Sunburst technology for math class

This week we were assigned to look at Award Winning Publisher Software for our area of discipline so I decided to look at what the Sunburst software had to offer as far as math programs for educators. I was impressed by the multitude of programs that it found for teaching math classes. There were programs ones on number, sense concepts, and operations and others on algebra and trigonometry. I took a closer look at one of the algebra ones to get a better sense of what these programs were like. Under the algebra heading alone there was 12 different programs categorized by the different grade levels that they were designed for. These programs let students compete against other students or against a computer player and also record the individual students progress so that the teacher alone can see it which is great because that way students feel like they are playing a game instead of learning through a lecture format and the teacher is able to track where each individual students learning level is at in different concepts.
To figure out if this is a good software program to buy you can evaluate it using a Software Evaluations Rubric which includes the ease of use, the documentation and support, the ability levels, the built in assessment tools available, and the technical quality as well as the recommendations of others.
However, a down side to all of this is home much these programs cost. Most of the programs have a wide range for prices with the most inexpensive ones ranging from the up 50s to seventies and with the most expensive ranging from the upper 700s to the upper 800s. Depending on your school budget it makes getting these programs a challenge and it is wise to check out a free online demo or download first so that you are sure that the program you are buying is money well spent.