Work with PLATO, a computer-based teaching system which provides a means for individualizing instruction, is described. Children sit at terminals and respond to directives and questions on the screen by touching it or by typing a message. PLATO responds, and prescribes work in accordance with the child's previous performance. Curricular materials…

A training program was devised to develop automaticity of one subcomponent of reading--locating and disembedding multiletter units within words. The system involved the use of a training task that was implemented in a microcomputer-based game that required students to detect whether a target unit was presented within words that were shown in rapid…

The current lag in U. S. productivity has many implications for vocational education. Before discussing the role of vocational education in easing the productivity crisis, it is necessary to understand the causes of the crisis. Included among these are rising energy prices; the segmentation of the American work force, by both geography and skills;…

The first nationwide survey of public school districts' uses of computers, this study summarizes the responses of 1,484 districts out of a national sample of 3,497 school systems. Presented in 25 tables, the data are classified by district enrollment size and expenditure per pupil. The variables covered, besides computer uses, include type of…

Intended for educators at all levels, this paper traces the development of the computer from its beginnings to the present and discusses how computers can best be used in education. The first section of the paper describes major developments in the history of the computer, including the machine invented by W. Schickard and the computer constructed…

A checklist for evaluating courseware is presented to help American Council of Evaluation (ACE) review teams determine whether a software package is suitable for use with adult learners. Courseware, which is software used in instructional programming, may include various mechanical devices (e.g., discs, tapes, computer programs), as well as…

The creative process of teaching is discussed. Teachers are artists because they employ creativity when they formulate, select, and organize their ideas into a medium which is called a lesson. This medium, in turn, is the means which provides a learning experience for others. There are eight articles. In the first article, "What is a Lesson?"…

This document is an information guide for teachers that introduces computers into vocational home economics education classes. The first part points out implications of microcomputers for home economics classes, while the second part provides information on selecting, using, and maintaining computer hardware. The final section describes procedures…

The articles in this collection identify and discuss challenges facing community colleges as they attempt to implement the new microcomputer technology for instructional and administrative purposes. The collection includes: "The Microcomputer Revolution and Its Impact on Community Colleges," by Donald A. Dellow and Lawrence H. Poole;…

This paper presents a basis for judging the merits and shortcomings of computer software for vocational education and contains a comprehensive evaluation tool for educational software. The historical development of computer hardware and software as used in education is addressed. A discussion of the evaluation of educational software stresses the…

A study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the use of computers in Arizona vocational education and to provide a profile of those uses. Data were collected through telephone and on-site interviews of approximately 100 persons involved in vocational education at high schools and community colleges. Although the study concluded that…

Writing to Read is an instructional system with a language experience approach to developing early writing and reading skills for primary children. Designed for a laboratory setting, the system consists of computerized phoneme instruction, 10 student workbooks, and language development activities that emphasize writing as a preliminary activity to…

The purpose of this booklet is to help teachers become familiar with current research-based spelling trends so that they can apply them in their classrooms. The first section of the booklet reviews current trends likely to influence spelling instruction, including practices related to the writing process, studying spelling from the learner's…

This paper presents research on the concept of idealized learning environments called Havens that facilitate learning, introduces the topic of technologically-created Havens, and discusses various components of Havens that can facilitate comprehension. Three experiments involving college students at Vanderbilt University are described. Designed to…

Prepared for a 1984 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conference, this report focuses on issues and problems identified by research on the impact of the new information technologies on learning processes in formal education at the elementary and secondary levels. The impact of the new technologies is discussed in the…