Educational Software Development
I have over 12 years of experience using a range of technologies to develop educational web and desktop applications. The applications seamlessly interface with client content management systems, proprietary content management systems, Oracle databases, and MySQL databases.
The types of applications included:
- lesson planners
- lesson resource managers
- learning management systems
- student progress data management systems
- academic assessment systems
- assessment data management systems
- interactive instruction systems
I have developed multimedia rich learning tools such as a picture dictionary, art image and study presentation tool, and language learning systems.
I have programmed and designed individual learning components such as instructional, assessment, and scored activities, worksheet editors, mini-lessons, quizzes, and games.
Holt McDougal Teacher One Stop
manager • developer
The Teacher One Stop is an industry standard for the supplementary and teacher resources that accompany classroom textbooks. The Teacher One Stop provides the documents, tools, and multimedia to allow teachers to edit, adapt, search, and expand their collections of Holt resources.
I managed an international team of developers, designed the project architecture, and provided Flash and Director programming support.
Fountas & Pinnell LLI Lesson Resources CD-ROM
administrator • developer
The Lesson Resources CD-ROM is part of the LLI Technology Package that accompanies the Leveled Literacy Intervention system for small-group reading instruction, a system that prevents literacy difficulties. The CD-ROM provides forms, printable student activities, charts, books, parent letters, and other record-keeping and observation forms and resources.
I developed the CD-ROM in Flash with a Director shell for CD-ROM delivery.
Heinemann Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment Data Management Application
developer
The Benchmark Assessment System is a high-quality and comprehensive reading assessment for grades K–8. The System includes a data management online application to make it easy for teachers to track and analyze assessment data for individual students and entire classes.
I programmed several front-end Flash modules which connect via Java to an Oracle database.
Classworks Science
developer • manager
Classworks Science is set of over 200 mini-lessons, scoreable activities, and quick quizzes developed by Six Red Marbles. Classworks is a a network-based curriculum resource proven to be effective in raising student performance.
Six Red Marbles integrated its proprietary BlueJacks content management system along with its activity development system to support the automated creation of hundreds of Classworks Science activities. The development system included standardized, SCORM-like communications between the SRM developed client side content and the Classworks host system.
I architected and developed the core Flash activity system and also managed development.
Macmillan/McGraw-Hill TeacherWorks Plus
developer
TeacherWorks Plus provides teachers with a lesson planning tool with an interactive lesson planner and resources such as an Interactive Teacher Edition, access to resource masters, audio clips, and links to the Internet.
I provided ongoing maintenance and feature enhancement programming for the the Flash application.
Harcourt School Publishers Comprehension Expedition
developer • manager
The Comprehension Expedition by Harcourt School Publishers provides a management tool for teachers and a content portal for students.
The system is a collection of over 60 interactive activities and reading-based games that provide a way for students in grades 3-6 to learn and practice reading comprehension skills. The entertaining system includes warm-up activities, multiple choice comprehension quizzes, and reward games.
A teacher using the system can monitor student progress, manage student information, assign activities, and generate reports.
I managed project development, designed the application architecture, and programmed major components of the application.
Harcourt Achieve Saxon Math eGradebook
developer
The eGradebook produced by Six Red Marbles, allows teachers to enter student's scores for 6 types of assessments. The eGradebook generates and prints over 10, highly informative reports based on the scores.
As lead developer, I developed the eGradebook which included XML data import, a networked, shared database, a table display engine, and report printing engine.
McGraw-Hill Wright Group X-Zone
lead developer • architect
The X-Zone is a set of leveled books with high interest topics designed to engage reluctant readers. The accompanying CD-ROM produced by Six Red Marbles uses Flash activities to reinforce the skills and knowledge learned in the books.
I developed the Flash project architecture and several Flash activities playable examples of which are Multivac and Locker Art.
Click an image on the left to view a larger version of the screenshot.
McGraw-Hill SRA Open Court Reading
lead developer • architect
The Open Court Reading Program is a literature rich, reading and language program. The program uses Flash activities to provide skills practice for students. It also includes tools for teachers in lesson planning and professional development.
I developed the project and Flash activity architecture, database XML interfacing, a Director shell, and several Flash activities such as Proofreading and Deep Sea.
Click an image on the left to view a larger version of the screenshot.
The Heinle Picture Dictionary
developer
The Picture Dictionary produced by Interactive Factory contains over 4000 words and provides a highly illustrated way for students to learn vocabulary.
The dictionary features an interactive CD-ROM version of the book which includes zoomable, high-quality illustrations, student progress reporting, audio vocabulary playback, student voice recording, and five Flash word activities for Web and CD-ROM playback.
I programmed the CD-ROM including the Director dictionary functionality and the integrated Flash activities.
Click an image on the left to view a larger version of the screenshot.
Playable examples of activities I developed include Matching, Build-A-Car, and Word Search.
Deutsch: Na klar! and Vis-à-vis
developer
McGraw Hill’s Deutsch: Na Klar! and Vis-à-vis CDs, developed by VPG Integrated Media, provide German and French language education using QuickTime video, text, Flash activities, voice recording and playback, and an interactive Flash dictionary and vocabulary listing.
I programmed the CDs, integrating Flash, QuickTime, and audio recording with playback in a Macromedia Director shell.
Click an image on the left to view a larger version of the screenshot.
Children's Progress
manager • developer
Children's Progress in an online assessment for students in Pre-K through Grade 3 with the goal of quickly giving educators information about what students need and how to help them.
The assessment products are browser based with a server database back end for reporting. The client application consists of interactive Flash activities with progress reporting to the server database.
I assembled and managed an initial launch development team, provided Flash architecture consultation, and programmed activities.
Bill Cosby’s Picture Pages
lead developer
The Picture Pages CD-ROM and website helped children gain early learning reading and readiness skills through 28 interactive educational Flash games. The games, based on the original television show, Bill Cosby’s Picture Pages, provided a report on a child’s developmental level based on the techniques of Piaget.
I designed a Director shell to display the games and programmed several Flash games.
Click an image on the left to view a larger version of the screenshot.
Art History Interactive
developer
The Prentice Hall Art History Interactive CD-ROM, developed by VPG, is a visually lavish and comprehensive collection of great art provided in an easy-to-use package. College art history students and teachers can search and view more than 1000 great works of art. They can create slide shows and study sets for study and presentation.
I developed the CD, including an internal database with XML data files for organizing and searching more than 1,000 pieces of art.