Screen design, as an inherent part of the interface within computer-based instructional programs, is a critical component to the communication potential of the medium. This paper establishes aesthetics as an essential and necessary component of screen design and of instructional design. Current screen design guidelines tend to overlook the…

Building upon four previous planning documents for computing at College of DuPage in Illinois, this plan for fiscal year 1995 (FY95) provides a starting point for future plans to address all activities that relate to the use of information technology on campus. The FY95 "Information Technology Plan" is divided into six sections, each…

The differences between multiple-choice, simulated, and concurrent tests of software-skills proficiency are discussed. For three basic human-resource functions, the advantages of concurrent tests (i.e., those that use the actual application software) include true performance-based assessment, unconstrained response alternatives, and increased job…

Many writers suggest the use of metaphors in creating hypermedia and multimedia products. However, it is unclear how to choose an appropriate metaphor and how to avoid an inappropriate metaphor that will cause confusion and conceptual difficulties for users. A metaphor compares one thing to another without directly stating the comparison,…

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) for teaching problem solving skills. It was conducted in three phases. During the first phase, two pieces of problem solving software, "The King's Rule" and "Safari Search," were identified and analyzed. During the second phase, two groups of six…

A computerized grammar checker was developed to assist teachers of English as a Second Language in editing student compositions. The first stage of development consisted of an error analysis of 125 writing samples collected from students. The 1,659 errors found were classified into 14 main types and 93 subtypes. This analysis served as the basis…

A discussion of computer-assisted second language learning focuses on the kinds of computer software currently available and discusses briefly how they can be used in language instruction. Four types of software are distinguished, including: (1) that in which the computer controls, to a great extent, the nature and order of events (e.g., drills,…

This paper provides a definition of interactive multimedia and explains why it is of interest to teachers and trainers, how it is produced and utilized, and how the role of teachers may be changed. It also offers recommendations for teacher trainers. Multimedia is defined as the combination of technologies such as computer text, video, audio,…

Computer assisted instructional environments offer unique opportunities for the analysis of learning and problem solving processes. In this paper, partially automated techniques for process analysis are applied in a study of the problem solving strategies of a group of gifted students learning the Logo programming language. The objectives of the…

This report, submitted by Representative Ford, of Michigan, from the House Committee on Education and Labor, is intended to accompany H.R. 656. The bill provides for a focused and coordinated federal research program to ensure continued U.S. leadership in high-performance computing through the establishment of a national network of…

This curriculum guide is one of five developed as part of the Illinois Plan for Business, Marketing, and Management Education for use in 9th and 10th grades. The curriculum guide includes teacher and student activities that can be implemented in many ways. Information on how to integrate the activity objectives of the Illinois Plan into the State…

This book about Logo programming and problem solving is designed to introduce preservice and inservice teachers to problem solving in a Logo programming environment. Such a unit of study can be an important part of an introductory computers in education course for educators. Although Logowriter--a version of Logo--was developed by Logo Computer…

Although the use of computers in the classroom has been heralded as a major breakthrough in education, many educators have yet to use computers to their fullest advantage. This is perhaps due to the traditional assumption that students differed only in their speed of learning. However, new research indicates that students differ in their style of…

A study investigated the instructional usefulness of HANGMAN, a computerized vocabulary development game, for university students of English as a Second Language. In the ten microcomputers available to students, the regular version of the game was replaced with a modified version in which all student key-strokes were recorded automatically.…

The 22 papers in this proceedings were presented at the 1990 Association for Media and Technology in Education in Canada (AMTEC) conference: (1-3) "Selected Quotations" (R. Heinich, D. Beckwith, P. D. Mitchell); (4) "Responses to P. David Mitchell"; (5) "Build It and They Will Come--Creating the 3rd Wave: The Field of…