Children's Educational Software Review
Spex Review No 2
For this review, Spex 3D Design Software was used with children aged 10 - 11 years
in ICT with links to design technology, mathematics, and history.
Topics covered include using a modelling package to combine and
manipulate objects and explore design possibilities in a number of
environments.
Overview of teaching with Spex
Spex has been produced to enable children to "design places - to enrich
mathematics, geography and design technology curriculum areas." The
Egyptian tomb environment also affords links to the history curriculum.
Spex has not been created with a specific age group in mind but can be
used to meet the needs of children throughout the primary age range and
particularly upper Key Stage 2.
Spex consists of a CD-ROM with computer based activities, an example
scheme of work, teacher project ideas, numerous pupil worksheets and a
user manual with information on the following: installation
instructions; set up procedures; icon and toolbar details; instructions
how to change from plan to 3D view and a few troubleshooting tips.
The title enables the children to experiment with design ideas without
the need for technical drawing skills as it is packed with relevant
graphics for each environment. It is simple to use, great fun and offers
all operators the chance to design a sophisticated plan or 3D view of
their chosen room or environment.
The product is simple and easy to use in the primary classroom after
demonstration of the tool bar and icons and discussion of the task. A
single classroom-based computer, linked to a projector, was used for
demonstration purposes and then a bank of four workstations was used by
individual or pairs of children to experiment with the software and
develop their 3D Design talents for the purpose of this evaluation.
Installation
Spex should start automatically. If not, click on Start, Run and type
d:\setup.exe (where D is the letter of your CD-ROM drive) and click OK.
Then follow the on-screen instructions. The computer needs to restart.
Create a shortcut to the software on the desktop and click to start the
program. The first time, you will be asked to enter your
Registration/Serial number, which is on the enclosed license. Uninstall
is straightforward through Control Panel / Add / Remove.
Content
Spex is a graphical modelling
software that enables children to recreate
or create rooms in their own home or school environment, or to invent
their own places: a leisure environment or a more unusual one such as a mooonbase or Egyptian tomb. It can be used to reinforce understanding
of: scale and measurement, plans, safe and unsafe room layouts, creative
arrangement and budgeting using real life costings.
The children first select the type of place they wish to create. Next,
they have to specify width and depth measurements if the default
specifications are not satisfactory. If the size they enter is too large
the numbers will default to a sensible volume. The design is mainly
created in plan view: items are selected by clicking then dragging onto
the 2D plan. Some places have walls so that doors, windows and a variety
of fittings can be placed on them. The walls are easily selected in turn
using the Next Wall icon, which rotates through the main points of the
compass.
Items can be stacked on top of each other, for example, a clock on a
bedside table, a toy on the bed, etc. The title includes a 3D-view
option, which enables the children to check that items are stacked
correctly. There is a spreadsheet icon, which shows details of the items
placed in the room and the expenditure to date, which helps the
children, check their budget. Finally, there is a colour window, which
allows the user to change wall and floor colours to suit their design.
Curriculum Relevance
Spex can be used to support the requirement for using a graphics package
to model ideas and develop designing skills. The children can learn that
a computer can be used to represent real or fantasy situations; they can
evaluate simulations by comparing them with real situations and then
consider their usefulness. They can learn to use an objects based
graphics package to produce images and visual models; they learn the key
differences between an object-based program and a paint package. It
enables them to develop their understanding of buildings, focusing on
rooms and how they can be adapted for different purposes.
Pupils can be taught how to represent models in plan and 3D views; thus
reinforcing their understanding of how different an object looks from
different angles. They can reflect on where and how they spend their
leisure time; develop their understanding of settlement and streets.
It can help to reinforce the children's understanding of aspects of
ancient Egyptian society, in particular, the important features of a
tomb, their burial procedures and the afterlife.
Design and Navigation
Clicking on the Spex icon opens a title screen. Click, and the Place
Setup window appears. Scroll to view the options and select the required
place. The operator now has the opportunity to select width and depth
measurements or use the default values already set. Units of
measurements can be changed to imperial measures or metric and a new
budget imposed rather than the default amount.
Items are positioned by selecting and dragging. Rotation of the items
has to be done in the Items window before dragging and they are simply
rotated by double clicking. Any items chosen incorrectly can be easily
deleted by selecting and using the delete key.
The toolbar icons include: 3D view, plan view, walls view, spreadsheet,
colour, item select displays available groups of items), budget, new
design (to start a new design), next wall selector, zoom in and zoom
out. Save, Save As and Print options are accessed through File. Edit
allows you to cut, copy, paste and delete items, Options shows groups
and tips, and View allow access to toolbars, colours and the different
views.
The user manual contains a brief summary of each icon. Once
demonstrated, the children are soon happily using all the features. The
CD-ROM contains all kinds of information including a scheme of work,
projects and numerous worksheets. I printed these off at my earliest
opportunity and compiled a reference folder. There is no facility to
make electronic notes whilst using the application.
The title is suitable for individual use or pairs.
Ease of use
A child can use the software with minimal help. The icons are meaningful
and can be easily selected by a mouse click. An icon tip appears once
the cursor is held over it. An item tip is available through Options;
once selected, it gives a brief description of the item.
Children are unable to inadvertently loose their work. After clicking
quit: 'X', or the New Design icon, a window asking if you want to 'Save
the untitled work' appears and you are required to affirm or cancel
before you can continue.
The operating instructions in the user manual are clear and make the
software easy to use.
The children can print either the 2D or 3D view. Alternatively, an
unfinished design can be saved in a Design folder, which allows the
teacher to locate saved files easily for assessment purposes.
The publishers include a worksheet of weekly lesson focuses and a scheme
of work, as well as numerous worksheets. These have been produced with
the National Curriculum in mind and are linked to the QCA ICT scheme of
work.
The information is appropriate to primary classrooms.
Literacy
SPEX+ is aimed at supporting the ICT and Design Technology curricula,
providing resources to explore design through ICT. There are only the
tips to read on-screen.
Spex for Children with Special Needs
The icons are large, simple and clear. The screens are uncluttered and
therefore suitable for young children or the visually impaired. However,
there is no facility for the help option to be spoken.
Research Evidence
I am unaware of any published information on the use of this title.
Courseware
The software does not include on-screen exercises. Suggested activities
are referred to in the worksheets on the CD-ROM. There is no facility
for assessment.
Conclusion
SPEX+ is a super, relevant resource which has been produced to enable
pupils to understand how ICT can be used to explore certain aspects of
design that might be difficult for those children (and adults) who lack
technical drawing skills. The software encourages creativity and
exploration by the children. It is an invaluable resource to those of us
primary teachers who are struggling to find a different kind of graphics
package, which links, to other areas of the curriculum. The Egyptian
tomb environment is a great way for children to reinforce work on
hieroglyphics, wall paintings and the contents of tombs. The home and
school environments support all kinds of work on design for a purpose
and to a budget, as do the leisure, shop and garden environments. Once
introduced, the children respond quickly and positively. Several of my
pupils are beginning to create their own weird and wonderful
environments by using items from all the available environments and many
have asked to come in at lunchtime to use it.
Evaluator Lesley Studley
Wolsey House Primary School, Leicester
Two other children's educational software reviews for Spex have been
conducted by teachers in a classroom setting. One is an
educational software review of Spex
with children aged 7 - 9 years and the other a
software review involving children aged 11 - 12 years. |
