Education has seen a great deal of changes over the decades. From blab schools to open classrooms to cooperative learning, the latest teaching methods have made guinea pigs of students across America. No sooner does one trend take root than it is replaced by something new. To top it all off, researchers now declare that not all children learn in the same way. Some are hands on learners, some are very visual, and some grasp things better through repetition, adding new skills slowly. What has not changed are the basic skills children are expected to master, such as reading. math, and grammar.

A great way to help a child who may not be understanding these skills in the classroom is to use educational software. With this generation raised on computers, it is natural to learn with the help of educational software. Indeed, children today are so used to the fast paced visual assault of television and video games that it is often difficult for classroom teachers to hold their attention.

There are several types of educational programs for the computer, ranging from "edutainment"-basically learning candy with the emphasis on the game-to reference tools like dictionaries and encyclopedias, to actual educational software whose aim is to introduce and reinforce skills in a fun manner.

Computer games gave creation to educational games in the mid 1990's. The idea was to take the highly visual graphics and harder and harder levels inherent in computer games and to apply them to educational programs. The video game format is irresistible to most children. Setting a math game in space where the problems get increasingly harder, for instance, may appeal to a child who is bored in school but who loves video games.

Video games can be a valuable tool for parents who struggle with teaching their children basic skills like grammar. With educational software, tears of frustration are quickly replaced by triumphant fist pumps as each new game level is mastered. Children have fun learning, and parents can take joy in seeing their kids succeed.