Provides an example that illustrates the interrelationship of the factors that influence educational software portability. Nielsen's seven-level approach to human-computer interaction is used as the basis for a model for factors that influence portability, and five phases in the life cycle of a software product being adapted are considered. (10…

Provides an overview of the articles in this special issue, which deals with the portability, or transferability, of educational computer software. Motivations for portable software relating to cost, personnel, and time are discussed, and factors affecting portability are described, including technical factors, educational factors, social/cultural…

Describes study of undergraduates that examined relationships between types of feedback and learning styles in computer-based instruction. The three treatment conditions that varied in access to feedback are described, analyses of posttests and retention tests are presented, and the age of learners as a factor in learner control effect is…

Discussion of courseware for use with microcomputers focuses on criteria for selecting the appropriate authoring tool. Criteria are specified from the perspective of: (1) the content specialist or instructor; (2) the instructional designer or analyst; (3) the programer; and (4) the administrator of the instructional software. (42 references) (LRW)

Discusses general social, moral, and ethical issues connected with computers in education; considers ethical issues related to the development of computer-based learning materials; and examines the use of the computer as a medium for ethical and moral education. Highlights include equity of access, games and learning, and cultural bias. (seven…

Describes study that was carried out at the University of Calgary to determine how elementary school children conceive of computer-related tasks and how this information might be used to generate animated icons for educational software. Child-computer interaction is discussed, and differences in responses between three age groups are examined. (10…

Discussion of the portability of educational software focuses on the software design and development process. Topics discussed include levels of portability; the user-computer dialog; software engineering principles; design techniques for student performance records; techniques of courseware programing; and suggestions for further research and…

Discusses the positive transfer of computer-related skills to new computer tasks and reviews transfer-related literature to provide recommendations to facilitate better transfer of students' skills from introductory computer classes to future needs. Topics addressed include course goals, user interfaces, problem solving, and software. (Contains 60…

Describes 12 constraints imposed by culture on educational software portability. Nielsen's seven-level virtual protocol model of human-computer interaction is discussed as a framework for considering the constraints, a hypothetical example of adapting software for Mexico is included, and suggestions for overcoming constraints and making software…

Discusses uses of technology in distance education and describes a study of college graduate students that illustrated the effects of two different instructional delivery technologies on the nature of interaction in online education systems: one used a synchronous video link-up and one used an asynchronous computer-mediated communication system.…