The effectiveness of two spelling software programs on the weekly spelling performance of underachieving elementary students was studied. Students learned the programs, and data were collected over the school year. Data analyses indicated both programs generated higher accuracy in spelling than traditional procedures. Students sustained the…

Evaluation of the impact of a policy of Great Britain's Open University requiring students in specified courses to have access to a microcomputer found that preexisting differences in the student body affecting access (particularly gender, income, and geographical location) were magnified by the need to use computers. (Author/DB)

Presents four articles that explore various uses of information technology in libraries: (1) the publication of faculty bibliographies by a university library using microcomputers; (2) automation in Hungarian libraries; (3) integrating Utlas' CD-CATSS system into the cataloging workflow of a university library; and (4) reevaluating an integrated…

A 1989 study at Cornell University compared students' competence, behavior, and preference in searching the ERIC database on Silver Platter CD-ROM systems for IBM and Macintosh computers. Although no significant differences in search success were noted between the systems, the majority of students expressed a preference for the Macintosh's…

Describes the Bradley Library Information Support System (BLISS), a comprehensive local area network designed to provide library users with electronic information access and management services to support Bradley University (Illinois). System architecture is explained; and six sidebars provide more detailed information on various services, the…

Describes two new multimedia products developed by IBM that are interdisciplinary, multicultural, and nongraded (i.e., suitable for elementary grades through college): (1) Columbus: Encounter, Discovery and Beyond; and (2) Illuminated Books and Manuscripts, which explores interrelationships between five literary works and other subject areas. The…

Describes a study of undergraduate education students that investigated the use of corrective feedback in computer-directed instruction (CDI) and examined how different levels of feedback interacted with cognitive levels (i.e., interpretation and memory) for the mastery of mathematics. Implications for instructional designers are suggested. (17…

Describes results of a telephone survey of public libraries in Colorado that was conducted to assess both the attitudes and the needs of microcomputer users. Topics discussed include staff use of microcomputers; public access microcomputers; user fees; and types of hardware and software used, and types desired. (LRW)

Discusses the process of mathematical iteration, its benefits as a problem-solving technique, and how to teach it. Presents a selection of mathematical ideas and problems that can be solved and explored using iteration, along with related BASIC computer programs. (MDH)

This article discusses technology available in Sweden for visually impaired and deaf-blind people. It describes systems for stop announcements on buses and trams, queuing systems in shops and banks, text telephones, synthetic speech or braille displays of newspapers and other information sources, and home computers. Ideas for the future are also…

A computer-assisted instruction program was used to teach spelling words to 5 learning-disabled or educable mentally handicapped students (ages 11-12) using a time delay procedure; manage content presentation based on individual student responding; and collect performance data. Four students learned the words, though maintenance varied.…

In an effort to improve the student literacy, a school district in Mississippi implemented the semantic-mapping or cognitive-mapping approach, using the Thinking Networks for Reading and Writing package which provides software, text activities, and semantic maps. Library media specialists played a major role in the project as teacher-trainers,…

Describes a method of evaluation referred to as Instructional Product Verification and Revision (IPVR) and explains its use in developing a library instruction program at Utah State University. The use of HyperCard in Project FORE (Focus on Research and Evaluation) is discussed, and future plans are considered. (10 references) (LRW)

Describes local area networks (LANs) and discusses advantages of their use in schools for students and teachers, including networking in labs, media centers, and classrooms. Roles of the network supervisor and/or technician are explained, including making decisions about the rights of users and instruction and assistance. (LRW)

Discusses information technology criteria for preservice teacher education in the United Kingdom. Topics include government's role; functionalist and constructivist epistemologies; a process model of curriculum; an enquiry-based model of teacher professional development; and two project examples, the Pupil Autonomy in Learning with Microcomputer…