The paper examines how computational thinking can be taught to young children with the use of educational robotics using the kit LEGO WeDo. Computational thinking was measured in terms of four sub-skills, namely, sequencing, correspondence between actions and instructions, debugging, and flow of control. Students were assigned to an experimental…

With technology advances, computer software becomes increasingly difficult to learn. Adults often rely on software training to keep abreast of these changes. Instructor-led software training is frequently used to teach adults new software skills; however there is limited research regarding the best practices in adult computer software training.…

An analysis of computer literacy curricula around the middle of the 1980s shows a remarkable overall shift away from teaching computing to teaching applications, information handling, and problem-solving. Computer use is no longer viewed as a goal in itself, but is introduced as a powerful means of fulfilling information needs and of facilitating…

The paper describes the informatics curriculum (the study of computer hardware and software as a tool in problem solving) in a special school for gifted children in South Africa. The program's aims (including development of a structured approach to general problem solving and stimulation of pupil interest in technology) are listed and discussed. A…

This manual on developing teamwork at the computer provides cooperative learning activities for grades K-10 which promote the development of academic, computer, and social skills. The manual is divided into three sections: (1) "Getting To Know Each Other"; (2) "Group Cohesion"; and (3) "Group Problem Solving." The first group includes 10…

Results from the 1979 Minnesota Computer Literacy Assessment show that eighth- and eleventh-grade females perform better than males in some specific areas of programing, i.e., those that involve problem analysis and algorithmic application where the problems are expressed verbally rather than mathematically. (Author/LRW)

This document summarizes research which investigated coping strategies used by computer users who experienced varying degrees of computer-stress. A questionnaire, distributed to enrollees in a college course in which computer use was required, elicited information about computer abilities, anxiety, and self-esteem. Participants (n=83) were also…

The Mathematics Teacher Development Program was an effort to develop the skills of classroom teachers in the use of handheld calculators and microcomputer systems. It was sponsored by the National Science Foundation and Loyola University, and it consisted of an academic portion and an intense 3-week, full-time summer session. The focus of this…

Novices in programming face many problems affecting their learning process and programming success. Learning to program includes using the programming environment, learning a programming language's syntax and semantics, understanding a problem and translating it into an executable plan, developing algorithms and programs, and testing and debugging…

Implementing computers and other elements of high tech into the classroom involves sound visionary planning, a comprehensive, diverse group of educators, and on-going staff development. The computer should be used as a problem-solving tool in a variety of settings and applications, the ramifications of which demand that educators in all subject…

The staff development model at George Washington Junior High School (Ridgewood, New Jersey) recognizes teachers' personal needs and administrators' institutional needs, and deals with those needs via the staff development process at the building level. Prior to planning inservice programs, needs assessment was conducted by the principal and seven…

Dangers are inherent in predicting the future. In discussing the future of computers, specifically, it is useful to consider the brief history of computers from the development of ENIAC to microcomputers. Advances in computer technology can be seen by looking at changes in individual components, including internal and external memory, the…

This study measured the level of implementation of computers and other technologies within teacher education method courses and noted how much computers were being utilized for developing problem solving abilities that could be used in the K-12 classroom curriculum. Surveys of Arkansas teacher educators from colleges affiliated with the National…

Three articles on the use of new technologies in education focus on (1) Digital Video Interactive (DVI) Technology and its value in designing and developing educational materials for children; (2) problem solving with computers by using functions; and (3) new information technology and educational change in Norway. (LRW)

The policies and practices of higher education are influenced by social, economic, and technological changes currently occurring in postindustrial information societies. Competition in the globalized marketplace of mass tertiary education is transforming traditional curricula and their pedagogies. New communications and information technologies…