The emergence of technology has led to numerous changes in mathematical and statistical teaching and learning which has improved the quality of instruction and teacher/student interactions. The teaching of statistics, for example, has shifted from mathematical calculations to higher level cognitive abilities such as reasoning, interpretation, and…

Present Educational Modelling Languages are used to formally specify abstract learning scenarios in a machine-interpretable format. Current tooling does not provide teachers/designers with some graphical facilities to help them in reusing existent scenarios. They need human-readable representations. This paper discusses the UML4LD experimental…

The Computer-Based Memorization System (CBMS), which specifies the facts that students are to know and how well the facts are to be known, uses a compiled form of an associative network for its knowledge database. (An associative network is a knowledge representation that uses associations for its basic representation of knowledge.) The CBMS…

This project report details the design of an interactive authoring system for the development of computer assisted instructional (CAI) software. This system is possible because the development of more powerful computing and software systems has facilitated authoring systems which allow the development of courseware in an interactive mode and…

CBESS (Computer-Based Educational Software System) is a set of 22 programs addressing authoring, instructional delivery, and instructional management. The programs are divided into five groups: (1) Computer-Based Memorization System (CBMS), which helps students acquire and maintain declarative (factual) knowledge (11 programs); (2) Language Skills…

Describes the development of ScriptWriter, a computer program designed at the University of Southern California to help create software for computer assisted instruction. Topics discussed include the graphics editor; text editor; font editor; a programming language called IQ; its use with interactive video and speech; and current applications.…

A current project is underway to develop a multimedia system that would support the teaching and learning of Chinese characters, as well as provide a platform for conducting research into the cognitive aspects of Chinese language acquisition. Although the number of commonly used Chinese characters amounts to thousands, there are many structural…

Compares two authoring tools that were developed to enable users without programing experience to create and modify software. HyperCard, designed for Macintosh microcomputers, and ToolBook, for microcomputers that run on MS-DOS, are compared in the areas of programing languages, graphics and printing capabilities, user interface, system…

Discussion of the use of authoring systems for courseware development focuses on guidelines to be considered when designing authoring systems. Topics discussed include allowing a variety of instructional strategies; interaction with peripheral processes such as student records; the editing process; and human factors in computer interface design,…

Describes a project that addressed the problem of courseware reusability by developing a database structure suitable for organizing multimedia learning material in a given content domain. A prototype system that allows browsing a DBLM (Data Base of Learning Material) on earth science is described, and future plans are discussed. (five references)…

Describes computer systems that combine drill and practice instruction with computer-managed instruction (CMI) and identifies system characteristics in four categories: (1) hardware, (2) software, (3) management systems, and (4) methods of daily operation. Topics discussed include microcomputer networks, graphics, feedback, degree of learner…

Computer enhanced teaching of computational mathematics on a network system driving graphics terminals is being redeveloped for a mouse-driven, high resolution, windowed environment of a UNIX work station. Preservation of the features of networked access by heterogeneous terminals is provided by the use of the X Window environment. A dmonstrator…

Discusses the use of hypertext for publishing and other document control activities in higher education. Topics discussed include a model of hypertext, called GUIDE, that is used at the University of Arizona Medical School; the increase in the number of scholarly publications; courseware development by faculty; and artificial intelligence. (LRW)

This article focuses on the effectiveness of computer-based instruction (CBI) screen designs, including their benefits and limitations, as well as human constraints in designing effective CBI. The paper begins with an overview of what comprises an effective CBI screen design, including characteristics of human factors, how information must be…

Quality education is often impeded by lack of instructor time and by a failure to provide instruction that is individualized and at the point of need. Integration technology into course development can alleviate these problems, but only if the technology is easy to learn and supports a systems approach. In implementing a Web-based Technical…