To support and promote secondary analyses, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) is making the SITES 2006 international database and accompanying User Guide available to researchers, analysts, and public users. The database comprises national contexts and school- and teacher-level data from 23 education…

Reviews the performance of computer programs for writing poetry and prose, including MARK V. SHANEY, MELL, POETRY GENERATOR, THUNDER THOUGHT, and ORPHEUS. Discusses the writing principles of the programs. Provides additional information on computer magnification techniques. (YP)

This report provides a detailed description and evaluation of the SYSTAT 2.1 microcomputer statistics system for professional statisticians. Information provided includes the producer, versions available and compatibility, and a description of each of the 11 modules that make up the SYSTAT package. Discussion of the usability of the software…

Discusses flaws in the Apple IIe Applesoft random number generator, RND, and reports results of frequency and serial correlation tests of the generator. Suggestions of seeds that yield sequences of numbers which pass fundamental screening tests for randomness are presented. (Author/LRW)

This book is a practical, hands-on guide to using commonly available everyday technology, including Microsoft software, to manage and streamline research projects. It uses straight-forward, everyday language to walk readers through this process, drawing on a wide range of examples to demonstrate how easy it is to use such software. This guide is…

Discussion of the development of professional development software for special education teachers reviews the literature to (1) consolidate the database of literature regarding professional development software; (2) examine the degree to which the described software has been comprehensively evaluated; and (3) provide suggestions for future…

This article examines software development techniques used by special educators through the perspective of the software life cycle. The paper argues that traditional programming techniques are becoming less and less feasible for software development within the typical funding levels and timelines of federal initiatives. More use of commercial…

A computer program (written in Applesoft BASIC) to score the Scientific Attitude Inventory (SAI) has been developed. The program takes approximately seven minutes to process a file containing 150 subjects. A complete listing of the program (which is available from the author on diskette) is included. (JN)

Reviews what information and software sciences have thus far accomplished in search for empirical regularities and laws and examines what theories have been developed to explain and account for regularities and laws. Specific laws and theories of information highlighted are those of Zipf, Bradford, Lotka, Mandelbrot, and Simon. (Forty references)…

Describes "Synoname," the Getty Museum's computer program that matches varying versions of personal names for research purposes. Reports that the program uses an ordered algorithm sequence for pattern matching that includes both character- and word-matching techniques. Concludes that the technique can approach near-total accuracy at the…

Over the last decade, the needs of educational organizations have been changing in accordance with increasingly complex pedagogical models and with the technological evolution of e-learning environments with very dynamic teaching and learning requirements. This book explores state-of-the-art software architectures and platforms used to support…

Reviews three computer software packages for chemistry education including "Osmosis and Diffusion" and "E.M.E. Titration Lab" for Apple II and "Simplex-V: An Interactive Computer Program for Experimental Optimization" for IBM PC. Summary ratings include ease of use, content, pedagogic value, student reaction, and…

This response to Woodward and Noell (EC 607 857) notes the heavy investment of time required to develop educational software and specifically addresses concerns about computer-assisted instruction which does not incorporate computer-managed instruction; the supposedly "unique" needs of students with disabilities; and current technological…

Describes a microcomputer-based string index format generated from concept networks using multiple search terms. Link weighting is highlighted as a method to decide which term appears first so the entry reflects the classification implied by the search specification. The computer software used for this system is briefly described. (Author/LRW)

Discusses what can be learned from and what should be expected from artificial intelligence research. Focuses on: (1) expert systems; (2) natural language processing; and (3) image processing. (JN)