The phrase "student computer dialogs" refers to interactive sessions between the student and the computer. Rather than using programing languages specifically designed for computer assisted instruction (CAI), existing general purpose languages should be emphasized in the future development of student computer dialogs, as the power and…

BALLOTS (Bibliographic Automation of Large Library Operations using a Time-sharing System) is an on-line interactive library automation system that supports the acquisition and cataloging functions of the Stanford University Libraries' technical processing operations. The BALLOTS system is being implemented in a series of 11 modules. This paper…

The design and operation of a time-sharing monitor are described. It runs under OS/360 MVT that supports multiple application program interaction with operators of CRT (cathode ray tube) display stations and of a teletype. Key design features discussed include: 1) an interface allowing application programs to be coded in either PL/I or assembler…

Three outstanding features of the Rapidly Extensible Language (REL) System are discussed. REL itself is an integrated software system designed to facilitate conversational interaction with the computer, especially by those working with dynamic, highly interrelated data. The system's main parts are: 1) the operating system, which manages the…

SPIRES (Stanford Public Information Retrieval System) is a computerized information storage and retrieval system intended for use by students and faculty members who have little knowledge of computers but who need rapid and sophisticated retrieval and analysis. The functions and capabilities of the system from the user's point of view are…

NLS-SCHOLAR is a prototype system that uses artificial intelligence techniques to teach computer-naive people how to use a powerful and complex text editor. It represents a new type of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) system that integrates systematic teaching with actual practice; i.e., one which can keep the user under tutorial supervision…

A description is provided of the Experimental Time-Sharing System (ETSS), a multi-language, general-purpose time-sharing system designed to support a wide range of computing applications. Included among these are the control of an on-line behavioral research laboratory. Major topics discussed in the report are: 1) the system's hardward…

An attempt is made to provide a comprehensive guide to design of the dialogues between man and computer that take place at computer terminals. Particular topics include problems with conventional alphanumeric dialogues, dialogues with sound and graphics, pyschological characteristics of computer terminal users, problems of designing dialogues for…

IN GENERAL, PROBLEM SOLUTIONS CAN BE FOUND ALONG A CONTINUUM OF ABSTRACTION FROM THE SPECIFIC TO THE GENERAL. THERE IS, AT ANY GIVEN POINT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOLUTION, A MOST EFFICIENT OR OPTIMUM STRATEGY. IN INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION IS USUALLY OBTAINED, AT A MORE SPECIFIC RATHER THAN AT A MORE ABSTRACT LEVEL. THE…

Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) during the decade of the 60's was characterized by a number of limiting factors: insufficiently powerful computers and terminals, restriction to a few rigid "teaching strategies," and the splitting of resources among too many projects below critical size. During the present decade, CAI has undergone a…

Engineering is coming to rely more and more heavily upon the computer for computations, analyses, and graphic displays which aid the design process. A general purpose simulation system, the Time-shared Automatic Control Laboratory (TACL), and a set of computer-aided design programs, Control Oriented Interactive Graphic Analysis and Design…

The computer is currently a vital tool in engineering analysis and design. With the introduction of moderately priced graphics terminals, it will become even more important in the future as rapid graphic interaction between the engineer and the computer becomes more feasible in computer-aided design (CAD). To provide a vehicle for introducing…

A conference attended by 40 "students" and 20 "teachers" was held to explore the state of the art in computer-assisted instruction (CAI). The school was held in a remote Italian resort, but direct connections with computers in Italy and the United States were made to provide opportunities for demonstrations of existing systems.…

The potential use of computers to enhance individualized instruction in schools is too often neglected in both preservice and inservice teacher education. This report describes some materials developed and used to introduce teachers to computer applications in support of classroom teaching. The materials include some interactive computer-based…