Discusses and provides addresses of major computer software catalogs for classroom computers. IBM's "Software for Education" is detailed and informative. Other catalogs are from K-12 MicroMedia and Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium (MECC). Suggestions on purchase of hardware are briefly reviewed. (CJH)

In response to complaints about a suburban Washington school district's handling of job applicant data, Fairfax County (Virginia) designed and programed a computerized applicant-tracking system that can accommodate 14,000 active applicants. This system has boosted the district's recruitment analysis and report generation capability, thereby…

Describes several new Internet features for classroom use, including two documents answering frequently asked user and technical guidance questions, a Voice of America international news service, America Online's trial inclusion of Gopher and Wide Area Information Server (WAIS) databases, a help file for Windows users, and a USENET e-mail news…

Because unskilled teachers are unlikely to promote effective educational use of computers, the Catasauqua (Pennsylvania) Area School District compensates its teachers for computer training and provides them with computers for home use. The nonsalary cost of this successful program, modeled after Kirkland, Washington's experience, is less than…

When purchasing a computer system that will handle both administrative and instructional needs, school executives need to know the ability of the hardware and software to do the job, and the level of vendor support available after the computer has been installed. Lists 14 questions to assess the vendor's commitment and continuing support. (MLF)

The Canandaigua City (New York) School District successfully incorporated educational technology into a capital project, thanks to efficient planning. Planners should build a team, shape a vision, work backwards toward specifics, keep the plan flexible, put off hardware decisions, choose the best software, invest in training and support, and…

In a few select high schools in the U.S., supercomputers are allowing talented students to attempt sophisticated research projects using simultaneous simulations of nature, culture, and technology not achievable by ordinary microcomputers. Schools can get their students online by entering contests and seeking grants and partnerships with…

Describes a partnership linking an Indiana high school's computerized library catalog to the library resources of Ball State University. Advanced placement English seniors received training in university research methods from reference librarians and later trained other classmates. The catalog is also being used as a professional resource for…

Explains the myths and marvels of computer networks; cites how several schools are utilizing networking; and summarizes where the major computer companies stand today when it comes to networking. (MLF)

Computers are working to fight school crime and have proved useful for school officials and their security officers. Computers can spot growing crime activity through incident reports and operate burglar alarm systems. A system in the Boston (Massachusetts) schools gathers information, and computers in a Huntington Beach (California) district…

Several sources of nutrition information are available on the Internet. Good online sources include the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Consumer Service bulletin board, the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, and the IFIC (International Food Information Council) Foundation On-Line. E-mail addresses…

The trend in school computers is toward "networking"--software controlled by a teacher from a central computer linked to student terminals. Despite rising costs, publishers are trying to meet the market's needs for word processing and database software. Guides published by software evaluation groups are listed for contact. (CJH)

Describes a rural Vermont K-12 school's experimentation with electronic portfolio assessment. Although electronic portfolios are clearly superior to paper portfolios in evaluating young readers, problems can arise concerning assessment reliability, missing files, student forgetfulness, passwords, and crashed systems. Teachers value this technology…

Up-to-the-minute technology is making United States schools more productive. Technology is presenting new choices in equipment and methods for problem solving and expanding education. Eleven separate articles are included. (SI)