Educational Site Reviews
It's that time of year again. College students in Education classes have been assigned to pick an "educational website" and write a review. What is good, what is bad, what has educational value, and what doesn't.
I look forward to this every year, and I dread this every year. I look forward to it because mostly the reviews the students write about games at The Problem Site are very positive. I dread it because I don't take criticism well.
This year, as in previous years, students are reviewing Hangman, but this year is different, because there is a new and improved version of the game on the site. This year students have many more games to write about, including My Secret Word and the Scrambled Word Puzzle.
One student writes that the directions for the Scrambled Word Puzzle are not very clear. That's probably true; I've always enjoyed designing the games more than writing the documentation - I'll have to go back and look at that again.
At one university, students are given a form they have to fill out, with questions about the site. One question which stumps the students every year is something along the lines of "Does this site meet the needs of its target audience?" This stumps the students because nowhere on the site do I state the target audience. In fact, some games are designed for elementary students, some are designed for middle school and high school students, and many are suitable for adults as well (I've stumbled across two or three adults' blogs which report every day on their results for the Daily Puzzles.) So the students typically "guess" what the target audience is, and then say "Yes, this is suitable for its target audience."
It's very circular reasoning, but it works for me.
Another thing has changed in the site reviews this year. Many reviewers are expected to comment on the "motivation" for the site. Students answering this question have always answered that the motivation is "altruistic", because the site is entirely free. This year, although everything is still free, students are referring to the site as a "commercial" site. Why? Because there are now "Google Ads" on the site. Whether or not this makes the site "commercial" is up for debate - according to "Zeal" (a wonderful, but now defunct internet directory):
If all you can do on the site is buy merchandise, learn about products and services that a company sells, or find companies that offer goods or services, then the site is commercial. Sites that do not offer goods or services but whose main purpose is to direct users to such goods or services may also be considered commercial.
According to another definition, something is "commercial" if it is: sponsored by an advertiser or supported by advertising. According to that definition, The Problem Site is now a commercial site. But, of course, that changes nothing about the educational value and content of the site.
Finally, let me just say "Thanks!" to all the college students who have taken the time to play the games and write your reviews!
I look forward to this every year, and I dread this every year. I look forward to it because mostly the reviews the students write about games at The Problem Site are very positive. I dread it because I don't take criticism well.
This year, as in previous years, students are reviewing Hangman, but this year is different, because there is a new and improved version of the game on the site. This year students have many more games to write about, including My Secret Word and the Scrambled Word Puzzle.
One student writes that the directions for the Scrambled Word Puzzle are not very clear. That's probably true; I've always enjoyed designing the games more than writing the documentation - I'll have to go back and look at that again.
At one university, students are given a form they have to fill out, with questions about the site. One question which stumps the students every year is something along the lines of "Does this site meet the needs of its target audience?" This stumps the students because nowhere on the site do I state the target audience. In fact, some games are designed for elementary students, some are designed for middle school and high school students, and many are suitable for adults as well (I've stumbled across two or three adults' blogs which report every day on their results for the Daily Puzzles.) So the students typically "guess" what the target audience is, and then say "Yes, this is suitable for its target audience."
It's very circular reasoning, but it works for me.
Another thing has changed in the site reviews this year. Many reviewers are expected to comment on the "motivation" for the site. Students answering this question have always answered that the motivation is "altruistic", because the site is entirely free. This year, although everything is still free, students are referring to the site as a "commercial" site. Why? Because there are now "Google Ads" on the site. Whether or not this makes the site "commercial" is up for debate - according to "Zeal" (a wonderful, but now defunct internet directory):
If all you can do on the site is buy merchandise, learn about products and services that a company sells, or find companies that offer goods or services, then the site is commercial. Sites that do not offer goods or services but whose main purpose is to direct users to such goods or services may also be considered commercial.
According to another definition, something is "commercial" if it is: sponsored by an advertiser or supported by advertising. According to that definition, The Problem Site is now a commercial site. But, of course, that changes nothing about the educational value and content of the site.
Finally, let me just say "Thanks!" to all the college students who have taken the time to play the games and write your reviews!
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