Website of Molly McGuire

Website Review of Arcademicskillbuilders.com

WEBSITE DESCRIPTION:

Arcademic Skill Builders.com is an interactive and colorful website designed to provide students with independent basic math skills, language arts skills, and vocabulary skills. The site is geared toward meeting the differing levels of students in first grade through third grade. The content of the website focuses on developing automatic skills and fluency in young learners. In detail, the website concentrates on basic mathematic skills including: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The website also concentrates on basic literacy and writing skills such as: word associations, vowels, capital letters, and basic parts of speech including verbs, nouns, pronouns, and adjectives. All games use time and error as a way to move students to a new level.

The website allows for differentiation of instruction through two avenues. A slower learner may start out with addition in mathematics; a higher learner might begin their work with division. It is up to the teacher and student to find the right fit for each student in the class.

In addition to the multiple games there are also multiple levels within each math, language arts, or vocabulary game. Level one is the slowest moving and easiest level. Every game starts off at this level. As the student completes each level the computer decides if they have mastered the level and are ready to graduate to the next. For example, if a student is at level one, of the division drag race game, and has got most of the division problems wrong, the computer will decide that the student would need to play level one again until he/she did well enough to enter level two, and so on.

All games provide great visuals and sounds. For example: the drag race game allows the student to name their race car, watch their race car move along the race track, and listen to the cars revving their engines as if they were at a NASCAR race themselves! I believe these features, along with the competitive edge of winning the race, help to engage and motivate the student. These features also help make learning a stimulating experience rather than a drill or chore!

Accuracy of Content:

Depending on the students reading level, the student may or may not be able to navigate through the website independently. Directions to each game are clear, however depending on the reading level of each child or their ability of video gaming, children may need some help to get started. Yet, icons can aide a student by showing them what to do. The individual games also show pictures of the keys students should use for each game while explaining how each key functions. Additionally, there is a great option that allows students to take a turn practicing each new game before their scores will count or be saved on the computer. This is a great opportunity because by using this key the student will not feel pressured to do well right away. This option allows the student to get a hold of each games sequence and strategy.

Arcademic Skill Builder is aesthetically pleasing for first grade through third grade. The animation as well as the color provides and upbeat and fun learning experience. The sounds allow the children to interact with the pictures and animations, while keeping the students attention and desire to succeed. The program also provides for immediate feedback. Arcademic Skill Builder keeps track of each problem the student gets wrong and lists them at the end of every game played. For additional feedback, the computer also provides a detailed graph of the student’s progress. Using a line graph the program keeps track of the progress each student is making. Red marks point out the students inaccurate answers and the green points show the students improvement and accurate answers.

The competitiveness of the website may or may not be a beneficial learning tool for students. These games provide the option for students to compete with themselves, or other students around the world. Students have the choice to play against the computer independently, or in multiplayer games.

Use Of Technology:

Arademic Skill Builder.com makes excellent use of technology to strengthen basic math, language arts, and vocabulary skills. The site is not intended to take the place of the teacher but rather to support the current skills needed in math, vocabulary, and language arts. The use of videos, graphs, and interactive games provide opportunities for students to become fluent in these basic instructional areas, while encouraging practice in exciting new ways. Students have the option to print out their progress, provided the computer icon appears at the end of their activity. Students can use this printout as a resource to track their progress in these basic skills.

At the conclusion of any single player game, the student must complete nine stages of increasing difficulty. If the student completes all the stages, they may receive a trophy that can be printed out! Students are able to collect trophies from all these games and can use the trophy printout to show the teacher that you have completed the task; this may be a good way for the teacher to evaluate the student. Additionally, students customize trophy.

Role of Students:

Arcademic Skill Builder.com is an empowering program that can motivate students to become more fluent and independent learners. The interactive video games are designed so that students receive extra practice and may become automatic at these skills. The games are geared to meet the interests of students in grades first through third, but are not limited to these alone. There is no real format the students must follow. Students may begin with any game they so choose, however, all students must start at level one of each game.

The site is designed so that most students are in complete control when navigating through the site. Since the students are in control, they may need some instruction and assistance to direct them to the activity that best fits their needs. Otherwise students may become involved in a game that is over stimulating and never explore what the rest of the website has to offer. Students may also need encouragement to participate in one activity at a time. The sound and animation of the programs captures the attention of the students and keeping them actively engaged.

Role of Teacher:

The role of the teacher in the use of Arcademic Skill Builder.com is to first introduce and demonstrate how the site works by establishing the various activities. Then, the teacher must model how to navigate through each activity using the icons and pictures. Students will need instructions on how to choose the activity that is “just right” for them. Because the program has multiple games, the site may overwhelm some children with the numerous activities. Thus, each student should know which level they should be starting at. The teacher may offer suggestions regarding selections. Ultimately the teacher should act as the guide to monitor and praise the students as they work through the website.

Classroom usage:

Arcademic Skill Builder.com provides a multitude of practice that develops basic math, vocabulary, and language arts skills. This site is beneficial for any classroom that has students struggling with these skills. Arcademic Skill Builder.com compliments many classrooms; using this program can be used as an extension of learning for fluency. Once the student becomes familiar with the various levels, the website can be used as a learning center during math or guided reading because it aids with basic principles of math, language arts, and vocabulary.

Critical Summary:

Arcademic Skill Builder.com is a perfect tool to capture a child’s attention and help provide new avenues for the love of learning to ignite. This website is highly motivating which helps students with fluency while building confidence. The site is multi-sensory and allows a teacher to differentiate instruction; due to the levels of beginning learners. Each level provides a new challenge to the beginning learners.

Overall Rating: (1-10) 6.5

Reasoning for Rating:

This program is a good program because it impacts four types of critical learning: fluency, retention, endurance, and application. It allows students the ability to compute information quickly. It also enables the student to retain information by asking the user to perform a skill or recall knowledge long after formal learning programs have ended. Endurance is also a critical aspect of learning. The game provides students with the ability to maintain performance levels for a stretch of time. Finally, application is important because these games will allow students the ability to apply what is learned to perform more complex skills in new situations.

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