SOFTWARE REVIEW
PRIME TIME MATH:
EMERGENCY!
Publisher: Tom Snyder Productions
Reviewer’s Name: Joseph J. Aiello
Target Population: Grades 7-8
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
Prime Time Math: Emergency is one of a series of classroom CD-ROM titles that use real world situations for problem solving within a dramatic context. The drama follows a team of professional emergency medical personnel as they face an every day crisis. Students watch the video drama, record data, read, write, calculate, and cooperate to solve problems set up by the video. Students can work in groups to solve individual and group questions about situations portrayed in the video, as the patient arrives at the hospital, and the emergency team goes into action. The video covers conversions of metric units and equivalents, medical measurements and rates, and graphs of values over time. There are three acts in this story. In Act 1, the emergency staff are working to stabilize Jennifer’s condition. Stabilizing the patient and getting the basic vital signs are routine but incredibly important procedures. The medical team gathers information on Jennifer’s condition and medical history. In Act 2, the doctors realize her glucose level is extremely high. Jennifer has in infection and may have consumed a toxic level of a common pain reliever. Her condition and treatment plan have four major components: the glucose level, the acetaminophen level, the antibiotic treatment, and the maintenance solution. She may not be able to perform in the upcoming school play. In Act 3, diabetes is diagnosed as the cause of Jennifer’s medical situation.
CONTENT CLARITY:
The content of this program is done very well. The scene is shown in a hospital emergency situation, very similar to a popular television emergency room show. According to the author, the math involves real-life problems encountered by doctors and nurses in the face of a medical emergency. The emergency team sees each case as a life or death situation, and assumes the worst possible diagnosis and works through the possibilities in a process of elimination.
TECHNICAL QUALITY:
This program was very simple to install on the PC. Using Windows 95 or 98, the program runs automatically or by just clicking on the CD-ROM icon to start the program. The program just took a matter of seconds to install, and then ran smoothly. Windows 3.1 users should follow the installation instructions printed on the CD.
USE OF TECHNOLOGY:
The multimedia in this program is excellent. The action is quick and keeps your attention as the dialogue includes medical terms, humor, and emotional reaction. The camera focuses close-up on the cast of characters. I liked the way the camera would zoom in on a character and then zoom in on the next character speaking. By having the camera zoom in on each character’s face, I found my attention focused on the conversations and facial expressions of each actor.
ROLE OF STUDENTS:
Students perform a variety of calculations and number operations. The video, worksheets, and information sheets require students to capture data, apply problem-solving strategies, and answer mathematical problems.
ROLE OF TEACHER:
This program offers many options for creating a cooperative learning environment in the classroom. The teacher should assign students to diverse groups. The teacher may use the computer as a presentation device, since the majority of the work takes place away from the computer when students are working in groups of four. To clarify, the teacher has control of operating the software. As the software begins, information is exhibited through the actors’ dialogue, which occurs constantly throughout the presentation of the software. The teacher may choose to pause, and engage in group conversation with the students, or perhaps just point out some important facts about what was just viewed by all.
CLASSROOM USAGE:
The program has been designed for use with a whole class at the same time. I think a large screen monitor should be used for groups over 8. For groups of 20 or more students, a large movie screen is recommended for ample viewing.
CRITICAL SUMMARY:
This program is well suited for a math lesson where the students will use computation to solve real world mathematical problems, work with percentages and ratios, calculate volume measurement rates, and graph values that change over time. The content of this program is very interesting and fast moving. Students will have to have pen and paper ready and a tuned ear to grab the information as is announced.
OVERALL RATING:
9 out of 10
EXPLANATION OF RATING:
I gave this program a high rating due to the excitement and fluidity of the content. Right from the beginning of the first scene, the program is high impact; sirens and lights can be heard and seen, and the viewer is transported to an emergency room of a hospital. The program has the feel of life-action video. I enjoyed looking at the graphics, which were clear and sharp, and was impressed with the way scenes transitioned with the click of the mouse. There was no wait time for the next scene to load. The flow of movement was smooth, and the navigation of this software was simple.
Last revised: January 15, 2003