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| Value for Money | 10/10 |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | 9/10 |
Full review by
Billabong
on 15th Jan 2005
User Rating : 9
Respect :
0
Good Points: - Unique spaced learning system that guarantees you will remember any foreign word after only a few repetitions - Multimedia-enabled editor - Facilities that enhance multilingual edition
Bad Points: - Requires going through a tutorial to come to terms with it - Interface outdated (Windows 98 style)
General comments: I have to say that the Paul Raedle VTrain (Vocabulary Trainer) 4.5 is a winner. There are many flashcard-based tools on the Internet, and most of them are a waste of time to try. So this one was a surprise.
VTrain, which the authors claim is being used in 24 universities, automatizes the well-known spaced learning principle by sort of a calendar function. This function ("Smart Scheduling Function") draws up a timetable of repetitions and reminds you when a flashcard (i.e. a foreign word) is again due for revision.
This way, it is ensured that (a) no overlearning will take place, since the number of repetitions follow a fixed schedule, and (b) the words are actually getting into your long-term memory.
The good thing is - the VTrain's scheme actually works. After three months using it I have increased my French vocabulary by two thousand items.
VTrain also includes a nice editor equipped with standard capabilities (sort, search, print) and convenient tools for bilingual input (character map, automatical keyboard switch). In addition, for people who share a computer and for teachers working over a LAN, the program's approach to file synchronisation proves very beneficial.
Summarizing, this is the most flexible and powerful option I know. And I know a few.
Billabong's review and ratings | 247 words
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