advertisement

red line
SuperKids Software Review - The Parent's and Teacher's Guide to Childrens' Software
free newsletter! spacer tell a friend! spacer contests
spacer
software
  reviews
  bestseller list
  price survey
  what's new
  product support
  search
spacer
educational tools
  ask a scientist
  math worksheets
  vocabulary builders
  hangman
  iPhone/iPad apps
  logic games
  brain food
spacer
educational insights

feature articles
spacer
marketplace
  iPhone/iPad apps
  reading corner
  movie corner
spacer
SuperKids home
  about SuperKids
  advertise!
  humor
  links
  help
spacer
  * * *

Promotions




  * * *

spacer all reviews > > > science software

Tutorials in Science

MCH Multimedia

Ages 16 to adult

Rating Scale
5 = great,    1 = poor
Educational Value
2.0
Kid Appeal
1.0
Ease of Use
4.5

MCH Tutorials in Science Screen Shot System Requirements

Prices

Product Support

Science Tutorials software summarizes a large number of introductory college-level science concepts in four different programs:

  • Introductory Chemistry
  • General Chemistry
  • Organic Chemistry
  • General Physics
By scrolling through a main menu and a variety of sub-menus, a user can focus on the topics he needs to study within each of these disciplines. Working through the MCH Tutorials is similar to having one’s textbook read aloud. The software does not present material in a way that provides unusual insights or experiences.

Educational Value
Science Tutorials drills concepts and formulas in physics and chemistry. Each section ends with a quiz for a user to evaluate her knowledge and progress. The program includes a blank notebook in which a student can record important ideas and formulas in her own words.

If a user finds auditory learning preferable to reading, she might find this software useful because it supplements written material with information read aloud. Besides its auditory component, the software does not seem to provide much more value than a textbook used in combination with simulations and illustrations that are available on the Internet.

Kid Appeal
A student would most likely use the MCH programs to prepare for an SAT-II exam or to review topics for tests in a course. Science Tutorials does not engage a student in science nor does it present material in an especially clear, rich fashion. The software presents information without challenging a user to think critically, develop hypotheses, and independently explore the complexity and implications of scientific topics. With the exception of some animation, most of the material in Science Tutorials is theoretical and dry.

Parents may want their children to study using this software because it summarizes large amounts of information and includes self-paced opportunities for assessment. Teachers may benefit from using pieces of this software to supplement material in their courses.

Ease of Use / Install
The product is simple to install -- a user needs to follow on-screen instructions and click on a few buttons. The program includes a tutorial that explains the icons and menus in the program. Science Tutorials are intuitive to use; topics are clearly organized. A user can find topics of her choice by typing key words into the search engine.

Best for... / Bottom-Line
Kids studying for science tests may benefit from this program because they can review and memorize a vast array of facts. However, the MCH Tutorials will not help children become intelligent thinkers – the program does not encourage students to generate and test their own ideas. Instead, the software presents information in a dry, didactic fashion. With the exception of its auditory component, MCH Tutorials does not offer significantly more value than a textbook combined with some animations.

See SuperKids' comparisons with other Science software titles, and the Buyers Guide for current market prices of these hybrid (PC/Mac) programs:

System Requirements
PC: Windows 9x, NT 4.0 or higher, 486/66 or faster cpu, 50 MB hard drive space, 16 MB RAM, SVGA graphics display, CD-ROM drive, sound card .

Mac: MacOS 8.1 or later, PowerPC based processor, 50 MB hard drive space, 16 MB RAM, SVGA display, CD-ROM drive, sound card .

Reviewed on:

  • Apple I-Book
  • return to top of page



    Go to: About SuperKids Educational Software Review
    Questions or comments regarding this site? webmaster@superkids.com
    Copyright © 1998-2024 Knowledge Share LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy