Re: GEN: Scholastic's Reading Counts

["Wall, Pat" <pfwall@FORSYTH.K12.GA.US>]

We too are having numerous technical problems. Here, AR is loaded on an NT
network and we are frequently having to do "rebuilds."  AR is long overdue
in revamping not only the software (the windows version is not a true
windows format) but also the tests, levels, points, etc.  They've never had
to be terribly concerned about that because they were, for all practical
purposes, the only game in town.  Competition is a good thing!  AR has
certainly been good for promoting reading- - no doubt about it, but the new
Scholastic "Reading Counts!" (formerly Electronic Bookshelf)  is looking
mighty good.  The best thing Scholastic can do right now is add to their
title base of 13,000 books.  I think AR has around 22,000.  It will be
interesting to see how this plays out.

Pat Wall
Media Specialist
Vickery Creek Elementary
Cumming, GA 30040
pfwall@forsyth.k12.ga.us
 ----------
From: Karen McCahill
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: GEN: Scholastic's Reading Counts
Date: Tuesday, March 30, 1999 11:36AM

        Hi Bonnie and LM_NET,

I was so pleased and excited to read your message about Electronic
Bookshelf.  I have been using AR for six years and have made a huge
investment in it, but have been increasingly displeased with the customer
support and extreme commercialization of it.  My school is kind of a
showcase for technology in the region and many people come through looking
at our labs and library.  I am often called by schools from all over the
states because I was an early AR user and people want to see it in action.
Many schools have purchased the program after seeing our success here with
it.  I am becoming more and more reluctant to be AR's cheerleader when they
don't respond to requests for  changes I would like to see in the program
(e.g. offering the EB style 30-question pool, giving teachers/librarians
the option of changing grade level and/or point value in the software
program)--all of my suggestions have fallen on deaf ears at AR.  They are
making a colossal fortune on this program and yet they don't improve it!
Like you, I don't want to knock AR (too much!) because we have had great
success with it, but they need to improve it.  Anyway, I'm anxious to hear
more about the EB Reading Counts program...their website is not up yet.
THANKS for the information, I will certainly pursue it!

Karen McCahill
Library Media Teacher
Burlingame Intermediate School
Burlingame, CA  94010
kbrown@bsd.k12.ca.us

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