Composition teachers have generally embraced collaborative learning in the years since Kenneth Bruffee published his first article promoting its advantages in "College English" in 1972. But assigning collaboratively written papers in an introductory college writing course is still rare. This study assesses the benefits and drawbacks of assigning a…

Although the teaching of photosynthesis occurs yearly in elementary classrooms, one thing that makes it challenging is the inclusion of English language learners (ELLs). This article presents several activities for teaching and assessing of photosynthesis in a third grade classroom. The activities incorporate the photosynthesis content, teaching…

Harnessing student energy for the positive use of technology in the classroom requires significant change for many educators. Students today exhibit a one-click mentality when using computers in the classroom, and are frustrated when they are not provided with instant gratification. Gone are the reading and higher level thinking skills of the pen…

Guidelines are offered to help special education teachers select appropriate software and integrate computer-assisted instruction (CAI) into existing curricula. (JW)

In the field of computer aided language learning (CALL), there is a need for emphasizing the importance of the user. "User-Centered Computer Aided Language Learning" presents methodologies, strategies, and design approaches for building interfaces for a user-centered CALL environment, creating a deeper understanding of the opportunities and…

This volume gives language teachers, software designers, and researchers who wish to use technology in second or foreign language education the information they need to absorb what has been achieved so far and to make sense of it. It is designed to enable the kind of critical reading of a substantial literature that leads to a balanced and…

We describe an innovative bioinformatics course developed under grants from the National Science Foundation and the California State University Program in Research and Education in Biotechnology for undergraduate biology students. The project has been part of a continuing effort to offer students classroom experiences focused on principles and…

Intended for administrators and policy makers as well as teachers, this digest offers selection strategies for consumers of English/language arts computer software. Following the introduction, the digest discusses initial considerations when evaluating software, including examining both the accompanying documentation and the actual program. It…

Describes a methodology for student involvement in courseware evaluation and for utilizing student reactions in purchasing and implementation decisions. The evaluation forms used in a survey of 2,308 Indiana students are presented, and the results of that survey are discussed. (18 references) (CLB)

Computer Assisted Practical Evaluation (CAPE) is a FORTRAN computer program which students use to verify answers obtained from experimental data. Generally, whenever an incorrect answer is supplied, students are asked to redo calculations and submit a revised value. Advantages and use of the program with chemistry classes are described. (JN)

Designed to assist teachers in identifying quality software, this guide provides software evaluation forms and associated evaluation criteria to aid in completing the forms. The two-part instrument is used in the evaluation process conducted by Alberta Education, which involves the Program Development Division and the Computer Technology Project's…

A successful program of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in composition will require collaboration between writing teachers and computer experts. Although programs can be carefully evaluated prior to their purchase, the effectiveness of a composition CAI program can be judged only after conducting empirical research with specific student…

Reviews some of the problems involved in the evaluation of educational software, and describes a classroom-based case study approach to software evaluation intended for application by autonomous self-programming groups of teachers. (20 references) (Author/CLB)

This column is a collaborative effort by library media specialists and K-16 educators who write about the motivational strategies that have worked for them in teaching information literacy (IL) skills. Motivational strategies include ways to gain and sustain attention, increase relevance for learning IL skills, build confidence in students'…

This hands-on guide shows readers how to use HyperCard software to create instructional programs on the Macintosh computer. The book describes how to choose subject matter, design a program, and determine the method of presentation, including the type of interaction and guiding metaphors that will be used. It explains how to make programs easy for…