Microcomputer software can provide excellent drill and practice, simulations, and problem-solving. Yet, software developers often have designed elaborate graphics and unique characters in lieu of sound instructional programming. Many instructional programs for learning-disabled students do not provide appropriate reading levels, the opportunity to…

"DaisyQuest" is a software bundle that offers computer-assisted instruction in phonological awareness, targeting children aged three to seven years. The instructional activities, framed in a fairy tale involving a search for a friendly dragon named Daisy, teach children how to recognize words that rhyme; words that have the same…

The College of the Desert (California) has created a multi-station technology training and development facility for faculty. HyperStudio has been adopted as the introductory tool for multimedia/hypermedia authoring for the following reasons: (1) the card/stack metaphor used by HyperStudio is easy for novices to understand and familiar to users of…

This study examined the perceptions of basic education school teachers in Turkey to the educational software evaluation criteria, developed for the acquisition of multimedia instructional software by the Turkish Ministry of National Education, from the viewpoint of actual users. Data were collected through structured interviews, group discussions,…

Reviews three computer software programs that can enhance children's story writing: (1) Sunbuddy Writer; (2) Sierra's School House; and (3) Snoopy's Campfire Stories. Describes the capabilities and features of each program as well as the possibilities for expansion. (AA)

Describes results of a survey of teachers belonging to the Texas Computer Education Association that was conducted to determine whether authoring tools were being used to develop software for computer-assisted instruction (CAI). Teachers' prior computer education and experience are examined, and the selection of authoring tools is addressed. (six…

Recommends an inquiry approach as the most effective use of computers in mathematics. Describes 10 types of computer software and nine applications of computers in mathematics. (YP)

Evaluates 16 commercially available courseware packages covering topics for introductory physics. Discusses the price, sub-topics, program type, interaction, time, calculus required, graphics, and comments of each program. Recommends two packages in measurement and vectors, and one-dimensional motion respectively. (YP)

Describes an empirical study of students in a Swiss secondary school that was conducted to investigate whether courseware and student characteristics have an impact on learning achievement. Factors to be considered in the design and evaluation of courseware are discussed, students' computer attitudes are considered, and recommendations for further…

Describes a system, provisionally named Pronto, that uses automatic speech recognition for training pronunciation of second languages in adult learners. Methods are included for developing training in Pronto, and results are presented from evaluating classes of speech recognizers for use in different aspects of pronunciation training. (Author/VWL)

Israel's Software Evaluation Project sets national standards for hardware and software that is used in schools. All courseware must be approved for technical requirements and pedagogical content. After approval, the courseware is certified for use within Israel's school system for 2 years. Three times each year, schools, inspectorates, and…

The usability of classroom interventions plays a significant role in the likelihood that they will reach wide scale use. The current report describes the usability testing of a software application designed for ClassWide Peer Tutoring (CWPT), a research-based classroom intervention. Initially, CWPT teachers rated the usability of the software and…

This paper presents an exploratory study about the development of a structural and measurement model for the technological acceptance (TAM) of a web-based educational tool. The aim consists of measuring not only the use of this tool, but also the external variables with a significant influence in its use for planning future improvements. The tool,…

Standard spreadsheet functions cannot compute bond yields if both the settlement and maturity dates fall on other than an interest payment date. Using reciprocal cell references, the RATE function is enhanced to overcome this limitation. An appendix extends the enhancement procedure to the IRR function. The procedure demonstrated has applications…

Computer aided instruction (CAI) encompasses a broad range of computer technologies that supplement the classroom learning environment and can dramatically increase a student's access to information. Criticism of CAI generally focuses on two issues: it lacks an adequate foundation in educational theory and the software is difficult to implement…