FAQ Product Related

REQUIREMENTS
1- What are the minimum requirements?

OWNERSHIP
2- Can I upgrade from MicroWorlds or MicroWorlds Pro to Journal Zone?
3- What are the purchase options?
4- Why do I need to renew every year?
5- What is the renewal procedure?
6- If I purchase Journal Zone for 30 users, can I use the same account with 30 different students?
7- Can I purchase additional accounts at any time?
8- Do I get special pricing for a high volume purchase?
9- What's includes in the Journal Zone package?

AUDIENCE
10- In which grades should I use Journal Zone?
11. In what curriculum areas can I use Journal Zone?

PEDAGOGICAL
12- In Question! Plan! Monitor! Reflect! you mention a student's "driving question". What is a Driving Question?

REQUIREMENTS

1. What are the minimum requirements?

Currently, Journal Zone is available for Windows computers only. You will need Windows 95 or higher, a minimum of 64 MB RAM, a minimum of Pentium 200MHz and 56 Kbps (or higher) Internet connection.

OWNERSHIP

2. Can I upgrade from MicroWorlds or MicroWorlds Pro to Journal Zone?

No. Journal Zone is not a MicroWorlds product; therefore, there is no upgrade price available.

3. What are the purchase options?

In the US and Canada, Journal Zone may be purchased for as many or as few students (minimum number is 20) as you want on a yearly basis. A school also has the option to purchase a class option, which allows a class of 36 users to use the software for 1 school year. Please refer to either the US, Canadian or International order information section for more information.

4. Why do I need to renew every year?

Journal Zone software connects to a central server hosted by LCSI in order to enable collaboration between schools, districts or countries. The yearly server fee covers bandwidth costs.

5. What is the renewal procedure?

LCSI will contact the Journal Zone Administrator approximately 60 days prior to the renewal date. If LCSI does not receive the renewal payment, services will be temporarily suspended until full payment is received.

6. If I purchase Journal Zone for 30 users, can I use the same account with 30 different students?

No, each account may be used by only one user for the duration of a project. If at the end of the project you wish to run a project with 30 new users, you may. However, the original 30 users will no longer have access to their projects.

7. Can I purchase additional accounts at any time?

Yes, you can purchase additional accounts at any time. All accounts are renewable one year from the purchase date. Please note that no orders of less that $50 will be accepted.

8. Do I get special pricing for a high volume purchase?

Yes, Please contact us for more information.

9. What's included in the package?

You will receive a Journal Zone binder that includes the Journal Zone software CD-ROM, the Journal Zone User Guide and a bonus book entitled "Jump into Journals" from Teacher Created Materials Inc.

AUDIENCE

10. In which grades should I use Journal Zone?

Journal Zone is designed for grades 3 and up.

11. In what curriculum areas can I use Journal Zone?

Journal Zone can be used in math, science, language arts ....in all subject areas.

PEDAGOGICAL

12. In Question! Plan! Monitor! Reflect! You mention a student's "driving question". What is a Driving Question?

It is useful to encourage students to generate driving questions which will sustain them through their investigations. It may require several journal pages at the beginning of a project for students to establish their questions.

A driving question is characterized by the following. It:

- embraces the curricular unit under study
- is worthwhile because it:

- contains rich subject concepts and principles
- promotes higher order thinking
- is complex enough and consists of smaller questions
- encourages transfer of concepts across disciplines

- is feasible

- students are able to create and perform investigations in searching for answers to the question

- is contextualized and meaningful to the lives and interests of learners
- is open-ended and there may be no straightforward answer

Examples of driving questions:

- What kind of insects live on our playground?
- Why do I have to wear a helmet and knee and elbow pads when I'm roller blading?
- What kind of land features are in my environment?
- How can I care for the various animals in our classroom?

These are unlike these simple questions:

- What are the nine planets?
- What are the six simple machines?

 

Note: Adapted from Krajcik, J., Czerniak, C., and Berger, C. (1999). Teaching children science: A project-based approach. McGraw-Hill: Boston, MA

© Logo Computer Systems Inc., 2001-2008. All rights reserved worldwide. Journal Zone and the Journal Zone logo are trademarks of Logo Computer Systems Inc. LCSI and LCSI logo are trademarks of Logo Computer Systems Inc.