| -link"> | | | | today have a video game orientation. |
| Science Academy Software has developed a new | | | | 8. The role of obsolescence: Books and printed |
| business model or paradigm for Education. It is a | | | | materials wear, tear, and go out of date. Software on |
| web-based "pay to play" educational game site named | | | | disk or CDROM also go out of date or may not run on |
| ScienceAcademy.TV for high-bandwidth clients. This | | | | newer machines. Upgrades also contribute to the |
| article discusses the issues and rationale behind | | | | logistical nightmare to school computers management |
| Science Academy Software's educational game | | | | and support. Not so with a Web application or services |
| portal ScienceAcademy.TV -- home to a new online | | | | that can provide updates in a timely manner or |
| educational game called "BasketMath V3. | | | | "on-the-fly". |
| Why "Pay-to-Play" educational games online? | | | | 9. Warehousing-the need to track and inventory |
| Users get to have a learning experience in the form of | | | | software, license requirements, serial numbers, the |
| a game. | | | | need to enforce copy protection measures and |
| It's appropriate for audiences for instruction, testing, drill | | | | security. |
| and practice. | | | | 10. Cost? Does fit in my budget? Web-based |
| Web channel distribution allows learning to occur any | | | | educational games offer relatively small entry, they are |
| time any place. | | | | more cost effective when compared to the cost |
| The entertainment value of the software contributes | | | | traditional educational software's direct and indirect |
| to pleasing user experience. | | | | costs associated with purchase, storage and inventory. |
| It's low cost alternative to traditional classroom | | | | 11. Freedom! - Can the software be used by students |
| instruction and educational software distribution. | | | | so as to free me to do other things (e.g. help other |
| Everyone benefits from subscribing (learning). | | | | students, fill reports, administrative tasks)? |
| Traditional Educational Software Delivery Issues | | | | It is not Cheap |
| A school teacher buying educational software, in the | | | | Developing web-based educational solutions costs |
| traditional sense, buys copies, lab packs or site licenses. | | | | time, money, and purpose. The money, earned from |
| They face a barrage of complex issues related to | | | | subscriptions, pays for the talent of artists, |
| acquisition and use. Issues like: | | | | programmers, teachers, technical and support staff, |
| 1. Is the software appropriate? This requires evaluation | | | | and the costs associated with housing, hosting, |
| in the form of asking: What is the instructional | | | | marketing, distribution, security and other web services. |
| component? Does the software provide testing and | | | | The people involved in delivering web-based |
| assessment capabilities, is there a measurement of | | | | educational games make their livelihood by |
| achievement? Are results immediate (we all know kids | | | | communicating their craft in the only way they know |
| can't wait)? From a teacher's perspective, this means | | | | how. They are driven by their desire to produce a |
| having students practice those areas of weakness to | | | | product or service and, in a sense, they define |
| achieve mastery. | | | | themselves by the process and what they produce. |
| 2. Can I use it in my class? Issues: will it serve my | | | | As with video games, kids usually "burnout" or play |
| students? Is it safe? Are there school adoption | | | | games most during the first 24 hours. This is why |
| procedures or bureaucratic red-tape to the software | | | | Science Academy Software has adopted one day |
| acquisition? What political issues will I have to deal with, | | | | subscriptions. The amount of "PlayTime" left is |
| if any? | | | | displayed in the login page. This places the impetus on |
| 3. Utilization - how much of this software really gets | | | | the user, the player or student, to use the software |
| used by students? Will the software get reused after | | | | while "the getting is good". |
| "newness" wears off? Students generally "burnout" or | | | | In this "entropy economy" old business models are |
| frequently use the game in the first 24 hours; interest | | | | evolving. An e-commerce implementation use allows |
| thereafter declines. | | | | subscribers instant access. Payment processing is |
| 4. Need for portability, Can I use it on all my PCs? Web | | | | immediate so users can immediately play the |
| enabled machines make learning possible anytime - at | | | | educational game. |
| school, in after-school programs, or at home (learning | | | | Subscribers of pay-to-play Web-based educational |
| occurs anytime any where). | | | | games are able to appreciate the educational and |
| 5 Can instructional material be shared with diverse age | | | | entertainment value. They already have DSL, cable, or |
| groups or learning disabilities (people learn differently)? | | | | on a network and may know someone, their children |
| 6. Can instructional material provide support | | | | or themselves, who could benefit from playing. |
| individualized attention (people learn at different rates)? | | | | Developers of these educational games are simply |
| It is great when you have a teacher, parent or tutor, | | | | using tools that are available for web-based delivery |
| but what if you don't? Educational software is the next | | | | (e.g. Flash, Java, Video, etc.). It also helps if you can |
| best alternative. | | | | have someone handle your e-commerce (e.g. PayPal). |
| 7. Value is based on educational and entertainment | | | | Adoption of these technologies make interactive |
| elements to the software. Entertainment value is very | | | | entertainment and education an emerging web-growth |
| important to the delivery of educational software: | | | | industry segment. |
| Ideally, the content should engage the user -- a | | | | Perhaps your audience would be interested in knowing |
| characteristic of most video games. Most children | | | | about this new paradigm? |