This document presents the 50th semiannual report on the activities and accomplishments of the Office of Inspector General (OIG), U.S. Department of Education (Department). During this reporting period, the OIG issued 123 audits, inspection reports and memoranda, and closed 95 investigations. As detailed in this report, this office continues to…

Preservice teachers do not feel prepared to teach mathematics using technology (Smith & Shotsberger, 2001). To address this issue, we have developed a tool-based categorization of mathematics software and used it to instruct preservice teachers. Changes in thinking that occurred as a result of the course are analyzed primarily using repertory grid…

This volume of the Projects for International Education Research (PIER), World Education Series is a study of the structure and content of the education system of Brazil together with a formal set of placement recommendations based upon the author's research. The placement recommendations have been reviewed and officially approved by the National…

Since computer science education is a key to preparing students for a technologically-oriented future, it makes sense to have high quality resources for conducting summative and formative evaluation of those programs. This paper describes the results of a critical analysis of the resources for evaluating K-12 computer science education projects.…

In a tight job market, IT professionals with database experience are likely to be in great demand. Companies need database personnel who can help improve access to and security of data. The events of September 11 have increased business' awareness of the need for database security, backup, and recovery procedures. It is our responsibility to…

Finding the right candidates for positions is a difficult task for employers. For job applicants obtaining the best positions available can also be challenging. One problem is the inherent weakness of one page cover letters, two page resumes, or short portfolios to present an applicant's talents thoroughly. One successful method of displaying a…

The book is structured to provide teachers, parents, and other interested adults with ideas, issues, trends, and practical techniques for dealing with media and literacy. It sets out to examine the "new literacies" in today's technology-intensive world. The authors attempt to answer the question of what it will mean to be literate in the…

This position paper of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges examines the increasing use of technology in education and the fundamental, academic implications of this increase for the traditional understanding of academic freedom, privacy, copyright, and fair use. This is the third paper in a four-part series. The widespread use of…

This paper addresses the issue of educational budgets for Ontario's Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (Canada). Colleges have supported a 35% increase in enrollment, with a 40% decrease in funding, over the last ten years, while operating costs have increased. In addition, Ontario eliminated the secondary school Ontario Academic Courses…

This environmental scan is designed to assist Ontario's colleges in their strategic planning processes. Ontario's colleges have supported a 35% increase in enrollment, with a 40% decrease in funding, over the last ten years, while operating costs have risen. In addition, Ontario eliminated the secondary school Ontario Academic Courses (OACs),…

This book provides school library media specialists (SLMSs) with practical guidelines and suggested Internet sites for designing cyber libraries that are reflective of their school's research, curriculum, and recreational reading needs. An introduction provides SLMSs with a rationale for designing cyber libraries. Chapter 1, Cyber Library…

The researchers, using a variation of the SERVQUAL instrument, repeated a 1999 study to measure students' satisfaction with instructional technology tools used in their classrooms. Student satisfaction varied by course discipline, by instructional technology, by anticipated grade, and by frequency of use. Female respondents were less satisfied…

The "PLATO[R] Math Expeditions" and "PLATO[R] Projects for the Real World" curricula are designed to implement effective, research-based instructional practices. "Math Expeditions" is designed to give elementary grade users the mathematics skills and practice needed to solve real-life problems. Across the eight…

This Technical Paper focuses on the new PLATO[R] reading curricula which represent an innovation in the computer-based teaching of basic reading skills and advanced reading comprehension strategies for adults and young adults in secondary and postsecondary academic settings, as well as adult/job skills training. The first section is divided into…

This paper provides a balanced set of guidelines for reviewing educational software, and offers a simple and practical procedure that can be used to select software for instructional purposes. The procedure applies equally well to individual "titles" or to large-scale curriculum-based systems. It applies to software delivered on a CD-ROM, through…