Lauren Haber

1
Lauren Haber

• ISTC 301
• Software Evaluation

2
Table of Contents

• Software Application
• Hardware Requirements
• Software Functions
• Design and Pedagogy
• Critique
• Conclusions

3
Software Application

• Destination Reading Course 2 Building Fluency
  and Comprehension
• Publisher Riverdeep
• Content Area Reading
• Grade Level 2-3
• Website to Publisher

4
Hardware Requirements
5
Software Functions

• This software functions as a reading tutorial.
• The lessons, books, and response activities are
  highly interactive and the students are able to
  choose whether or not they need assistance with
  each new step.
• The user has control of the pace of the lessons
  and can move ahead or review previous sections.
  There is often an optional light bulb that can be
  clicked on to learn additional information.
• The program offers inadequate answer-judging
  capabilities for student-constructed answers to
  questions. After the completion of writing
  response activities, the user is given no
  feedback and there is no opportunity to submit
  the answers for grading.

6
Design and Pedagogy

• The program is broken down into 24 units each
  containing 10-15 lessons and/or activities. The
  user can choose levels based on their needs or
  follow the order of the teaching method.
• It follows accepted teaching methods by first
  introducing a genre and then explaining the
  different parts to the genre with a selection of
  appropriate extension activities.
• The design provides optimal viewing of readable
  information and makes it easy for users to
  navigate.

7
Critique

• There is appropriate progression of units and
  lessons within the units.
• The program loads without error and stays
  efficient no matter what a user may enter.
• The entire program has a consistent, easy to use
  interface.
• Lack of assessment and feedback for
  student-constructed written activities.

8
Conclusions

• I highly recommend the Destination Reading
  software for purchase and use. In a classroom
  could make good use of this program in accordance
  with a computer workstation. Students can move
  along at their own pace and have control over the
  information they receive. The books that are used
  are appropriate examples of each genre and serve
  a purpose in the lessons. Students will enjoy
  reading books on the screen and learning about
  the many different genres through the click of a
  mouse.