I ran Math & the Cosmos from the CD, the minimum install, from a Windows 98 computer. It ran quickly, with no delays in the audio or animation sequences, reflecting good use of Macromedia Director.

The introduction to the Wildridge philosophy provided on their website is fascinating. In the best tradition of personal, customized education, the Wildridge Academy is the lifework of the author. This product clearly exemplifies his respect for both the subject of astronomy and his high school students.

This product is clearly the product of the author’s subject matter expertise, intimate knowledge of the teenage learner, and a lifetime of educational experience. It is also clearly a labor of love, as reflected in the exceptional cohesiveness of the program. The print and software components are clearly designed to one philosophy and convey a very consistent "voice," in contrast to the patchwork, uneven quality of many instrucitonal materials that are compiled by more than one author. Educational technology is by nature personal, as it runs on a "personal computer." Math & the Cosmos successfully conveys this intimate connection between the teacher and student through the craftsmanship of this technology product.

The integration of the beautiful graphics of the constellations with the mythical stories behind their namesakes is very motivational. I found myself avidly reading all the stories to learn more about the fascination behind the legends that prompted early man to name the stars after their heroes. At the completion of the program, I felt not only more knowledgable concerning astronomy and literature, but also more closely connected to the millions of people throughout history who have loved the stars and their legends.

The Texbook is the core source for the program. It is simple and easy to read for the Middle School student, and intended for independent study. It could benefit from more graphics, and from a more generous use of space on the pages for students to make notes and complete exercises.

The Enrichment problems are especially challenging and thought provoking. Although Math & the Cosmos is predominantly an independent study curriculum, these Enrichment problems lend themselves to collaborative learning and group discussion.

The interface is clear and engaging. The female and male narrators are clear. The lavish use of audio during the tutorial components support students who may not read at grade level.

The primary tutorial sections of the product are Angles, Trigonometry, Motion, Parallax, Cepheid Variables, Graphs, Scientific Notation, Connections, Constellations, and Planets & the Sun. In all cases the information is clear and accurate. The Connections and Constellations components are the show case features. Animation and overlays are used very nicely to protray the relationships among celestial bodies, and consistent references to the bigger picture of life and the wonder of the universe convey the author’s sense of awe is appropriate to the subject matter.

The Judge button used to register answers is original, and cleverly appropriate to the teen learner whose sense of humor tends toward enjoying ironic absolutism. The program could be further refined by providing contextual clues when a student answers incorrectly, rather than the default "Incorrect. Try again."

Quizzes are consistently woven into every exercise, as well as available in the Student Handbook. The online exercises are scored automatically, and the student can access their own scores at any time. Both multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank formats are used appropriately. Students who work through this course can constantly evaluate their own progress, consistent with good principles of user control. And teachers will have a very thorough record of students’ work and mastery of the subject area at the end of the course, consistent with the teacher’s responsibility to monitor independent study courses.