Reports on the various ways microcomputer hardware and courseware are being integrated into the nation's schools, in a race to avoid being locked into technological mediocrity. Effectiveness of computer assisted instruction, courseware development, and the time students use computers in elementary and secondary schools are among the areas…

Graphing is a common and powerful symbol system for representing concrete data. Yet research has shown that students often have graphical misconceptions about how graphs are related to the concrete event. Currently, the Technical Education Research Center (TERC) is developing microcomputer-based laboratories (MBL) science units that use probes to…

Provides a list of statements which focus on: (1) computers in education; (2) the current situation with computers in schools; (3) courseware production; and (4) computers and the future of education. One of the points noted is that training is a major problem since few districts are approaching it adequately. (JN)

The aim of the ITMA Project is to establish research and development activities in parallel with the in-service and information services within the regional and national framework of the Microelectronics Education Programme. The major focus of the project is on the potential roles of the microcomputer in educational settings. (Author/JN)

Outlines and discusses skills science teachers need to use computing in their teaching effectively. Also discusses how pre- and in-service science teachers can acquire such skills, considering the development of pre-/in-service materials, delivery of training, and which research, development, and evaluation efforts should guide decisions about…

Recent technological advances and new software packages put unprecedented power for experimenting and theory-building in the hands of students at all levels. Microcomputer-based laboratory (MBL) and model-solving tools illustrate the educational potential of the technology. These tools include modeling software and three MBL packages (which are…

Microsoft Excel is a sophisticated and flexible reporting, planning, and presentation tool that teachers can use effectively for curriculum prep, class projects, budget planning and reporting, and even as a database. This book, a how-to guide for teachers at all grade levels, provides information on the fundamentals of creating powerful…

A detailed perspective on the current status of interactive videodiscs is provided, along with brief examples of their present uses in education. Considerations in program development and evaluation are also discussed. A substantial list of references accompanies the article. (Author/PP)

The Association of Educational Data Systems (AEDS) conference included 102 presentations. Abstracts of seven of these presentations are provided. Topic areas considered include LOGO, teaching probability through a computer game, writing effective computer assisted instructional materials, computer literacy, research on instructional…

Discusses factors related to the design of computer courseware/software, focusing on pupil/student notes, teacher's guides, and the computer program itself. Also discusses computer training courses for teachers at familiarization, specialist curriculum, teacher-author, and teacher-disseminator levels. Suggests local support for teachers when…

This booklet providing information on school library and media programs in 28 South Carolina schools focuses on programs, facilities, materials, flexible scheduling, use of computers, and production. Schools included were suggested by library/media consultants from the South Carolina State Department of Education. Programs are listed for…

A growing number of computer software companies currently offer reading software that provides teachers with author/editing procedures, allowing them to enter their own text (specialized words, sentences, concepts, and so forth) and match the software content to their objectives for reading instruction. Programs of modification contain "frames" in…

Briefly reviews the development of microcomputers and their impact on education. Future applications in the classroom are discussed as well as techniques to evaluate the effect of using microcomputer systems. (BK)

Discusses ways of providing training for educators in the operation and instructional applications of microcomputers on a large scale basis, and draws on the experiences of the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium (MECC) for examples of successful networking activities. (Author/MER)

This paper discusses skills science teachers need to effectively use computing in their teaching and describes how pre- and in-service science teachers can acquire computing skills. These skills can be grouped under three headings: (1) computer as a tutor for students (such as using drill and tutorial programs to bolster achievement); (2) computer…