to use the Rapid type program. We have a personal computers at home, and Rohan therefore is experienced in working the various components and functions of a computer. Rohan also has had experience installing and running games and other programs, either through CD Roms, or off disks. Although he is very unskilled when it comes to touch typing, therefore this was going to be a new learning experience him.
I introduced the program to Rohan, and gave him a run down on what I wanted him to do. I did not install it for him as I wanted to see if he could do it himself. Our computer at home is a pentium, and has windows 95 running on it. Rohan knew the procedure to carry out when installing a CD Rom program, therefore he booted up the computer and went to the start icon, then clicked the run icon, in the run box he then typed out the instructions contained in the booklet; (D:Rapid type) then followed the installation questions until the Rapid type program was installed. Through his engagement in the typing program, and the observations I made were both what I expected with some surprises. When the program began and it ran through the correct posture techniques that should be obeyed by typists, I found that Rohan immediately did what they said. He sat correctly in his chair and maintained that postition through out the program.
When it came to putting in his target typing speed, he firstly asked me what it was, therefore I believe that the program should make it more clear for younger users on what this term means. So after finding out what it meant he set his typing target goal at a number for his typing ability, which was 20 words per minute, and then typed in his name. He then proceded through the program reading any instructions given and decided to have a go on keyboard speed and accuracy.
He really liked the picture if the keyboard and the hands that illustrated the correct fingers he should use on which keys. Because he had never used a touch typing program before he set it on the easiest level. Therefore he went through a series of lessons that focused on him firstly typing out the ten basic keys and then putting these together to form words and sentences. He found the typing out of the letters easy, although he at first had difficulty in putting them together. Therefore the program would repeat the letters and words that he would get wrong, which frustrated him a bit. Although he kept persisting with it until he got in right. After having a go at the keyboard lessons he then went further to explore the keypad lessons. These work in the same procedure so he had no troubles in knowing how to work it. He did not enjoy these lessons as much as the keyboard, and asked me why people would have to learn how to type the numbers?
He enjoyed exploring the various components and functions that the game provides and also liked to hear the encouraging comments on his progress. He obtained a print out of his graph which showed his speed and accuracy progress. He was quite proud of this.
Through observing others use the program it demonstrated to me that the program is easy, to use and that students and people of any age would enjoy using it.
I found out the students prior knowledge and experiences although can play a large part in the effectiveness of other educational programs and the learning that occurs, did not really apply to this program, as its whole emphasis is on catering lessons to peoples abilities and skill levels.
Overall the expectations that I had of the program were satisfied, that is
that through its use students would either learn to touch type, or enhance the
typing skills that they already possess. This was seen in both the improvement
and participation that I observed in Rohans exploration of the program.