Evaluating+Software+Purchases

= **Evaluating Software Purchases** =

__General Discussion__
Below are guidelines by which to make purchases of software for educational uses. The information below can be used either formally or informally and either piecemeal or as a whole. This list is not all-encompassing and purchasing software using these guidelines will not ensure that the educational software under review will be useful in an educational setting. Also, the information gathered below can aid teachers in qualifying software purchases to administrators or school boards.

**__Basic Information__**
//**List the basic information for the software to be purchased:**//

1. Name 2. Price 3. Hardware Requirements 4. Content Area 5. What the Program Addresses 6. Type of Instructional Software (Discovery, Drill and Practice, Simulation, Other)

**__Ratings:__**
//**Rate each of the 6 categories based upon the given criteria:**//

a. Graphics b. Screen Layout c. Audio and Speech Capabilities d. Video and Animation e. Required Peripherals f. Screen Printing
 * 1. Presentation Criteria**

a. Technically Sound (Overall) b. Response Judging (Formative Feedback) c. Timing d. Web Resources e. Portability/Transferability between computers f. Installation g. Compatibility h. Components i. Technical Manuals
 * 2. Technical Criteria**
 * Animation, Colors, Sounds, Printing, Saving, Graphics, Consistency

a. Adaptability b. Teacher Assistance c. Ease of integration d. Teacher Manuals e. Management f. Teacher Ease of Use g. Special Education Accommodations h. Differentiated Accommodations
 * 3. Teacher Use Criteria**

a. Student Ease-of-Use b. Independence c. Required Procedures d. Input Devices e. On-Screen Directions f. Shortcuts/Circumnavigation (for shorter completion) g. Support Materials h. Optional Assistance i. Creativity j. Student Feedback
 * 4. Interface/Navigation Criteria**

a. Objectives b. Politically Correct c. Prerequisite Skills d. Promotes Active Learning e. Interesting f. Logical Presentation of Materials g. Tests h. Significance i. Interactive j. Field Tested
 * 5. Instructional Design Criteria**

a. Cost Effective b. Available Versions c. Preview d. Backup e. Training f. Packaging g. Ongoing Support **__g. OnBasic Information__**  1. Name  2. Price  3. Hardware Requirements  4. Content Area  5. What the program addresses  6. Type of instructional software (discovery, drill and practice, simulation, other)  **__Ratings:__**  1. Presentation Criteria  a. Graphics  b. Screen Layout  c. Audio and Speech Capabilities  d. Video and animation  e. Required peripherals  f. Screen Printing  2. Technical Criteria <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> a. Technically sound (overall) <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 81pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -81pt; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> i. Animation, colors, sounds, printing, saving, graphics, consistency <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> b. Response Judging <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> c. Timing <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> d. Web Resources <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> e. Portability <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> f. Installation <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> g. Compatibility <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> h. Components <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> i. Technical Manuals <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 31.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> 3. Teacher Use Criteria <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> a. Adaptability <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> b. Teacher Assistance <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> c. Ease of integration <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> d. Teacher manuals <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> e. Management <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> f. Teacher ease of use <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 31.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> 4. Interface/Navigation Criteria <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> a. Student ease-of-use <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> b. Independence <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> c. Required Procedures <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> d. Input Devices <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> e. Directions <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> f. Shortcuts <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> g. Support Materials <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> h. Optional Assistance <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> i. Creativity <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> j. Student Feedback <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 31.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> 5. Instructional Design Criteria <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> a. Objectives <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> b. Politically correct <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> c. Prerequisite Skills <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> d. Promotes Active Learning <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> e. Interesting <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> f. Logical presentation of materials <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> g. Tests <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> h. Significance <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> i. Interactive <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> j. Field tested <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 31.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> 6. Publisher Support Criteria <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> a. Cost Effective <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> b. Available Versions <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> c. Preview <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> d. Backup <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> e. Training <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> f. Packaging <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; margin-left: 58.5pt; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-indent: -0.25in; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> g. Ongoing support
 * 6. Publisher Support Criteria**