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ESL Software Evaluation Form

By Thomas Robb and his 1996 seminar class. This form may be copied and
modified if the source is properly acknowledged. Suggestions for improvements
will be gratefully accepted.

Name of Software_________________________________

  __ Freeware     __ Shareware     __ Commercial:  Price:________

Intended Audience:
  __ Native Speaker adults     __ Native Speaker Children, Ages:    -   

  __ ESL Students    __ Students of other foreign language: _____________

Skills taught:
   __ Reading   __ Speaking   __ Listening   __ Writing   __ Vocabulary

   __ Grammar   __ Pronunciation   __ Other:____________________________

User level
   __ Beginner       __ Intermediate       __ Advanced

Availablity of help
   __  Context-sensitive help    __  Help button    __  Separate Manual

Content
  Are there clear educational goals?                             Yes  . . . .No   N/A
  Is the information accurate?                                   Yes  . . . .No   N/A
  Are there graded steps?                                        Yes  . . . .No   N/A
  Is there built-in review?                                      Yes  . . . .No   N/A
  
Record of progress
  Can material be easily reviewed?                               Yes  . . . .No   N/A
  Is the current working level always reported?                  Yes  . . . .No   N/A
  Can progress can be checked at any time?                       Yes  . . . .No   N/A
  Is a progress report maintained from session to session?       Yes  . . . .No   N/A

Presentation
 Navigation
   Is the program designed for easy navigation and control?      Yes  . . . .No   N/A
   Is the interface intuitive?                                   Yes  . . . .No   N/A
   Can the learner go back to earlier steps easily?              Yes  . . . .No   N/A
   Can the learner control the order of presentation?            Yes  . . . .No   N/A
   Can the learner control how long to spend at each step?       Yes  . . . .No   N/A

 Pacing                                                          
                                                                 Fast Good Slow   N/A
   
 Graphical Presentation
   Is the material easy to read?                              Yes  . . . .No   N/A
   Are the graphics useful?                                          Yes  . . . .No   N/A
   Is the layout well-designed?                                  Yes  . . . .No   N/A
 Audio
   Is the sound clear?                                           Yes  . . . .No   N/A
   Is the rate of speaking appropriate?                          Yes  . . . .No   N/A
   Are sound effects use appropriately?                          Yes  . . . .No   N/A
 Video
   Is the video clear and easy to see?                           Yes  . . . .No   N/A

Technical considerations
   Is the program easy to install?                               Yes  . . . .No   N/A
   Does the program load quickly?                                Yes  . . . .No   N/A
   Does the program work as expected, without bugs?              Yes  . . . .No   N/A
   Does the program take up excessive disk space?                Yes  . . . .No   N/A
 
Value
   Does the program offer enough value for money?                Yes  . . . .No   N/A
   How long does it take to complete all activities?  
                                          _____ min.(Approx.)
   Does the program maintain the learner's interest?             Yes  . . . .No   N/A
   Is the material presented interesting?                        Yes  . . . .No   N/A
   Could the goals be achieved more easily without a computer?   Yes  . . . .No   N/A
  
Comments  


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