Star Tower

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Star Tower

From: Mike Matson / MAPE

Program evaluation

This is a suite of programs from Mike Matson on the Mape site - now part of the larger NAACE. They can be accessed and run either on-line or downloaded and used off-line. The programs run in your Internet browser and make skilful use of its more advanced features. They are cutting-edge stuff.

Those who know Mike Matson's work will recognise the features which make his work so addictive. Educationally the programs are sound, technically they are hard to fault and, as always, there is the Matson fun factor which makes learning easier and more effective.

I use these programs with my raising achievement students from Y7 to Y11. Most of the programs have different levels with the hardest levels able to challenge adults. In some of the programs the teacher / adult can enter their own text / data, so extending their use.

And, they're free.

Program Details

Originally created for Apple Computer UK,

"Star Tower consists of a constantly-developing library of educational activities designed for children of primary age at both school and home. The author is Mike Matson who taught in Primary schools for 14 years and has been writing educational software (for 4Mation and Sherston) since 1983. The key characteristic of all the activities is interactivity. Whereas 99.9% of the content of the World Wide Web consists of nothing more than reading matter and illustrations, the Star Tower material is dynamic. For example: Pieces of a 'broken' map of the world can be dragged into their correct places. Number sequences can be created by dragging numbers into place. Missing words can be positioned in the appropriate locations in a passage. A robot can be programmed to pick apples in an orchard. In most respects, the content of Star Tower is visually and functionally more akin to CD-ROM software than typical web material."

Although aimed at primary-aged students (KS2 I'd guess) I can see many areas of the secondary curriculum where these would fit easily. KS2 / KS3 would be more accurate I think.