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The following general guidelines are proposed for software for education and training:
- Identify teaching objectives of the software and design to meet them.
- Avoid producing "edutainment software" which just presents the child with
comical graphics, strange sound effects, annoying music and zany responses to hidden
"hot spots". This will keep a child quiet for a time has little learning value.
- Recommended types of application include (Heinrich, 1999):
 | 'talking stories' to encourage readers through the exploration of text. |
| simulations and adventures to support problem-solving and decision making activities. |
| software that improves a child's presentation of work e.g. simple word processing, card
making and page layout packages. |
| Software and devices that allow children to experiment e.g. roamers, weather recording
and analysis systems. |
Allow tasks to be achieved quickly to allow a quick turnover of children in the
classroom.
Make the software easy to install, adapt, connect to a printer.
Provide clear error messages for non-technical personnel.
Allow extensibility e.g. of words or number-based exercises.
Maintain basic conventions of mainstream software that the child will use at a later
stage.
Make the software robust so that it does not easily crash, placing extra load on the
teacher or parent.
Provide good feedback on successful achievement of tasks by the child.
Provide clearly structured software with menu selection options to reach different parts
of the system.
For mouse input, make the areas of selection clear.
Allow teacher to control sound or to mute the output from the system.
Make sure application can be used without sound.
Provide a teacher's/parent's guide which explains what the educational aims of the
software are, and describing related activities that can be carried out away from the
computer.
For young children (3-5 years), do not rely on the child being able to read. Instead use
bright and attractive graphics and pictures. Their manual dexterity is also not well
developed so few will be able to use a mouse. It is recommended that they be given an
interface with "yes" and "no" buttons, with the space bar representing
"yes" and "Enter" representing "no"
For infant children (5-7 years) simple words may be used but must be within children's
normal vocabulary range. Use large clear text.
For junior children (7-11 years) use appropriate language. Juniors can use a mouse
easily for selection on screen and for drawing tasks.
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