As display technologies prepare to welcome 3-D, the 21st-century classroom will soon bear little resemblance to anything students and teachers have ever seen. In this article, the author presents the latest innovations in the world of digital display technology. These include: (1) Touchlight, an interactive touch screen program that takes a normal…

Describes subroutines in a group of assembly-level programs (program listings included) which provide the interface between a Basic, Pascal/Z, or JRT Pascal program and the BASE2/IDS-560 graphics printer. The interface can be easily modified for other printers and other languages. (JN)

Describes features of five new software programs--Songwriter, Musical Ideas, Musicalc I, Musical Construction Set, Musicland, and Music Designer II--which facilitate musical composition and musical creativity in a variety of ways. Shortcomings are briefly discussed, and sources for further information are given. (MBR)

Outlines basic choices available in on-screen windowing systems which create separate areas or boxes on microcomputer display screens to simplify control of traditional computer applications. Systems described include Visicorp's Visi On, Microsoft Windows, Digital Research's Concurrent DOS, Quarterdeck's DesQ, Structured Systems' Window Master,…

Discusses the coming generation of supercomputers that will have the power to make elaborate "artificial realities" that facilitate user-computer communication. Illustrates these technological advancements with examples of the use of head-mounted monitors which are connected to position and orientation sensors, and gloves that track finger and…

A guide to computer peripherals--additional hardware that can expand the educational uses of computers--is given. Tips are furnished on selection and possible use of computer printers; modulator/demodulators (modems); graphics tablets; plotters, speech synthesizers, and robots. (PP)

Educational robots are defined, their essential characteristics and features are outlined, and their educational applications and what makes them run are discussed. Classroom experiences with five educational robots--Topo, Rhino XR-2, RB5X, Hero I and Tasman Turtle--are described. (MBR)

This collection of 116 papers begins with 5 presentations on the general theme of computer literacy and intelligent computer assisted instruction, and covers a wide variety of topics related to training and education at all grade levels. The remaining papers are divided according to special interest group categories: (1) computer-based training;…

The CHARGE computer terminal can provide graphics display for many applications in color, gray-level, 3-D, perspectives, and rapid updating. Perspective views can be generated from a three-dimensional coordinate system which changes to match actual physical descriptions. Image encoding and hardware design are described from a theoretical and…

Discusses use of computer graphics to enhance instruction presented via audio-teleconferencing in University of Calgary distance education courses. System design is reviewed; instructional roles of the graphics utilized are discussed; and development of two inservice teacher education courses used to assess the system's effectiveness is described.…

This report of the Conference on Electronic Text for Higher Education presents summaries of the principal presentations and discussions at each of eight sessions. Those sessions, with their presenters, include: (1) "Perspective: Electronic Text in Higher Education" (John Witherspoon, Mara Mayor); (2) "Theme and Variations: What Is…

The PLATO IV computer-based educational system contains its own communications hardware and software for operating plasma-panel graphics terminals. Key echoing is performed by the central processing unit: every key pressed at a terminal passes through the entire system before anything appears on the terminal's screen. Each terminal is guaranteed…

Discusses image scanning and optical character recognition. Describes how computer scanners work. Summarizes scan quality, scanning speed requirements, and hardware requirements for scanners. Surveys the range of scanners currently available. (MVL)

Discussed are seven computer programs: (1) a computer graphics experiment for organic chemistry laboratory; (2) a gel filtration simulation; (3) judging spelling correctness; (4) interfacing the TLC548 ADC; (5) a digitizing circuit for the Apple II game port; (6) a chemical information base; and (7) an IBM PC article database. (MVL)