Since the late 1980s, Maricopa Center for Learning & Instruction (MCLI) has conducted a series of software evaluations in different subject areas including Mathematics, Fine Arts, Reading, Writing, and Science. Our evaluators are Maricopa faculty with knowledge in the content of the subject area.Typically, MCLI has worked with faculty and staff to identify the leading titles, order copies of the software, coordinate the evaluations, and distribute the results in printed format.
These days, software is coming out by the "shovel-load" and as educators, we still find ourselves trying to figure out what is available in our discipline, much less determining if the product lives up to its advertised hype . Furthermore, multimedia is changing our expectations of these programs; even packages from our most recent evaluations are dated by today's standards.
Here at MCLI we have been reviewing how we are conducting software evaluations and are (hopefully) improving the process
The Humanities evaluations presented here were conducted as part of a summer project by Lynn Ann Wojciechowicz of South Mountain Community College. Several of the highly recommended programs are available from the MCLI Library our may be used in our Center.
If you have an interest in participating in future rounds of software evaluations, please contact MCLI at 731-8300.
Alan Levine
MCLI, Instructional Technologist