For background, we (my DS6.5) started doing EPGY/giftedandtalented.com math frequently in December as part of our homeschooling work. He's just a bit into 2nd grade level now.
To be brief, he HATED it.
We only did a few minutes of it this morning, before switching back to the familiar, older version. So, keep that brief usage time in mind here.
In the defense of Redbird, I'd say DS doesn't like change. My biggest critique is that it's a robotic voice, which is a negative compared to having an actual recorded person narrating.
It also incorporates things like an addition table. He caught on to that quickly, but didn't like it. I can see its value, but I'm not sure that seeing a lot of ways to do simple addition adds a lot of value for a PG kid. This seems to be a common concern with common core-oriented curriculums and highly gifted kids.
You have to push the speaker icon/button to hear the robotic voice. If you don't, the program is silent. While the "happy" sound for a correct answer in the older EPGY program can get a little annoying, it's better than silence for giving a kid feedback.
The new program adds more visuals, like a background photo image. It looks like its full color videos too. I can see the appeal, but I'm not sure it really helps. The straightforward approach of the older EPGY program seems to have been working.
This is based on extremely limited use, but not so impressed so far.
