The history of competency testing and legal issues related to it are reviewed briefly in light of the responsibility of school districts for providing remediation programs for students who have failed the test. The mathematics competencies of the state of Idaho are identified and keyed to four sets of readily available, secondary level Apple…

One of the best teaching methods adaptable to the computer is the writing conference. The student and teacher meet at the computer and work with the piece directly on the screen. Holding writing conferences at the computer allows the teacher to get closer to the student's writing processes and to determine the stage or stages with which the…

A validated instructional model generated on a large mainframe computer by the military was modified to a microcomputer format for use in programming tutorial computer assisted instruction (CAI) materials, and a simplified, compatible system of generating programs was identified--CP/M and MP/M from Digital Research Corporation. In order to…

This guide gives step-by-step directions for authoring computer-assisted instruction materials as well as advice on planning, designing, coding, documenting, and evaluating computer assisted courseware. The importance of prospective courseware designers having a sound background in both educational theory and practice is also discussed, and…

This report describes the beginning of a school district's involvement in the use of microcomputers in the classroom, and one teacher's experiences with microcomputers in a junior high school setting. Background information is given on how the district financed its initial computer investment, approaches the district used to encourage teacher…

This evaluative report summarizes the objectives, costs, and outcomes of a project undertaken by South Oklahoma City Junior College to develop 50 computer-based tutorial lessons to assist students in mastering the requirements of a competency-based physics course. A rationale for the project is presented first, based on the inordinate amount of…

This review of the literature on individualized instruction entered in the ERIC system between November 1978 and October 1979 covers the development and sharing of individualized learning modules and systems; mastery learning; applications of television to individualized instruction; descriptive and research reports on individualized…

Reviews Apple computer science programs that are useful in a laboratory setting. Includes laboratory simulations, uses of Apple as a functioning lab instrument, and dissection programs. (ML)

Reviews trends in computer assisted instruction (CAI) in Japan, focusing on authoring languages and mathematical model-based courseware development. The scale of personal computer use and types of courseware used in elementary and junior high schools is described, and an example of an intelligent CAI system is given. (Author/LRW)

A study of the effects of microcomputer use in classrooms and homes on the growth of school-readiness skills of kindergartners used pre- and posttested experimental and control groups to assess reading readiness, mathematics readiness, Piagetian operations, and keyboard knowledge. Teacher implementation strategies and techniques used by nonreaders…

Describes two studies researching whether computer use led to changes in student's problem-solving skills; "a help facility" assisted with students' acquisition of strategy to solve problems; and an "intrinsic orientation" of pupils influenced their behavior on computer problem-solving task. Results showed intrinsic…

Presents and discusses a form for the evaluation of microcomputer software for computer-assisted instruction which covers the following areas: (1) program goals; (2) program content; (3) audience; (4) instructional strategies; (5) program design; (6) appropriate use of computers; (7) program techniques; (8) cost/benefit analysis; and (9) overall…

Reports the results of an in-depth examination of middle school children's graphing skills and misconceptions. Also discusses a study in which students learned graphing skills through microcomputer-based laboratory (MBL). (ML)

Describes the development of a microcomputer simulation program that uses a fictional country to teach students about societal processes in developing nations. The discussion covers design objectives, the design process, and further possibilities for this type of simulation. (CLB)

Discusses the advantages of using content specific problem solving as a vehicle for undergraduate instruction in biology, and describes different software tools used to implement this model. The areas discussed include simulated laboratories, the construction of binary classification schemes using computer programs, and scientific writing using…