This guide developed by MicroSIFT, a clearinghouse for microcomputer-based educational software and courseware, provides background information and forms to aid teachers and other educators in evaluating available microcomputer courseware. The evaluation process comprises six stages: (1) sifting, which screens out those programs that are not…

Describes study that evaluated 16 software packages representing all grade levels against 19 criteria based on principles of effective learning and teaching. Implications of the results for the development of effective instructional software and its use are discussed, and the evaluation form used is included in the appendix. (21 references) (LRW)

Describes a methodology for student involvement in courseware evaluation and for utilizing student reactions in purchasing and implementation decisions. The evaluation forms used in a survey of 2,308 Indiana students are presented, and the results of that survey are discussed. (18 references) (CLB)

Defines basic concept courseware as educational software dealing with language concepts for young children, details problems with current courseware evaluation systems, and outlines contents of the basic concept courseware evaluation form included in the appendix. Teacher evaluation and learner evaluation of the courseware are included. (12…

Developed to share information presented at a Southwest Educational Development Laboratory Regional Exchange (SEDL/RX) conference, this document includes reports and related materials on educational computing applications in southwestern school districts and states. Basic computer terminology is defined, and software evaluation instruments are…

This microcomputer courseware evaluation form and guide are intended for vocational and technical educators who determine the quality of courseware, professional reviewers who conduct and publish reviews of courseware, and developers who seek to produce high quality courseware for vocational and technical education. The guide includes a brief…

The two studies established an empirically derived set of guidelines for producing and evaluating microcomputer courseware for students with learning disabilities. About 100 teachers of learning disabled students in Pennsylvania and Virginia participated in field testing the guidelines. The first study was conducted in four steps: first,…

Describes a project conducted at Stevens Institute of Technology to develop and test the applicability of full-text electronic databases and full-text retrieval technology for use in undergraduate humanities education. The creation of a machine-readable database on Galileo is described, student reactions are discussed, and further work is…

A consolidated, updated edition of the microcomputer software South Carolina Basic Skills Assessment Program (BSAP) correlation books that have been published by the Office of Instructional Technology since May 1984, this book serves as a reference to available software programs which address BSAP objectives for grades 1-8 in all three BSAP…

The article presents a software evaluation checklist developed by a teaching-research laboratory for severely handicapped students in New York City. In an introductory section, the use of laptop microcomputers in helping handicapped learners acquire, maintain, and generalize functional skills is described as the fifth ingredient of an integrated…

Provides a checklist for troubleshooting malfunctions in classroom microcomputers and explains steps involved for each component. Areas that are addressed include tools to have available; checking computer cables; disk drives; the computer itself; the monitor, or receiver; printers; and software. (LRW)

A computer-assisted instructional program, which was developed for teaching beginning computer maintenance to employees of Unisys, covered external hardware maintenance, proper diskette care, making software backups, and electro-static discharge prevention. The procedure used in developing the program was based upon the Dick and Carey (1985) model…

A project was conducted to design a system for evaluating microcomputer courseware for vocational and technical education. Through a literature review and contacts with organizations and individuals involved in courseware evaluation and use, project staff identified and acquired for review documents pertaining to courseware evaulation, vocational…

Designed to coordinate teacher-developed materials in computer literacy, this resource unit is composed of several sections. The first, "Planning for Computer Instruction," provides an outline for developing a school-level computer task force, management procedures for computer labs, and sample student survey forms. The remaining…

Discusses highlights of a literature review on guidelines for formative evaluation of courseware and the development of a formative evaluation instrument by the Kanata High Technology Training Association (Ottawa). The eight dimensions of the resultant questionnaire are listed and a copy of the evaluation instrument is included. (MBR)