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This product allows teachers
(and students) to create a variety of text-based
exercises, and is comparable to other suites
like Hot Potatoes, Fun-with-text, Question
Genie. It benefits from its ability to incorporate
sound, video, graphics and text into the
exercises to provide either support for
the user or as an integral part of the exercise.
The package comes with a variety of sample
exercises covering different subject areas,
including Geography, Science, English, French
and even Greek (which will not work if no
Greek font is installed) which gives a good
idea of the range of exercises that can
be put together using this software.
Constructing the exercises is relatively
straight-forward though it does require
some planning as well as generating the
required video, graphic and/or text help
files if required.
In student mode the user is in control
of the exercises, being required to select
from the bank of given exercises and then
to select the activity or mode.
The Wida Authoring Suite has been designed
to provide engaging starter activities to
begin a new activity or as fun assessments
to consolidate existing knowledge.
As its name implies it is an Authoring
Suite rather than a Quiz one. The value
of the quizzes themselves are limited. By
contrast, having students involved in actually
creating the quizzes reinforces a whole
range of skills. It is in this area that
the Wida Authoring Suite is most likely
to show its value.
Written by Tristan Ashman
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Based on clips from Channel
4's educational science programmes, the
range of material covered makes this TV-Rom
useful across a range of Science QCA units.
As well as being an invaluable tool in whole
class teaching, the material is equally
useful for supporting individual pupil work.
The software can be used
on a standalone PC/Apple Mac or a network.
The main text based reference
screens have an audio function to support
less able readers. If your children are
building a glossary of words related to
moving and growing, then the glossary provided
on the TV-Rom will support just such an
activity.
The explanations are clear
and scientific. The Check it Out multiple
choice quizzes linked to the main topics
are a fun way of reinforcing learning. The
teachers' resources area of the TV-Rom contains
background information articles as well
as printable worksheets for children to
use away from the computer.
I found that the high quality short TV
clips explore the animal kingdom in a fun
and engaging way which the children respond
well to.
Written by Paul Turner
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Read full evaluation of Authoring Suite II