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Introducing DreamBox - Online Learning UNleashed™!
DreamBox Learning K-2 Math is just as they claim, "...the next generation of online learning." It provides an in-depth math curriculum and completely individualized learning in an engaging and effective game experience. Having taught pre-school and kinder level classes myself, I can identify and appreciate a learning curriculum that works and you can be sure that DreamBox is not joke.
Ready for a twist in our evaluation process of DreamBox Learning K-2 Math? We decided to take a different approach with the evaluation of DreamBox Learning K-2 Math by having a group of parents actually create new accounts with the online DreamBox Learning K-2 Math program subsidize the billing for usage of the service for 4 months in order to develop an established patterns of response levels from their children from which we could formulate a profile and add it to our evaluation efforts. This move was well worth the expenditure...the families gained so much while at the same time we gained some gaugeable results which were quite valuable in our evaluation of DreamBox Learning K-2 Math.
One of our independent evaluators made a strong point in her report about what makes DreamBox so special..."DreamBox provides a world of learning for a child that progresses steadily in response to their own specific pace. Unlike so many other educational games which seem to be knock-off of each other with the profit margin more important than the education of a child, DreamBox works in an incremental approach with each game lesson that capture a child's attention and results in an interactive learning environment which children will enjoy coming back to without hesitation."
DreamBox may be an online educational tool yet it is powerful and is built on a foundation you can recognize and trust with over 350 lessons built on the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics standards. I think that the folks at DreamBox literally say it best, "DreamBox individualizes learning through continuous assessment and adaptations during lesson game play. Lessons, hints, level of difficulty, pace, sequence, instructional tools, and more are tailored to help your child learn." From our own experience, myself included, their statement is so accurate, and so true.
FunFactor™ Re-Defined...And Then Some!
With DreamBox, FunFactor™ is re-defined...and then some! That is a fact we will guarantee for you and your child. While a good, solid, educational curriculum is one of the items of highest priority in an educational product we evaluate, the level of FunFactor™ rivals it just as well in priority.
The reasoning for this is that with the age group for which DreamBox is designed, "fun" is the magic environment which makes the educational games and other activities more cohesive for a child and draws them back for more. If the level of FunFactor™ is lacking, the results are quite apparent in the productivity and response level of a child.
With DreamBox you have fun, interactive math games which help kids build confidence and a sense of accomplishment! A child can choose from adventure themes, stories, and literally hundreds of selections for activities in the online adventures. If all of this wasn't enough, kids playing with DreamBox get what one of our evaluation participants termed as really cool rewards and other stuff" like collectible Adventure Friends, tokens to play Carnival games, and Achievement Certificates, that can be printed out and proudly displayed.
DreamBox is an outstanding educational/fun choice for parents to take advantage of at a price which is easily handled in today's economy. At the same time you have a learning environment which encourages interaction between not just the child and the computer, but with the parent and child relationship as well. You couldn't possibly ask for a greater opportunity than this for a family.
 Independent Evaluator Reports
Obtaining An Independent Perspective...
In this section we will cover "DreamBox Learning K-2 Math" from the perspectives of qualified individuals in the specific field associated with the product being evaluated. To accomplish that task we have called upon the assistance of two top level industry professionals who know their stuff and have the credentials to prove it.
Our professional and independent evaluators have formed their own opinions from extensive analysis and produced detailed, in-depth reports connected with their study and evaluation of DreamBox Learning K-2 Math. The information to follow is comprised of excerpts from those same reports which have been paraphrased in order to encapsulate the primary points being conveyed in each report. This approach provides completely independent perspectives in the evaluation of DreamBox Learning K-2 Math.
PLEASE NOTE: The names of our independent evaluators are not disclosed to protect the privacy of these individuals upon their request. Their labors are provided at no charge to assist us in providing a well-balanced and qualified product evaluation summary. Their title is provided to clarify for our readers the specific type of specialist from which the information provided has been included in each product evaluation summary.
Professor of Educational Studies, Ed.
"The overview provided to you of DreamBox Learning K-2 Math will hopefully quite conclusive results of the evaluation by myself and my colleagues. The structure of the learning lessons was well done with a progressive flow in all lessons and activities. The curriculum design causes the children to continue and not be distracted by other activities or personal events of other students/children.
DreamBox Learning K-2 Math assures strong improvement in their Math knowledge skills with a fun and creative approach for all three grade levels. As expected, the children in my test groups gained a substantial improvement in their understanding of the math concepts and were eager to work with the various games and activities. There was a very marked effect in both their knowledge level as well as greater self confidence from having learned information.
| The DreamBox Learning K-2 Math curriculum design was rather interesting due to the dramatic difference in behavioral patterns of each grade level of children with their specific activities.
For the Kindergarten and First grade level children, they were enchanted with the imagery and color yet with the Second grade level children, their attention was directed more to the activities themselves. Despite the dramatic shift in point of interest, the response levels and attention span of all of the students remained well above average.
In our evaluation of DreamBox Learning K-2 Math overall, we are all in complete agreement that the combination of the learning curriculum and imagery was quite suitable and effectively structured for the target age group for which it was designed. The most impressive point of note was the very strong response levels of the children in addition to a high level of retention of what was learned even 3 days following last experience with the same content.
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My evaluation group was lost for words in regard to the way that DreamBox Learning K-2 Math can so easily be adopted for use in both home and school environments. For both the parents and teachers it was so stimulating how DreamBox provides a world of learning for a child that progresses steadily in response to their own specific pace.
As we all know, each child is different in their developmental rates and a curriculum which progresses according to the actual response rate of each individual child holds very significant point of value which weighed high in our evaluation. This product is a perfect match for individual progressive learning and I can highly recommend it to your readers.
ECD Learning Specialist
"DreamBox provides a world of learning for a child that progresses steadily in response to their own specific pace. Unlike so many other educational games which seem to be knock-off of each other with the profit margin appearing to be more important than the education of a child, DreamBox works in an incremental approach with each game lesson that capture a child's attention and results in an interactive learning environment which children will enjoy coming back to without hesitation.
Following my evaluation of DreamBox Learning K-2 Math, I established that critical developmental skills in a child are served so well with this even though it is an strictly online use product. The response level with the children in all three levels of grades with vast improvement in their thinking skills being quite apparent. It is important to realize that children need a solid stimulation to multiple developmental skills and DreamBox Learning K-2 Math provides the perfect venue for a child to begin a journey that begins in their Kindergarten level and progresses with them with ever changing challenges changing as they do to as they continue to grow from one year to the next.
As usual, I included my Austistic students in this evaluation study. To my surprise, I noted how one of the Autistic students demonstrated a greater level of improvement with his Math skills and overall response level than most of the other students participating. This was quite remarkable and will require further study but I felt it was significant enough to bring it out in this report.
There appears to be a very strong influence in the level of response with all of the children participating in the evaluation study from all three grade levels. I just wish I had more than 4 months to monitor them further before completing this report. A two-year study with DreamBox Learning K-2 Math and my students would probably deliver a generous wealth of progressive details which could be quite helpful in my own evaluative research. I am elated to at least have been given the opportunity to work with this product.
 Consumer Hands On Evaluation
Nothing is more powerful than hands-on experience by a consumer with a product when it is being evaluated. Based upon that fact we put every single product we evaluate at the mercy of consumers in a hands-on evaluation where anything goes. Shall we see how "DreamBox Learning K-2 Math" was seen with consumers?
Due to the fact that DreamBox Learning K-2 Math is designed more for an online educational curriculum, this posed an interesting challenge well beyond what we have faced in a while in our evaluation, yet it was perfect for our consumer hands-on evaluation segment.
DreamBox Learning K-2 Math was part of a consumer hands-on evaluation performed in a busy public mall in the Los Angeles area, along with multiple other products, 2 of them also being online educational in their nature. Having several products available for consumer evaluation all at once provides a more well balanced and unbiased evaluation of the products. Many of them had two or three copies available to provide a larger base of opportunity for consumer evaluation. I am sure you are eager to see the results from the consumers feedback of DreamBox Learning K-2 Math.
DreamBox Learning K-2 Math was one of our most popular products which consumers went to on the tables once the evaluation tables area was open. In this evaluation it was interesting to see that many of the boys were disappointed, not seeing any crash and bash video games to play with, yet they still had no problem with sitting down with their parents looking at DreamBox Learning K-2 Math.
It was a very warm week in Los Angeles and many of the people were inside the mall just to get away from the humid heat outside. This proved quite advantageous for us due to all of the open seats available to sit down and relax, all they had to do to sit there was just evaluate products!
From the beginning to the end of both days we were there, we never had any lack of interest in the products we had available for evaluation, especially the online and Wii products. DreamBox Learning K-2 Math pulled its own quite well with a very strong number of participants filling out our feedback forms. My own self, I was not doing somersaults in excitement with the visual appeal of the DreamBox Learning K-2 Math screens but the again children and their parents see things from a different perspective. DreamBox Learning K-2 Math was unquestionably a hit in the feedback forms.
In reviewing the feedback forms which the participants filled out, we had a variety of people from so many different specialties, including two elementary school teachers. There was a consistent opinion of the quality of the content in the curriculum in DreamBox Learning K-2 Math, even from the teachers. There was one peculiar question that arose though, the person queried us to see if there is any difference in the quality of DreamBox Learning K-2 Math when being used on a "huge flat screen TV". That was a question we were unable to answer for obvious reasons but it did prove interesting all the same.
Altogether, the results from our feedback forms spoke volumes of praise and proved that the level of FunFactor™ in playing DreamBox Learning K-2 Math was well within what we are looking for. DreamBox Learning K-2 Math proved itself worthy of approval in this segment of our evaluation without any issues or concerns.
 A Sampling Of Category Ratings
A small sampling of the individual category titles & rating
scores from the complete product review itself for
this product are featured here. The categories which have been selected to be
featured in this product evaluation summary for public view, specify some of
the primary points of how and why that specific rating score was reached.
- If a product is inducted, a product evaluation summary of the
complete review is published for public view.
- When a score has been assigned to a category rating, it has been through
a thorough validation process to ensure accuracy and no inflection of bias.
- If a product scores an overall category evaluation
rating average of [2] Two Stars or lower from the complete review results,
it fails the evaluation and is not inducted.
- Information for products which do not pass our evaluation is confidential
and is shared only with the company submitting the product.
The Featured Category Ratings for this Product Evaluation
Summary are listed below.
CONTENT QUALITY: Rating Level - [5] 
The content quality of DreamBox Learning K-2 Math passed this segment of our evaluation. The curriculum structure and overall content was simple and easy to understand for a child. At the same time, the activities were such that a vast variety of developmental skills were constantly being stimulated, encouraging further growth and development while captivating a child's complete attention. It was amazing how many times the children in our consumer hands-on evaluation kept calling their parents over to see something new in the activity they were currently engaged in on the screen.
The curriculum design for all of the activities has a strong influence with children yet making learning fun simultaneously. The curriculum was strong enough to maintain a learning experience while keeping the FunFactor ™ at the highest level ever. One of the most important points is how that the children can earn points and are motivated to improve. There is nothing like the little cackle of a toddler as they are having fun going through a specific exercise on the screen or being amused by a specific character on the screen that they see as being "cute" or "funny looking". DreamBox Learning K-2 Math pulled a perfect score in this category.
CRITICAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT: Rating Level - [5]
The content quality of DreamBox Learning K-2 Math in regard to critical skill development helped it to pass this segment of our evaluation. DreamBox Learning K-2 Math is an excellent learning tool that provides a substantial contribution to critical skill development with the necessary elements to stimulate critical skill development in a child quite strongly. The math activities are strategic indeveloping a strong enough stimulation to critical skills toi encourage a greater level of development on many levels. This in turn develops a strong influence in positive psychological impression. As a child progresses through the activities, greater self-esteem and so much more is established and re-enforced. DreamBox Learning K-2 Math pulled a perfect score in this category.
EDUCATIONAL VALUE: Rating Level - [5]
The educational value is nothing short of the very best with DreamBox Learning K-2 Math. "The product may be online yet it is very well structured with a logical flow for maximum educational potential for children." In all consumer hands-on evaluation as well as educational facility evaluation, DreamBox Learning K-2 Math was seen as being quite good on the contribution of educational information which developed strong retention and delivered productive results overall. According to some of the teachers we spoke with, DreamBox Learning K-2 Math could easily be adopted into the public school curriculum should the budget be available to do so. DreamBox Learning K-2 Math pulled a perfect score in this category.
MARKETING VALUE: Rating Level - [5]
The marketing value with DreamBox Learning K-2 Math is quite high. What you have here is an online educational product which has already proven itself with testimonies from many mothers who are simply overjoyed with the level of progressive improvement with their children in their Math learning skills. The structure of the product in addition to the web site visual appeal brings the marketing value to the highest level ever. DreamBox Learning K-2 Math pulls a perfect score in this category.
RESPONSE LEVEL: Rating Level - [5]
The response level in our evaluation with the student participants using DreamBox Learning K-2 Math was well beyond what we ever expected. In all videotapes, our in-house eval results and the independent evaluator's reports, it was clear to see that DreamBox Learning K-2 Math has the structure and appeal which encourages a response level far beyond what we have seen with many other online educational products in the same class as DreamBox Learning K-2 Math. The delivers a steady flow of interest and participation by the child which in turn develops a strong response level by the children using the product. DreamBox Learning K-2 Math pulls a perfect score in this category. DreamBox Learning K-2 Math is an excellent application for learning in an online environment.
VISUAL APPEAL: Rating Level - [3] 
The visual appeal for DreamBox Learning K-2 Math was great overall but not enough to bring it above an average score in this category. The children and parents feedback was great but when averaged out for visual appeal was the same as our own evaluation results. Every other perspective of DreamBox Learning K-2 Math is nothing but the best yet the visual appeal alone falls short of a perfect score by only two points.
| EVALUATION RESULTS - From evaluation for induction into "The Toy Man® Product Guide" | | Overall Rating: 5 | Seal of Approval: Approved | eco-Recognition
Seal: Approved | Award of Excellence: Approved | eChoice Award: Selected |
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THE TOY MAN® SEAL OF APPROVAL
"The first and original Seal of Approval...
designed for product recognition and validation."
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THE TOY MAN® ECORECOGNITION SEAL
"An emblem of the highest recognition...
for support of ecological concerns applied in full measure."
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THE TOY MAN® AWARDS
"The globally recognized awards that are received by a limited few...
and give a product the well earned recognition it deserves!"
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