This initial article in series of three discusses barriers inhibiting use of current online retrieval systems by novice users and notes reasons for front end and gateway online retrieval systems. Definitions, front end features, user interface, location (personal computer, host mainframe), evaluation, and strengths and weaknesses are covered. (16…

Discusses structure, credibility, and use of the Computer Based Training (CBT) Advisor, an expert system designed to help managers make judgements about course selection, system selection, cost/benefits, development effort, and probable success of CBT projects. (MBR)

Describes the design of a tutorial lesson, the benefits of such a lesson, and the drawbacks of such a method. Suggestions for word processing teachers are listed, including requiring students to write their own "operating manual" and using tutorials as an introduction to word processing functions. (CT)

Provides an annotated list of suggested readings relating to schools and computers. (MD)

Outlines the information necessary for schedule calculation of school bus runs. Describes the use of The Quick Route Optimizer software program for computer calculation of school bus routes. Includes four charts. (MD)

Supplying data from mainframe computers to microcomputers is tedious because IBM mainframe computers use Extended Binary-Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) to represent data and microcomputers use an American National Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) code set. (MLF)

A computer-based method for producing 35mm color slides has been used in Ohio State University's College of Dentistry. The method can produce both text and slides in less than two hours, providing substantial flexibility in planning and revising visual presentations. (Author/MLW)

Described are the development and validation of two computer-based Piagetian assessment instruments, designed to assist teachers in identifying cognitive reasoning patterns. Implications for teachers are presented. (Author/MT)

Encourages teachers to examine how equity in educational computing may be occurring in vocational programs. Outlines several strategies for creating equal educational computing opportunities for students in vocational education. (Author/CH)

Provides information regarding hardware and software requirements for using geocoded databases in urban historical geography. Reviews 11 IBM and Apple Macintosh database programs and describes the pen plotter and digitizing table interface used with the databases. (JDH)

The potential application of "expert systems" to the diagnosis and assessment of special-needs children is examined and existing prototype systems are reviewed. The future of this artificial intelligence technology is discussed in relation to emerging development tools designed for the creation of expert systems by the lay public. (Author)

Outlines the structure of a printer driven program that converts Romanized texts, composed with the aid of standard word-processing software, into codes that enable a dot matrix printer to produce high-quality printouts in various non-Roman scripts. (Author/SED)

Acquaints information professionals with Digital Equipment Corporation's compact optical disk read-only-memory (CDROM) search and retrieval software and growing library of CDROM database publications (COMPENDEX, Chemical Abstracts Services). Highlights include MicroBASIS, boolean operators, range operators, word and phrase searching, proximity…

Describes Expert 4, a knowledge-base management system which develops student performance predictors based on routinely collected student data. When exploited, these predictors serve to improve recruitment and selection processes. Tabulations of data on library and business information technology students, produced by Expert 4, are presented to…

Describes the success rate index and computer software utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of residential treatment programs. The program is sensitive to influences, provides for differential weighting of quantitative evidence, and provides information that can guide planners in improving the quality of treatment. (BL)