| Common Development Tools | Structure and Links | Player available | Advantages | Disadvantages | Ease of Use
1=low skill 2-high skill |
Technology Required
1=low tech 2=high tech |
Cost (w/ educator discounts) | |
| Relational database | FileMaker Pro | Fields, records, or files linked by common fields | Yes | Flexible reporting, network- friendly, Web accessible, cross- platform | Size of files requires player | 4 to develop, 2 to use | 3 | $65 156 |
| Hypermedia | HyperStudio, Digital Chisel | Electronic cards linked by "buttons" | Yes | Widely available in classrooms, construction tools included, some software cross- platform | Not easily Web- accessible (requires browser plug- in), view limited to screen size | 3 to develop | 3 | $39 199 |
| Multimedia Authoring | Macromedia Authorware, Director | Icon- or time-based environment | Self-contained | Most flexibility in development, CD- ROM, cross- platform | Steep learning curve | 5 | 5 | $128 699 |
| Web Pages | Adobe PageMill, Claris Home Page, Composer | Pages viewed with a Web Browser (Netscape or Explorer) using links created in HTML | Browser (free) | Web-accessible, cross- platform | Multimedia (video) not well integrated, complex authoring | 2 w/ editor,
4 w/ o |
4 | Free$ 79 |
| Adobe Acrobat | Adobe Acrobat Exchange | Postscript-based pages that can be navigated sequentially or by using bookmarks, links, or buttons | Reader (free) | Web- accessible, cross- platform, create files, from any applications, ideal for CD ROM, can capture Web pages w/ links | Size of files, limited construction tools | 2 | 4 | $42 90 |
| Slide Shows/ Presentations | Microsoft PowerPoint,Works, AppleWorks | Slideshow presentation or "Binder" (Microsoft Office) to link documents together | No | Widely accessible software,cross- platform | Not directly Web-accessible, ease of creating hypertext links, requires original application to read. | 3 | 3-4 | $46210 |
| Digital Video | QuickTime or AVI format., Movie Player Pro (for editing), Apple Video Player, (for digitizing), Avid Cinema, iMovie | Record performances in and out of the classroom within other digital portfolio construction tools, also, digital video editing (Avid Cinema, Adobe Premiere, iMovie) can be used to prepare artifacts for presentation in analog video. | QuickTime, RealPlayer (both free) | Web access high interactivity random access, editing | File size, storage quality, bandwidth requirements, hardware requirements to digitize video | Level 5 skill needed to create digital video,
although w/
tools such as Avid Cinema and iMovie, the learning curve is flatter. |
5 to use computers w/ video digitizing boards. Digital video cameras streamline the process, especially with the latest computers, which have FireWire (IEEE 1394) connections to the DV camera. | Editing software from $29 (MoviePlayer Pro) to
$500+.
DV cameras <$ 1,000. |
| Analog Video | Video on tape: VHS, 8mm | Standard video used to capture performances in the classroom or to gather data outside; also a universal format for final presentation portfolio; sometimes the computer is used to organize and translate the portfolio back to standard video tape | All that is required is a VCR. | Ubiquitous access, cheap storage medium, acceptable quality, relatively low-cost hardware requirements | Linear access, low interactivity, no Web access, storage, editing | Level 2 skill needed to create analog video, although editing analog videotape is more complicated. | Can be recorded with low- end equipment | Other than the cost of a camera or VCR the only additional cost is for videotape. Analog video editing system cost can range from $250 and up. Pay as little as $300 for an 8mm camera. |