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Evaluations
Installation The program is simple and quick to load but it takes a little time for the introduction screen to load. This was disconcerting at first and there were problems especially when students As the program relies on sound, good speakers are necessary and student headphones are useful if several students are using the program at once. There is a network version of the program available but as my students use the program on their laptops, the CD-ROM is needed every time. An on-going problem occurred if a student or administrator used a password and then could not remember it, the password had to be deleted from the shared folder on the hard drive. This folder was difficult to find and took up too much teacher time in troubleshooting. Although there is no uninstall facility, the program can be removed by using the Add/Remove Programs option on the Control panel of the computer.
clicked repeatedly on the desktop icon. This led to frustration on the part of the student and took up teacher time during a lesson. The program needs at least 128 MB for full graphical quality. Once the program has loaded, there are no problems and the program responds quickly enough to input from the student.
Navigation Students found the design and interface of Wordshark easy to navigate. They required little teacher input to use the program. Wordshark is genuinely interactive, thus, the student is free to respond to questions voiced by the narrator, freeing the teacher to work with other students in the group and to offer help when needed. Feedback is instant and beeps or groans denote success or error. Sounds can be turned down or off. If students make a mistake they are instantly given another go. Wordshark is easily accessible for students via a shortcut on the desktop. Each student enters using his or her own name. Onscreen instructions show clearly how to get to the main page and how to exit the program. Navigation of the program is very straightforward and the icons and menus are intuitive. The menu page shows all the games that are on offer with a particular word list. This can sometimes be disappointing as students may have favourite games, which may not be on offer for the selected word lists. Once students are familiar with moving from the wordlists to the games screen, they can work independently. As the introductory sequence cannot be by-passed, it is advisable for the teacher to act as administrator so that the student progresses from CVC words. The teacher as administrator option enables the teacher to set up individualised learning programs for students by determining the level of the activity. In my view, it is essential for the teacher to act as an administrator and set up a suitable program. If not, students may be presented with activities and wordlists that do not match their ability level therefore wasting valuable lesson time. For ease of control by special needs students, the speed settings of the mouse can be changed. Also, the speed of each activity can be changed ensuring that no student is under excessive time pressure to read or navigate his or her way around the screen. The font size but not the colour can be altered. Wordshark provides instant audio and visual feedback. A record of games attempted and completed is automatically taken, as is a record of each student’s score and errors made. These records can be printed out and be used as part of the student’s profile by selecting the Manage Students option. The teacher can then use this information to prepare worksheets. I used the worksheets that were available with the program although they are only available with certain games. I also used word processing packages to develop further worksheets based on the student’s errors in WordShark. I found it useful to vary the font size for individual students. When using the ‘Manage Student’ screen it may be useful to try it out without saving it the first time. The teacher can match the program to an individual student’s ability by selecting appropriate word lists. A number of additional features are available in the latest version, Wordshark 3S, including subject vocabulary lists which would be useful at Junior Certificate level. The revised manual for the up dated Wordshark 3S contains further suggestions on what to do if the software runs slowly or does not run automatically. In addition, the importance of passwords is emphasised and the troubleshooting section is also much more detailed and helpful.
Documentation The software comes with a comprehensive manual; it is clearly divided into sections relating to installation, the games, word lists and sections for parents and teachers. The installation page deals with the First Run of the program, however the instructions regarding setting up as an administrator are not clear. In my view, it would be advisable to run the software and see how it behaves and then use the manual as required. The manual is essentially a reference book, including a directory of wordlists which is an excellent guide to setting up an individualised, sequential, learning program. I n addition, the word lists appear in the order in which they appear on the screen, allowing teachers to select words for student use. The word lists can also be used by teachers to identify the specific word pattern that they wish to use to reinforce prior learning or to provide opportunities for over learning. The section of the manual entitled referring to the educational content of the software is shown in tabular form and provides the teacher with a useful checklist. There is also a useful glossary of educational terms and of terms used in the Wordshark program. An on-screen help facility is available at all times.
