Scotsmaths

Crash

Rosetta McLeod

CRASH COURSE By Rosetta McLeod SOMETHING FOR THE GROWN-UPS TOO If you are between the ages of 3 and 65. Crash Course this month has something for you! Usually in this column, the software under review is aimed at children and young people, but the two Collins Soft programs Entrepreneur and Numbers At Work are specifically directed at adults embarking on the business world. These are two in the Brainpower series of programs which offer the user the scope to learn and apply new skills. The adult market is an area which has not yet been fully explored by educational software producers, but the two programs reviewed here must surely set the standard for others to emulate. There must be a large number of learning situations applicable to adults, and the structured interactive approach of the Collins Soft packages, each of which contains a detailed textbook as well as the computer program, provides a thorough and comprehensive course. At last a publisher has succeeded in bringing out packages in which the computer and the textbook have complementary roles to play, and which are straight-forward and easy to follow. It will, of course, take the user quite some time to work through a package, but the major advantage is that each user can set the pace, and can choose the areas to concentrate on. The programs are constructed in such a way that it is easy to see explanations again and again if need be, or to 'turn the page' to the next section. The facility for applying the knowledge learned to personal mathematical or business problems is particularly relevant, and the user can build up confidence through increased knowledge. I hope that other publishers will take note of, and learn from, these sophisticated packages! SCOTSMATHS Producer: Technol Computing Retail Price: £5.95 for tape, £7.95 for Microdrive Age Range: under 7 years Scotsmaths is a simple addition and subtraction program for the under 7's, using sound, animation and full colour to attract a young child's attention. On one half of the screen is used to display a sum using shapes -squares, circles and triangles - instead of figures. The sum itself is written out on the right hand side eg. 'there are 4 triangles and 2 squares. How many shapes?' When the child keys in the correct response, a piece is added to a picture of a space rocket which is gradually built up, taking off when the series of questions is completed. If the player puts in the wrong response, a sum appears showing the correct answer. All the sums have an answer in the range 0 to 20, and after the rocket has taken off, the child is told how many questions it took to launch it. The major advantage of this program is the flexibility it allows. By pressing T when the title page is displayed, it is possible to select either addition or subtraction sums, together with the maximum value of the answer. All in all, this is a pleasant little program which children should enjoy. COMMENTS Control keys: number keys only Keyboard play: responsive Use of colour: bright and attractive Graphics: good

Only 10 out of 12 Cam? SCOTSMATHS is supposed to be for the under sevens!