Title: Reader Rabbit's 4th Grade Adventure
Overall Rating:
A
Source: The Learning Company
Playing Time: 35-40 min first time experience
Date: 2-12-99
Cost: $19.95 http://www.shoptlc.com/
Number of Players: 1
Special Equipment/Facilities Needed:
Subject Area: Math
Objectives: build upon recognizing patterns
and relationships, be able to read and create simple graphs, and multiply
and divide more fluently.
Brief Description: A group of kids stumble
upon an old scroll. To figure it out they must go on an adventure
collecting hieroglyphics, which they can only get through solving different
mathematical problems. There are also Social Studies, English, and
Science problems.
Entry Capabilities Required: fourth grade
math and reading skills, basic social studies and science skills, able
to use a mouse
Rating: (1-5)
Relevance to objectives: 4
(sticks to the objectives but mostly through root memorization and
practice activities)
Provides practice of relevant skills:
5
Likely to arouse/maintain interest: 5
(curiosity and the interesting characters keep you playing)
Likely to be comprehended clearly: 5 (easy
to understand and follow with directions whenever you want them)
Technical quality (durable, attractive):
4 (attractive but very slow)
Game: Winning dependent on player actions (rather
than chance): 5
Simulation: Validity of game model (realistic,
accurate depiction): 4 (then again who needs
realistic when you are 9 years old)
Evidence of effectiveness (e.g. field-test results):
Other than me playing the game I am unaware
of other field-tests. No one else has reviewed this software so far.
Clear directions for play: 5 (excellent-very
adaptable for first time to expert player directions)
Effectiveness of debriefing: 5
(grabs your attention right away with a cute
little active story)
Strong Points:
Good information built into story so that children learn without even realizing
it. Discipline linkage -not only math but english, science, logical reasoning,
and social studies skills. Progress reports, level change - tells
you what level you are on, what you have mastered, what you have difficulty
with, and allows you to change levels. This is great because a student
can practice and get feed back all on their own. It also allows you to
focus in on a specific area of practice, without taking the time to go
through the story and all that jazz.
Weak Points:
A lot of the problems are root memorization problems, not a lot of higher
thinking going on. The first problem had to do with picking a jeep with
enough gas to go 100 miles. It was an estimation problem but it was
very confusing to me because I was looking for an answer that would equal
100. 20 times 6 happened to be the correct response but as a fourth
grader one might assume, even though it is suppose to be estimation, that
20 times 6 = 100.
You can leave a place without solving the problem and go back later,
but when you go back you have a new problem. This is good sometimes
but may teach students to avoid all hard problems and just do ones they
know.
Reviewer: Heather Colbert
Position: undergraduate
Date: 2-12-99
Computer System Reviewed on: Macintosh
PowerPC 6500/250, 32mb ram.