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December 15, 2001
Awards of Excellence (cont'd)
By Kristen Kennedy
Additional Award Winners
CLASSROOM AND
SCHOOL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
2100 Filtering Service 4.0 (N2H2)
Also known as "Bess," N2H2's popular 2100 filtering solution took home an award for its efficiency in helping schools keep kids safe on the Internet. Using a five-step process of review, N2H2 builds its proprietary database of blocked sites while also allowing administrators to customize service to meet differing community standards. Teachers welcomed the Authorized Override feature that lets approved users temporarily bypass filtering.
Web-based software for use with proxy server. Price: $5,495 for setup; subscription rates based on network size.
Clean Slate 1.0 (Fortres Grand)
As one of our technician-judges offered, "If you ever want to load software without worrying about it destroying your system, this program is it." Clean Slate 1.0 lets computer users install software, delete files, create icons, download images, and do just about anything else without damaging the computer's operating system. Clean Slate, upon reboot, will restore computers to their original configuration. Judges also applauded the program's easy install and online help features as well as its overall time- and money-saving efficiency in quick and easy restoration of computer system integrity.
Win CD. Price: $595 for a building license with additional pricing options available.
Fortres 101 Version 4.1 (Fortres Grand)
Fortres Grand took home a second win this year with its extra-tight security system that completely locks the desktop so students only have access to approved programs and tools. Fortres 101 prevents students from downloading unapproved programs while allowing them access to useful applications. Judges gave high marks to the program's ability to diagnose and expose conflicts between "ill-behaved applications" as well as network features that allow it to run from a single console for an entire lab or school building.
Win CD. Price: $595 for a building license with additional pricing options available.
Grade Machine (Misty City Software/Chancery)
Grade Machine is an electronic grade book and attendance program that simplifies and streamlines classroom management. Highly customizable, Grade Machine lets teachers manage and report on student information in a variety of ways and then share those reports with students and administration. The program generates charts, graphs, letters, and reports that track student progress and even schedule intervention and support when necessary.
Mac/Win CD. Price: $79-$99 for a single user.
NetSchools Orion (NetSchools)
Judges couldn't give enough high praise to NetSchools Orion, a Web-based application that gives teachers access to standards-based curriculum resources, lesson plans, activities, and assessments. Orion also offers school calendars, student schedules, and home-school communication features. Our teacher-judges welcomed the ability to individualize content for students at different stages of learning. As one judge remarked, "This product would really expand the curriculum and facilitate the sharing of resources."
Web-based. Price: $150 per teacher.
PowerSchool Student Information System 2.0 (Apple)
PowerSchool's information management system enables districts and schools to record, access, report, and manage student data and performance. This Web-based program lets educators track attendance, grades, demographics, and student schedules. For parents without Internet access, PowerSchool offers a phone dial-in service, in English and Spanish. Judges appreciated PowerSchool's intuitive design, home-school communication tools, and easy cross-referencing features that facilitate data-driven research.
Web-based. Contact publisher for school and district-level pricing.
CROSS-DISCIPLINARY
DiscoverySchool.com (Discovery Communications)
While judges raved about its full-service tools and resources, DiscoverySchool.com got top honors for its parent and student components. The Student Channel offers middle-schoolers homework help from P.J. Pinchbeck, access to World Book Online's reference materials, and more. Articles and other resources available through the Parent Channel offer a wealth of helpful information for moms and dads looking for informed advice about their child's education.
Web site. Price: Free. (Grades K-12.)
Projects for the Real World (Levels E-I) (PLATO Learning)
"Outstanding" and "highly recommended" accompanied judges' comments about Projects for the Real World. The program asks students to solve problems and manage conflicts in real-life simulations and collaborative projects drawn from contemporary social issues. Project-based units mutually reinforce skills in language arts, math, social studies, science, and test taking. Extensive teacher support materials also come with this rich program that makes use of video, high-impact graphics, and Internet connectivity for a broad range of higher-order research and thinking tasks.
Web-based or LAN/WAN. Contact publisher for school and district-level pricing. (Grades 4-8)
EARLY LEARNING
Does It Belong? (School Zone Interactive)
Simple yet classic, School Zone's tried-and-true workbooks on CD transform learning fundamentals into interactive play. Does It Belong? gently teaches youngsters how to categorize objects and compare them to others through picture-pair matching. Judges remarked that instructions were age-appropriate and very clear, while colorful graphics and amusing songs make for fun educational play. Activities progress at a comfortable pace, so that once students finish two challenges in a row, they're rewarded with a game-like tic-tac-toe to inspire continued success.
Mac/Win CD. Price: $19.99. (Grades preschool-K.)
Thinking Skills (School Zone Interactive)
Thinking Skills targets essential preschool skills, such as organization and problem solving, through pattern recognition and comparison and contrast of everyday objects. Judges dubbed the colorful graphics, pacing, and sound "top-notch," and found the program's built-in reward system-an arcade game at the completion of two challenges-a great self-esteem builder.
Mac/Win CD. Price: $19.99. (Grades preschool-K.)
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
ELLIS Kids (ELLIS)
ELLIS Kids is a series of interactive, video-based English language development programs that incorporate diagnostic testing and individualized language learning tools for non-native speakers of English. Judges liked the program's emphasis on reading, speaking, listening, and comprehension within language contexts, not to mention its respect for a variety of learning styles. One judge wrote, "The program does a good job of connecting students' experience with the skills being taught, a highly relevant emphasis in ESL training."
Mac/Win CD. Contact publisher for pricing. (Grades 3-6.)
GENERAL REFERENCE
FactMonster.com (Learning Network)
FactMonster.com combines key reference materials such as a dictionary, encyclopedia, and almanac, fact-filled feature articles, and homework help into one colorful, intuitive interface. Teachers appreciated "Word Quiz" and "Analogy of the Day" for classroom activities, while kids can spend hours after school exploring anything from "What Is the Stock Market?" to "Today in History." Judges especially liked the site's usefulness for both home and school.
Web site. Price: Free. (Grades K-8.)
LANGUAGE ARTS
Think & Go Phonics (LeapFrog SchoolHouse)
This interactive tool teaches youngsters letter sounds, spelling, and word creation. The colorful, hands-on talking device lets kids press letters to hear sounds or to spell three-letter words. A total of 34 games move students from beginning alphabet sounds to short word reading. Judges especially liked the comprehensive teacher's manual that helps extend activities to small and large groups and the way Think & Go Phonics makes reading an "anytime, anywhere" activity.
Handheld device. Price: $69.99. (Grades preschool-2.)
LANGUAGE ARTS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION
Balanced Literacy (IntelliTools)
Balanced Literacy took home an award in two categories this year. Judges liked the program's well-paced lessons and activities that correlate to any early reading curriculum, with word recognition and phonics exercises appropriate for all beginning readers. Multi-modal features, such as song, print, enlarged text, and switch access made this an equally suitable choice for special needs users. Our judges welcomed the variety of ways the program introduces language and gives students many different approaches to beginning literacy.
Mac/Win CD. Price: $299. (Grade 1.)
MATH
Graph Master (Tom Snyder Productions)
With nine graph types, from bar to histogram, Graph Master encourages students to interpret their data with a comparison feature that displays different graphs of the same information; displays mean, median, and mode; and lets students write observations in an on-screen notebook. Judges found the program, with its built-in classroom-ready activities, very easy to install and use, letting students graph "at the click of a button."
Mac/Win CD. Price: $79.95. (Grades 4-8.)
MathRealm.com (Cognitive Technologies Corporation)
MathRealm.com allows educators to customize math lessons and assess student performance. Judges enjoyed the site's multimedia lessons, exploration activities, and testing and worksheet generator capabilities. They raved about customizing tools that let teachers create an online syllabus built from MathRealm.com's content, activities, and tools, or worksheets generated from the site's question banks.
Web site. Price: $1,799 for a one-year unlimited subscription. (Grades 4 and up.)
ORGANIZATIONAL TOOLS
Kidspiration (Inspiration Software)
This visual thinking program for the pint-sized wowed judges as a reading and writing tool for use across the curriculum. Young learners can articulate concepts and ideas by using the image library to create stories and descriptions. Text-to-speech capabilities also create a multi-modal language experience for young students. As one judge put it, "This is what software should do."
Mac/Win CD. Price: $69. (Grades K-3.)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Concept to Classroom (Thirteen/WNET New York)
"Excellent" and "incredibly thorough and well-organized" peppered judges' comments about the rich professional development opportunities provided at this site. Online seminars in leading pedagogical theories were followed up with practical discussions of classroom enactments and video segments of prominent educators lecturing on popular educational topics (e.g., Howard Gardner on his multiple intelligence theory). An additional handy feature is "Get Credit," which links to professional development credit application resources.
Web site. Price: Free. (K-12 educators.)
RESEARCH TOOLS
eGems Collector Pro (Gemteq Software)
This easily operated program makes electronic research an efficient and accurate process for anyone who needs to keep track of graphics, quotes, links, statistics-any research material-in an organized, easily retrievable way. Using a drag-and-drop interface, eGems lets researchers import and store research gems and compile working bibliographies, which can then be converted to a specific format, such as MLA or APA.
Win CD. Price: $59.95. (Grades 7 and up.)
SCIENCE
LabPro (Vernier Software & Technology)
LabPro is designed for data collection and analysis in both the science classroom and the field, and can be interfaced with a computer using Logger Pro software, a TI graphing calculator, or stand alone as a data logger. Vernier offers 35 different sensors to measure physical qualities such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and more. Our judges took turns with the stainless steel temperature probe and motion detector. What did they say? "I want my own!"
Mac/Win CD and sensors. Price: $220. (Grades 7 and up.)
Learn about Life Science: Plants (Sunburst Technology)
Judges found Sunburst's life science program challenging and unique in its lessons that bring plant sciences to life in a fun, effective way. Activities include matching, cause-and-effect, and even writing prompts, while student mastery is recorded along the way. Built-in quizzes and reproducibles create a balance between on- and off-line student activities.
Mac/Win CD. Price: $89.99. (Grades K-2.)
Learn about Physical Science: Simple Machines (Sunburst Technology)
Judges liked how this program touched on a science standard they hadn't seen other software programs address. Animated demonstrations of the lever, pulley, wheel, and inclined plane show kids how everyday simple machines work to make the world go 'round. Matching and sorting activities put learning in motion, in addition to the Fix-It Game that asks students to write about which tools would fix broken machines. Teachers liked the program's immediate feedback feature as well as options for saving student work.
Mac/Win CD. Price: $89.95. (Grades K-2.)
Pasport Middle School Bundle (PASCO Scientific)
"Well designed" and "very cool" were just a few of the phrases judges used to describe this data collection, software, and curriculum bundle. Probes let students collect data, perform experiments, and then share that information with classmates and teachers. As one judge put it, "This product allows students and teachers to move beyond 'kitchen science' toward a more sophisticated engagement with research and scientific inquiry."
Mac/Win CD, sensors, and USB ports. Price: $999. (Grades 5-8.)
TEACHER TOOLS
The Lightspan Network (Lightspan)
Teachers enjoyed visiting Lightspan's extensive resources, but it was Lightspan's teacher tools-timely standards-based articles, classroom activities, and lesson plans-that they cited as especially well done. Teachers can also create their own lesson plans at the site, which they can store in a secure, personalized electronic filing cabinet. Ed-mail features let educators reach out to colleagues for global e-mail exchange or teaching support, as well as connect and communicate with parents.
Web site. Price: $3,500 per school. (Grades K-8.)
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