The Vikings in Ireland is a CD-ROM designed to teach children about the lives of the Vikings. It has been written by well known tech-guru and principal Robbie O’Leary who has been involved in a number of software ventures including the Who Took the Book series. The software is published by Cork-based engineering company, CDGA, who have produced some other educational titles.
The Vikings in Ireland is a simple, well-produced piece of software. There are 6 major sections where children can learn about different aspects of Viking life. Each section is ended with a quiz. When a user works in a section, photographs and clip art add an extra dimension to the learning.
The key to this software is in its simplicity. A teacher has a piece of software that can teach a full history unit on an Interactive Whiteboard (or any computer) and it does it without any hoohah! The navigation is simple, effective and not over burdening so even the least confident computer user should have no difficulties in using the program.
The graphics are well chosen and clear. The sound is limited to clicks and beeps but they are done well too. There is an introduction section which explains how to do everything.
I think the best way to describe this program is a well made interactive book. The user can read the chapters of their choice and play some games afterwards to consolidate what they have learned.
Last Update: August 22, 2017