Research students in social science disciplines frequently struggle to master statistical analysis. A contributing factor may be the statistical software that is used, as the design of such software may not address the needs of non-statisticians or non-computer programming students. Hence, decisions about which statistical software tools are most…

This study compared five common multilevel software packages via Monte Carlo simulation: HLM 7, M"plus" 7.4, R (lme4 V1.1-12), Stata 14.1, and SAS 9.4 to determine how the programs differ in estimation accuracy and speed, as well as convergence, when modeling multiple randomly varying slopes of different magnitudes. Simulated data…

The primary goal of this research was to extend our understanding of the strengths and weaknesses inherent in online and offline early literacy software programs designed for young learners. A taxonomy of reading skills was used to contrast online software with offline closed system (compact disc) based programs with respect to number of skills…

The release of the latest LEGO Mindstorms EV3 robotics platform in September 2013 has provided a dilemma for many youth robotics leaders. There is a need to understand the differences in the Mindstorms NXT and EV3 in order to make future robotics purchases. In this article the differences are identified regarding software, hardware, sensors, the…

Discussion of school hardware and software selection focuses on a study that identified the most useful pieces of hardware and accompanying software applications as rated by teachers whose sixth- through eighth-grade classes spent a semester working in a special technology-rich environment at Kent State University. Compares ratings by teachers and…

The current study developed a taxonomy of reading skills and compared this taxonomy with skills being trained in 30 commercially available software programs designed to teach emergent literacy or literacy-specific skills for children in preschool, kindergarten, and Grade 1. Outcomes suggest that, although some skills are being trained in a…

Discusses the pros and cons of selecting Apple Macintosh computers versus a personal computer that runs the Windows platform. Graphical user interfaces, current and future support, and aesthetics are considered, as well as personal preferences. (LRW)

Describes a prototype computer interaction with primary school students in Hong Kong that uses Image Map Technology in English and Chinese. Discusses possible enhancements by comparisons with games on other Web sites and considers management issues including hardware, software, user training, and funding. (Author/LRW)

Reviews and compares the following nine laptop computers, focusing on their capabilities for multimedia presentations: Apple Macintosh PowerBook G3, Chem USA ChemBook 9780, Compaq Armada 7792DMT, Dell Inspiron 3000 mZ66xT, Hewlett-Packard OmniBook 3000CTX, IBM ThinkPad 770, Micro Express NP8233MMX, NEC Versa 6260, and Panasonic CF-63. Evaluation…

In recent years, a considerable number of teachers in Spain have been using DERIVE to teach math subjects in High Schools and Universities. This software has been used by the authors of this work as a support tool in Mathematics courses for Engineering. Since Texas Instruments does not support DERIVE, we were faced with finding an alternative…

This case study examined the educational software evaluation processes of pre-service teachers who attended either expertise-based training (XBT) or traditional training in conjunction with a Software-Evaluation checklist. Forty-three mathematics teacher candidates and three experts participated in the study. All participants evaluated educational…

Describes and compares four computerized reading incentive programs that quiz students on their reading comprehension of self-selected books and award points for their efforts. Topics include price, hardware requirements, reading level, training, and recommendations. (LRW)

Describes the use of Compact Disc-Interactive (CD-I) and Commodore Dynamic Total Vision (CDTV) technology in school library media center reference services. CD-I and CDTV are compared to CD-ROM regarding hardware, editing, and software; and to videodisks regarding hardware, analog/digital, standardization, audio/video, and cost. (Contains 12…

Two years after the first low-cost radio-frequency audience response system using clickers was introduced for college classrooms, at least six different systems are on the market. Their features and user-friendliness are evolving rapidly, driven by competition and improving technology. The proliferation of different systems is putting pressure on…

Provides guidelines for schools choosing a media retrieval system. Topics include broadband, baseband, coaxial cable, or fiber optic decisions; the control network; selecting scheduling software; presentation software; device control; control from the classroom; and a comparison of systems offered by five companies. (LRW)