This'll Teach You -- Setting Up A Summer Lesson Plan For Kids? Explore Educational Software - You May Learn A Thing Or Two

By the time Robert was 8 years old he could not keep up with his school work. His siblings graduated with honors. Robert struggled just to pass.

Tests showed that Robert had Delayed Visual Perception, a problem similar to dyslexia. He could learn, but it would not come easily.

Concerned about their son, Robert's parents bought a computer and several educational programs. He studied reading with a program called "Reader Rabbit." He also used math and typing programs.

Robert's mother helped him with the computer. Both parents made special efforts to read with him.

"The computer helped, but he still needed someone to work with him," says his mother. "He needed the personal interaction. We needed to go over everything he was learning on the computer so that it made sense."

Now in high school, Robert gets above-average grades. He still works hard to keep up.

Robert's story is not unique. Millions of parents have turned to computers to help with their children's education. Educational software is the fastest growing segment of the computer market, showing more than 47 percent growth in 1993.

Whether you're home-schooling your children or just keeping their brains tuned up through the summer, using a computer can make the job a lot easier.

But purchasing the right software is not necessarily an easy proposition. Along with growth has come a proliferation of titles. And few things can be more discouraging than spending $50 or more for software that doesn't even begin to pique your child's interest.

What makes it more difficult is the growing range of choices, sparked by fierce competition for software sales. The Learning Company, founded in 1980, once had fairly easy reign of the 3-to-6-year-olds' market. Now its best-selling "Reader Rabbit/Math Rabbit" series competes with products from Davidson, Edmark, Sierra Discovery, Broderbund, Disney and Waterford Industries.

The following is an overview of software titles grouped by age groups.

Toddlers

Children 2, 3 and 4 years old usually need help operating a computer. For that reason, parents should consider whether they are willing to see a program on a daily basis before making a purchase. Fortunately, most educational software comes with a money-back guarantee. If you find that you would rather give blood than see a certain program one more time, chances are you can return it.

Toddler software should be full of discovery. It should encourage your child to explore. Mercer Mayer's "Just Grandma and Me," published by Broderbund Software, is the best program I've seen for this age group.

"Just Grandma and Me" - which is available only on CD-ROM - is based on a popular children's book about the misadventures of a little creature accompanying his grandmother to the beach. This program is humorous and beautifully animated. The backgrounds are interactive. Hunting around the screen for hidden jokes and animals may be just as much fun for the parents as it is for their children.

Electronic Arts' "Fatty Bear's Birthday Surprise" and "Putt-Putt Goes to the Moon" are fun for kids on several levels. Like "Just Grandma and Me," these programs encourage children to hunt for fun surprises hidden throughout every scene. These programs are more like games than books. Kids control either Fatty Bear, a kindly stuffed animal, or Putt-Putt, a lovable little sports car.

A lot of media attention has been directed at the exclusion of girls from computer games. Recent studies show that they are attracted to non-linear games that they can explore freely. Based on those guidelines, both programs will appeal to girls.

Ages 3 to 6

Edmark and another local company, Sierra Discovery, are among the best software publishers for this age group.

Redmond-based Edmark has won every conceivable award for its ground-breaking educational software. Two of Edmark's products, "Millie's designed to acquaint children with numbers and the alphabet through fun activities.

Another Edmark product, "KidDesk," is a less traditional program that creates a computer desktop environment with activities kids enjoy. It also provides a safetythat keeps the little saboteurs out of your data.

Sierra Discovery is owned by Bellevue-based Sierra On-Line. Of all of the software considered in this category, Sierra Discovery products have the clearest graphics. These products feature "The Dream Team," a group of animated characters that direct children through learning exercises - in numbers, early math, reading skills, typing, etc.

"The Dream Team's" greatest strength is its animation. Sierra Discovery has developed special lip-synchronizing technology. When Bananas the Monkey or Coach Jack read alphabet blocks, their lips move in a precise but exaggerated fashion that helps children learn to enunciate.

The only problem with this software is that it is, as one noted educator described it, "glorified flash cards." Sierra Discovery products are very entertaining for children. Whether educators agree with Sierra's educational technique, the charisma of this software is undeniable.

Ages 7 to 10

Though some of its programs are drill and practice, The Learning Company is the most popular educational software publisher for younger children. With computerized storybooks like "Treasure Mountain," math exploration products like "Neptune" and a very good spelling tutor called "Spellbound," The Learning Company has the most extensive line of software for 7-to-10-year-olds.

Learning Company products do not take advantage of advanced hardware as Sierra Discovery products do, but they are easy to use and run on older and slower computers.

In 1993, Microsoft slammed into the education market with "Creative Writer," an effective program that helps children develop organizational skills for their writing while giving them tools to explore their creativity.

As a souped-up desktop publisher, "Creative Writer" lets children lay out stories and punctuate them with graphics and sounds. As a creativity tool, it presents users with mind-probing questions that help dissolve writer's block for any age.

This year Microsoft released "Fine Artist." A companion to "Creative Writer," "Fine Artist" applies the same creativity tools and organizational prompts to art - comic strips, posters and cards.

While this is a very good program, there are a few drawbacks. The clip art in "Creative Writer" added spice to finished documents. "Fine Artist" has clip art, too. Unfortunately, it's often too tempting to use existing clip art rather than creating original art with the drawing tools..

A final series of products for this age group comes from Knowledge Adventure, one of the most sophisticated software publishers in the business. Following up on "3D Dinosaur Adventure," Knowledge Adventure recently released "3D Body Adventure," a lively study of human anatomy. "Speed" and "Discoverers," two titles for adults, are IMAX movies adapted to CD-ROM.

Age 11 and up

It is valuable to keep your children in touch with computers, even if they are doing little more than playing video games. Studies show that girls tend to lose interest in computers when they become 12. Currently, 75 percent of college computer science students are male. Finding software that interests pre-teen girls may be the answer.

My favorite math tutor is Davidson's "Alge-Blaster 3." This program demystifies algebra by applying it to fun tasks. Covering everything from vector graphing to integers, "Alge-Blaster 3" gives math a friendly mask that makes the challenges seem a little more reasonable.

There are several programs about astronomy. "Redshift," by Maris, turns your computer into a planetarium. Multicom's "Journey to the Planets" documents man in space. My favorite space software is "Discover Space" by Broderbund. All three programs are excellent, but "Discover Space" is a disk product while the others are on CD-ROM that will play in both Macintosh and PC computers. "Discover Space" is the easiest program to learn and has a better atmosphere about it.

Unique programs

There are a few educational programs that don't fit the same categories as do the mass of other titles. For instance, New Horizons' "Home Learning Lab," published by Jostens Inc. and marketed by New Horizons Education, is possibly the last purely educational software.

Jostens has packed 1,100 modules covering basic math, reading and science for kindergarten through ninth grade on a single compact disc. Parents can buy the entire program at once or buy three-year installments.

"Home Learning Lab" is not available at computer stores. One of the first software programs to be distributed through multi-level marketing, this can only be purchased direct from New Horizons or through third-party distributors. For more information contact New Horizons Education, (801) 489-0222.

"Thinkin' Things," by Edmark, is another one-of-a-kind program. Fast running and fun to watch, "Thinkin' Things" requires only 640 kilobytes of memory and a VGA monitor. It delivers well-designed exercises that develop memory, creativity, observation and critical thinking skills.

"Kid CAD," by Davidson and Associates, lets children design houses, castles, farms and skyscrapers. The process can be as easy as pointing to a vacant lot and placing clip art buildings, or as detailed as planning a multi-family dwelling complete with furniture and appliances.

Designed for children ages 7 and up, "Kid CAD" provides a fun and original introduction to computer-aided design. "Kid CAD," with its more sophisticated controls, also provides an in-depth introduction to personal computing.

The only drawback to "Kid CAD" is speed. I ran this program on a 386DX computer and became hopelessly bored waiting for the computer to render my designs. Later I ran the program on a Packard Bell Pentium and was pleased with how quickly the computer responded.

Companies are accessible

Unlike other kinds of software companies, many educational software publishers list toll-free telephone numbers on their boxes and encourage customers to call for customer service. Calling these companies can provide parents with insight into company philosophies and educational goals.

As a public service, Edmark has published a booklet with guidelines for selecting the best educational software. For a free copy of Edmark's booklet, call 556-8400.

Steven Kent occasionally reviews computer games and educational software for The Seattle Times.

POINTS TO CONSIDER IN PURCHASING EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE: ----------------------------------------------------- -- While computers help reinforce the learning process, they are no replacement for traditional instruction. "I would never set a fourth grader in front of the computer and just expect him to learn from `drill and practice' software," says Kristy Anderson, one of two teachers running the Technology Demonstration Classroom at Robert Frost Elementary School in Kirkland. -- Computers should be used to reinforce and expand lesson material. There are two major categories of educational software, reference materials and learning activities software. "Encarta," Microsoft's computerized encyclopedia, is a reference program. "Mavis Bacon Typing," a computerized tutor, teaches typing mostly through drills. -- Software publishers have distinct philosophies and styles. Reviewers describe educational programs as `edutainment' software because they are designed to entertain as well as educate users. A lot of this software is little more than educational video games. A few companies such as Davidson Software and Waterford Institute still publish high-quality curriculums. Redmond-based Edmark consistently wins both scholastic and software industry recognition for its commitment to high educational standards. -- Consider the limitations of your computer when shopping for software. Many programs require sound cards, graphics cards or a Windows system. A large portion of educational software for Macintosh computers must be run under System 6 or 7. The good news is that many educational programmers have found ways to milk both fast performance and attractive graphics out of older systems. -- The Learning Company, a software developer, recommends that you keep in mind the following considerations in your purchase:

1. Age range: Does your child's age fall within the program's recommended age range?

2. Subject: Do the program's subject areas address your child's important learning needs?

3. Challenge: Does the program offer multiple skill levels and options for customization to provide a variety of challenges and long play time?

4. Entertainment value: Does the program look fun? Even if it's filled with educational material, your child will not get much out of it if it's not enjoyable.