Title: Super Solvers Spellbound
Overall Rating:
B
Source: The Learning Company
Playing Time: Unlimited Play Time
Date: 1998
Cost: $19.95 price at Shop TLC.com
http://ww
w.learningcompanyschool.com/school/products/stella.htm
Special Equipment/Facilities Needed: CD-ROM
and SUGA color or 16 color VGA monitor
Subject Area: Improving spelling skills
for children aged 7 - 12.
Objectives: Provides children with an
exciting and challenging way to practice and improve their spelling skills.
Brief Description: Super Solvers Spellbound
contains 1,000 words divided into 10 topics of interest to children aged
7 to 12. Each topic includes many word list which will help increase
the child's vocabulary on each subject. There are four program activities
to encourage children to master skills and develop strategies for solving
word puzzles. These four programs are: word search, flash card,
criss cross, and spelling bee.
Entry Capabilities Required: No
real capabilities required but knowledge of the keyboard would be an asset.
Rating: (1-5)
Relevance to objectives: 5 ( Excellent,
allows children to learn how to spell words in a variety of ways.
It meets its objectives with a variety of spelling games and puzzles.)
Provides practice of relevant skills:
5 ( There are over 1,000 spelling words in this program. It gives
great spelling practice activities for children between the ages of 7 -
12 years of age.)
Likely to arouse/maintain interest: 3
(After a while the program seems to get redundant and students will probably
start loosing interest after 15 to 20 minutes.)
Likely to be comprehended clearly: 4 (This
program was easily understandable even without the program directions;
however, the guide is great for the teacher because it includes a spelling
list in which the teacher can practice these words in the regular classroom.)
Technical quality (durable, attractive):
4 ( This program is very colorful and displays a variety of characters
in it. There is a lot of 3D affects when the student types the word
or gets the correct answer. The music is very catching.)
Game: Winning dependent on player actions (rather
than chance): 5 (In two sections of this game
the student has the words in front of them and they have to find the words
as in the Word Search or type the word in the Criss Cross. In the
Flash Cards section it is optional to see the word or hear the word; however,
once the student starts to type the word disappears. In order to
get to the Spelling Bee the student must reach their target goal.
The student hears the words and then tries to spell it. During all
the games very limit or no help is given to how to spell
words.)
Simulation: Validity of game model (realistic,
accurate depiction): 5
( The game doesn't make the student feel like they are doing school work.
It is challenging and exciting for children. Children are not
being forced to learn but are learning in a fun and rewarding manner.)
Evidence of effectiveness (e.g. field-test
results):
5 (After using the program I can see how it will helped students remember
how to spelling words. It is a fun game the exciting music makes
you feel like you have achieved a goal.)
Clear directions for play: 3 ( There
were clear directions to play the games; however, leaving a section before
that section was finished was difficult because there was no option to
quit.
Effectiveness of debriefing:
5 ( At the bottom of the screen there was a target total which told how
well the child was doing. Each time a section was completed
the students total came closer to their target goal.)
Strong Points:
It allows children to work at their own speed. Common words in which
a child spelled wrong or had trouble with appeared more frequently to practice
their spelling on the words in which they needed help with.
Weak Points:
Did not know how to change levels in the program. The program seemed
to only have one learning level but it offered more then one level.
There was no option to quit a section if you wanted to stop in the
middle.
There should be an alternative button to quit the section early)
Reviewer: Marilyn Wade
Position: Graduate
Date: March 24, 1999
Computer System Reviewed on: Power Macintosh
G3 233, with 64 mb of ram.