Integrated Learning Systems.Do they work?

[Joan Kimball <jkim@BORG.COM>]

Please tell me if I should search the archives for this.

We are about to choose our software for a network of clustered computers,
four to a classroom.  We are starting this spring with grades 3 and 4 and
will add other grades in the next 2-3 years. (We will also have CD ROM
drives on the computers in the classrooms so they can have some individual
titles in their rooms as well as accessing a CD stack from the library
server.)

Is an Integrated Learning System (ILS) the best software to get for the
classroom network?  Or is it pure drill and
practice---outdated---mechanical---busy work?  I am thinking of an ILS such
as Jostens.

Grolier also is offering a CD which they claim is a partial ILS---it's
called Cornerstone and is produced by Skills Bank.

Anyone have experience with these?

My plan in the library which is going to be automated and networked this
spring to the classrooms is to have individual CDs for the 3 workstations
in the library and a stack of CDs that networks to the classrooms and the
library workstations.

What do you think of my plan?  Practical? Have I left out something important?

Joan


Joan Kimball (jkim@borg.com)
Clinton, NY
Hart's Hill Elementary School Library
Clark Mills Road, Whitesboro, NY 13492