This paper presents the results of a project in robotics education that included: (1) designing a mobile robot--the Personal Instructional Robot-1 (PIR-1); (2) providing a guide to the purchase and assembly of necessary parts; (3) providing a way to interface the robot with common classroom microcomputers; and (4) providing a language by which the…

This manual on microcomputer-based database management programs provides a description of the key characteristics of database software as well as guidelines for designing a database, uses of database programs, and selecting the right software. Three sets of concepts related to database management are listed and explained: creating a database,…

This paper presents a cognitive account of both the advantages and disadvantages of direct manipulation interfaces, i.e., the use of icons to manipulate and interact directly with data rather than writing programs or calling on a set of statistical subroutines. Two underlying phenomena that give rise to the sensation of directness are identified.…

This document is a guide for computer enhanced counseling program development. An introductory overview on counselors and computers focuses on the use of microcomputers, the use of computers in test scoring and recordkeeping, and computer-assisted career guidance systems. Other chapters include the following: (1) Becoming a Computer Literate…

This document defines and describes electronic databases and provides guidance for organizing a useful database and for selecting hardware and software. Alternatives such as using larger machines are discussed, as are the computer skills necessary to use an electronic database and the use of the computer in the classroom. Files, records, and…

This report provides 1-page reviews of 113 highly-rated computer software programs, identified from the evaluation reports of the following 16 evaluation services and educational technology magazines: Province of Alberta (Alberta Education), Baltimore County (Maryland) Public Schools, Province of British Columbia Ministry of Education, California…

Citing a need for a strong, clearly-defined approach to software maintenance, this report emphasizes the importance of maintenance throughout the life cycle of a software system. It also stresses the need to plan, develop, use, and maintain a software system with future maintenance in mind. The report presents guidance for controlling and…

Designed to provide guidance in selecting the appropriate microcomputer-based word processing program, this document discusses the key characteristics of word processing software, including formatting, editing, merging, and printing. Possible capabilities of word processing features are identified, i.e., indent, tab, center, creation of footnotes,…

Designed to simulate a Senate committee hearing on software copyright laws, this role-playing game exposes students to a wide variety of viewpoints about software copying, including piracy. The game is structured to bring out as many points of view as possible; the goal of the simulation is exposure to these various points, not the final committee…

This report describes the use of Apple Macintosh computers in the Merriam Center Library (MCL) (Illinois), a small, specialized library located on the campus of the University of Chicago. The appropriateness of the Macintosh for library use and the introduction of Macintosh computers to MCL are briefly discussed, current computer applications are…

This description of ways in which a microcomputer can enhance the process of conducting qualitative research uses a multiple site case study in education carried out during 1986-87 as an example (the study examined the mobilization and implementation stages of introducing microcomputers into a majority adopter school district). Specific…

Preschool children can benefit by working with microcomputers. Thinking skills are enhanced by software games that focus on logic, memory, problem solving, and pattern recognition. Counting, sequencing, and matching games develop mathematics skills, and word games focusing on basic letter symbol and word recognition develop language skills.…

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…

Online searchers who download large amounts of data into a single ASCII file often have difficulty fitting that large file into their MS-DOS word processors for post-processing. This paper gives step-by-step instructions for using EDLIN, a text editor for DOS files, to break up a large downloaded file into smaller files. (1 reference) (Author/EW)

The robustness of LISREL computer program maximum likelihood estimates under specific conditions of model misspecification and sample size was examined. The population model used in this study contains one exogenous variable; three endogenous variables; and eight indicator variables, two for each latent variable. Conditions of model…