Intended for administrators and policy makers as well as teachers, this digest identifies for prospective purchasers various sources that offer reviews of educational computer software for English and the language arts. Following an introduction, the first section of the digest discusses content-specific as well as general educational computing…

Intended for administrators and policy makers as well as teachers, this digest offers selection strategies for consumers of English/language arts computer software. Following the introduction, the digest discusses initial considerations when evaluating software, including examining both the accompanying documentation and the actual program. It…

Integrating computer-based learning tools into the curriculum has been slow, and the results of actual usage have been inconclusive; however, the potential for effective instruction should increase use by teachers and students. This ERIC Digest discusses three topics: (1) computer use in the classroom; (2) what is known about the effects of…

For many years, foreign language teachers have used the computer to provide supplemental exercises in the instruction of foreign languages. In recent years, advances in computer technology have motivated teachers to reassess the computer and consider it a valuable part of daily foreign language learning. Innovative software programs, authoring…

More than 10,000 instructional software packages have been published for elementary and secondary schools--thousands in each discipline. Unfortunately, not all sources of courseware evaluations are equally reliable; therefore, it is important to determine that evaluations include: (1) critical appraisal of content accuracy; (2) in-depth…

The process of selecting software for use with exceptional students focuses on two major issues: (1) how computers are to be used in the instructional process, and (2) whether the product selected is consistent with curricular goals. The content of instruction is shaped by its purpose: drill and practice; teaching new skills, concepts, and…

The current status and apparent trends of local area networks (LANs) in school districts are explored in this short report. Results of a 1987-88 Quality Education Data survey are cited, indicating that 64% of 173 of the largest school districts in the country were already networking and 36% intended to be networking by 1990. The advantages of…

An overview is presented of the ways in which various types of computer software and instructional strategies can be used effectively with English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) adult literacy learners. Computer use in language and literacy development in general is first reviewed. It is then noted that in spite of the progress made in hardware and…

This digest discusses how selected researchers are informing practice in four key areas relating to the participation of students with disabilities in standards-based mathematics curriculum. The first area focuses on enhancing students' understanding of mathematics and emphasizes the need to make math meaningful for students with disabilities. The…

When computers are relegated to a single room in a school where children use them only occasionally, their potential impact on children's learning is minimized. When computers are integrated into the curriculum and are applied to real problems, however, children gain the ability to use computers as natural tools for learning. For example, when a…

While the overall effect of the impact of technology on health, physical education, recreation, and dance education (HPERD) in the areas of research, classroom, teaching, and distance education is not yet fully assessable, the presence of technology in so many different aspects of the profession makes it important to more clearly recognize and…