Teaching programming is a complex task. The task is even more challenging for introductory modules. There is an ongoing debate in the teaching community over the best approach to teaching introductory programming. Visual block-based programming environments allow school students to create their own programs in ways that are more accessible than in…

This report reviews eight IBM-compatible software packages that are available to secondary schools to teach computer-aided drafting (CAD). Software packages to be considered were selected following reviews of CAD periodicals, computers in education periodicals, advertisements, and recommendations of teachers. The packages were then rated by…

Control charts are practical tools to monitor various school indicators (attendance rates, standardized test scores, grades, and graduation rates) by displaying data on the same scale over time. This article shows how principals can calculate the upper natural-process limit, lower natural-process limit, and upper control limit for attendance. (15…

As the first step in a district energy conservation program, the Blair (Nebraska) Community School District installed a load programmer in 1980 to control power usage in the 144,000 square foot junior-senior high school. The cost of the load programmer was less that $8,500, including installation, and during the initial year of operation, the…

Presents five examples of successful computer oriented programs in high schools, a community college, and a state program. They focus on computer literacy, agricultural education, benefits to students and teachers, state delivery systems, and TICCIT (Time-Shared, Interactive, Computer-Controlled, Information Television). (CT)

Telidon, which consists of two computerized communications systems for displaying text and graphics on a television screen under user control, is being field tested in the libraries of two York Region Board of Education (YRBE) schools in Aurora, Ontario. Beginning in spring 1983, students were able to access, via telephone, a computerized data…

The computer has not yet reached its full potential in the secondary school. Besides instructional usage, present usages of the computer include computer-managed instruction, acquisition of basic skills, teaching computer literacy, evaluating occupational information, and providing data about colleges and universities. (Author/JN)

Six major categories encompassing the various ways in which computers can be used to enhance mathematics education are listed and described. Examples of problem solving, drill and practice, management of instruction, and tutorial applications are followed by predictions about the future of instructional computing in mathematics education.…

An experiment applied the theories of knowledge engineering and expert systems to science instruction for junior high school students. The model encourages a more creative, constructivist approach to teaching certain science concepts and skills while fostering improvement of logical thinking, communication, and independent learning skills. Results…

The feasibility of the administration, scoring, and reporting of an on-line concept mapping system has been studied in collective research in which concept map construction systems were designed to allow students individually and collaboratively to construct concept maps on the computer to measure content understanding and collaboration. The study…

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…

The Maine Occupational Information Coordinating Committee field-tested the Guidance Information System. Students showed an increase in career awareness and information-gathering activities. Counselors became stimulated to do more reading and studying in the career guidance area. (Author)

This report describes the development in 1986 of a management information system by the Sacramento City (California) Unified School District for use in high schools. A nine-page attachment, which comprises two-thirds of the report, offers profiles of selected schools drawn from the databases. Data sets of 200 information items, collected from all…

Science interfacing packages (also known as microcomputer-based laboratories or probeware) generally consist of a set of programs on disks, a user's manual, and hardware which includes one or more sensory devices. Together with a microcomputer they combine to make a powerful data acquisition and analysis tool. Packages are available for accurately…

A change of emphasis in mathematics education may be needed from a mechanical and computational focus to a problem-solving approach. A first step in facilitating this goal is to place children in situations emphasizing problem-solving skills, requiring them to develop and apply their own logic structures. This paper describes a microcomputer based…