Extensibility Finally, extensible software is easy to augment, easy to take beyond its own environment, and supportive of the creation of new things. An example of software that is easy to augment would be the option for teacher and student projects to be integrated into the program. If a geography program focused on the teacher of map-reading, then it should be not merely possible, but actually easy to integrate a local map into the lesson. To go beyond that environment, it should be possible to share the local map lesson with students from all over the world, via the Internet, through a simple conversion process that both students and teacher could use. Finally, extensible software would allow for the creation of a totally new thing, such as a complete interactive project on the local city, with color pictures and video, interviews with local officials, an on-line guide to major attractions, and more.
Students learn by doing.
A project such as the one just described should be easily distributed with a player via the Internet so it can be shared with others. Software that is not extensible has little value in today's classroom. Recent surveys of businesses conclude that the traits most desired in new employees are effective communication, ability to work with others, leadership, flexibility and maturity, resourcefulness, inquisitiveness, and the ability to learn. Software with the PACE characteristics supports the development of these very traits. Jerry Dawson is a software developer and marketing director at Pierian Spring Software, in Portland, Oregon.