Presents a BASIC program that can be useful in explaining physicochemical phenomena underlying the generation of membrane potential in excitable cells. Its simplicity allows students to understand the nature of these processes through a direct, hands-on approach. Also, the simulated voltage and concentration kinetics agree well with those…

This paper shows how questions and answers written on a word processor can be used with a short BASIC program to present computer material which is self-correcting and self-scoring. This procedure provides a way for teachers who have little or no knowledge of computers to prepare instructional programs for students. The process for creating the…

Discussion of the use of computers in math instruction highlights two possibilities suggested in response to an earlier journal column: (1) a program written in BASIC for producing spirolaterals, and (2) the use of LOGO list processing to solve matrix problems for exploring geometric transformations. (LRW)

The four BASIC programs described can be used to control experiments and facilitate classroom demonstrations and laboratory exercises in human memory, operant behavior, and visual discrimination. (RM)

Illustrates different types of opportunities for using computer assisted instruction (CAI) on personal computers in the teaching of economics with four examples of currently available software. Describes the difficulties in providing and supporting CAI, and concludes with an analysis of the difficulties caused by the "public goods character" of…

Learning about the physical environment from computer simulation models is discussed in terms of three stages: exploration, experimentation, and calibration. Discusses the effective use of models and presents two computer simulations written in BBC BASIC, STORFLO (for catchment hydrology) and SLOPEK (for hillslope evolution). (Author/GEA)

Reviews the uses of DEMOS, a set of demographic computer simulations which can be used to improve instruction in introductory sociology courses. Gives examples of both interactive and noninteractive exercises, concluding that DEMOS is easy to use and enjoyable, with approximately 90 percent of students recommending its continued use. (GEA)

Offers examples of loss of accuracy when using digital computing devices. Discusses causes for loss of accuracy and methods of preventing loss. Presents implications that loss of accuracy has for mathematics instruction. (MDH)

Presented is an interactive PASCAL computer program that computes the true mortgage interest rate. The half-interval technique, a method from numerical analysis, is incorporated into the program algorithm to approximate a solution of a continuous function on a closed interval. (JJK)

Fractal geometry is introduced through examples of computational exploration of coastlines, self-similar curves, random walks, and population growth. These explorations, which include the construction of algorithms and the subsequent development and application of simple computer programs, lend themselves to self-directed study and advanced…

Discusses a computer demonstration of the word fragment completion effect which introduces students of cognitive psychology to the implicit memory paradigm. Describes effective use of the program in lecture, demonstration, and class discussion stating that it provides an interesting introduction to discussions of experimental procedures and…

Graphs equations in two variables using a BASIC screen-sweep program that generates solutions to equations by applying the intermediate value theorem. Provides suggestions for investigations that result in graphs of a butterfly, the Cheshire cat, the Trisectrix of Catalna, E. T. waving goodbye, a praying mantis, and others. (MDH)

Students in an introductory statistics course are often preoccupied with learning the computational routines of specific summary statistics and thereby fail to develop an understanding of the meaning of those statistics or their conceptual basis. To help students develop a better understanding of the meaning of three frequently used statistics,…

A questionnaire that college economics students can use to investigate the degree and nature of competition in the retail market for petrol is provided. A simple computer program is included to help in the analysis of the questionnaire. (Author/RM)

Described are ways that specific concepts from abstract algebra can be programed using the software package features of the Ada Programming Language, which is the primary language of the Department of Defense. Included are typical programs with their respective outputs. (JJK)