Re: Database for Software List

[Robert Hopcroft <hopcroft@uswest.net>]

I just read through all the replies and thought I would try to post a
summary. It appears that school systems are broken down in so many
different ways, that although basing things on a school system breakdown
might be ideal, in reality it doesn't appear practical. It appears that our
best approach is to use years of schooling which is basically the same as
grade. Forms often have questions such as years of schooling or highest
grade attended. This is readily equated to age by adding 5 or 6. I guess it
depends on how kindergarten is counted. I would tend to count preschool and
kindergarten as zero, first grade as one, etc. We're really after a rating
system for software which basically minimizes the teachers work by
selecting out what is inappropriate namely highschool for first graders.
This rating system will also work for books. At the top end 13-16 for
university, 17 for 5th year or masters and 18-19 for doctorate, 20 post
doctorate??? I would say use 0-19 if you want 20 categories or 0-20 if you
want it to end at a number like 20. Things get pretty fuzzy at the top
anyway. We may end up with software for teaching teachers, who knows. As
was mentioned one can adjust a query up or down based on where a particular
class fits. For adult education, one would simply pick an appropriate
level. For example, if I wanted to learn a subject that I knew little or
nothing about, I would probably pick the highschool (9-12) level as a
starter. Anyone disagree.

Bob