Three software reviews by Laurie Haddock

1^st  Discovery Education

Published by  Discovery Communications Inc. Discoveryeducation.com

Intended audience: Students/ teachers

Software category - research database/workbook

Subject matter might be enhanced by using this software: Every subject /every grade/all encompassing

Standard(s) from the CT frameworks might be fulfilled using this software package? - see the indices at every single standard, this site matches to the Ct standards and the national standards. They are directly matched for you!!

http://www.state.ct.us/sde/dtl/curriculum/index.htm

Reservations about using this software package: You have to download, wait, review it to be sure (you would any way), and this service you must pay for. It IS like owing thousands of videos. Worth IT!!!!

Recommendations of the software package: There are full videos, video clips, worksheets already made and matched to the standards, and teacher lesson plan pages!!! I often imbed a United Streaming clip into power point to enhance notes given to students.

2^nd Atlas Rubicon

Published by Rubicon International 2006. International company check them out  http://www.rubicon.com/About.html

Intended audience: The teachers are able to write curriculum through the overseeing of any administration. Teachers are able to collaborate online or work together on different parts in the same room. The software is efficient, organized, and user friendly.

Software category - productivity tool/research database.

Subject matter might be enhanced by using this software: Pre-K through 12th

Standard(s) from the CT frameworks might be fulfilled using this software package? This IS one of the main purposes of this program. Standards are embedded into the service.

Reservations about using this software package:? None, this software is stellar, I could be in sales for this company right now I love it so much. It is international, the, most amazing brilliant computer scientists and former administrators and teachers are the staff.

Recommendations of the software package? This software is used for writing professional curricula. The end product is a online document that can be browsed any where in the world. You actually are teacher internationally when people reference your work.

3^rd   Trakstar4teachers.com

Published by ALTEC Advanced Learning Technologies in Education Consortia created in 2000 by the University of Kansas, updated as recently as 2006.

Intended audience: Students in your classroom or long distance learning.

 Software category:This is online software for customized for research activities

 Subject matter: Every subject would be able to use this Phys Ed through math. 5^th graders would probably be the youngest students who would be able to follow the software on their own.

Standard(s) from the CT frameworks:. The author of the activity is YOU, so you would be able to create the assignment with specific standards in mind.

Reservations about using this software package: None really, it is easy to use for teachers and students. I have no criticisms.

Recommendations of this software package: Teachers use the online software to create an activity with questions they develop. The questions then have a link that YOU chose for the students to click on to answer the problems or questions. Students enjoy the challenge and interaction.