Discusses factors that should be considered before purchasing a computer, given the objectives of computer literacy; considering programing in Pascal or Logo, computer-assisted instruction, teaching practical applications, art and music, special education, telecommunications, administration, and library management. A chart showing prices and…

Examines origins of the LOGO computer programing language, describes its capabilities, and compares available LOGO systems for use on various microcomputers noting producer/distributor, price, hardware, user group, backup, debugging aids, and comments. A resource list of books, articles, newsletters, and research reports is included. (EJS)

Presents three reports on ways in which microcomputers are being utilized in fields of agriculture, industry, and home economics, including a description of a school or classroom which is teaching vocational computer use. Charts describing software packages (name, hardware/memory, description, cost, grade level, backup policy) are provided. (EJS)

Presents results of national survey of state departments of education which was conducted to provide an assessment of the level of interest in educational computing in elementary and secondary schools, as well as to learn about educational technology projects. Highlights include computer literacy, teacher training, and hardware and software…

Software collection development recommendations from principals and educational computing specialists focus on district control of software collections, budgeting, what to purchase (e.g., games versus educational programs), computer literacy, and computers as time savers for instructors. Recommended software programs are profiled, and an annotated…

Discusses the hardware and software necessary to generate charts and graphs to illustrate numeric data using a microcomputer. The manufacturer, price, operating system, memory requirements, and types of graphs they can produce are given for nine graphics software packages and seven inexpensive plotters. (MBR)

This overview of the computer industry vendors that supply microcomputer hardware to educators for use in kindergarten through high school focuses on Apple, Tandy, Commodore, and IBM. The use of MS-DOS versus the operating system used in Apple computers is discussed, and pricing and service issues are raised. (LRW)

Investigates Computer Assisted Guidance (CAG), systems providing occupational/career guidance, in terms of student and guidance needs, validity, currency, and costs. The CAG program at a Miami, Florida, high school is described, and a chart comparing 30 CAG programs is provided. (MBR)

This discussion of the increasing use of computers in colleges and universities focuses on changes that are occurring as a result of such use. Highlights include library automation, the effects of microcomputers, the growth of networks, changes in software, budget considerations, administrative staffing patterns, and outlooks for the future. (LRW)

Discusses the growth of computer networks in elementary and secondary schools and describes numerous benefits for both instructional and management functions. Topics discussed include ease of use; educational advantages; examples of use in physics, writing, and journalism classes; student records management; cost benefits; and greater efficiency.…

Discusses benefits and pitfalls of networking or disk-sharing in computer labs where microcomputers are connected to a central disk drive which runs one program for all microcomputers at one time. Copyright and software compatibility from educators' and publishers' perspectives, costs, time factors, and educational objectives are included in the…

Educational computing projects profiled focus on computer programing, computer literacy, an electronic bulletin board for math/science research, computer managed instruction for reading, word processing throughout the curriculum, parental participation in computer literacy, and an electronic interstate school newspaper. A list of sources for…

Focuses on the Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii, which has redesigned its curriculum to integrate LOGO across the entire K-4 curriculum as a tool for the teaching of other subjects. How practical problems are being overcome is discussed, and some instructional applications are described. (EAO)

Reviews six microcomputer-based administrative software programs that handle scheduling, grade reporting, and attendance tasks: (1) Alpha II, (2) Harts III, (3) Mount Castor, (4) The Osiris System, (5) The School System, and (6) STARS (Student Academic Records System). Companies producing the programs, systems they run on, and price information…

Describes range of options and features in gradebook programs and reviews most popular and readily available software for organizing, calculating, and updating grades: Master Grades, EA Gradebook, Gradeaid, Grader, Graphic Gradebook, Classic Plus Gradekeeping System, Records, Gradecalc, Grade Master, Report Card, Electronic Gradebook for…