Discussion of collaborative learning and the roles computers can take in its facilitation and management focuses on SEMSIM, a software system that was developed at the University of Leeds (England) to assist asynchronous collaborative interchanges in a pseudoseminar setting. Two initial trials are outlined, including student-teacher relationships.…

Reports on a study in which a teacher used the collaborative development of a format-free computer database to facilitate the construction of knowledge by a group of students (n=3) during a science project. Results indicate that knowledge construction is enhanced when children collaboratively develop a format-free database. Contains 27 references.…

Describes the Software Teaching of Modular Physics (SToMP), a software package that is structured to be a complete learning and teaching environment. Allows students to explore and learn about physics topics without necessarily having to refer to teachers or to other resources. (DDR)

Reports an analysis of a 10-hour collection of conversations in a New Zealand factory office. Computer software was used to determine the content and vocabulary of the conversations. Discusses possible applications of the study for teachers of pre-employment English for specific purposes courses. (Author/VWL)

A Delphi panel of 120 information technology (IT) employers, software producers, and training providers in Germany, Austria, Finland, and Sweden achieved consensus on the following: most small companies are not prepared to use information technology in training; new training technologies seldom live up to their promise; and barriers include time,…

Discussion of automation in the Oxford College Libraries (England) begins with background on the university library system, which consists of numerous independent libraries. Centralized and decentralized automation activities are described, and hardware and software for the microcomputer-based system at the University College Library are…

Describes a computer program that can model the equilibrium processes in the production of ammonia from hydrogen and nitrogen, sulfur trioxide from sulfur dioxide and oxygen, and the nitrogen dioxide-dinitrogen tetroxide equilibrium. Provides information about downloading the program ChemEquilibrium from the World Wide Web. (JRH)

Presents results of a survey of library and information studies (LIS) departments in the United Kingdom that investigated computer methods currently in use in the teaching of LIS courses. Highlights include the Computers in Teaching Initiative (CTI), where LIS departments fit within academic institutions, and the software used. (16 references)…

Describes a prototype process for the development of educational multimedia materials, based on the ARKive project in the United Kingdom, which can help educational multimedia software developers produce more coherent and effective learning resources by making explicit the value/belief system on which the project is founded. (Author/LRW)

Discusses how language teachers or departments could evaluate computer-assisted language-learning (CALL) software on a pedagogical basis, emphasizing that classroom teachers already possess much of the knowledge needed to do this. The paper illustrates good practice by matching a learning and teaching approach as currently practiced within British…

Creating a CD-ROM to enrich the 11th-grade social-studies curriculum was challenging, but rewarding. Draft storyboards and stock World War II footage soon led to a digital production called "Presumed Enemies," which put the events surrounding the internment of Japanese Canadians and Japanese Americans into historical context. (MLH)

Describes the integration of these topics through a major team-based design and computer aided design (CAD) modeling project in freshman engineering graphics at the University of Western Ontario. Involves n=250 students working in teams of four to design and document an original Lego toy. Includes 12 references. (Author/YDS)

Explains the Networked Interactive Media in Schools (NIMIS) project based in Germany, England, and Portugal that is supported by the EU (European Union), and describes software that was designed to encourage literacy and creative writing using cartoon-style stories with pictures, sound, and text with the help of an agent. (Author/LRW)

Explores economic aspects of a national electronic reserve service using Ithink Analyst, a modeling software package. Describes the model, which was based on developments within the United Kingdom higher education community; considers copyright clearance and digitization; and concludes that economically this service does not compare favorably with…

MATLAB is a sophisticated software tool for numerical analysis and visualization. The University of Queensland has adopted Matlab as its official teaching package across large first year mathematics courses. In the past, the package has met severe resistance from students who have not appreciated their computational experience. Several main…