Home PublicationsL&LIssuesVolume 27 (1999-2000) October (No. 2)

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Multimedia encyclopedias have been improving by leaps and bounds. Completely examining any one package is basically impossible. It could take as long to read the thousands of articles, examine all the photographs, run all the videos, and listen to all the sound clips as it does for the company to develop the next version. So, when Brunswick County School District wanted to select an encyclopedia on CD-ROM for their students, we first created a process and then examined the available encyclopedias. The time limit for most of the work was one day. The process of identifying what students need and becoming aware of how that can be presented is well worth the time for conducting a district (or building) workshop.

First the reviewers created a form identifying desired content and features (Figure 1). The evaluation checklist is meant only as an example. The subjects chosen were based on the Virginia Standards of Learning (VaSoL). In Virginia, students are tested statewide in the subject areas of language arts/English, mathematics, science, social science, and technology. Random examples were taken directly from the VaSoL document.

Next, each reviewer (or pair of reviewers) installed an encyclopedia and the examinations began. When one found a strange, misleading, or incorrect piece of information, the others were informed so they could conduct the same search and determine if any of the other encyclopedias also had problems with that topic. If a feature was found to be particularly useful, then others were asked if their encyclopedias also had that feature. Each participant should spend hands-on time with at least two programs.

If someone felt he or she was being unduly negative or frustrated, we would trade places and work on other encyclopedias. This reduced any personal bias and created a larger common base of experience for discussion.

The review group originally evaluated Colliers, Encarta, Encyclopædia Britannica, Compton, and Grolier. The group concluded that World Book must also be evaluated before a district purchasing decision was made, so it has been included in the review process. Colliers is no longer available, so it has been eliminated. The group completed a comparison based on their evaluation criteria and package contents.

Although Judi Mathis Johnson compiled the reviews, she wishes to acknowledge that this column could not have been accomplished without the help of the hard-working and talented technology coaches of Brunswick County, Virginia. Thanks to Cathy Cheely (Director of Technology and Secondary Services), Freddie Terry (Instructional Technology Specialist), David Shiel, Gloria Jones, Jim Shiel, Kari Ferguson, Lisa Denton, Martin Astrap, Sandra King, Shawn Haws, Toni Barnes, and Trish Dotson.

Software Information

Compton’s Encyclopedia Deluxe: Teacher’s Guide & Resource Package
The Learning Company, PO Box 6125, Novato, CA 94948-6125; 415.382.4400 or 800.825.4420; www.learningco.com
Subject: Library Reference and Research
Grade Level: 5–12 (Ages 10–18)
Cost: $79.95
Hardware: Macintosh Power PC with system 7.1 or higher: Windows PC with Windows 95 or higher (need WAV and MIDI devices); CD-ROM drive

Microsoft Encarta Reference Suite 99
Microsoft, One Microsoft Place, Redmond, WA 98052-6399; 206.882.8080 or 800.426.9400; www.microsoft.com
Subject: Library Reference and Research
Grade Level: 2–12 (Ages 7–18) (according to the company)
Cost: $79.97 (Windows); $69.95 (just the Encarta Macintosh version)
Hardware: Macintosh Power PC with system 7.1 or higher: Windows PC with Windows 95 or higher; CD-ROM drive

Encyclopædia Britannica CD 99: Multimedia Edition
Encyclopædia Britannica, 310 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60604; 312.347.6900 or 800.554.9862; www.eb.com
Subject: Library Reference and Research
Grade Level: 5 & up (Ages 10 & up)
Cost: $49.00 (Mac/Win, with photos and illustrations); $99.00 (Windows, with time lines, videos, etc.); $110.00 (Windows, DVD version)
Hardware: Macintosh Power PC with system 7.1 or higher (for the standard version); Windows PC with Windows 95 or higher (for the multimedia edition); CD-ROM drive

1999 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia: Teacher’s Guide & Resource Package
The Learning Company, PO Box 6125, Novato, CA 94948-6125; 415.382.4400 or 800.825.4420; www.broder.com
Subject: Library Reference
Grade Level: 5 & up (Ages 10 & up)
Cost: $99.95 (only Teacher’s Guide costs $29.95)
Hardware: Macintosh Power PC with system 7.1 or higher; CD-ROM drive

1999 Grolier Multimedia Reference Suite
Grolier, Old Sherman Turnpike, Danbury, CT 06816; 203.797.3500 or 800.356.5590; http://www.scholasticlibrary.com/index.html
Subject: Library Reference and Research
Grade Level: 5 & up (Ages 10 & up)
Cost: $99.95
Hardware: Windows PC with Windows 95 or higher; CD-ROM drive

1999 World Book: Family Reference Suite
World Book or IBM, Edmark, PO Box 97021, Redmond, WA 98073-9721; 800.691.2986 or 425.556.8400; edmarkteam@edmark.com; www.edmark.com
Subject: Library Reference and Research
Grade Level: 3–12 (Ages 8–18)
Cost: $125.00 (a standard Macintosh version costs $69.95)
Hardware: Macintosh Power PC with system 7.1 or higher (standard): Windows PC with Windows 95 or higher (standard or suite); CD-ROM drive

Copyright © 1999, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education). All rights reserved.