Crocodile Physics 1.5

www.crocodile-clips.com

KS4 (Years 10 - 11)

Science

This product is distributed by Crocodile Clips Ltd. (Tel: 0131 2261511)

This software supports some Curriculum topics contained at Key Stage 4 Sc1 and Sc4. It is a large and detailed program and provides a wide range of activities, which support and stimulate interest and curiosity in Physics. It is an extremely useful tool. Manipulating the software requires practice and the language of the software is quite sophisticated. It is suitable for the private study of higher functioning students, but for mixed ability classes would be more appropriate as a supplement to classroom teaching and 'dipped into' when required. For teaching of students with learning difficulties, I would suggest using it in short time slots with specific tasks in mind. The content of the CD-ROM is directly linked to the National Curriculum, but has a facility for the teacher to produce activities, which he/ she could then link to the National Curriculum. There is no support folder, which I think is a weakness of the program. For the non-Physics specialist, a quick user guide, case studies and advice, or specific examples of how this program could be used would be helpful. There is plenty of scope using the publishing menu, to produce teacher-generated material specifically designed for the teaching and learning of an individual class. The software would also lend itself for use with A level Physics groups. The program is suitable for use in whole classes, small groups, or private study. I would recommend that the program is most useful for private study, or in whole class groups when all students have individual access to a computer, particularly if you do not have access to an interactive whiteboard onto which images can be projected.

I am very impressed with the software, which gives pupils the chance to access different topics in Physics on a single click of mouse. After assessing this program, I realised that a lot of research and reading has been done to develop this product. It gives a classroom teacher like me and any others who are interested in the use of ICT in Science - especially Physics - a chance to stimulate, excite and generate more interests in pupils for learning the subject.

I work with mixed ability classes. I have used this program in two ways. Firstly I used the program with a mixed ability GCSE Single Award Science group for three double units of 100-minutes duration as part of Curriculum time. Secondly, I used the program with a smaller group of students from the GCSE Double Award Science group on a study day during the holidays. Many of my students perceive Physics - irrespective of their ability in the subject - as the most difficult of the Sciences, so I would look to this program to select particular activities as a way of stimulating their interest and explaining concepts, which are difficult to visualise by any other means.

This software came five user licences for the purposes of this evaluation. I installed this software on stand alone computers in the Science department. We have five individual computers in the Physics lab and I used this software as a part of our ICT actions in teaching Physics.