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- The 2008 Readers' Survey was conducted at Edutopia.org March 26-April 30, 2008. Participants responded to questions in their own words, and their answers were tabulated to yield the top three to five vote getters in each category. The top responses for each question appear with voting buttons to encourage our visitors to participate further.
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Readers' Survey 2008: Best Education Software
Credit: Getty Images
Eliciting perhaps the most dizzying array of responses yet, this question even resulted in a few bewildered pleas of "There are too many to choose from!" Inspiration -- a research and organization tool for student projects -- took our Readers' Survey blue ribbon for the third year in a row, so it might be a good time to check this one out.
However, there's clearly an ever-increasing amount of software out there, and happily, it's not all drivel. Responses included Kid Pix, Riverdeep, Celestia, Earobics, Knowledge Adventure's Reading Blaster, and Reading Plus, and many were accompanied by an explanation such as "The friendliness of the Safari Web browser lets you search the world" and "ExamView takes hours off of my prep time."
Still, for some, the best kinds of software can only be "the ones that are free." This is a limitation, perhaps, but not an insurmountable one. Respondents referred to a variety of free options, including GameGoo, which provides online reading games, and LectureScribe, a tool for animating interactive-whiteboard lessons.
What do you think? Weigh in on the results.
Reader Comments
Best education software -- Inspiration
Not a day goes by that my students aren't involved in a lesson which includes an Inspiration template. The ability to bring all lesson elements into one place (DEstreaming videos, content activities, Internet links) makes Inspiration the perfect choice for any educator. The program is both educational and fun. My students love it...and so do I!
Katie Knapp
VA Beach, VA
My choice is not on your list
I like the idea for a "best of" but after looking at a few of your categories, I have some suggestions. First of all, allow people to vote for more than one. In my opinion, there can be more than one "best" because there are so many sub-categories within these categories.
I am also wondering who came up with your choices? There is so much that you have missed (especially in your choices for 'best educational blog' - I won't even go there).
Inspiration/Kidspiration is basically the same software and could have been put into one category. It is an excellent product for education.
What is missing from your list is the software that I consider to be the "best" for education which is the software created by Tech4Learning. Their products are open-ended, creative, super easy to learn but with a similar interface to comparable "adult" products. They also have an amazing website with lesson plans and tutorials.
Like inspiration (but unlike microsoft), tech4learning is not trying to be all things to all people. They are about education-period.
-Andrea Hernandez,
K-8 Technology Coordinator
Jacksonville, FL
Inpsiration - Concept mapping in graduate education courses
The reason that I chose Inspiration, which should include Kidspiration, is the impact on the adult learners in my classroom. They are practicing teachers and school administrators, most have over 10 years experience, and the most surprising thing is how few understand and use concept mapping on a regular basis. With funds from a grant and the support of Inspiration, Co., I have worked with teachers and administrators to improve their reading comprehension, academic writing, and products for presentations with ready-made templates and templates of my own making.
Inspiration software
My son has been using Inspiration for several years in school and at home. There has been a very noticeable improvement in his grades. Another bonus: he has been much less reluctant to do his homework. Inspiration has been a blessing in this family.
Editor's Note
Editor's note: The choices listed here were simply the top vote getters in our annual Readers' Survey. We've inserted language to make that more clear.