Educational technology has attained significant importance as a mechanism for supporting experiential learning of science concepts. However, the growth of this mechanism is limited by the significant time and technical expertise needed to develop such products, particularly in specialized fields of science. We sought to test whether interactive,…

Computer software is pervasive in today's society. The rate at which new versions of computer software products are released is phenomenal when compared to the release rate of new products in traditional industries such as aircraft building. This rapid rate of change can partially explain why most certifications in the software industry are…

GIS has shown promise in Project Based Learning (PBL) environments, but many obstacles exist in its integration into school curriculums. This article discusses the development and utilization of an online GIS tool that was created to illustrate that the perceptual gap between relevance and ease of use of GIS software can be bridged at the K-12…

Introduction: Virtual communities play an important role in innovation. The paper focuses on the particular form of collective action in virtual communities underlying as Open Source software development projects. Method: Building on resource mobilization theory and private-collective innovation, we propose a theory of collective action in…

Describes how, when Intel Corporation undertook development of a line of desktop conferencing products, the company's writers assumed active roles in the process, conducting usability testing, identifying usability issues for the engineering teams, testing products, and using their findings in the design of both online and hard copy help systems,…

Describes the design of a classification scheme for reusable software and the implementation of an information retrieval system for reusable software using the SMART system. Highlights include a review of other systems for reusable software; system design; reorganization of software documentation; and system testing, including recall and…

This fact sheet about the INTERNET Gopher, an information distribution system combining features of electronic bulletin board services and databases, describes information availability, gateways with other servers, how the system works, and how to access Gopher. Addresses and telephone numbers for additional information or news about Gopher are…

This article continues the description of DFT (Document, Find, Theseus), an online documentation system that provides computer-managed on-demand printing of software manuals as well as the interactive retrieval of reference passages. Document boundaries in the hypertext database are discussed, search vocabulary complexities are described, and text…

The major purpose of this study is to assist college students in constructing mental representation of referential resolution in a computer system. Ninety students were asked to draw mental maps indicating the relationships between references, take reading comprehension tests, and fill out open-ended questionnaire. Results showed that the…

Describes the development and installation of a hypermedia system for student use at the University of Texas Pan-American library that provides information about the library's resources as an alternative to existing printed materials. Highlights include selecting an authoring tool and computer hardware and the development of an icon-based system.…

Discusses issues and procedures involved in auditing the automated acquisitions system at Ohio State University Libraries. The audit process is explained, internal controls within the system are identified, general control mechanisms such as limited electronic access are discussed, and application control mechanisms that relate to specific…

Describes enhancements made to a hypertext information retrieval system at the National Energy Research Supercomputer Center (NERSC) called DFT (Document, Find, and Theseus). The enrichment of DFT's entry vocabulary is described, DFT and other hypertext systems are compared, and problems that occur due to the need for frequent updates are…

Presents a general review of features of version 2.1 of Total Library Computerization (TLC) for Windows from On Point, Inc. Includes information about pricing, hardware and operating systems, modules/functions available, user interface, security, on-line catalog functions, circulation, cataloging, and documentation and online help. A table…

This paper describes the characteristics of lexicographic software programs used in a module on Alexander Pope's "The Rape of the Lock," a major component of a course on computer-assisted learning (CAL) at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. Two of the databases are specific to that school and are small, individualized, and…

Discusses the impact of computerization of maps on access to business and government information that may be geographically referenced and the emergence of a new field, Geographic Information Management (GIM). Applications of hypertext/hypermedia in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are described, and software available for workstations and…