FREE ESSAY ON SOFTWARE EVALUATION: ZOOMBINIS

SOFTWARE EVALUATION: ZOOMBINIS

Software evaluation of; The logical Journey of the Zoombinis
Publisher; Broderbund Software Inc.
Year published: 1996
List Price: unknown
Availability of site license; School package available
Subject Area: Educational Software
Category: Problem solving
Grade level: 3-8
Specific Topics: Logic and Maths logic 
Logical journey of the Zoombinis is a CD-ROM educational software game designed to help
students explore and apply fundamental principles of logic, problem solving and data
analysis. In this game there are 12 puzzles, each with four levels of difficulty. The
puzzles are open-ended and offer a myriad of possible routes, which lead to a final
outcome. The accompanying Teachers booklet suggests that this game can be incorporated
with other mediums and formats. Related activity programs are provided in the Tutorial
folder, along with Transparencies, discussion outlines, Artwork and templates. The
software is an integral part of a broader, classroom oriented educational learning
program, facilitating the Principles of Effective Learning and Teaching (1994) as
prescribed by the Department of Education Queensland.
Game Description
Logical Journey of the Zoombinis gameplay is based on the Zoombini characters' attributes
or features (variations in hair, eyes, nose, and feet), as well as other attributes of
other characters and objects in the program. In order to solve the various puzzles,
students must look carefully at the attributes to find patterns and functional
relationships among these attributes. In the course of assembling their features, and
sending the peace loving Zoombinis on their way to a new land to start a new life,
students must explore several important mathematical concepts. The puzzles in the game
are organised along four different trails. Each trail contains unique problems that focus
on related mathematical problems. One of the puzzles, for example, Pizza Pass involves
the student needing to figure out the combination of toppings on a pizza before being
allowed access by the pizza eating Tree Trolls, to the next puzzle. Using logic and the
understanding of the evidence (the rejected pizzas), the correct combination rewards the
student with an immediate and humorously animated encouragement to proceed on to another
puzzle. Each puzzle then, focuses on different areas such as 
Logical relationships; groupings & comparing information
Strategic thinking; linking information and problem solving
Organisation; graphing and mapping information and
Algebraic thinking; sorting, comparing and associating variables
After successfully sending 16 Zoombinis to the new Zoombiniville a new building appears.
The student then must repeatedly return to Zoombini Isle for more Zoombinis in order to
complete the new township.
Principles of Effective Learning and Teaching
In 1989, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [USA] published the Curriculum
and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics. The logical journey of the Zoombinis
software complies with these standards which call for a shift towards a broader approach
to mathematics instruction. Open ended problems, mathematical reasoning and other subject
areas and disciplines, including communication and language, are integrated with the more
traditional mathematics curriculum as part of the NCTM (USA) standard. 
The Department of Education Queensland (Australia) 1994 utilizes five key Principles of
Effective Learning and Teaching and provide a criteria to which this software game
relates, based on Australian interpretation of effective learning and teaching. The five
key principles, which are relevant to all areas of education including mathematics and
logic, emphasize the understanding of the learner, provides for active construction of
meaning, ensures a supportive and challenging environment, builds worthwhile learning
partnerships, and shapes and responds to social and cultural contexts. This software game
appears to satisfy these requirements.
The understanding of the learner: 
This software identifies features of the learners past and present experiences, utilizing
the assumption that certain cognitive levels have been reached. Most of the presentation
of this software is set in animated 3-dimensional presentation, and is a familiar format
for children in the grades 3 to 8. Items such as pizzas, Mud pies, rafts, frogs and more,
assume a prior interest and familiarity level.
Active construction of meaning; 
Learners construct meaning when they challenge their own knowledge and understanding and
are able to explore the unknown with certain elements of open mindedness and critical
reflection. This software encourages a range of thinking processes including divergent,
convergent, lateral, critical and creative thinking. The Zoombinis software Teachers
guide focuses on the NCTM approach to active construction of meaning by emphasizing the '
scientific thinking process'. Observing, communicating, comparing, categorizing,
relating, inferring and applying, are aspects of effective learning and teaching which
allow the student to take their share of responsibility for learning. This software
encourages the analysis of patterns, sequences, and lateral thinking in relation to this
approach using logico-mathematical processes required inherently for the solution of each
puzzle.
Supportive and Challenging Environment;
The animation and almost three-dimensional artwork of this game has all the
characteristics of an arcade game complete with the challenge of interpreting maps,
crossing dangerous bridges, riding on old underground mining trolley's, operating '
mirror machines' and contributing to the creation of a new fantasy land called
Zoombiniville. Within the 12 puzzles the supportive encouragement of the commentator only
expresses positive outcomes to each problem. Even those Zoombinis who are sometimes left
behind, are reassured of success at a later stage. The student empathizes with the
harmless and likable characters and is soon lost in the fantasy world, motivating them to
assist in the construction of the new Zambini world. There are no time limits and at the
end of each attempt, arriving at Zoombiniville, the stage can be saved at any time.
Worthwhile learning partnerships
There are many instances in this software, which allow for co-operative and group effort.
The teaching guide stresses the compatibility of this game to classroom application and
encourages the use of large screen monitors or multiple screen group sessions. When used
in pairs or as groups the benefit is that students are encouraged to discuss their
problems solving strategies and to work cooperatively. Included are two tutorial
activities aimed to introduce the program to students and also additional resources,
tutorials, activities and reproducibles intended for teacher, student discussion.
Shaping and Response to Social and Cultural Contexts
The fact that this game is about a totally fictional world, with non-human, non-earth
like, magical beings puts into context a cultural neutrality prevalent throughout the
quest for the solution; the new Zoombiniville. There is an almost undetectable Gender
difference between the attributes of each character, and no human based racial or
cultural inference. However, the analogous predicament of the Zoombinis as an oppressed,
peace loving and harmless community forced to flee from the lazy, greedy and dominant
partners 'the Bloats', is a story line parallel to many true life and dramatized
scenarios. This game could offer a view of optimism towards the notion of ' good
triumphant over bad or evil' in its simplest sense. The undesignated sex and Gender roles
in this software hopefully enhances the notion of equality and non-polarized concepts of
male and female stereotypes in the context of an adventure or its simulation. These
notions of equality are also evident in the attributes and features of each character.
Some are wearing spectacles, others have one central eye, some have no feet whilst others
have propeller's extruding from their bodies, and some are featured with bright pink
shoes on their feet. The almost random element of this visual cocktail of images also
neutralizes any cause to determine which, if any, Zoombini has any advantage or
disadvantage in the quest.
Motivational aspects
Computer and video games software are often seen as dynamic and interesting to students
because of what Malone [1984, cited in King, 1998] calls, three important elements;
challenge, fantasy and curiosity.
Challenge
Logical Journey of the Zoombinis challenges the student to conceptualize solutions to
problems, which lead to further problems and then to a final goal. The concept includes
helping the Zoombini community to successfully start a new life. Focusing on that goal
the player is challenged at each puzzle stage to maneuver up to 16 Zoombinis at a time.
Although the final outcome, or goal, remains fixed, the ongoing completion of the puzzles
proceeds onto more difficult levels. In this way the problems can match the competency
and aptitude of the student, and the challenge remains meaningful. This maintains
self-esteem and confidence as the game proceeds. 
Fantasy
The world of the Zoombinis is fantasy. It is extrinsic fantasy because it is unrelated to
the concept being taught. In this software as well, there are the dark caves, ruins,
riddles, and of course the task of evading or fighting the 'evil doer' and finding the
'treasure' or the new land, both of which offer 'hope' to in this case the honest,
peaceloving and harmless characters called 'Zoombinis'. It is the fantasy element, which
assists in the reinforcement of learning by enhancing the sensory levels of curiosity
based motivation.
Curiosity
It is the fluctuation between 'unknown' factors arising at each puzzle stage in this
software, which assists in motivating the student into figuring out the solution. There
are many instances in this game where the relationships between patterns, sequences or
attributes continually change. Each time the player passes through, there are variations
of animation, which maintain interest and curiosity. This is sensory curiosity and is
aroused by audio and visual effects, which enhance the fantasy. Cognitive curiosity is
also aroused here as the search for logical relationships is pursued.
Learning theory
In this software the main learning theories underpinnings this game are based on
Vygotsky's social Constructivism approach which places emphasis on the social context of
learning. However there are situations within this game revealing elements of the
Behaviorist approach, which uses occasional reinforcement by repetition and reward and
also the Piagetian cognitive constructivist approach which emphasizes the need for
students to become active participants in their own learning. The cognitive
constructivist theory would be more relevant if the student played this game in a
solitary environment, however Broderbund designed this game for use in classroom
application and relies heavily on teacher and student interaction confirming the social
constructivist outlook.
Software Format and Summary
This software is presented as a CD-ROM in a folder that explains installation of program,
basic instructions, operation directions and teachers guide. This guide includes other
supportive resources aimed at facilitating the learning process related to this game and
is presented as complete educational package software, including materials for classroom
activities. The program is easy to operate and, despite its occasional slowness, allows
the student to work at their own pace and level, providing that the teacher is able to
monitor and scaffold the students learning process.