COMPUTER SOFTWARE REVIEW
A.D.A.M. ESSENTIALS, THE
INSIDE STORY
Publisher: Broderbund
Reviewer’s name: Michele Dabrowski (Middle-School Pre-Service
Teacher)
Target Population: Grades 6-12
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
A.D.A.M. Essentials is an exciting voyage into the human body. It focuses on the anatomy and physiology of each and every body system. Initially, the program gives three starting options: the anatomy portion, the animation section, or the family scrapbook. All of these areas are packed with detailed diagrams. The anatomy section shows the anatomical structures of both males and females. The body can be slowly dissected using the depth bar or a particular system to study can be chosen. All the body structures are labeled clearly. The program is equipped with an extremely helpful glossary and pronunciation guide. Interactive puzzles and quizzes provide excellent study tools.
The family scrapbook option is truly an amazing; an animated Adam and Eve guide the viewer through chapters of the scrapbook, which contains in addition to photographs, over 50 animations. It would take hours to listen and view the whole scrapbook. The scrapbook explains each body system and how it operates. It also has several live-action videos, ranging from knee surgery to open-heart surgery. The book provides doctor’s advice, noted by the Rx button on the appropriate pages. Adam and Eve are humorous, making the educational journey lively and entertaining.
The program has a few special features worth noting, one of which switches the program’s content, making it appropriate for a younger audience. Adam and Eve are anatomically correct and can be fully viewed. By choosing the modesty option when loading the software, the viewer can cover their reproductive organs with fig leaves. This option also blocks the user from viewing the reproductive systems. Another feature allows the viewer to connect directly to the Internet for help. The button is on the main anatomy screen, and when clicked brings up the A.D.A.M. web site, where the teacher can get ideas about using the program in the classroom, and users get help with navigating the program.
CONTENT CLARITY:
The program is provides a plethora of details. A.D.A.M. encompasses so much anatomical depth and detail that it could clearly be utilized in a college setting. The program allows the user to select the ethnic background and the gender of the human body being viewed, rendering it free of favoring any ethnic group. The anatomy section is presented in a very clear manner. The screen is composed of two windows. One small full-body picture appears in the top left-hand corner. This image has a moveable box on top of it, allowing viewers to select the section of the body they wish to view in greater depth. Once the section is selected, it will appear in the larger, centrally located window. Once the image is in the large window, it can be studied in detail, using the magnifying glass button. Using this option, the user can view more than 3,600 areas of the body. The navigation system is very easy to operate, providing several clear shortcuts. The contents are also well defined and organized. Any difficulties can be addressed using the glossary or the reference text option. The subject matter is appropriate for high school students. The program presents the details of the human body in a humorous, entertaining, yet thorough manner. The directions are simply explained and presented, utilizing a wide range of audio and visual stimuli. Moreover, the program is free of content errors.
TECHNICAL QUALITY:
The program is very easy to operate. The options are spelled out clearly on the first screen. Students with basic computer skills should have no problem utilizing this software. Many steps and options are explained using the audio system. The program is very aesthetically pleasing and shows an amazing large amount of accurate anatomical detail. The sounds and graphics are also well rendered. They include live action video footage and 3-D animations. The majority of A.D.A.M.’s graphics serve an educational purpose. There is much more functionality in this program then there is ornamentation.
USE OF TECHNOLOGY:
The program makes superb use of computer technology. It allows students to view anatomical structures in a realistic three-dimensional perspective. A.D.A.M. enables the user to view actual medical surgery footage, providing examples for real-life applications. Relating academic subject matter to real-life situations is a vital for middle and high school students. The Internet links provide a means to address further users’ questions and concerns. The downside of the program is that it does not contain a method for the teacher to track student’s work; yet, the teacher can readily devise off-screen methods to check student comprehension of the material contained in the software.
ROLE OF STUDENT:
The program allows students to explore in an open-ended environment at their own pace. The program is totally student-centered, allowing the student to view and interact with preexisting data. The program is not an assessment tool, but rather a study guide. The program is meant to be used by a single student at a time to explore, study, and review, although pairs of students might use the program together as a study tool. A.D.A.M. provides an excellent follow up to classroom study; it lets students view organs and systems that they have learned about in a class in an entertaining, interactive manner. It also presents real-life situations utilizing the knowledge of science.
ROLE OF TEACHER:
A.D.A.M. is basically a self-contained program, but the teacher can create supplemental lessons to accompany the software. The software package includes a teacher’s guide, which contains several lesson plans, games, puzzles and interactive worksheets. There are no internal management tools, with the exception of the modesty option. This option allows the teacher to delete the reproductive system from the program. This may be a useful option for middle school teachers. Teachers can implement this program using the K-W-L teaching approach. Since the program offers no monitoring device, the teacher must physically monitor each student. However, the program does allow the user to print many of the screens. These printouts may be used as a form of evaluation, though this method of assessment has some limitations because the program ensures each user’s success.
CLASSROOM USAGE:
A single user, honing in on his/her individual needs and interests, best utilizes the program. On the other hand, it may be valuable to a larger group if projected onto a screen. This would allow the teacher to facilitate active learning while guiding the student’s through the program. The software can help students prepare for a test by providing excellent review material and quizzes. As a test preparation tool, more than one classroom copy is recommended.
CRITICAL SUMMARY:
A.D.A.M. is an absolutely amazing program, uniting technical advancements with anatomical contents. The graphics and illustrations are accurate and clear. The program is extremely user friendly, providing visual and audio direction. The human body is fully covered from head to toe for both males and females. The program is interactive and informative, allowing the user to view operations and piece together physiological systems. It details every system in the body and describes how they interact together. Adam and Eve are knowledgeable tour guides, leading the user through their family scrapbook. The technological use of live action video made open heart surgery breathtaking. The modesty option allows the program to lend itself nicely to the middle school curriculum. The program can be beneficial to any individual interested in learning about human anatomy.
OVERALL RATING: 9.8 out
of 10
EXPLANATION OF RATING:
The program design is exceptional, taking every detail into consideration. The graphics and visual depth are remarkable. The only reason this program did not receive a rating of 10 is due to the lack of monitoring and user-evaluation mechanisms.
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Last revised: August 21, 2002