An experiment was conducted to study how children, aged 10-15 years, learn concepts relevant to computer programing and how they learn modern programing languages. The implicit educational goal was to teach thinking strategies through the medium of programing concepts and their applications. The computer languages Simper and Logo were chosen…

Presents various programing activities using the BASIC and LOGO programing languages. Activities are included in separate sections with a title indicating the nature of the activities and the "tools" (commands) needed. For example, "Old-fashioned drawing" requires several tools (PRINT, LIST, RUN, GOTO) to make drawings using…

Presents four activities suitable for upper elementary and middle/junior high school students. These activities focus on: (1) a customized spelling program; (2) designing fashions; (3) a student-generated form letter to parents; and (4) computer debates. (JN)

Presents a collection of teaching activities suitable for middle grade students. They include a program for an Apple sketch pad and a Logo procedure to determine what angles produce polygons. Comments related to inputing variables, replicating patterns and figures, and using electronic spreadsheets are included. (JN)

Presents a collection of computer-oriented teaching activities for the middle grades. They focus on Logo activities to sharpen visualization skills, use of spreadsheets, various uses of Apple microcomputer paddles, and writing a program from program output. All activities may be adapted for lower or higher grade levels. (JN)

Five ideas for computer-oriented classroom activities are presented. They include sending secret messages (while introducing the American Standard Code for Information Interchange- ASCII), conducting a computer survey, playing adventure games, showing why the END command is needed, and using control characters to protect a program. (JN)

Describes five computer-oriented activities suitable for middle grade students. Activities focus on use of spreadsheets to record nutrition data, programs that cause lights to twinkle on a Christmas tree and balloons to burst, an arithmetic problem, and a mathematics exercise using a spreadsheet. (JN)

Describes a computer activity (for Apple II) showing junior high students with some programing experience how to make words/letters in original programed poetry move on the computer screen (and gives practice using simple arrays, FOR..NEXT loops, and DATA statements). Includes the complete activity which can be duplicated for classroom use. (JN)

In Part I of this two-part article, the author describes the evolution of the Computer Tutor project in Palo Alto, California, and the strategies she incorporated into a successful student-taught computer literacy program. Journal availability: Educational Computer, P.O. Box 535, Cupertino, CA 95015. (Editor/SJL)

This interview with the teacher of a computer course for elementary and junior high schools contains discussions of problems and rewards of such a course. The course is offered as an after school activity. (MP)

Presents four teaching activities (suitable for high school students) which focus on: use of LOGO paddles; a database of student interests (to use in career-oriented units/projects); probability related to two or more students having the same birthday; and reading of print statements on the monitor. (JN)

An inservice course was developed to a large extent in a Logo-oriented environment. Evaluation results show that teachers were successful in creating Logo programs and that the course fostered positive views about computers and growth in certain mathematical concepts. However, ongoing support from curriculum coordinators and/or administrators is…

Successful incorporation of computers into the curriculum is credited to desire, flexibility, time, and interested and available staff. The program described features a computer literacy "license" that entitles students to free access to school microcomputers. (MJL)

Teachers and teacher-trainees are provided with comprehensive information about how to use computers in secondary school education. The book covers planning, content and methodology and can be used as a text for methods courses in computer science or as an in-depth supplement to texts in mathematics methods. Part I deals with computer science in…

The organizational scheme of the 1984 Alberta Computer Literacy Curriculum and its appropriateness in relation to stated purposes, philosophy, rationale, and goals are examined in this paper, using the junior high school curriculum for illustration. Several conclusions are drawn: (1) the curriculum is well organized; (2) its basic organizational…