Courseware Builder Suits School Labs
Teach! is a program by which educators can create compelling courseware that incorporates text-to-speech, video, sound, animation and visual effects ó without learning a programming language. It simulates familiar teaching methods and concepts while taking advantage of multimedia technologies.
Synthesized speech, for example, reduces eye strain for students and reinforces the material presented. The speed with which the speech is delivered can be varied depending on the studentís age or skill level. With little effort, public domain ìetextsî (such as those from Project Gutenberg) become ìtalking books.î
Teach! organizes information into courses, each divided into separate subjects and pages. The program automatically maintains contents lists and alphabetical indexes, and keeps track of which pages students have visited. One moves from page to page via buttons or hypertext links embedded by the author.
After reading a section, students may answer different types of questions and receive immediate feedback. Teachers could, if desired, set up a particular test so that a student must answer all questions within a given time period, after which correct answers and explanations will be provided.
Teach! was designed with the school computer lab in mind. Courses can be shared over an AppleTalk network, and individual pages can be linked to the Web. BHC Publishing, Port Murray, NJ, (800) 769-6689.
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This article originally appeared in the 05/01/1997 issue of THE Journal.