A survey of department heads and faculty members provides information to update a 1977 report on the current state of instructional computers in institutions of higher education. (MK)

The reasons for the relatively small amount of computer usage in schools is reviewed. The author outlines several problems and predicts a long uphill struggle before they become well established in the classroom. (MP)

The university librarian at Columbia University discusses the need for a national cooperative strategy for research libraries in the network environment. The advent of widespread computer technology and the impact on research libraries is described. (MP)

"Telementoring" programs, formal and informal online exchanges between students and working professionals, have flourished using e-mail. This article discusses telementoring and issues to consider (finding mentors, familiarity, frequency of exchange, preparation and facilitation, and closure) before creating a program and the…

Most electrical engineering and computer science undergraduate programs include at least one course on microcontrollers and assembly language programming. Some departments offer legacy courses in C programming, but few include C programming from an embedded systems perspective, where it is still regularly used. Distributed computing and parallel…

Modern information technology and computer science curricula employ a variety of graphical tools and development environments to facilitate student learning of introductory programming concepts and techniques. While the provision of interactive features and the use of visualization can enhance students' understanding and assist them in grasping…

This paper presents findings from the SiMERR National Survey concerning the need priorities of secondary ICT teachers for professional development, resources and student learning experiences. The findings--drawn from a survey of 237 secondary ICT teachers across Australia--provide an opportunity to compare the needs of teachers working in…

Secondary vocational-technical education programs in Mississippi are faced with many challenges resulting from sweeping educational reforms at the national and state levels. Schools and teachers are increasingly being held accountable for providing true learning activities to every student in the classroom. This accountability is measured through…

This paper describes a National Science Foundation-sponsored project at Louisiana Technological University to develop computer-based laboratories for "hands-on" introductions to major topics of computer science. The underlying strategy is to develop structured laboratory environments that present abstract concepts through the use of…

As an illustration of an attempt at dealing with the problem of time-sharing small computers for laboratory control resulting from conflicts between real-time responsiveness needs and the matter of priorities and administration of the system as a whole, a description is provided of a time-shared system that is used to control and service multiple…

Some basic concerns about the proliferation of computers in schools are stated: (1) Educational goals for children should be established as a first priority, then what computers can do to help achieve those goals should be examined; (2) Very few pieces of software are useful in schools, and teacher education programs should explore what is needed…

Selection and specification of a minicomputer time-sharing system to extend computer facilities for large scale computer-based instruction projects at the University of Texas at Austin are described. Two and a half years of implementation and operating experience are summarized followed by seven specific course applications of the minicomputer.…

This report is a preliminary description of a prototype of a second generation version of the PLATO IV (Programmed Logic for Automated Teaching Operations) student terminal. Development of a new terminal has been pursued with two objectives: to generate a more economic version of the PLATO IV terminal, and to expand capacities and performance of…

Recommendations include: (1) the development of a computer-literacy course at the junior-high level to inform students about the nature of computers and their impact on daily life; (2) the development of an independent follow-up course designed to develop proficiency in the use of computers; (3) the development of short modules emphasizing the…

Indicates that the computer will become, over the next fifteen years, a revolutionary force in learning, completely transforming current processes and ways of operating. Discusses the current situation, the possibilities of developing technology, and several models of the future of education involving computers. (HM)