This study demonstrated that abstracts composed with the aid of a computer were rated higher than those without a computer. Categories assessed included spelling/punctuation, organization/design, sentence structure, clarity, and overall quality. Subjects were 68 students participating in the 1984 Secondary Student Training (SST) Research Program…

The joint winter meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and the American Physical Society (APS) was held in Atlanta, Georgia, January 27-30, 1986. Abstracts of papers presented at the meeting and the complete program are provided. An author index is appended. (JN)

This paper, which addresses the issue of representation as an internal construct corresponding to an external abstract configuration, attempts to extend A. A. DiSessa's phenomenological primitives to mathematics (particularly to the notion of circle). Various acceptations of the word representation are examined, using the notion of a circle as an…

The nonparametric approach to test theory discussed here has its roots in the early work of Guttman, Lazarsfeld, and Meredith; and more recently in the work of Cliff and in Tatsuoka and Tatsuoka. Mokken's extensive treatment of this subject concentrated on defining, constructing, and testing unidimensional scales, based on responses to dichotomous…

A "Xenograde system" is an imaginary science system. As an imaginary science, it contains a set of concepts and principles which mimic many of the concepts and principles found in physics and other physical sciences. Xenograde is a highly complex closed system which simulates the movement of satellites orbiting a nucleus and some small particles…

Secondary teachers in a workshop on overcoming computer and math anxiety and students in a programming course were given measures of anxiety and achievement. Low mathematical ability and coursework were related to math and computer anxiety and negative attitudes. Attitudes improved for the teachers but not the students. (MNS)

Described is the notion of multiple alternative representations of mathematical reasoning, particularly as they relate to algebraic notation and the potential of computers to change representations. Features of a desirable notation for algebraic problem solving are described. This is followed by a description of the RAND Corporation's intelligent…

Investigated was a sequence of computer-based activities on estimation with 108 students in grades 9, 10, and 12. The activities were appropriate for students at each grade level; each class improved their estimation scores significantly. (MNS)

An overall schema of interpretation for programming instructors is given, so that the misconceptions students develop in programming can be determined more readily. Types of language-independent and -dependent bugs, how they can be identified, and how to help students overcome them are addressed. (MNS)

Computer graphing makes it easier for students and teachers to create and manipulate graphs. Scale issues are nearly unavoidable in the computer context. In interviews and protocol analysis with six students from grade 8, and 12 students from grades 11 and 12, it became apparent that some aspects of scale are clearly understood very early while…

This evaluative report describes a demonstration project undertaken by the Center for Research on Equitable Access to Technology in Education (CREATE) at the Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development; the project involved the design and implementation of computer literacy training of minority high school students in San…

Described are developments in medical electronics and physiological measurement. Discussed are electrocardiology, audiology, and urology as mature applications; applied potential tomography, magnetic stimulation of nerves, and laser Doppler flowmetry as new techniques; and optical sensors, ambulatory monitoring, and biosensors as future…

Discussed are technological advances applying computer techniques for image acquisition and processing, including digital radiography, computed tomography, and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. Several diagrams and pictures showing the use of each technique are presented. (YP)

Discussed is a radionuclide imaging technique, including the gamma camera, image analysis computer, radiopharmaceuticals, and positron emission tomography. Several pictures showing the use of this technique are presented. (YP)

Mathematics curricula in Canadian schools, especially at the secondary level, have until now derived much of their content and ways of teaching largely from university mathematics and mathematicians. This feasibility study represents a first step in collecting and analyzing data from hi-tech industries, businesses and organizations. In Phase I, a…