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Under The Microscope

MICROSOFT EXPLORAPEDIA: The World of Nature; CD-ROM; $80

This package is another in the successful Microsoft Home CD-ROM series and follows the Encarta-type formula production. It is aimed at the 6-10 year age group and comes with a large array of activities, video clips, music, and graphics designed to be attractive to this age group, as well as text.

As an adult, I found using the CD enjoyable, adding an element of fun to learning.

A nice touch is to have the text narrated by children so that you can read the text as it is narrated. This is helpful as, on occasion, the terminology does get beyond what you would generally expect of some 10-year-olds, but this then helps enhance language development and reading.

Another bonus is that the user has to develop or extend their research techniques or active learning strategies, because you are required to think about what you want to know and how to find the information.

I found the CD easy to use, with reasonably large buttons and icons which make it simple for small hands to manipulate the mouse. The graphics are clear and bright and pleasing to the eye, and the video clips are a useful adjunct, easily demonstrating animal behaviours that would otherwise take huge amounts of text to explain.

The CD allows users to investigate a variety of habitats under broad headings using examples from various parts of the world, though with little about specific regions such as New Zealand.

To use Explorapedia you need at least a 486SX PC with double speed CD-ROM, Windows 3.1, 4MB of RAM and VGA monitor. You will need sound to get the most from the program. At around $80.00 retail, this has to be good value for money -- an interesting and stimulating alternative to playing games.

Greg Walker is the NZSM's Science & Technology Teacher Fellow.

Greg Walker, NZSM