The Partners in Learning Take Home Computer Program, which began in New Mexico in 1989 to extend the learning environment into the home, distributes 200 computers to families. Results of the program include a 90% rise in parent to school contact; parental involvement in schoolwork; and increases in reading and math scores. (JMV)

Describes three studies conducted at Pennsylvania State University to determine the effects on achievement and student satisfaction of various ratios of questions or highlights to text in computer assisted instruction (CAI) modules; question or highlight placement; and having questions or highlights on same or following page of target text. (MBR)

Discussion of ways to effectively use computers in classrooms focuses on a national survey, the CompEd survey of the IEA (International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement), that examined computer use in grades 3-12. Highlights include teacher attitudes, teacher roles, and the need for improved software and more powerful…

Describes a computer program called COMSoft that was developed to make it easier for elementary school teachers to communicate with parents by generating personalized letters that correlate with the reading program. The effects of parental attitudes and involvement on student achievement in reading is discussed, and suggestions for further…

This third in a series of articles on the use of technology with at-risk students focuses on using technology for increased parental interaction. Highlights include the effects of parental involvement on student achievement and self-esteem; and the use of telephones, videos, software, classroom computers, and integrated learning systems. (Contains…

Discusses how to examine and evaluate claims of improved academic performance in advertisements for computer-assisted instruction. Highlights include the proper use of comparison groups; types of statistical analyses; the Hawthorne effect; the interpretation of scores; interpreting graphic presentations; tests of significance; and cost…

Discussion of elementary school mathematics instruction focuses on computer graphing programs to teach subtraction that use pictorial representations as well as graphs. Classroom graphing activities for first graders are described, and evaluations of student progress based on pre- and posttests are discussed. (two references) (LRW)

Discussion of how to integrate computers into the classroom focuses on seven principles of instruction: (1) mastery learning; (2) overlearning and automaticity; (3) cooperative learning; (4) monitoring student progress; (5) immediate feedback; (6) learning styles; and (7) classroom management. Guidelines for using computers to support the…

Describes the development of a telecommunications network that links Florida schools with the United Kingdom's educational network, Campus 2000. Criteria for curriculum design are explained; evaluation strategies are discussed, including student achievement measures and attitude measures; plans for the future are examined; and an example of a…

Describes summer school sessions developed by Houston schools to improve performance of academically at-risk eighth graders on the Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS). Highlights include content area lessons in language arts and mathematics; study and test-taking skills; multimedia instructional materials; and student and…

Describes a study that provided innercity fourth grade African-American students in Texas with hardware to participate in a telecommunications network to determine whether participation would increase their scores on statewide fifth grade math tests. Time online, content of programs, connections between math and language arts, and student…