Presents the transcript of an interview with William Gates, chairman of Microsoft Corporation. Topics discussed include continued support from the information technology industry for higher education; experiences with recent college graduates in the industry; new technologies developing in the near future; alliances in the computer industry; and…

Describes a study of undergraduates that was conducted to determine students' preferences toward Graphical User Interface versus Command Line Interface during computer-assisted instruction. Previous experience, comfort level, performance scores, and student attitudes are examined and compared, and the computer use survey is appended. (Contains 13…

Authors discuss how computer laboratory interfacing has revolutionized their nonscience-major introductory chemistry course. Discusses the advantages of doing away with the "cookbook" approach to laboratory experimentation. Presents an evaluation of the course approach including the finding that over 75 percent of the students felt that…

Describes study conducted at Memorial University to determine how students were using the Biology Microcomputer Resource Centre. The four main purposes of the survey were to determine (1) level of use of the center; (2) whether students benefited from this use; (3) characteristics of center users; and (4) influence of the instructor on center use.…

Describes a study of 328 British secondary school students that examined their attitudes toward computers in relation to gender, computer-related courses at school, and the availability of a computer at home. Use of the Computer Attitude Scale (CATT) is described, results are analyzed, and practical and theoretical implications for instructional…

Describes a study that was conducted to learn about the needs of distance education students who were enrolled in television-based college courses. Student characteristics are examined; barriers to attending on-campus courses are described; and computer use at home, at work, and on-campus is discussed. (LRW)

Discusses the use of microcomputers in creating national information systems in less developed countries; considers the structure and constraints of national systems; discusses bibliographic formats; and describes BABINAT, a reference format for national bibliographic databases that was developed in France for use in less developed countries. (20…

Elementary level math activity helps students learn averages, percentages, and mathematical predictions using candies and a computer spreadsheet. Students estimate, collect data, and compare actual counts against their predictions. (SM)

This meta-analysis of 40 independent studies was undertaken to clarify existing knowledge of computer use in instruction and to provide information concerning implementation factors helpful to school administrators. Variables analyzed included characteristics of students, teachers, physical settings, and instructional formats. Teacher computer…

As part of planning for implementation of computer-administered medical board examinations, a telephone survey of 143 accredited medical schools in the United States and Canada found that most have at least 1 computer for every 20 students, though nearly one-third of the schools make very few microcomputers available. Computer types used varied,…

Describes two classroom experiments that investigated the effects of using projected-display computers: the first compared teaching a course using a projected display with teaching the course in a computer lab; and the second compared using a computer and projected display with standard lectures. Effects on test scores are discussed. (three…

Presents responses to a teacher survey asking how computers and technology impact the classroom. Results indicate teachers are no longer technophobes; 99 percent work in schools with computers; most want better training; half believe technology improves teaching quality and student achievement; and the videocassette recorder is the most popular…

Bowling Green State University (Ohio) produces a microcomputer resource handbook that contains a comprehensive listing of campus employees with unique microcomputer expertise they are willing to share. The project's current success suggests expansion and follow-up activities in the future. (Author/MSE)

The effectiveness of computer-based handwriting exercises was compared with traditional pencil-and-paper instruction in remediating handwriting difficulties. Students in grades 4-6 with poor handwriting received either computer-based, conventional, or computer-assisted conventional instruction. The traditional group improved significantly more…

Patterns of motivation and social behavior among children working in pairs at microcomputers were investigated over 4 months by observing 53 male and 42 female kindergarten students and 4 female teachers. Almost no gender differences were apparent. Results suggest that introducing computers at this age might reduce the predominance of male…