Assessment

Training demands assessment. The best educational software tools provide learners with feedback about their performance. But care should be taken here. A clever game at the end of a training session might entertain students, but not provide instructors and parents with any meaningful evaluation of the student's learning.

Consider these questions when evaluating the assessment tools of educational software:

• Does the software motivate the learner?

• Does the application encourage open-ended responses?

• Does the package provide feedback for both students and teachers?

• Does the product encourage collaborative learning?

• Does the software maintain a student's performance score?

• Does the package encourage real-life application of skills?