Software Guide

The following reviews are to help you make informed decisions about software to purchase with e-learning credits. An inclusion here is not necessarily a DASP Recommendation to buy. However, we intend to only include products that have been reviewed favourably by DASP Teachers.

Subscription Services

Easiteach

Age: Ks 1 & 2

Subject: Maths

Produced by: RM

They say: "Easiteach Maths provides powerful resources for whole-class teaching, and is designed to help deliver these parts of your lesson.

Easiteach is made up of two main elements:

A simple to use, interactive teaching tool for whole-class teaching.

An online collection of ready-made activities, exactly matching objectives from the National Numeracy Strategy and the 5-14 Guidelines (for 5 to 11 year olds) that you can download from our website for use in your lessons.
Easiteach has been developed specifically for use on interactive whiteboards and other technologies suitable for whole-class teaching, bringing interactivity and greater pupil involvement to your lessons."

We say: Every teacher that uses this seems to like it. Although it can be used on standalone machines it truly comes to life when used with an interactive whiteboard. The pricing structure of Easiteach is going to be changing soon. The product will move towards Easiteach Studio as a framework and then other Easiteach applications being bought as plug-ins.

Granada Primary Zone

Age: Ks 1 & 2

Subject: All

Produced by: Granada

They say: "The primary-zone Internet-based service provides schools with a comprehensive bank of high quality curriculum-matched resources at Key Stages 1 & 2. Using the power of the Internet, primary-zone helps children aged 4-11 to learn by providing access to almost 100 educational and exciting activities across the core subject areas: Literacy, Numeracy, and Science.

The primary-zone service is an incredibly flexible and effective resource for children. The specially selected activities are not only educational, but fun to work through as well. Simple graphics and user-friendly interfaces enable children to navigate through the web site themselves.

Key features:

Literacy, Numeracy and Science activities designed to provide motivating learning opportunities
Curriculum-matched activities at Key Stages 1 & 2
Also supports Levels A-D of the Scottish 5-14 Curriculum
Interactive activities from the core subject areas
Simple, clean graphics to ensure easy navigation through the web site
Teachers can configure the age, subject and activities available at any time
Suggestions on how to extend each activity beyond the computer
Supports paper-based classroom activities
The primary-zone service is now available to purchase as an easy-to-use scratchcard. Users simply scratch off a panel to obtain a unique Licence Code number. This activates the registration and subscription process, allowing access to the primary-zone web site for twelve months."

We say: a very comprehensive set of resources for KS 1 & 2. Activities, bright graphics and rich content make this well worth considering.

Cost: about £59 p.a. for a 4-7 years school and £79 p.a. for a 4-11 years school

Find out more at:

http://www.granada-learning.com/school/catalog/jsps/product.jsp?product=487

Espresso for Primary Schools

Age: Ks 1 & 2 (and more appearing for KS 3)

Subject: All

Produced by: Espresso

They say: "A video and multimedia rich content service focused on Key Stage 1 and 2 across all subject areas. Updated weekly, the service includes high quality video linked to motivating and focused content from a wide selection of media and latest news from television and the internet. For fast, easy access, Espresso also downloads curriculum relevant web sites for both key stages and these are regularly refreshed and added to. Teacher support materials are contained in the 'Staffroom' and it offers content descriptions, lesson plans and how Espresso meets curriculum requirements. The 'Staffroom' can be accessed both at home and on the web. "

We say: an impressive mix of video, images and text, linked to National Curriculum and schemes of work. Can be used in so many different ways and is kept very up to date. Its drawback, is that it requires a 'caching' server to recieve the downloaded input and this adds to the initial cost.

Cost: about £6 per pupil p.a.

Check out the demo at:

http://www.espresso.co.uk/visitors/efs/efs_index.html

Living Library

Age: Ks 1 & 2

Subject: All

Produced by: RM

They say" Living Library is an exciting collection of multimedia resources specifically designed to support learning across all subject areas. Whether you are a teacher creating classroom resources, a pupil doing homework, or a parent looking for safe online materials for your child, Living Library is packed full with helpful articles that will meet your needs.

With Curriculum-relevant content. All articles are specially selected by curriculum experts and are regularly updated. Unique high quality resources with single-search access. A huge picture bank of over 15,000 photographs and diagrams of curriculum-relevant images for use in projects and research. Outstanding video clips of the 20th century from BBC Worldwide/British Pathé, which bring historical and scientific breakthroughs to life.

We say: Well known to Dorset schools, but still often underused. There is a huge amount of information available here.

Cost: Site licence from £185.25 p.a. (purchased on-line) for schools up to 99 pupils to £470.25 p.a. for schools with over 400 pupils.

Oxford Reading Tree On-Line

Age: Ks 1 & 2

Subject: Literacy

Produced by: Oxford Publishing

They say: "What is Oxford Reading Tree Online? The best online support for primary literacy and ICT

Exciting online activities to support the teaching of literacy and extend ICT skills
Motivating children's area where pupils interact with their favourite characters and stories
A chance to "publish" your pupils' best work on the web and win prizes
A genuinely easy-to-use site for whole class, group and individual teaching
Lesson set-up that enables you to plan lessons on screen in less than 2 minutes
All the back-up you'll ever need for an online resource "

We say: If you like Oxford Reading Tree, you will like Oxford Reading Tree On-line. Children love to use it and will recognise the characters from the books.

Cost: between £100 - £300 p.a depending on the number of pupils in school.

For more information go to:

http://www.oup.co.uk/oxed/primary/orto/whatisorto/

Individual Software Packages

Revelation Natural Art

Age: Ks 1, 2 & 3

Subject: Art/Graphics

Produced by: Logotron

They say: Revelation Natural Art can easily be configured to meet any learners specific needs. You can add or reduce the number of tools available to make the program as powerful or as simple to use as you wish.

The fully customisable interface constructor allows you to:

Add or remove tools to meet any users abilities

Increase/decrease tool button sizes

Add or remove any menu options

Move tools around; lock or undock toolbars

Create completely new toolbars with new behaviours

Save and load your own customised settings for future use

Three pre-configured interfaces tailor the software to the needs of a young KS1 learner, a KS2 learner and a confident KS3/4 user.

The rich range of super realistic natural media effects allows all users to work intuitively with the same tools on the computer that they have already used in their real life Art and Design work.

We say: One of the best painting packages available to schools. Can be configured to be used by the youngest pupils, but offers enough facilities for Key Stage 3 pupils to use it seriously. Includes ability to create animations.

Cost: £49 (DASP schools should order through the IT Centre Dorway Service).

More information (including a free demo) at:

http://www.logo.com/cat/view/revelation-natural-art.html

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