Before schools purchase computer hardware and software, the district should set goals for their use, establish effective teacher training, and determine a realistic schoolwide implementation plan.(MD)

Suggestions are made for choosing microcomputers for instructional design. Elements discussed include hardware (system components, selection procedures, operations and hardware); equipment suppliers; software development (database management, simulation); and implementation (acquisition of hardware, probable difficulties). (CT)

This paper presents a descriptive review of how the Provost's Office of the College of Letters and Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) implemented 330 microcomputers in the 34 academic departments from July 1984 through June 1986. The decision to implement stand-alone microcomputers was based on four concerns: increasing…

Guidelines for purchasing computers and for curriculum planning are offered as a beginning for educators interested in computers. The first section includes eight steps to take in planning for a computer, a chart of a microcomputer infusion model, an article on rating the microcomputers, and guides to understanding the rating factors and computer…

This brief publication provides general background on issues related to using microcomputers for instruction and suggests ways in which computer technologies can be included in state education improvement plans. Specific computer assisted instruction (CAI) uses mentioned are individual drill and practice and developing higher order skills. Three…

The study reports on a nationwide survey that investigated the specific planning steps and procedures used by colleges and universities in implementing microcomputer instruction into their teacher education curriculum. The findings presented are based on 101 usable responses to a 55-item questionnaire mailed to five major college and university…

Designed to assist administrators in making intelligent decisions about microcomputer selection, this nontechnical guide provides information in three areas: how, where, when, and why to use a microcomputer; what questions to ask about software and hardware; and what terminology to use. It provides a framework for answering six questions the…

A nationwide mail survey was conducted of 400 randomly-selected schools in the 50 states to investigate the decisions made by schools in implementing microcomputer instruction and the procedural planning systems developed by schools to integrate microcomputer instruction into the program. An introduction, statement and explanation of the problem,…

This paper discusses some of the significant issues that school districts, superintendents, principals, board members, and faculty will have to face in the acquisition and implementation of educational hardware and software. Strengths and weaknesses of various computer configurations are presented and it is suggested that the use of professional…

Based on a doctoral dissertation that involved a study of the nation's 100 most successful school computer systems, this report summarizes the study's purpose, scope, methodology, resultant model, general observations, and future implications. The model is divided into two major sections: (1) strategic planning activities, focusing on computer…

A 1982 survey of school superintendents provided much of the material for this discussion of the educational applications of microcomputers and other technologies, and for planning and developing these applications in schools. Chapter I is an interview with David Moursund, an educational computing expert who discusses issues and trends in school…

Designed to help school districts move from exploring the use of computers in the classroom to the comprehensive planning and development of computer education programs, this guide is organized around five steps essential to the process of developing a district program. Phase 1 includes the following preliminary activities involved in planning for…